Accidentally Influential
Accidentally Influential is a podcast for educators, experts, and business owners who never intended to become influencers but have built influence anyway. Hosts Kate Robb and Teanna Scot share their experience growing a 479K+ audience and securing over half a million in brand deals. The show offers practical advice on turning authority into income, covering topics like sponsorship strategy and creator psychology. It aims to guide listeners in intentionally building a creator business that complements their existing work.
Episodes
From Corporate Dropout to $7K Brand Deal in 5 Months ft. Hannah Jurczak
Most podcast guests get interviewed after they've figured it out. Hannah Jurczak is in the middle of it. She started posting in January. Went viral in February. Landed a $7,000 single-video brand deal in July. And she's also, by her own account, in a rut right now. That's exactly why we wanted her on. Hannah is a corporate dropout documenting what it looks like to make $130 a day across three inco
How to Yap on Camera So Brands Want to Work With You
Everybody is suddenly talking about yap content. People are making millions teaching it. Here's our confession: this is how we built our audiences, years before anyone named it. It's also how we built the trust that brands have paid us over a million dollars to access. Today we're yapping about yapping. What it is, why brands care, why it feels awkward at first, the anatomy of a good yap, and a 7-
Content Creator Money Systems: Taxes, Fees, and Getting Paid (From Creators, Not Accountants)
Nobody makes fun TikToks about this. Nobody DMs us asking about it. But your money systems matter more than almost anything else we talk about on this show if you want a sustainable career. This is the unsexy, essential episode: separating your money, setting aside for taxes, how you get paid, the fees eating your income, and the weekly habit that keeps it all from piling up. Standard disclaimer:
Do You Need an Influencer Manager? The 6 Jobs They Do (And How to Do Them Yourself)
We made over 1 million in brand deals and neither of us has ever hired a manager. Managers take 15 to 25% of every deal, and for educational creators specifically, we think there's a strong case for keeping that money and learning the job yourself. This episode breaks down the six things a manager does, why we've chosen not to outsource any of them, and how to build the systems to manage your own
Brand Deal Negotiation in Real Time: What We Did When the Offer Started Falling Through
We got a deal to what we thought was the finish line. Waiting on the contract. Then it started falling apart. This is a real brand deal negotiation happening behind the scenes right now. We can't share the brand or the numbers, but we're walking you through every step: the initial offer, our counter, the six-month pause they proposed, the restructured deal that came back, and the call that changed
How to Get Brands to Reach Out to You Without Pitching (Your Inbound Game Plan)
We spend a lot of time teaching you how to pitch. This episode is the other side: how to set things up so brands come to you. Inbound is the highest-margin path in the creator economy, because when a brand reaches out, you're the target instead of one applicant in a pile. Neither of us has actively sought out a new brand partnership in a while, and this is why. What We Cover: How brands actually
The Good Good x Callaway Ad: What Creators Should Learn From It
We don't do gossip. But something happened in the creator space this month big enough that skipping it would be a disservice. Good Good Golf, a creator-led brand with four million followers across platforms, released a co-branded ad with Callaway depicting a man shoving a woman to the ground. Callaway ended a three-year partnership. Good Good lost a PGA Tour title sponsorship. Retailers pulled mer
Content Creator Burnout: How to Stay Consistent Without Quitting (Set Your BAM)
52% of creators have experienced burnout because of their careers. Nearly 2 in 5 have thought about quitting entirely. Most consistency advice assumes your life stays the same every week, and it doesn't. Today we're talking about your BAM: your bare ass minimum. The floor you commit to no matter what season you're in. Kate has been in BAM mode for two weeks and breaks down exactly what hers looks
5 Ways to Make More Money From Every Brand Deal (Without Landing More Partnerships)
Most creators think making more money means landing more brand deals. It doesn't. 61% of creators leave 20 to 30% on the table through underpricing, which means the fastest path to more revenue is charging correctly for the deals you already have. Five things you're probably giving away for free. Grab a notebook. What We Cover: Ad rights: what they are, why 20 to 50% of your base rate per month i
Why You're Not Getting Brand Deals (3 Mistakes to Fix This Week)
