Years ago, I found myself captivated by the work of PR Secrets CEO Susan Harrow.
I devoured her teachings, read every email, and one day she announced a major PR tool giveaway featuring some of the biggest names in the industry.
I wanted in.
At the time, Susan didn’t know me. My email list was modest. But I believed deeply in her offer and knew my subscribers would benefit. So I raised my hand and offered to promote.
She said yes.
That could have been the end of the story.
But I decided to go one step further.
I asked:
“If one of the major contributors isn’t able to participate, would you consider featuring my DIY publicity tool?”
There was a pause.
Then she replied:
“I’ll review your tool for quality and then decide.”
Game on.
I placed my tool in a beautiful box. I hand-wrote a note of appreciation. I shipped it directly to her door.
She was impressed and invited me (and my tool) into the promotion.
Here’s what happened next:
My smaller list outperformed proportionally. I referred more sales per subscriber than many of the bigger names on the roster.
Not because I was louder.
Not because I had scale.
Because I cared.
Because my audience trusted me.
Because alignment converts.
The Real Lesson
Joint ventures are not won by size.
They are won by:
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Courageous asks
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Creative differentiation
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Thoughtful follow-through
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Audience trust
You don’t need the biggest platform.
You need conviction, integrity, and results.
That one bold question opened the door to partnerships, stages, and seats at tables I hadn’t yet imagined.
Starting small doesn’t mean staying small.
It means being willing to ask and being ready to deliver.
To your own courageous asks and outsized results,
Nancy
