Partnerships & Contra for Product-Based Brands
Turn “we should do more partnerships” into a clear strategy and repeatable plays that move product, grow demand and make your CFO smile.
You already know partnerships matter. Your team has ideas, brands are approaching you, and every conference mentions collaboration.
What you don’t have is the time, headspace or ownership to turn that noise into a structured partnership program – with clear goals, clear partners and clear numbers.
That’s my job.
I help product-based businesses design partnership strategies and run Contra days with their teams so Marketing, Sales and Finance are all pulling in the same direction.
“THERESE is THE partnership specialist.”
– James Hardie
Trusted by brands and
shows including:
Trusted by brands and shows including:
Author of SWAP! Marketing Without Money – the 2022 Book of the Year, triple gold medal winning book.
Coming Soon - Other People's Customers – The playbook for brands that sell through retailers, resellers and trade.
Right Now, Your Partnerships Are Probably… Fine. And That’s the Problem.
Most product brands aren’t failing at partnerships – they’re underperforming at them.
You might recognise this:
You say “yes” to ad-hoc collabs, influencer ideas and sponsorship pitches… then struggle to show what they actually delivered.
Each partnership is a one-off, reinvented from scratch, with no playbook and no way to compare value.
Marketing is excited, Sales is sceptical, Finance is nervous – and no one really “owns” partnerships end-to-end.
You say “yes” to ad-hoc collabs, influencer ideas and sponsorship pitches… then struggle to show what they actually delivered.
You know you’re sitting on valuable assets – product, stock, spaces, content, data, relationships – but you’re not sure how to trade them in a way that feels strategic, not scrappy.
Each partnership is a one-off, reinvented from scratch, with no playbook and no way to compare value.
Marketing is excited, Sales is sceptical, Finance is nervous – and no one really “owns” partnerships end-to-end.
You know you’re sitting on valuable assets – product, stock, spaces, content, data, relationships – but you’re not sure how to trade them in a way that feels strategic, not scrappy.
And in the background:
Your competitors are turning up on TV, in events, on platforms and on social feeds alongside brands your customers already love.
Your competitors are turning up on TV, in events, on platforms and on social feeds alongside brands your customers already love.
You’re hearing “do more with less” and thinking: We could… if we had a proper partnership strategy and some structure.
You’re hearing “do more with less” and thinking: We could… if we had a proper partnership strategy and some structure.
You don’t need another brainstorm.
You need someone who lives and breathes partnerships for product brands to help you design the plan and show your team how to run it.
Partnerships I’ve Architected
Here’s a taste of the kinds of collaborations I’ve helped create. Every one of them started with the same question: “How do we use what we already have to create something bigger than we could do alone?”
James Hardie x Temple & Webster x Plungie x TileCloud
Modern Homes Forecast multi-brand campaign
Goal: Position James Hardie as the go-to for modern home exteriors and drive demand through retail and digital channels.
Product-based brands in home, building products, interiors, beauty, FMCG and lifestyle.
Franchise and multi-site networks with salons, studios, showrooms or retail partners.
Councils, member organisations and associations that support small business and local economies.
Media and production companies wanting to weave brands into content more intelligently.
Play: Seven brands, one vision – a forecast of home trends brought to life through renders, shoppable content and shared promotion.
Result: A campaign with the impact of a major media buy, largely powered by product, content and contra value.
Big Brother & My Reno Rules
Turn-key partnerships for TV homes
Goal: Style entire homes and room reveals on tight timelines and tight budgets.
Product-based brands in home, building products, interiors, beauty, FMCG and lifestyle.
Franchise and multi-site networks with salons, studios, showrooms or retail partners.
Councils, member organisations and associations that support small business and local economies.
Media and production companies wanting to weave brands into content more intelligently.
Play: Sourced and negotiated high-value product partnerships with furniture, building and lifestyle brands in days, not months.
Result: Fully furnished, on-brand homes on screen – and partners featured in prime-time without paying traditional ad rates.
