## Creator Bootcamp Week 2 Learnings

Week 2 Creator Bootcamp recap: Thatcher Andreas shares his framework for pitching brands, plus tax tips and business advice.

### Workshop 1: Brand Deals

This workshop was led by [Thatcher Andreas](https://www.youtube.com/@ThatcherAndreas), who has made over $1.5M from brand deals. Here are his top tips for landing and maximizing brand deals:

**1. Build a Media Kit:** Your media kit should include your audience demographics, engagement rates, past brand partnerships, and what makes you unique. Keep it clean and visual. Update it every quarter.

**2. Cold Outreach Works:** Thatcher landed his first six-figure brand deal through cold email. He recommended a 3-step sequence: value-first email, follow-up with a creative pitch, and a final check-in. The key is personalizing every pitch to the brand’s current campaigns.

**3. Negotiate Usage Rights Separately:** Most creators forget to charge for usage rights. If a brand wants to use your content in paid ads, charge 20–50% on top of your base rate, per month of usage.

**4. Anchor High, Then Negotiate:** Start with a rate higher than your floor. It gives you room to come down while still landing at your target number. Never reveal your minimum first.

**5. Build Long-Term Relationships:** One-off deals are less valuable than recurring partnerships. After your first deal, over-deliver and ask for a 3 or 6-month retainer. Brands prefer predictability too.

### Workshop 2: Mindset and Motivation

This workshop was led by [Kelsey Herd](https://www.instagram.com/kelsey_herd/), a mental performance coach who works with athletes and creators. Key takeaways:

**1. Separate Identity from Metrics:** Your view count is not your worth. Kelsey emphasized that creators who tie their self-esteem to performance metrics burn out faster and make worse creative decisions.

**2. Use “Process Goals” Over “Outcome Goals”:** Instead of “I want 100k subscribers,” focus on “I will post 3x/week and improve my hooks each month.” Process goals are fully within your control.

**3. Build a Morning Routine That Protects Creative Energy:** Kelsey recommends avoiding social media for the first 60–90 minutes of the day. Protect your mental bandwidth before it gets pulled in every direction.

**4. Reframe Failure:** Every piece of content that underperforms is data. Ask: what can I learn from this? That mindset shift—from failure to feedback—is what separates creators who last from those who quit.

**5. Community > Solo Creation:** Creators who have accountability partners or communities outperform solo creators. Find your people.

### Workshop 3: Monetization Beyond Ads

This session was facilitated by our team and covered 5 monetization models beyond AdSense and brand deals:

**1. Paid Communities:** Platforms like Discord, Geneva, and Circle let you charge $10–$50/mo for exclusive access, Q&As, and community. A 500-person community at $20/mo = $10k MRR.

**2. Digital Products:** Notion templates, Lightroom presets, eBooks, swipe files. One-time creation, recurring revenue. Many creators do $5k–$20k/mo from a single product.

**3. Cohort-Based Courses:** Live courses that run 4–6 weeks, with a cohort of students. Higher price points ($200–$2,000), higher engagement, and a built-in community. Maven and Kajabi are common platforms.

**4. Consulting / Coaching:** Once you have expertise and proof points, 1:1 or group coaching can generate $5k–$30k/mo from a handful of clients.

**5. Licensing Content:** If you create original music, photography, illustrations, or templates, license them on platforms like Artlist, Getty, or Creative Market for passive income.