You're pitching. You're posting. You're doing what everyone told you to do. And still: nothing. Short, sassy, slightly-calling-you-out episode. Three specific things killing your chances of landing brand partnerships, pulled straight from the DMs we get from creators who say they're following all the advice and still hearing crickets. It's almost always one of these three. What We Cover: Killer
How to Get YouTube Sponsorships With a Small Channel ft. Adrian Vonarx
Adrian had 3,000 subscribers on YouTube and 25,000 followers on TikTok. He charged more for YouTube. Every brand said yes immediately, which he now knows means he undercharged. Eighteen months later YouTube is his single largest income stream. Our guest Adrian Vonarx is a print on demand educator and longtime listener of this show, and this conversation is genuinely one of the most tactical we've
How to Respond When a Brand Asks "What Are Your Rates?" (The Anchor Method)
Four words from a brand: what are your rates? It's one of the most mishandled emails in the entire creator economy. And how you respond determines whether you land the deal at your value or fumble it before the negotiation even starts. Here's what most creators miss: that first email IS the negotiation. Whoever puts the first number down anchors everything that follows. Every counteroffer, every p
How to Monetize Your Content Without Losing Your Audience's Trust
59% of beginner creators are not monetizing their content. And for a lot of them, it's not because the opportunities aren't there. It's because of a quiet fear that taking money will make them a sellout. This episode was inspired by a real conversation Kate had with a creator friend who's seven months in, getting good inbound offers, and wrestling with the guilt of accepting them. So we're having
Brand Deal Content Strategy: How to Deliver Results Brands Pay For (Our GOAL Framework)
When a brand pays you for a video, they are not buying the video. They're buying an outcome. The video is just the vehicle that gets them there. This is a whiteboard episode. Get your notebook out, because we're teaching you our GOAL framework: the four-step process we use to understand what a brand wants from a partnership, build a content strategy around it, deliver the results, and adapt when
Stop using AI like this if you're a content creators (It's Killing your chance of landing brand deals)
Show Notes: We run a creator agency. We source creators for brand campaigns every week. And we can tell, every single time, when someone handed their script to ChatGPT instead of showing up themselves. It's not subtle. And it's costing creators deals they should have landed. In this episode we're getting honest about AI. Not whether to use it, because we both use it every day. But where it's a
The Brand Side of Brand Deals, Part 2: What It Takes to Land a Creator Partnership ft. Yuliia Maryniak of Kittl
Show Notes: 72% of creator pitches never get a response. Most people assume that means rejection. It usually doesn't. This is our second deep dive into the brand side of brand partnerships — and this time we're hearing from someone who has personally worked with over 300 creators and spent more than $3 million on creator collaborations. Yuliia Maryniak leads influencer marketing and partnership
5 Content Creator Business Mistakes Keeping You Broke (LLC, Rates, and More)
Your content is great, but you're stuck thinking like a creator instead of a business owner. In this episode Kate and Tea break down the 5 biggest mistakes keeping content creators from making real, predictable money — pulled directly from what they're seeing while sourcing creators for their own agency. If you've been posting consistently and still aren't landing the partnerships or rates you w
How to Renegotiate Your Brand Deal Rates (Real Example + 3-Step Framework)
Creators who negotiate their rates earn on average 40% more than creators who don't. Kate hadn't renegotiated with one of her longest-standing brand partners in over a year. This episode is what happened next. This is a live one. We're walking through Kate's actual renegotiation process in real time — the data she pulled, how she structured the email, what she asked for, and the mindset it takes
Should You Accept Gifted Collabs? The Truth EDUcreators Need to Hear
Every article on the internet will tell you gifted collabs are a great starting point. We're here to tell you that depends entirely on who you are and what you're building — and for most education-based content creators, the answer is more complicated than "just say yes." This is a quick one but it will make you think twice before you hit accept on that next inbound. What We Cover: What a gift
Why I said "HELL NO" to this brand deal: Brand Deal Contract Red Flags Every Creator Must Know
Tea got an inbound from a LEGIT agency. Established brand. Green flag email. $700 for zero extra work on a video she posted two and a half years ago. She almost said yes. Then she read the contract. In this episode Kate reads Tea's real brand deal contract out loud — clause by clause — and breaks down every red flag hiding inside language that was designed to be confusing on purpose. This isn't