GraysOnline x Good Food & Wine Show x AMEX
Premium tasting experience that keeps selling afterwards
Product-based brands in home, building products, interiors, beauty, FMCG and lifestyle.
Franchise and multi-site networks with salons, studios, showrooms or retail partners.
Councils, member organisations and associations that support small business and local economies.
Media and production companies wanting to weave brands into content more intelligently.
Goal: Elevate perception from “discount marketplace” to “trusted destination for fine wine”.
Play: Created an exclusive Penfolds Grange tasting event for AMEX members inside a major food and wine show, using lots from Grays’ own catalogue.
Result: A standout premium experience that built trust and deepened relationships – and continued to drive sales long after the glasses were empty.
Gyprock x The Block
Long-term partnership cementing category leadership through repeat TV integration.
Dressability x Westfield
Inclusive fashion event used as a flagship ESG and diversity story.
Huggies x Jeep x Coles
Multi-brand promotion that moved nappies and strollers, not just impressions.
OO.com.au x The Living Room
“Gift of giving” TV moment that became the show’s highest-rating Christmas episode.
TH Brown x Chris Riley
Gallery launch for a modular lounge range that created content, sales and future collabs.
GraysOnline x McGrath Foundation
Pink diamond charity auction that combined fundraising with acquiring high-value new customers.
Strategy or Workshop? Two Ways to Build Your Partnership Program
There are two main ways I work with product brands on partnerships and contra. Same foundations, different depth.
There are two main ways I work with product brands on
partnerships and contra. Same foundations, different depth.
COMMERCIAL INTEGRATION
Partnership Architect (Strategy Projects)
For when you want a full partnership program built and embedded.
What it is:
An 8–12 week, done-with-you program to design your partnership strategy, flagship plays and commercial story.
You get:
A clear, documented partnership strategy – where partnerships live in your brand, trade and JBP plans.
1–3 flagship partnership plays your team can roll out and repeat.
A map of your assets & Contra P&L (products, stock, spaces, content, data, relationships).
Partner shortlists and partner-ready pitch decks.
Support through your first wave of outreach, negotiation and activation.
A clear, documented partnership strategy – where partnerships live in your brand, trade and JBP plans.
1–3 flagship partnership plays your team can roll out and repeat.
A map of your assets & Contra P&L (products, stock, spaces, content, data, relationships).
Partner shortlists and partner-ready pitch decks.
Support through your first wave of outreach, negotiation and activation.
Best for:
When you want partnerships to be a proper growth pillar – not a side project – and you know you need senior support, cross-functional buy-in and a repeatable approach.
FOR YOUR MARKETING TEAM
Contra Advantage Workshop (Team Day)
For when you want your team to walk out with a plan in a single day.
What it is:
A full-day (or split) in-house workshop for Marketing, Trade and Sales teams in product-based businesses.
By the end of the day, your team will have:
Defined your partnership goals – what partnerships must deliver in the next 12 months.
A map of your assets – products, stock, spaces, content, data and relationships you can trade with confidence.
A shortlist of the right partners – brands, retailers, media, creators, platforms or communities.
A clear Offer & Ask for each priority partnership – what you’ll put on the table, and what you’ll expect back.
Simple deal blueprints – deliverables, timelines and non-negotiables.
A 90-day activation plan your team can execute, not just admire in a deck.
Defined your partnership goals – what partnerships must deliver in the next 12 months.
A map of your assets – products, stock, spaces, content, data and relationships you can trade with confidence.
A shortlist of the right partners – brands, retailers, media, creators, platforms or communities.
A clear Offer & Ask for each priority partnership – what you’ll put on the table, and what you’ll expect back.
Simple deal blueprints – deliverables, timelines and non-negotiables.
A 90-day activation plan your team can execute, not just admire in a deck.
Best for:
When you want a focused, roll-up-our-sleeves day to get everyone on the same page and leave with a practical plan.
