Day 25 Transcript
NOTE: Today’s transcript is followed by an AI prompt that can be used with your AI provider of choice. Just copy and paste it into ChatGPT or Perplexity and it will help you answer today’s questions for your specific side hustle… the way a human teaching assistant would help you in an Ivy League university. If you’re eager for more on today’s topic, I’ve included a Secret Dessert Course at the very end — a bonus section that isn’t directly covered in today’s video but has a lot of value practical, hands-on value. That dessert also comes with its own AI prompt.
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Part 1: Let Others Chase You
One of the most common and the most deceptive practices of CEOs and CIOs is what I call innovation signaling. You’ve heard of virtue signaling? That’s when someone publicly says or does something mainly to show others that they’re good people– that they have good values and beliefs. They might or might not actually be a good person in private. But they really want the world to think they are.
Innovation signaling is the business version of that. Even if you’re spending all your tech dollars on maintaining your crusty old tech stack, if you’re asked in the world out there to answer questions about your tech investments, you’ll prolly answer with a tiny little white lie about how much you’re investing in AI. Hell, if the owner of my local bodega was interviewed by CNBC, I’m pretty sure that he’d mentioned how he’s been investing in how to make my cheesesteak with quantum computing.
Welcome to week 4, Day 25 of starting your side hustle! We’re taking 28 Days—28 small steps—to build a business that’s meaningful, impactful, and profitable. This week’s goal is scalability so we absolutely, positively need to talk about the value of partnerships. But… for most early stage hustles, chasing partnerships is a really expensive hobby. So today, we’re going to think about it a little differently… by talking about how to do virtue signaling or innovation signaling but some quality partner signaling.
So forget everything you’ve heard about networking and outreach, and “hustling” for partners. The real skill isn’t finding the right partner—it’s becoming the kind of partner others want to find.
We’re talking about how to signal your value and your interest in partnerships so clearly and consistently that other institutions—clients, competitors, even industry leaders—do the work of reaching out to you, eager to invest their time, their resources, their reputation in a partnership.
Today’s questions are:
1: What are the top three signals you could send—through your brand, your content, or your actions—that would make an ideal partner think, “We need to work with them”?
And 2: If you could only invest in one signal this month—one that would make others want to partner with you—what would it be? And because we always measure what matters, how would you track that one signal’s impact?
Both questions matter. The first one because most founders waste a ton of time chasing partnerships that never materialize. By focusing on the signals you send, you shift from chasing to attracting. This question forces you to think like that c-suite person who is always innovation signaling. What are you broadcasting to the market that makes you irresistible to partners? So question 1 is all about optics, credibility, and the subtle art of being seen as a safe bet.
Question 2 matters because not all signals are created equal. Investing in the right one—whether it’s thought leadership, open-source contributions, or a unique customer experience—can dramatically increase inbound partnership interest. This second question helps you prioritize and measure, so you know which signal is actually moving the needle.
Ok. Take a moment and try to answer the Day 25 questions for your hustle without AI and before you listen to the next section-- the 28-Day Ivy League MBA. I personally think it's useful to try to answer questions without AI first, but if you'd rather do that: The AI teaching assistant prompt will drop with today's case study... in a couple of hours. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out Lunch Break Millionaire Day Zero... or go over to superserious.com where I’m posting daily transcripts. The AI prompts are there too. That's it. Hustle smarter.
Part 2: 💼 Employ Strategic Signaling: Today’s Ivy League MBA Skill
Super valuable business/parenting lesson: When my twin boys were cute little monsters and they’d tell me they want a new toy– I’d look them right in their big beautiful eyes and tell them “Well, I want a pony.” It’s that kind of quality parenting that will land you in a sustainable hustle and eventually land me in an old age home.
[musical intro]
Week 4, Day 25, Part 2 of Lunch Break Millionaire– where we turn whatever you're eating for lunch into an Ivy League MBA degree. For today’s lunch, we’re going to do what fancy restaurants call a signature tasting menu– where each course is a deliberate choice, a demonstration of what the chef does best. Those menus– and everyone talking about them– are the main reasons others seek that chef out. The idea is that if we– like the best chefs– can deliver the kinds of experiences that people talk about– if we can paint ourselves as fun to partner with, to chase– our potential partners will chase us.