How to Make a Media Kit That Gets Brand Deals (What to Include and What to Leave Out)
A media kit won't land you a brand deal by itself. But not having one — or having the wrong things in it — will definitely cost you deals you should have gotten. This is Season 2 Episode 4 of Accidentally Influential, and this one has been a long time coming. We've mentioned media kits in episode four, episode five, episode 27, and basically every time we've talked about pitching brands. Today w
How to Build a Community That Attracts Brand Deals Using Storytelling ft. Mackenzie Heflin
Followers are vanity. Community is currency. And nobody teaches that better than today's guest. Mackenzie Heflin is a storytelling specialist and content coach who went from losing her entire business overnight — her Facebook group got hacked and deleted at seven months pregnant — to rebuilding from scratch, going viral 27 days into a new storytelling strategy, and working with over 200 clients
Is Your Profile Brand Ready? The 5-Point Checklist to Attract Brand Deals as a Content Creator
If you've been posting consistently and still haven't landed a brand deal, your content might not be the problem. Your profile might be. This is Season 2, Episode 2 of Accidentally Influential — and this season is a full curriculum. Every episode builds on the last. If you haven't listened to Season 2 Episode 1 yet, start there — then come back here. Today we're walking you through our 5-point
5 Types of Content You're Already Creating That Brands Will Pay For (Season 2 Premiere)
You're Already Doing Brand Deal Work for Free (Here's How to Get Paid for It) Welcome to Season 2 of Accidentally Influential. We're calling this season Land It — because every episode this season is built around one goal: helping you land your first and ongoing paid brand partnerships. And we're starting with the episode we wish existed before we ever landed our first deal. Here's the thing no
Season 2 of Accidentally Influential: LAND IT
Season 2 of Accidentally Influential is here — and we're calling it: Land It. Season 1 was the wake-up call. Season 2 is the plan. If you're an educator, course creator, coach, or digital product seller who's been building an audience and wondering how to monetize it beyond your own offers — this season was made for you. Because brand deals aren't just for lifestyle influencers with half a mill
TikTok Content Strategy for Business Owners: Hooks, Structure & Brand Deals ft. Sarah Weiss (& bonus - LIVE pricing a brand deal)
If your videos aren't stopping the scroll, this episode is for you. We brought on Sarah Weiss — speech therapist turned TikTok content and marketing expert, creator of Online Business Talk, and the woman we're officially crowning the Hook Queen — to break down exactly how educational content creators and online business owners can use TikTok to grow, sell, and attract brand deals without ever ch
5 Ways to Make Money as a Content Creator (That Actually Work) ft. Real Numbers
We're pulling back the curtain on every income stream we've built through content creation — from brand deals and affiliate income to UGC, digital products, and consulting. This is the episode we wish existed when we were starting out. Fair warning: Kate got her tax return the day before we recorded this and it sent us both into a spiral. In the best way. This is also episode 24, which means we
UGC Pricing, Retainer Clients & Why You Don't Need Followers to Make Money as a Creator ft. Leslie Cole
We brought on Leslie of Evolushein — UGC creator, creative director, and creator coach — because she has figured out something most creators never do: how to turn content creation into a predictable, scalable business with retainer clients, UGC income, and $130K+ in recurring revenue every year. If you've been wondering how to become a UGC creator, how to land your first client, or how to stop t
What Brands Actually Look for in Creators & Why You're Not Getting Brand Deals (Straight From an Influencer Manager)
We've talked a lot on this podcast about how to pitch brands, how to price yourself, and how to show up like a partner. This episode? We went straight to the source. Noam Giras is the Head of Media Partnerships at Tailor Brands — with seven years of experience and hundreds of influencer deals under her belt. She's also one of the influencer managers Kate and Tea personally work with, w
Your First Brand Deal Blueprint: How to Prove Your Value & Pitch Like a Partner (Part 2 of 2)
If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, go back to last week's episode first — this won't make sense without it. This is the conclusion of our First Brand Deal Blueprint: a four-step system for landing your first paid brand partnership as an EDUcreator. In part one we covered creating content brands would actually pay for and getting crystal clear on who your audience is. Now we're getting into t
Your First Brand Deal Blueprint: How to Create Content Brands Actually Pay For (Part 1 of 2)
