I recently canceled $200,000 worth of brand sponsorships. This video walks through the decision-making process and its leading-up to it, as well as the lessons I learned from my own mentors and the resources that helped guide me through it. My goal in sharing this video is to give you more insight into the reality of brand sponsorships and how hard "being authentic" can be. This was an expensive and risky decision. At the same time, it's given me a lot more peace as I navigate this journey of self-discovery. Thank you for being here and watching this video. ♡ What's in this video: 00:00 Sponsorships First Impression 00:35 Call with Brand Manager 03:38 Why I'm Making This Video 04:11 #1: Labels Create Rules 05:55 Beyonce and Taylor Swift Example 06:45 A Niche May Limit Your Creativity 08:56 Walking Away is a Privilege 09:56 #2: Employee vs. Owner Mindset 10:52 Vanessa's Mentor's Perspective 11:56 Why I Still Don't Feel Financially Safe 13:28 The Opportunity Cost of Thinking in Monthlys 14:39 Service Provider Example 16:51 #3: The Pressure to Deliver 17:53 Real Life Sponsorship Example 19:56 #4: Know Yourself, Know Your Enemies 23:23 Risks of Saying No ♡ Resources Mentioned: My Brand Management Company: https://legendsmarketing.co/ Creative Act Book (Rick Rubin): https://geni.us/bATQx ♡ My 2024 YouTube Equipment: Camera (Sony) ➡︎ https://geni.us/IE6Jp Camera Lens (Ultra Wide) ➡︎ https://geni.us/yoUwyf Microphone ➡︎ https://geni.us/K8APy Tripod ➡︎ https://geni.us/waoPFB Lighting ➡︎ https://geni.us/gWkHG Lantern Softbox ➡︎ https://geni.us/MAAmAz Lighting Stand ➡︎ https://geni.us/APrj Dummy Battery ➡︎ https://geni.us/nM2tiqm Bluetooth Remote ➡︎ https://geni.us/7DHX SD Card ➡︎ https://geni.us/1AQ2Wlb Vlog Camera (DJI) ➡︎ https://geni.us/mebO0 Vlog SD Card ➡︎ https://geni.us/RlKvM Check out ALL my equipment here: https://kit.co/vanessalau.co ♡ Products: 📷 Shop all my YouTube gear: https://kit.co/vanessalau.co 👚 Shop all my clothes & lifestyle: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/vanessalau ♡ YouTube Optimization Tools I Use: https://www.tubebuddy.com/vanessalauco Use “vanessasbuddy” to get 20% off all licenses ♡ Stay Connected: ♥️ Subscribe to my channel for more: null 💛 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessalau.co/ 💌 For business inquiries: partnerships@vanessalau.co