People see us working with big brands now and think it’s always been like this. Like companies just magically showed up one day wanting to partner with us. But anyone who’s been following us for a while knows that’s not the truth.
We built everything from scratch.
We showed up everywhere before anyone even knew our names.
We paid out of pocket for every trade show, every flight, every hotel, every meeting — all because we believed in what we were building long before the industry believed in us.
So when people ask, “How do you decide which brands you work with?”
The answer comes from years of showing up, learning, getting burned, getting back up, and figuring out what actually matters.
Here’s how we choose — and why we turn others down.
- We Only Work With Brands We Actually Use
This one is simple: if it’s not something we genuinely use on the job or in the shop, we’re not putting our name on it.
We’ve spent years in the trades. We know what works and what doesn’t. We know which tools hold up on a real jobsite and which ones barely survive unboxing. So if a brand reaches out and the product isn’t something we’d use in our actual work, it’s a no — even if they’re waving money around.
Our audience isn’t stupid. They can tell the difference between authentic and “I posted this because they paid me.”
We don’t play that game. - We Choose Brands Who Respect the Work Behind the Work
People think content is easy until they’re the ones doing it.
A 30-second video might take:
• an entire day of filming
• lighting
• audio
• editing
• reshoots
• approvals
• travel
• and then the posting schedule on top of it
Brands who understand that this is a production, not a hobby — those are the brands we work with.
If someone wants champagne content on a fast-food budget, we politely decline. - We’re Not the Shopping Network — We’re More Like National Geographic
This is a big one.
Some brands only care about ROI. They want instant sales, instant “use my link,” instant numbers to justify the partnership. And that’s fine — for creators who operate that way.
But that’s not us.
We’ve never wanted to be the “link in bio” people. We don’t run our platforms like a shopping channel.
Our storytelling, our videos, our series… they’re more like National Geographic: You watch, you learn, you get pulled into the world — and along the way, you see the tools and gear we use naturally.
We’re not out here trying to sell products just to make money. We want to showcase brands we believe in — not shove them in people’s faces.
And that’s why you don’t only see the products we use labeled as “paid partnership.” You see them:
• on real jobsites
• in random shop days
• in competitions
• in behind-the-scenes vlogs
• in travel builds
• in the messy, unfiltered real stuff
Because we use them whether the camera is on or not.
That authenticity is why our audience trusts us — and why the right brands want long-term relationships, not just one-off ads. - Loyalty Matters — A Lot
We treat brands the same way we treat people: if you show loyalty, we show loyalty.
We’ve had companies who supported us before anyone else cared. Companies who took meetings when we were nobodies. Companies who respected our time, our craft, and our growth.
Those are the brands we stick with.
And yeah — we’ve had the opposite too. The ones who wanted everything for nothing. The ones who talked down to us. The ones who treated tradespeople like we’re disposable.
Those partnerships don’t last more than one email. - We Run a Media Company — Not a Side Hustle
This is something a lot of brands don’t understand at first.
We’re not two people with phones making videos in between jobs.
We run Bully Media Studios. We run Wood Bully. We handle logistics, travel, production schedules, deliverables, crews, equipment, strategy — all of it.
We don’t guess. We don’t wing it. We’re professionals, and we expect the brands we work with to treat us like partners, not “influencers they can squeeze.”
If a brand can’t respect that, they’re not for us. - Sometimes “No” Is the Best Thing for Our Business
And honestly? It took time to learn that.
Early on, every offer felt exciting. But the more we grew, the more we realized that every partnership affects:
• our reputation
• our credibility
• our audience’s trust
• our relationship with other brands
• our long-term opportunities
A bad partnership can do more damage than no partnership at all.
So now, if it doesn’t align — we say no.
Whether it’s the wrong product, the wrong energy, the wrong expectations, or the wrong intentions… No is a complete sentence.
The Real Reason We Choose the Brands We Choose
Because we built this entire thing with our own money, our own time, our own hands, our own risks.
Because no one gave us shortcuts.
Because we fought for every opportunity.
We choose brands who believe in the work we do — not just what we can sell.
We choose brands who value the relationship as much as the content.
We choose brands who support authenticity, creative freedom, and long-term growth.
And because of that, we have the confidence — and the experience — to turn down the ones who don’t.
Bully Media Inc 