By Nancy Juetten

When I was first getting started online, I sold two little publicity tips booklets for $10.

I was green, eager, and driven by a desire to belong. I wanted to earn my seat at what I called the “big kids table” of online marketing.

So, when someone I admired offered to promote my booklets as a JV partner to her loyal list of 30,000 opt in subscribers, I jumped at it.

It felt like a chance to be seen, to play in bigger rooms, and to earn credibility by association.

I thought maybe if I promoted successfully to earn a place on a leaderboard, someone would notice me and invite me into their “cool kids” reindeer games.

Can you relate?

Fast forward to now.

I’ve been giving and receiving support to and from strategic partners since 2012 and have earned consistent commissions, leaderboard wins, and respect from leaders I used to admire from afar.

If you visit PartnerWithNancy.com, you’ll see the proof.

And yet…

If I had it to do over again, I’d do it differently.

Here’s why — and what I’d want every enthusiastic, heart-centered entrepreneur to know before diving into JV waters.

 

Truth #1: Your Own House Comes First

If your own high-ticket offer isn’t dialed in, tested, and converting, you may be tempted to “borrow momentum” by promoting someone else’s program.

But that’s backwards.

Here’s the deal: When your offer is clear, proven, and selling, you become a far more attractive JV partner to others. They see your results. They want to reciprocate. You’re not asking from a place of “please notice me,” but from a position of strength and value.

Before you champion someone else’s product or course, champion your own.

Make sure your audience knows what you stand for, what problem you solve, and what transformation you deliver.

 

Truth #2: Not All Promotion Is Equal Value

 

Many early-stage entrepreneurs enthusiastically promote JV partners to their small (and often not-yet-converting) lists. And then…crickets. No sales.

It’s not about the size of your list — it’s about the alignment, engagement, and clarity of your brand and offer.

When you haven’t clarified your own value or built a meaningful relationship with your list, promoting someone else can feel disjointed — and even diminish trust.

Worse, you may be accidentally sending ideal clients away from you instead of into your own ecosystem.

 

Truth #3: Ask Why Before You Say Yes

 

Before jumping into a JV, ask yourself:

• What is my true motivation for this?
• Does this serve my audience and my business model?
• Is this part of a long-term, strategic relationship — or a short-term scramble for recognition?

It’s okay to want to be included. We all crave connection and collaboration. But your motivations matter — especially if you want to build a sustainable, profitable business.

 

So What Should You Do Instead?

 

If you’re earlier in your business journey, consider these priorities before JV’ing:

1. Dial in your high-ticket offer – Know what you’re selling, who it’s for, and why it works.
2. Practice and master your enrollment conversations – Convert from connection, not pressure.
3. Build your brand with clarity and integrity – Let your audience know exactly what you stand for.
4. Grow an aligned, permission-based email list – Focus on relationship, not just numbers.
5. Deliver transformation for real clients – Case studies, testimonials, and wins build credibility fast.

Once you have that foundation, JV opportunities become a strategic choice — not a shiny object.

 

A Final Thought from the Heart

 

I’m not throwing shade on those who are eager to be seen and want to play big. I was you. And I learned a lot — some the hard way.

But what I know now?

JV success isn’t about who promotes the loudest. It’s about who builds the deepest trust — with their audience and with their partners.

And that trust starts at home.