How We Build Your Partnership Program
Delorenzo
CEO Institute
Conference Highlight
Step 01 – Discover
We get clear on:
Your growth goals, product and key categories
Existing partners, goals and ideas to action
Your current “hidden” contra and support spend
Step 02 – Design
We create:
1–3 signature partnership concepts
Partner shortlists (brands, media, platforms, events)
The top-level structure of who brings what to the table
Step 03 – Pitch
We turn ideas into:
Co-branded pitch decks and one-pagers
Talk tracks for Sales and Marketing
Negotiation angles that feel fair and sustainable
Step 04 – Activate
We outline:
Roles and responsibilities across teams and partners
Key timelines and deliverables
What success looks like and how you’ll measure it
What We Cover in a Contra Advantage Day
Delorenzo
CEO Institute
Conference Highlight
Goals & Guardrails
We start with your world:
Commercial and brand objectives for the next 12–18 months
Key categories, hero products and range priorities
Non-negotiables from leadership, Sales and Finance
Your team leaves this block knowing what partnerships must achieve and what they must never compromise.
The Contra P&L Map
We put real numbers and assets on the table:
Where you’re already using product and stock (sampling, styling, prizing, staff, content)
What that’s worth at RRP and at cost
Where you’re potentially over-giving or under-leveraging your assets
This gives you a visible Contra P&L and a shared understanding of what you can responsibly trade.
Partner Shortlist & Offer/Ask Matrix
We move from “we should do more partnerships” to “we should do more with them.”
Identify your dream partners and realistic next-step partners
Work through what you can offer (product, content, experiences, access)
Clarify what you’ll ask for (media, distribution, data, content rights, introductions)
Your team finishes this block with a partner shortlist and a first-draft Offer/Ask matrix that feels fair and compelling on both sides.
Deal Blueprints & Activation Plan
We bring it all together:
Draft 1–2 flagship partnership blueprints: who, what, when and why it matters
Outline deliverables, roles and key milestones
Define what success looks like and how you’ll measure it
Your team leaves with slides they can present at the next leadership meeting or JBP – not just post-it notes and good intentions.
Who Brings Me In
CMOs, Heads of Marketing and senior brand leaders bring me in when:
They want partnerships to be a proper line in the plan, not a last-minute extra slide.
They want partnerships to be a proper line in the plan, not a last-minute extra slide.
Their teams are maxed out running campaigns, launches and JBPs and need expert help to architect this.
They know they’re sitting on valuable assets – product, stock, spaces, content, relationships – and want someone to turn that into a strategy and a playbook.
This is not for you if:
You just want a brainstorm of “cool collab ideas” without implementation.
You’re focused purely on influencer placement rather than brand-to-brand or media partnerships.
Their teams are maxed out running campaigns, launches and JBPs and need expert help to architect this.
They know they’re sitting on valuable assets – product, stock, spaces, content, relationships – and want someone to turn that into a strategy and a playbook.
This is not for you if:
You’re not ready to involve Marketing, Sales and at least one senior decision-maker.
You just want a brainstorm of “cool collab ideas” without implementation.
You’re focused purely on influencer placement rather than brand-to-brand or media partnerships.
You’re not ready to involve Marketing, Sales and at least one senior decision-maker.
Why Organisers Book Me (And Rebook Me)
Commercial + Creative
I speak both CFO and CMO – every story ties back to real numbers and real trade-offs.
Category Fluent
Building products, interiors, beauty, FMCG and franchising are my natural habitat. Your audience doesn’t need Marketing 101.
Easy to work with
Clear, fast communication; the right assets on time; no drama. My job is to make your event – and you – look good.
Action-notes, not just quotes
Attendees leave with specific ideas they can plug straight into brand plans, JBPs, channel strategies and partner pitches.
events
years in product brands
Millions in partnership value unlocked
Why Me (and Not Just Any Consultant or Agency)
I literally wrote the book on this.
