On DAY 29, we talked about how to pitch to brands, and I said you should never pitch with “I’d love to collaborate” and nothing else. Always walk into the room with the idea already built.
Now, some of you had a very important question:
What if they steal my idea?
That’s a valid concern, but before you worry too much, here are three things I want you to understand first:
Yes, ideas can be stolen. But don’t build your career around that fear.
Can a brand use your idea with someone else? Yes.
Could they arrive at the same idea independently? Also yes.
And will you always be able to prove that an idea was originally yours? Not necessarily.
But here’s the bigger truth:
Ideas are cheap. Execution is expensive.
Thousands of people can have a similar idea. Very few people have the skill, network, or tenacity to execute it in a specific way.
A brand isn’t only paying for the idea. They’re paying for the person who can bring the idea to life.
So yes, protect yourself. But don’t become so precious about every single idea that you’re afraid to put anything on the table.
Now, that said…
BE SMART: Give them an appetiser, not the whole recipe.
When I say “come with a built idea,” I don’t mean send them your entire blueprint and storyboard in a cold email.
Give them enough to understand the opportunity.
What is the idea?
Why does it fit this brand?
What outcome would it help them achieve?
If they like the concept, you can develop the rest together.
And the bigger the scale of the idea, the more careful you should be.
If you’re pitching something that involves original intellectual property, or a major campaign concept, an event, a film or documentary, don’t put the entire thing in an unsolicited email.
Pitch the opportunity. Get the meeting. Present the idea. Then, when the relationship becomes serious, put the important details in writing.
That’s when you discuss ownership, licensing, contracts. Proper IP protection.
Not in your first “Hi, we’d love to collaborate“ email.
Become difficult to replace.
People will copy your ideas. If you’re excellent, that’s a normal consequence.
If you spend your whole life chasing everyone who copied you, you will have no life.
So yes, protect your intellectual property when it matters.
But build something that is much harder to copy.
Your taste. Your personality. Your experience. Your community.
I don’t want you to become paranoid about idea theft. Because in order to get some opportunities, you’re gonna have to put it out there, and that’s a risk, but it is worth it.
So in summary:
Pitch.
Bring good ideas.
Be smart about what you reveal.
Protect the valuable stuff when things get real.
And then keep creating. You can never use up creativity.
The goal is not to have one idea nobody can steal.
The goal is to become the kind of person who can have another ten tomorrow.
This is Creator 101, your daily dose of creative momentum.
I’ll see you tomorrow.
Until then, go create something worth stealing.
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