UGC Pricing, Retainer Clients & Why You Don't Need Followers to Make Money as a Creator ft. Leslie Cole
Release Date: 03/30/2026
5 Types of Content You're Already Creating That Brands Will Pay For (Season 2 Premiere)
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You're Already Doing Brand Deal Work for Free (Here's How to Get Paid for It) Welcome to Season 2 of Accidentally Influential. We're calling this season Land It — because every episode this season is built around one goal: helping you land your first and ongoing paid brand partnerships. And we're starting with the episode we wish existed before we ever landed our first deal. Here's the thing nobody tells you: you are probably already creating content that brands would pay for. Right now. Without knowing it. You're just not getting paid for it yet. This episode is about changing that —...
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Season 2 of Accidentally Influential: LAND IT
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Season 2 of Accidentally Influential is here — and we're calling it: Land It. Season 1 was the wake-up call. Season 2 is the plan. If you're an educator, course creator, coach, or digital product seller who's been building an audience and wondering how to monetize it beyond your own offers — this season was made for you. Because brand deals aren't just for lifestyle influencers with half a million followers. They're for you. And this season, we're showing you exactly how to land them. Hosted by Tea and Kate — two content creators who've built nearly 500,000 followers and secured...
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If your videos aren't stopping the scroll, this episode is for you. We brought on Sarah Weiss — speech therapist turned TikTok content and marketing expert, creator of Online Business Talk, and the woman we're officially crowning the Hook Queen — to break down exactly how educational content creators and online business owners can use TikTok to grow, sell, and attract brand deals without ever chasing virality. Sarah has been on TikTok since 2021, built an audience of 77K on her business account, and accidentally built a second income stream through brand partnerships on her personal...
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5 Ways to Make Money as a Content Creator (That Actually Work) ft. Real Numbers
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We're pulling back the curtain on every income stream we've built through content creation — from brand deals and affiliate income to UGC, digital products, and consulting. This is the episode we wish existed when we were starting out. Fair warning: Kate got her tax return the day before we recorded this and it sent us both into a spiral. In the best way. This is also episode 24, which means we've officially recorded more than three times the number of episodes most podcasts ever make. So if you've been here since the beginning — thank you. Now let's talk about money. What We Cover: ...
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UGC Pricing, Retainer Clients & Why You Don't Need Followers to Make Money as a Creator ft. Leslie Cole
Accidentally Influential
We brought on Leslie of Evolushein — UGC creator, creative director, and creator coach — because she has figured out something most creators never do: how to turn content creation into a predictable, scalable business with retainer clients, UGC income, and $130K+ in recurring revenue every year. If you've been wondering how to become a UGC creator, how to land your first client, or how to stop trading one-off brand deals for actual consistent income — this is the episode. What We Cover: What UGC actually is in 2025 and why brands are paying more for it than ever How Leslie was doing...
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Your First Brand Deal Blueprint: How to Prove Your Value & Pitch Like a Partner (Part 2 of 2)
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We made this episode to be your home base. If you're just getting started with brand partnerships — or you've been trying to land deals and nothing's clicking — this is where it starts. In part one of our First Brand Deal Blueprint, we're walking you through the first two phases of our four-step framework. And here's the thing: neither of them involve pitching a single brand. Most creators skip straight to the pitch and wonder why they keep getting ignored or lowballed. These two steps are why. The Full Blueprint (Across Both Episodes): Step 1: Post content a brand would actually pay...
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How to Respond to Brand Deal Inbounds, Spot Scams & Stop Undercharging: The Reality of Working with Brands
Accidentally Influential
We showed up late, hadn't washed our hair, and had 696 unread emails between us. Welcome to Q&A day. In this episode, we're answering the questions we see most from creators trying to land brand deals and sponsored content — and being fully honest about what's actually happening in our own businesses right now. We break down a real UGC inbound Kate received from a brand she loves — why the offer was way off, why she said no even after they doubled the rate, and what the face association risk in UGC deals actually means for your personal brand. We also get into Tea's current $30K...
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How to Grow on Instagram & Turn Followers Into Paying Clients (Even If You’re Stuck Under 2K)
Accidentally Influential
How to Grow on Instagram & Turn Followers Into Paying Clients (Even If You’re Stuck Under 2K) - w/ Jenna from @jennaspaige If you’re posting consistently on Instagram but not getting clients… If you’re stuck at 1K–2K followers and growth feels slow… If you’re growing an audience but not making money… This episode is for you. Today we’re joined by Jenna Harding, marketing coach and host of the Shiny New Clients podcast, to break down how to grow on Instagram in a way that actually leads to sales — not just likes. Because here’s the truth: Growing your Instagram...
info_outlineWe brought on Leslie of Evolushein — UGC creator, creative director, and creator coach — because she has figured out something most creators never do: how to turn content creation into a predictable, scalable business with retainer clients, UGC income, and $130K+ in recurring revenue every year.
If you've been wondering how to become a UGC creator, how to land your first client, or how to stop trading one-off brand deals for actual consistent income — this is the episode.
What We Cover:
- What UGC actually is in 2025 and why brands are paying more for it than ever
- How Leslie was doing UGC before it had a name — and what she learned from it
- Why you don't need a big following to make money as a content creator
- The exact signs that tell you you're ready to start pitching brands
- How to use the Facebook Ads Library to find your first UGC clients (this tip alone is worth the listen)
- How to build a UGC portfolio from scratch using products you already own
- The pricing difference between brand partnership content on your page vs. UGC content — and why both belong in your business
- Why perpetual usage rights make sense for UGC but not for brand partnerships
- How Leslie turned one 8-video-a-month UGC retainer into a $130K+ per year creative director role
- Why retainer clients are the only way to build predictable income as a creator
- How to position yourself as a creative strategist — not just a creator — to command higher rates and longer partnerships
- The mental health case for UGC (this one hits different)
Your Action Step: Go to the Facebook Ads Library right now. Search a brand you want to work with, set the filter to "All Ads," and look at what's been running for 30+ days. That's your UGC brief. Build your portfolio around what's already working.
Where to Find Leslie:
→ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/evolushenfreelancing/
→ PAID CONTENT CREATOR ACADEMY: https://evolushencreatives.clickfunnels.com/order-form3
Referenced:
- Tailor Brands: the EASIEST way to legitimize your creator business, form your LLC, and build a business hub to make that side of earning an income SIMPLE.
- Episode 13: Why Retainers Are the Secret to Scalable Creator Income
- Episode 8: Affiliate Income the Right Way — on using affiliates strategically to get on a brand's radar
More From Us:
- Join the Creator Club Waitlist — coaching, templates, rate calculators, and direct help pitching brands
- Follow us on IG & TikTok: @notaninfluencerco
Want More Episodes Like This? →
- Episode 14:: How Honest Content Builds Loyal Fans ft. Ryan from Side Hustle Review
- Episode 15: Instagram Content Brands Actually Want ft. Mya Nichol
- Episode 22: What Brands Are Actually Looking For ft. Noam Giras of Tailor Brands