I’m the author of SWAP! Marketing Without Money – a bestseller and 2022 Book of the Year – used by hundreds of product businesses to build their first partnerships, with The Contra Advantage on the way.
I’ve done it from your side of the table.
I built my own $10M product business with collaborations, then went on to work with billion-dollar brands, retailers and TV productions. I understand margins, lead times and internal politics – not just the pretty campaign wrap-up.
I speak fluent “room”.
I can sit with your Marketing, Sales, Product, Finance and Leadership teams and translate partnerships into each of their languages, so you get buy-in, not eye-rolls.
This is my lane.
I don’t do generic innovation consulting or broad marketing audits. I help product brands grow using partnerships, contra and the assets they already have. That’s it.
I literally wrote the book on this.
I’m the author of SWAP! Marketing Without Money – a bestseller and 2022 Book of the Year – used by hundreds of product businesses to build their first partnerships, with The Contra Advantage on the way.
I’ve done it from your side of the table.
I built my own $10M product business with collaborations, then went on to work with billion-dollar brands, retailers and TV productions. I understand margins, lead times and internal politics – not just the pretty campaign wrap-up.
I speak fluent “room”.
I can sit with your Marketing, Sales, Product, Finance and Leadership teams and translate partnerships into each of their languages, so you get buy-in, not eye-rolls.
This is my lane.
I don’t do generic innovation consulting or broad marketing audits. I help product brands grow using partnerships, contra and the assets they already have. That’s it.
“Therese is amazing and one gold nugget after another.”
– Small business owner
What Clients Say
Reviews 5.0 ★★★★★
“Therese didn’t just bring ideas – she built a structure our whole team could get behind. Partnerships have gone from ‘nice to have’ to a clear growth pillar.”
![[Name]](https://storage.googleapis.com/msgsndr/33V7t1ZO2uCvEFDntJyb/media/f6efcdfc-0960-48a8-a090-3d1062a2b3ed.png)
![[Name] business logo](https://stcdn.leadconnectorhq.com/funnel/testimonials/logos/logoipsum-265.png)
“Working with Therese gave us a language and framework for partnerships. We’ve already reused the same approach with other brands.”
![[Name]](https://stcdn.leadconnectorhq.com/funnel/avatar/avatar%201.jpg){kind=avatar}
![[Name] business logo](https://stcdn.leadconnectorhq.com/funnel/testimonials/logos/logoipsum-287.png)
She gets product, retail and media. That combination is rare – and exactly what we needed.”
![[Name]](https://stcdn.leadconnectorhq.com/funnel/avatar/avatar%202.jpg){kind=avatar}
![[Name] business logo](https://stcdn.leadconnectorhq.com/funnel/testimonials/logos/logoipsum-214.png)
Ready to Treat Partnerships
as a Real Growth Strategy?
If you’re serious about building a partnership program for your brand – not just saying “we should do more collabs” – let’s talk.
Share a few details below and I’ll come back to you with options for a strategy project, a Contra day, or a combination of both.
Check My Availability
Share a few details about your event and I’ll reply ASAP
Questions You Might Have
Reviews 5.0 ★★★★★
Can we combine a strategy project with a workshop?
Yes. Many clients start with a Contra Advantage Workshop to get the team aligned, then roll into a Partnership Architect project to build and embed the full program.
Can this include our retailers or partners?
Yes. We can design sessions that include key retailers, licensees or franchisees if that supports your goals.
Do you offer virtual options?
Yes. Both strategy work and workshops can be delivered virtually, with digital workbooks and breakout rooms for teams in multiple locations.
Can we repeat this process in other markets or brands?
Absolutely. The frameworks are designed to be reused across categories and markets once we’ve built them with you.
Speaker • Trainer • Partnership Architect • Author
© Therese Tarlinton - The Brand Matchmaker
Social Info
Social Info
Based in Australia. Available to work with brands, events and teams globally.