Look. Today I'm going to be dancing around the idea that all the business literature is completely right when it talks about the massive value of partnerships– of what the jargonists call “joint value creation.” And I’m dancing because there’s stuff you need in the early days of your hustle– food, shelter, a good product-market fit. And stuff you want but can’t afford– like a pony.
So what–in your early days– is the pony alternative?
Strategic signaling– today’s MBA skill. It’s the art of positioning yourself as the kind of partner others want to be seen with, invest in, and learn from. It’s what MBA professors call “competitive signaling” or “reputational arbitrage,”-- because they love big words that make them sound smart.
Here’s how it works. You start by going back to our week 1 exercises… mapping your core strengths and your unique value. Then, you intentionally design signals (by jumping to our week 2 exercises)— content, content, content… which are essentially your public persona and public commitments. Look for content (or create new content) that highlights your specific strengths (as a partner)-- without saying that’s what you’re doing in the content… and do it in a way that’s visible and credible to your target partners. You might not be— in your head– making your content for anyone other than your potential clients. That’s a mistake. Take a step back and expand how you think about content creation. Make content that makes partners want to partner. Just make sure those signals are authentic, consistent, maybe a little vulnerable… the things that are hard to fake.
If you’re still scratching your head, let’s do 3 quick exercises.
Exercise 1: What I call a signal audit. Take a napkin and draw three columns. Label them: “Strengths,” “Signals,” and “Impact.”
- Under “Strengths,” list your top three business or personal differentiators.
- Under “Signals,” brainstorm ways you could make each strength visible to potential partners (like… content about your recently published case study, or you hosting a roundtable about anything other than AI). And
- Under “Impact,” write down how you’d measure the effect of each signal (like.. The number of inbound partnership DMs, any media mentions, any social shares).
Don’t throw the napkin away. We’re going to need it in a second. Normally, you can throw it away because most exercises are really just meant to tickle the part of your brain that needs constant tickling.
Ok. Exercise 2: what we’ll call a Signal Experiment. Pick one of the signals from your napkin. Commit to blowing it the hell out for the next two weeks. Track the results. Did you get inbound DMs? Reflect on it. Was the signal clear? Did it attract the right kind of attention? What would you change? The… change it. Rinse. Repeat.
Exercise 3: blast from my past. Imagine you’re a bank CIO or a founder. What signals would make you want to partner with a startup or a solo founder? Write down your top three ideas. They don’t have to be unbelievably awesome. Just write them down. Now, ask yourself: How many of those signals are you sending today? What’s one you could start sending tomorrow?
If it's worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly.
And you know what’s worth doing: “competitive signaling”... “reputational arbitrage,”... “strategic signaling”... or in plain english “I’m fun to work with.” That’s how you hustle smarter.
Part 3: Understand How I Build Win-Win Deals: The 28-Day Case Study
Signaling is huge in the business world. If you’ve ever watched any CEO or CIO talk publicly about their investments in the latest tech trends—AI, cloud, whatever— you should know that back at the office, they’re quietly focusing on more substantive stuff, less flash and innovation. Public messaging is never about the tech itself; it’s about signaling strength, stability, forward-thinking, leadership… and the signal is directed at clients, competitors, partners.
This is Day 25, Part 3 of Lunch Break Millionaire. This is the segment where we #BuildinPublic– where I answer the daily questions every hustle should– using the MBA skills we just learned– and showing my work– sharing how I’m building my hustle from scratch-no filters, just the real journey. You don't need to actually like or subscribe. I'm not doing this for the clicks. But if you’re leveling up from other creators you follow or know, introduce us. I want to learn from them and help them level up, too. We all deserve better than just making rich people richer.
Ok. I was originally going to make today’s MBA lesson about how to chase partnerships. But it’s a bad use of your time.