We made this episode to be your home base. If you're just getting started with brand partnerships — or you've been trying to land deals and nothing's clicking — this is where it starts. In part one of our First Brand Deal Blueprint, we're walking you through the first two phases of our four-step framework. And here's the thing: neither of them involve pitching a single brand. Most creators skip
How to Respond to Brand Deal Inbounds, Spot Scams & Stop Undercharging: The Reality of Working with Brands
We showed up late, hadn't washed our hair, and had 696 unread emails between us. Welcome to Q&A day. In this episode, we're answering the questions we see most from creators trying to land brand deals and sponsored content — and being fully honest about what's actually happening in our own businesses right now. We break down a real UGC inbound Kate received from a brand she loves — why the offe
How to Grow on Instagram & Turn Followers Into Paying Clients (Even If You're Stuck Under 2K)
How to Grow on Instagram & Turn Followers Into Paying Clients (Even If You're Stuck Under 2K) - w/ Jenna from @jennaspaige If you're posting consistently on Instagram but not getting clients… If you're stuck at 1K–2K followers and growth feels slow… If you're growing an audience but not making money… This episode is for you. Today we're joined by Jenna Harding, marketing coach and host of the Shin
How to Deal With Hate Comments as a Creator (Handling Trolls, Online Criticism & Going Viral): The reality of being a creator
Let's talk about the part of content creation no one prepares you for: The hate. In this episode of Accidentally Influential, we're getting honest about: Hate comments on Instagram and TikTok Trolls after going viral Mean DMs Public criticism And the emotional toll of being visible online If you've ever: Posted something that blew up… and the comments turned ugly Felt sick reading negative comm
The Legal Mistakes That Can Cost Creators Thousands: How to Protect Your Content, Brand Deals & Digital Products w/ Alyssa from Legal Doer
If you're a content creator, digital product seller, or coach — this episode is a must-listen. We're joined by Alyssa from @legaldoer, an attorney who helps creators avoid the kind of legal mistakes that can cost thousands — or even ruin your business. We cover everything from how to legally protect your brand deals, to what contracts you actually need, and the surprising ways creators are leaving
How to Land Brand Deals on Instagram (Even With a Small Following!) ft. Mya Nichol: Turning Educational Content Into Brand Deals
If you're an educator, coach, or course creator using Instagram to grow your business — but feel stuck on how your kind of content could lead to brand deals… this episode is your playbook. This week, Tea and Kate sit down with Mya Nichol, a sustainable business coach, Instagram growth expert, and creator who's built a half-million-dollar business from authentic, strategic content — all while worki
Transparency with Ryan from @side.hustlereview: How Honest Content Builds Trust, Sales, and Long-Term Brand Deals
In this episode of Accidentally Influential, Kate and Teanna sit down with Ryan from Side Hustle Review to have an unfiltered conversation about transparency in the creator economy, ethical monetization, and why honest content converts better than ANY of the quick hacks and *things that work* — even if it grows slower. If you've ever wondered: Does being transparent hurt conversions? How do I mon
The Secret Weapon for Consistent Brand Deals: How to Pitch & Land Retainers as a Content Creator
We are DONE with the one-and-done brand deal hamster wheel — this episode will change how you build your business. This week on Accidentally Influential, Kate and Teanna are breaking down one of the most underutilized, highest-leverage brand partnership strategies in the creator economy: retainers. Whether you're a UGC creator, edupreneur, influencer, or content creator who sells your own digita
You Landed the Brand Deal — Now What? A Step-by-Step Breakdown on how to deliver like a Brand Partner
If you've ever landed a brand deal and immediately thought, "Okay… now what?" — this episode is for you. We're breaking down exactly what happens after the brand says yes — from negotiating contracts and timelines to handling revisions, delivering content, granting ad rights, and (of course) getting paid. If you're a content creator, influencer, or EDUcreator navigating your first (or next) paid b
How Educational Content Creators Land Brand Deals (Even With a Small Following)
If you're an educator, coach, or expert sharing valuable content online — you're not just creating content… you're building a powerful conversion asset. In this episode, Kate Robb and Teanna pull back the curtain on why educational content is the creator economy's secret weapon — especially as AI and lifestyle content become increasingly saturated. You'll learn why education-based content creators
The #1 Thing Holding Creators Back (& its not follower count): Confidence, Imposter Syndrome, & Money Blocks That Sabotage landing brand deals
