Strategic Partnerships: How to Cultivate and Keep Them with Kayla Banda

This weekend I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Kayla Banda. Kayla is the creator of the blog, “Artrepreneurship – Where Art and Entrepreneurship meet.” In the embedded video and in the text below, we go over the importance of strategic partnerships – how to cultivate them and how to keep them.

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. I’ve gotten so many opportunities because I have simply been brave enough to ask. The worst someone can say is “no” and even that isn’t a deal breaker. When you ask for what you want, the person you are asking is likely to see your tenacity and fervor as a plus. Asking shows you know what you want and you aren’t afraid to get out there and get it.

2. Use your contacts to make more contacts. Once I’ve developed a relationship with a partner or contact, I make an effort to ask that contact to introduce me to others. My dance company performs at the Nevada Museum of Art because I asked a mutual contact if they could introduce me to someone at the museum about a project I was interested in creating. After asking, that contact introduced me to someone at the museum via email and I was able to make my next move and pitch my project. I truly believe that forming partnerships is about being strategic and using your contacts and knowledge to your advantage.

3. Be consistent. Be consistent in everything you do. Don’t create subpar work and don’t fall down on responding to emails, inquiries and maintaining relationships with your contacts. The more consistent you are, the more your partner will realize they can depend on you and your work. 

How do you cultivate strategic partnerships? Let me know in the comments! If you want more advice on how to cultivate and keep strategic partnerships, I like this article. 

Cheers! 

Caitlin