I declined a $12,000 brand deal when I had less than 10k followers...

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Experimented this week with a more chatty-less edited video... it was MUCH faster to pump out than my other videos, and I'm thinking of mixing these in a bit more often so that it's easier to stay consistent! What do we think? 👀

[@TheRLSLife]

The point was made in the video 😊 The editing didn’t take away from the message I received. 👍🏾

[@CreatingwithKaya]

@@TheRLSLife Ah I'm so glad! I normally put SO MUCH MORE effort (days worth) into my editing, and this I pumped out in a couple hours. 😂

[@TheRLSLife]

@@CreatingwithKaya oh I’m sure that’s a relief. It takes me a long time to edit and my editing is no where near how I want it to be but I just do the best I can for the time and knowledge of editing that currently have! It’s a struggle but I can say my editing has greatly improved since I first started. I’m a tortoise 🤣

[@CreatingwithKaya]

@@TheRLSLife hey they say slow and steady wins the race 😂 But in all seriousness, while I think all the retention-editing and everything can be good, a strong message and story will still win. That's why there are still SO MANY viral videos that are poorly-shot and edited out there 😂

[@UrCasualGamer]

One of your videos randomly showed up on my recommendations. I checked it out and enjoyed it and have watched a few more. From one creater to the next stay at it.

[@CreatingwithKaya]

I’m so glad-thank you so so much!

[@forevergwladys]

This video is excellent, Kaya! Creators that are newer to working with brands may see 12K and not understand why someone would turn it down, but you explained it perfectly. Exclusivity for ONE YEAR and no payment for it?! Hell nah! Glad you stood firm!

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Thank you!!! They really tried it--and I get it because obviously while I said no, someone else must have said yes.. 🫣 And as long as people accept these deals, they will keep offering it.

[@forevergwladys]

@@CreatingwithKaya EXACTLY. The more we speak out. The better it is for us all.

[@CreatingwithKaya]

👏🏽

[@FineNaturalHairROCKS]

You made the right decision and this series is FIRE!!!! Please keep it going! 😍🙌🏾

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Thank you girl!! And okay I’ll keep it up!! 🙏🏽☺️

[@BetweenEspressoAndProsecco]

This video proves that this series is going to be amazing! I highly recommend watching it till the end, especially if you are getting into content creation or are starting to finally work with brands. Someone else would have seen this as a big opportunity (I mean, it's $12k!!), but you have to dig deep and understand what truly are the benefits of such collaboration and what it is going to COST you! Loved it and excited for your next video! ❤

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Appreciate you so much!! I’m glad it was valuable!! Excited to begin digging up and sharing some of the other experiences!!

[@DrapersDoingRenos]

Holy cow! That was a crazy story!! I love how you knew your stuff and held your ground! I’m taking notes :)

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Honestly I had been burned before-so I knew the right questions to ask! 😂 but I’m happy to be able to share the lessons so others don’t get burned too!

[@iamlashawnda]

Girllll!! Gift Cards!?? They tried it! And then the fact that they didn't even want to bend at all on the terms. Thats crazy. Thank you for sharing because I am new to brand deals and I have started receiving emails with offers. So this it's good to hear how you handled this because I wouldn't have even thought to ask the things you asked.

[@CreatingwithKaya]

They really didddd 😂🙃 I'm glad this was insightful though--I have tons more stories to come!

[@busi.global]

This was such a good video. It doesn’t make sense to accept gift cards as payment while blocking your potential to make actual money for an entire year. You made a smart decision. I would really love to understand what the brands are thinking when they come up with some of their terms. Why did it make sense for them to expect ANYONE to take gift cards without the possibility of making actual money while working with them 😩 Would love to see more story times like this 🙌🏾

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Yesss like okay if you’re going to offer gift cards, cool-but to expect me to LOSE MONEY for them?! 😫

[@shebuildsabiz]

Thank you for sharing that experience, and absolutely LOVE your brand deal storytime idea! Glad it worked out in your favour in the end.

[@CreatingwithKaya]

My absolute pleasure!! I’m excited to share more-I have way too many stories 😂

[@Ieasha_Abdullah]

This was a great story and very informative. I might have jumped at the opportunity, but when you started asking questions I was like I would have messed something up😂 Thanks for the insight.

[@CreatingwithKaya]

haha I'm so glad this was informative!! Honestly every brand deal is made in the questions we ask 🤣 I'd say 99% of the ones I've been unhappy with were my fault for not asking questions or not reading the contract properly. 🫣

[@esjay-rh7wx]

Great story, thanks for sharing it with us. You're the first creator I've heard talk about being offered a brand deal payment in gift cards. Please do share more of your brand deal stories with us!

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Ooh it's actually a very common thing in the fashion space too and it's usually targeted towards smaller creators, but I don't think people talk about it much because it's not ideal and it's definitely just brands being cheapskates. 😂

[@lampdevil]

Oooh that's a REALLY interesting story about a situation I'd never considered! I learned something!

[@CreatingwithKaya]

I'm so glad!! It was a very bizarre and specific experience, but I'm glad it has some lessons in it to be shared!

