Most entrepreneurs know that sponsorships can often be a game changer for new businesses, but most are unsure of how to pitch or start the process of landing a highly coveted sponsorship. This week’s guest, Quianna Murray, is a sponsorship strategist who helps entrepreneurs find, pitch, acquire, and retain the sponsorships to take their businesses to the next level. LISTEN on APPLE PODCASTS | STITCHER | ANDROID Quianna discusses the ebbs and flows she experienced to become a successful business owner and what she’s learned along the way that has helped her launch several thriving companies. She also provides a wealth of information on the mutual benefits of sponsorships and tips from her free online sponsorship mini course. Quianna really got my wheels turning about potential next steps for my business, and I hope this episode does the same for you.  Please share your thoughts: Leave a note in the comment section below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Support the show: Please rate me 5 stars on iTunes. Your rating and reviews help other people discover me. Subscribe on iTunes, YouTube, or Stitcher. SHOW NOTES Quiana Murray is a sponsorship strategist who helps entrepreneurs partner with corporations to fund their events, products, and services She started out as a broke college student begging corporations to send representatives and/or products to her campus We discuss how she went back and forth between sponsorship as side-hustle to it becoming her full-time business She currently has a full-time firm In 2007, she had her twins, and at that time, she was on a technology contract and decided to quit to take a chance; unfortunately her business endeavor was unsuccessful She decided to go back to a 9-to-5, but since then she successfully built a government consulting firm, a business coaching firm, and a skin-care line What she learned since taking that first leap of faith: Broke the cycle of continual learning; she allowed herself time to implement takeaways from classes/training before taking another course Set up a foundation of her business; she kept money and time separate Didn’t allow herself to be an island; learned she needed some biz friends Hired a lawyer Put system in place for finances Didn’t quit her 9-to-5 until she was generating enough income to sustain her lifestyle What her first year looked like: Decided against a formal, traditional structure and culture for her business; she wanted to be her true self Decided not to request referrals or solicit business from family and friends Started doing mentorship for entrepreneurs Switched her perspective from a profit orientation to a service/helpful nature Quiana explains the appeal entrepreneurs have and why corporations would be interested in partnering with them She gives an example of what sponsorship would look like for an artist: Partnering with a corporation that sells supplies used by the artist Getting free venue space to host classes/workshops Asking if a venue would be interested in updating their art and possible partnering with that venue to purchase and feature the artist’s work Once you get that first sponsorship, other companies will be more likely to hear your pitch and want to sponsor you She discusses how hotel spaces often have space that sits vacant during certain times of year and you can partner with them to use that space for free in exchange for putting them on your advertisement To get started with sponsorships, first inventory your business (i.e. courses, services, events you’ve hosted, podcast); in the world of sponsorship, they call inventory property She makes money with sponsorships and clients LINK LOVE Sponsorship Mini Course [free] Google Business  (get personalized  business email) Acuity Scheduling WordPress Quiana Murray Website: quianamurray.com Instagram: quianatmurray Facebook group: sponsorshipsuperstars Twitter: QuianaMurray Pinterest: quianamurray YouTube: Quiana Murray WHERE’S NAC