🎧 OUR LAST EPISODE OF 2025 IS A BANGER: Let's talk about the real reason most content creators undercharge, underpitch, and undervalue themselves — and why it has nothing to do with your follower count. In this raw, reflective episode, we're digging into the creator mindset blocks that kill your confidence, especially around money, pricing, brand deals, and your own worth. Whether you're a beginne
The $18K Video, UGC Wins, & Money Lessons from 2025 (Unfiltered Creator Q&A)
Welcome back to Accidentally Influential! In this unfiltered year-end wrap-up, we're getting reflective and real about what worked, what flopped, and what PAID OFF in 2025. We're diving deep into the highest-earning videos, lowest brand deal offers we accepted, exact income from UGC, and real numbers from retainer deals, ad usage, affiliate income, and more. Whether you're a content creator, UGC c
Why Affiliate-Only Deals Are Undervaluing You — and What to Do Instead
Think affiliate links are the key to making money online? Think again. In this real-talk episode of Accidentally Influential, Kate and Teanna unpack the truth about affiliate marketing — and why, for most creators (especially educators and digital product sellers), affiliate-only deals are watering down your brand and leaving serious money on the table. With over $500,000 in brand partnerships und
First Offer vs Final Offer — Turning a $500 Inbound into a 4-Figure Package
Are you still accepting $250 brand deals because you "don't want to scare the brand away"? 🫠 In this episode of Accidentally Influential, we're walking you through the exact brand deal negotiation strategy we teach inside our Creator Club — including a full breakdown of how to turn a $500 inbound into a $2,000+ brand partnership without burning the bridge or sounding pushy. This is your behind-the
How $10K+ Brand Deals Actually Work (Boundaries, Burnout, and Reality (Unfiltered Q&A)
In this no-filter Q&A episode, Kate Robb and Teanna go deep into the questions creators are actually asking — from shady brand deal contracts to their most surprising "I made it" moments. Whether you're a beginner UGC creator or scaling your influencer business, this episode is packed with real-talk strategies, creator money wins, and a behind-the-scenes look at building a brand in the creator eco
What to Charge Brands for Content: The 4R Pricing Framework for Brand Deals
Pricing your content shouldn't feel like pulling numbers out of thin air. In this episode of Accidentally Influential, Teanna and Kate get into the exact details of how to price your brand partnerships — and finally answer the question we know you're all asking: 👉 "What should I charge for a brand deal?" We're breaking down: Why pricing feels so hard (and how to stop guessing) The industry standa
How to Pitch Brands So They Say Yes (A Repeatable 5-Step Method)
If you've ever typed out a pitch email not knowing what the heck you're doing, mayyybe thought it was a little cringe, only to be ghosted by the brand — this one's for you. Whether you're an educator-turned-creator, a UGC strategist, or someone sitting on a small-but-mighty audience that loves your recommendations… pitching brands is no longer optional. It's a non-negotiable skill in the modern cr
5 Green Flags for Brand Deals That Don't Suck (& How to Land Partnerships That Pay You What You're Worth)
Episode Summary: If you've ever wondered how to land brand partnerships that actually feel good... the kind that pay fairly, align with your content, and let you keep your creative freedom... this episode of Accidentally Influential is your new go-to guide. Hosts Teanna Scot and Kate Robb are breaking down the 5 green flags of a great brand deal, so you can stop saying yes to lowball offers, stop
Why Engagement Beats Followers (And How We Land Brand Deals Without Huge Audiences)
Let's be honest: if you've ever found yourself saying, "I'll pitch brands when I have more followers," this episode is for you. We've both been there ...scrolling TikTok, watching creators with 100K+ audiences do paid partnerships and wondering when (or if) we'd ever be "big enough." But here's the truth no one told us early on: follower count is not the metric that gets you paid. Brands don't car
Accidentally Influential: The Journey Begins
We didn't start out trying to become "influencers." In fact, we hated the term. But one viral TikTok, a few unexpected DMs, and some very naive pricing decisions later… we realized we were leaving real money on the table. In this juicy first episode, we're pulling back the curtain on our edu-creator origin stories, the brand deals we fumbled (and the ones we nailed), and the mindset shift that tur
Trailer
Accidentally Influential is the show for EDUcreators, experts, and business owners who never set out to be "influencers"… but built influence anyway. Hosted by Kate Robb and Teanna Scot, we've grown a 479K+ audience and landed over half a million in brand deals; now we're pulling back the curtain on how YOU can turn your authority into income. From sponsorship strategy to creator psychology, this
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