[@HexaAngel]

It's truly crazy how much of a disadvantage "product as payment" deals are to creators. Like, not only am I not getting any actual money, but I also have to PAY money to the tax authorities for the "privilege" of having received it, because it's taxed as income. Whereas PR and gifts received for free often aren't taxable. That's WILD. I do think the offer would have been valuable to a creator who was earning less money at the time. Here in Germany that's more like what 2 years worth of groceries cost for a family of 3. But since you clearly had the receipts to back up the fact that it would likely lose you more money than it would save you, I think you definitely made the right choice. Honestly very inspiring to hear!

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Yesss the expectations really are wild-especially when it comes from a larger corporation. A smaller business really trying to leverage marketing okay… But yess honestly it really is incredibly valuable like groceries are so expensive now a days and if you have a family to feed it makes so much sense!

[@itsdanielleryan]

SO interesting, thanks for sharing this I've never had an experience like this... it was so wild to hear about haha

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Haha I'm glad it was interesting!! Honestly it had thrown me for such a whirl, because I *knew* from the get go that it was a lopsided offer... but FREE GROCERIES?! They drew me in. 😂

[@DreamscapeDwellers]

This video was very enlightening. You definitely made the right decision. Please keep making more videos about brand deal negotiations! ❤

[@CreatingwithKaya]

I'm so glad!! And I absolutely will!! Have a more than a few under my belt. 😊

[@okaywhat123]

Ok but the audacity to ask what they did, no I wouldn’t take the gift cards. ESPECIALLY bc they considered “beauty” as a violation when they themselves hardly sell beauty items. These companies and their audacity never ceases to amaze me lol! Btw, idk if u remember, but I was the one who was having watch hours problems last week. Anyways it all worked itself out, thanks for the advice ❤❤

[@CreatingwithKaya]

The audacity is REAL out there. 😂 I remember being in the back and forth thinking like 'am I crazy, or are they doing too much?!' 🥲 And oh my goodness that is the best news!! I'm so glad to hear the update!!

[@andfanilo]

Thank you for sharing 🙂 we need more of those stories for the smaller creators getting their first brand deals and worrying about the things to look out for ^^ When I heard about the exclusivity, I remembered the first bigger brand deal I refused in negotiations...the contract wrote "you also accept those terms & conditions" with a link to said terms (who is going to click that...) and the almost last clause of those terms: "you grant us a worldwide, perpetual, sublicensable, non-exclusive, royalty-free license, ...[add a lot of other rights about editing the video], to exploit your Content, and your name, images, and likeness in our future campaigns" 🙄 Other creators in a Discord told me to make them pay those as monthly usage rights but in all honesty, as I still do this as a side-hustle I didn't feel like fighting legalese and debating licensing rights...

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Phewwwww yes these brands will try it!! Putting it in a whole other link?! So brutal. The way that “worldwide, perpetual, sublicensable, non-exclusive, royalty-free etc.” seems to be quietly slipped in EVERYWHERE

[@rach7189]

I love this. I want more of these brand deal story times.

[@CreatingwithKaya]

I’m so glad!! More to come-gotta go through all my old emails and take notes 😂

[@TheRLSLife]

Hey girl hey! At this point I would definitely take the gift cards because I’m newish to creating. But you dropped a lot of knowledge! I appreciate your transparency so much ❤

[@CreatingwithKaya]

That is so very real!! Honestly they would go A LONG WAY, and would relieve such a big expense for the year. Thank you for watching. 💜

[@darrenmarriott1999]

Great video! It’s always important to check the exclusivity! Thanks for sharing!

[@synnssolace]

I love this!! Very insightful and much needed

[@CreatingwithKaya]

I'm so glad!!

[@Natesha_Laree]

I also would have walked away. Aside from the ramifications concerning other brand deals, I'm not a fan of long-term contracts.

[@CreatingwithKaya]

Oh that's so interesting! Long-term contracts are my bread and butter and the goal for me as it makes things more sustainable (granted the contract comes correct 😂). What about them don't you like?

[@Natesha_Laree]

@@CreatingwithKaya Hahaha! I know y’all content creators enjoy the benefits of long-term contracts!!! ❤️ I’m speaking from a military and freelancer’s perspective. I’m a veteran now! But as a freelancer, I’ve had year-long and indefinite contracts. They make me feel trapped! 😂 I don’t that feeling! 🤣🫠 An independent contractor who has grown wary of long-term contracts. Oh, the irony!!! 🤦🏽‍♀️😅

[@CreatingwithKaya]

@@Natesha_Laree ooh haha that makes COMPLETE SENSE. There really are some pros and cons-it reminds me of the parallels with traditional jobs-people want stability but then often feel trapped, I can see how that feeling could bleed over to any time of long term arrangement! Thank you for sharing!!

[@Natesha_Laree]

@@CreatingwithKaya Yesss!!! My original comment was completely biased. But I’m glad you get where I’m coming from! 😂😅

[@CreatingwithKaya]

I totally get it 😂🙏🏽