“What really kind of gets me going to grow this business is I never want to make this something to where it's like - Oh, I don't know that person's name or they're just there because they're good at this. This is a family first. Beyond that, we are able to kind of sell some deals and make a business successful. “ — Matt Cisneros This week Sachit (@sachitgupta) chats with Matt Cisneros (@mattcisneros) — Founder of Backyard Ventures (BV), a full-service partnerships business for creators. BV focuses on Podcasts, Newsletters, YouTube, and Social Media monetization so that creators can focus on creating content. While BV manages sales/partnerships, Matt's focus and passion are on growing relationships into long-term partnerships. Follow our host, Sachit Gupta on Twitter and sign up for the Creators Collective Newsletter. Do you want to learn how to make a living as a creator? Check out the CreatorsMBA. (02:39) - What they have done in aggregate in brand deals since the company has started (05:55) - The conversation they are having with brands in terms of sponsorships and brand deals (09:16) - How they convince and commit brands to work with creators and podcasters (13:03) - How they’re evaluating creators while presenting them to brands (16:17) - Higher end numbers that they have seen (21:11) - The conversations that they have with creators (24:28) - Signs that a creator will make a great partner  (27:07) - Things creators can do to make great partnerships with brands (29:34) - Things that creators do to make campaigns a great success (35:04) - Deal structure difference — YouTube vs Podcasting and other platforms (38:01) - Things creators should consider during the deal making process (39:55) - Red flags creators should look for when working with brands (42:11) - How creators can take relationships with brands to the next level (43:43) - How big the numbers can get for creators if the relationship with brands grows (47:43) - How he managed the 100s of relationships with executives of companies and creators while simultaneously building the business (51:19) - Personal and professional relationship — How he keeps them separate (53:58) - The biggest challenges, wins, and losses while building the company (56:09) - The story of the first hire they made (01:00:16) - Matt’s view on delegation *** (01:03:09) - Long-term vision and targets for the company (01:07:37) - How creators should decide who to bring on to represent or manage them  (01:12:05) - Books that have made the biggest impact (01:13:41) - One piece of wisdom that changed the game  (01:14:47) - One person he is grateful to (01:16:33) - What it means to be a conscious creator (01:17:38) - What Tiago is looking forward to the most in the next 5-10 years