04/28/2026
Every first offer a brand sends has negotiation room built into it. That’s not an opinion, that’s how the process works. When you accept without countering you’re not making their life easier. You’re just leaving money in the deal.
And realistically it’s not even about being aggressive or difficult. A grounded professional counter is literally expected. The brands that walk away from a fair counter weren’t the right fit anyway.
The part that gets me though is that most creators don’t counter because nobody taught them that they could. Or they don’t know what to counter toward.
Knowing your rate is one thing. Knowing whether the rest of the deal actually holds up once you get there the usage, the exclusivity, the scope — that’s a different conversation entirely.
That’s the part I handle. Seven years of sitting inside deals on behalf of creators means I know what to push back on, when to hold, and what the deal should actually look like before anyone signs.
If you’re navigating a partnership right now and you’re not sure whether you’re leaving something on the table, follow along.