In my previous hustles, I chased. And what I learned was that I should instead focus on building and sharing work that shows who I am. Check out my YouTube channel. Zero sales. Just let me show you how to succeed in banking, and now, how to succeed in building a business while you’re succeeding in banking.
The result? Partners reach out to me. They’re working off my old playbook– chasing others… asking them how they can work together.
To everyone one of them I say “The best partnerships were never the ones I chased—they were the ones that found me, because I made myself impossible to ignore.”
That’s your goal. Your lesson. The most successful partnerships are built on mutual recognition of value. You should be signaling your strengths… making it easy for others to see why partnering with you is worth their time.
Instead of chasing… work on your reputation, your credibility. Work on delivering. And then signal the hell out of that.
Ok… that said. The biggest leaps– by far– in any hustle usually come when you find the right partners—people, brands, organizations– that help you reach new audiences, unlock new skills, just make your offer stronger.
When potential partners approach you, figure out if they share your mission… if they complement your strengths… if they can open doors you want opened that you can’t open yourself. Maybe it’s a creator with a different audience, a brand with resources you need, or a business that offers a service your customers would love. The key is to evaluate partners based on what they bring to the table that makes your hustle better—aaaaand vice versa. It always needs to be mutually beneficial. I can’t stress that enough.
It's all about “how do WE benefit from this?” Because the best partnerships all have one thing in common: they're win-win-win– I said it three times– good for you, good for your partner, and—most importantly—good for both sets of customers. That’s how you hustle smarter.
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Ok. Even though I’m always thinking about how to scale Metatorial and superserious, I also know that partnerships don’t happen on the 25th day-in on a new hustle. They take time. Because they require you to build a reputation that’s based on successfully delivering value– the kind of reputation that grows by word of mouth– from people you’ve served.
Aaaand I can demonstrate that I’ve learned all this because you’re watching my journey.
Question #1 was: What are the top three signals you could send—through your brand, your content, or your actions—that would make an ideal partner think, “We need to work with them”?
For me– it’s “this guy has the experience”... “he wants to see me succeed”... “he wants to help.” All three of those statements are an invitation to partner.
And question #2 was: If you could only invest in one signal this month—one that would make others want to partner with you—what would it be?
And for me, that’s “this guy’s committed,” he’s “using his time to create hours and hours of mind-numbingly boring garbage” so he can find ways to help people.
Another invitation to partner.
See. Easy enough. Now do your piece.
Prompt #1 - Build Win-Win Relationships
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Prompt #1 - Build Win-Win Relationships ○
Today, you’ll learn to leverage partnerships that multiply your impact and unlock new opportunities-without giving away the store or getting stuck in one-sided deals. You’ll be guided by the writings and frameworks of Ivy League faculty whose research is foundational in alliance strategy, negotiation, and value creation:
- **Professor Benjamin Gomes-Casseres, Brandeis (formerly Harvard Business School):** Leading authority on alliance strategy and structuring joint value.
- **Professor Adam Brandenburger, NYU Stern (visiting at Harvard Business School):** Co-creator of “Co-opetition” and expert in mutual benefit and game theory.
- **Professor Rita McGrath, Columbia Business School:** Specialist in growth strategy and finding new opportunities through partnerships.
**What Today’s Coaching Will Help You With:**
You’ll identify potential partners, clarify what you can offer and what you want in return, and design a partnership proposal that’s all about mutual benefit-so you can grow faster, reach new audiences, and create more value for everyone involved.
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### Step 1: Reflection Questions
Please answer these questions in a few sentences each:
1. **Who is your ideal partner (company, creator, organization, or platform)?**
- Think about who already serves your audience, shares your values, or has resources you lack.
2. **What unique value can you offer them-and what do you want in return?**
- Be specific about what you bring to the table (audience, tech, expertise, distribution) and what you hope to gain (reach, credibility, resources, etc.).
3. **What would a “win” look like for both sides in the next 6–12 months?**
- Describe the best-case scenario for you and your partner-more customers, new products, shared revenue, etc.
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### Step 2: MBA Skill – Win-Win Partnership Design
Today’s MBA lesson is about building partnerships that create joint value-not just transactional deals:
- Start by mapping your partner’s goals, pain points, and priorities (not just your own).
- Frame your proposal so it leads with mutual benefit: “Here’s what’s in it for you.”
- Specify clear, measurable outcomes or incentives that make the partnership attractive for both sides.
- Avoid common mistakes like focusing only on your needs or making vague asks-be concrete and collaborative.
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### Step 3: Coaching & Proposal Blueprint
After you reply, I will use the writings of Professors Gomes-Casseres, Brandenburger, and McGrath to:
- Help you clarify your partner’s goals and how your proposal aligns with them.
- Guide you in framing your partnership pitch for maximum appeal and clarity.
- Suggest specific, measurable ways to track and celebrate joint success.
- Offer examples of real-world win-win partnerships and how they unlocked new growth.
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**How to use this prompt:**
- Respond with your answers to the reflection questions and your draft partnership idea or pitch.
- I’ll help you refine your proposal, find the mutual win, and suggest next steps for outreach and collaboration.
- Remember: The best partnerships make both sides stronger-focus on value creation, not just value extraction.
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Ready? Share your answers and partnership idea below. Let’s hustle smarter, one lunch break at a time!
Secret Dessert Course
Day jobs in the corporate world typically do not teach people much about how to craft win-win scenarios. So you’re going to need help landing the collaborations you want. Instead of awkward, one-sided pitches, this AI prompt coaches you through crafting a proposal that’s all about mutual benefit— clearly showing what’s in it for them.
It’ll help you spell out shared goals, responsibilities, and what success looks like, making it easy for your potential partner to say yes. The result? AI helps you across as thoughtful, professional, and genuinely invested in creating value for both sides. (Who knew?)
Just copy and paste the following prompt into your favorite AI assistant to enjoy Day 25’s dessert.
Prompt #2 - Build a Win-Win Proposal
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Prompt #2 - Build a Win-Win Proposal ○
Today’s focus: crafting partnership proposals that are truly win-win-so you become the collaborator everyone wants, not just another cold pitch in the inbox. You’ll be coached by Ivy League experts in negotiation, alliance strategy, and value creation:
- **Professor Benjamin Gomes-Casseres, Brandeis (formerly Harvard Business School):** Leading authority on alliance strategy and structuring joint value.
- **Professor Adam Brandenburger, NYU Stern (visiting at Harvard Business School):** Co-creator of “Co-opetition” and expert in mutual benefit and game theory.
- **Professor Rita McGrath, Columbia Business School:** Specialist in growth strategy and finding new opportunities through partnerships.
**What Today’s Coaching Will Help You With:**
You’ll learn to build partnership proposals that highlight mutual benefit, show you’ve done your homework, and make it easy for partners to say yes. By the end, you’ll have a draft that’s all about “what’s in it for them”-not just what you want.
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### Step 1: Tell Us About Your Partnership Idea
Please answer:
1. Who is your ideal partner (company, creator, org, or platform)?
2. What do they do best-and what do you admire about them?
3. What do you want from this partnership (e.g., access to audience, tech, distribution, co-branding)?
4. What unique value, resource, or audience can you offer in return?
5. (Optional) What would a “win” look like for both sides in 6–12 months?
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### Step 2: Win-Win Proposal Coaching
After you reply, I will use the writings of your Ivy League coaching panel to:
- Help you articulate your partner’s goals, pain points, and priorities (Gomes-Casseres).
- Guide you in framing your proposal to lead with mutual benefit-“here’s what’s in it for you” (Brandenburger).
- Suggest specific, measurable outcomes or incentives that make the partnership attractive for both sides (McGrath).
- Offer a customizable proposal template and 2–3 “opening lines” to start the conversation.
- Flag common mistakes-like focusing only on your needs or making vague asks.
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**How to use this prompt:**
- Respond with your partnership idea above.
- Your coaching panel will return a draft proposal outline, win-win talking points, and practical tips for building trust and momentum.