From Zero to $2M: How Brand Partnerships Can Transform Your B2C App Revenue

Most B2C app founders assume subscriptions are their golden ticket to revenue. But what if we told you that 70% of a successful social investing app's revenue comes from brand partnerships, not subscriptions?

In a recent episode of the Trophy Podcast, we sat down with Tim Johnson, head of brand partnerships at Blossom Social and former partnerships lead at Wattpad (acquired by Naver for $600M). Tim shared how he's generated over $2 million in partnership revenue for Blossom—a seed-stage company—and why brand partnerships might be the overlooked revenue stream your B2C app desperately needs.

The Hidden Revenue Goldmine

While most founders obsess over subscription metrics, Tim revealed a startling reality about Blossom's revenue mix:

"30% of the revenue comes from subscriptions, which most apps are only half that 30%. And that's really hard, guys. Like, to be a subscription app, it's so hard, in my opinion. And then 70% of our revenue is coming from brand partnerships."

This isn't unique to Blossom. During his time at Wattpad, Tim built partnerships with entertainment companies who desperately wanted access to the platform's engaged Gen Z audience—users who bought six times more books and went to movies 2.2 times more than average consumers. The key insight? If you have a valuable, engaged audience, brands will pay premium prices to reach them authentically.

The Stag Hunt vs Squirrel Hunt Philosophy

Tim's approach to partnership sales centers around what he calls "stag hunting versus squirrel hunting." Instead of chasing every potential client (squirrels), focus on landing big, long-term partners (stags) that can sustain your business.

"I think if you're, as you start to qualify your potential partners using this kind of rubrics, it takes you from squirrel hunting where anything could be like a potential client, you end up just chasing squirrels, to being hyper-specific and hunting for stags. I think a stag hunt versus a squirrel hunt feels like a very, very different thing."

To identify your "stags," Tim recommends evaluating potential partners against five criteria:

1. Repeating budget - Do they consistently need to reach your audience?
2. Budget targeting your audience - Are they specifically looking for your user demographic?
3. Time frame to spend - Do they have immediate campaigns or burning platforms?
4. Technical integration capability - Can they work with your platform technically?
5. Realistic success metrics - Can you both agree on measurable outcomes?

Building Relationships, Not Transactions

Perhaps the most crucial insight from Tim's approach is treating partnerships as long-term relationships rather than one-off transactions. He advocates for a cultivation approach that prioritizes genuine value creation over aggressive closing tactics.

"To build a long-term relationship, you don't want to rush it too much. You want to cultivate a real relationship, make sure you truly understand their problems, and then really serve them very well."

Tim's strategy involves hosting intimate events that bring together insights, creators, and existing clients. This creates a compelling value proposition for prospects:

"It's non-transferable invitation, but if you can make it, we'd love to have you. That's like a very nice way I think of doing an introduction. It's classy, it's not too salesy."

The Power of Proprietary Insights

One of the most compelling aspects of Tim's partnership strategy is leveraging proprietary data insights. At Wattpad, the team could predict cultural trends years in advance—they saw BTS's massive success coming in 2016 based on fanfiction trends on the platform.

"We knew in advance that BTS would be absolutely massive boy-bound. We knew it in 2016. I went and presented that to media agencies and marketing agencies and said, hey guys, there's this Korean band that's about to break the internet."

At Blossom, they can see real-time investment trends and sentiment across different market sectors. This data becomes incredibly valuable to financial services companies, investment platforms, and fintech brands looking to understand where the market is heading.

Network Effects That Scale

Tim's experience across three different B2C apps: Wattpad, Couply, and Blossom—taught him about the importance of network effects in scaling partnerships. Using the "ASSET framework" (Atomic unit, Seed supply side, Scale demand side, Enlarge network effects, Track proprietary insights), he showed how successful B2C apps create valuable atomic units that attract both users and partners.

For Blossom, the atomic unit is users' investment portfolios, years of stored value that investors share freely on the platform. This creates a powerful draw for both other investors (who want to learn) and brands (who want to reach this affluent audience).

The Creator Community Advantage

One of Tim's biggest regrets with his own app, Couply, was not building creator relationships early enough:

"I wish I had done that from day one. I think the things that stopped me from doing it was a sense of imposter syndrome."

At Blossom, creator partnerships drive one-third of their growth, alongside paid ads and word-of-mouth. They've built a community of 125 finance creators with tiered rewards, exclusive events, and even organized creator cruises. The key insight? Creators don't just want affiliate payments—they want community, speaking opportunities, and brand introductions.

Making the Numbers Work

The math behind Tim's partnership strategy is compelling. Rather than needing thousands of low-value subscribers, Blossom needs "only like 20 or 25 big clients and then we're... getting some serious money." Individual partnership deals range from $100K to $200K, making each relationship incredibly valuable.

This approach works because B2C apps with engaged audiences can charge premium rates. Entertainment companies, financial services, and other brands are willing to pay significant sums to reach authentic, engaged communities through native integrations rather than traditional advertising.

Key Takeaways

• Diversify revenue streams: Don't rely solely on subscriptions—brand partnerships can be more lucrative
• Hunt stags, not squirrels: Focus on fewer, higher-value, long-term partnership relationships
• Lead with insights: Your user data and trends can be as valuable as your user access
• Build creator communities early: Creator partnerships can drive significant growth and retention
• Prioritize relationship building: Authentic relationships beat aggressive sales tactics every time
• Create compelling atomic units: Give users reasons to store significant value on your platform

For B2C founders struggling with unit economics and subscription churn, Tim's approach offers a compelling alternative path to sustainable revenue. Sometimes the best monetization strategy isn't asking users to pay—it's getting brands to pay for access to your users.

Want to hear more insights from successful B2C founders? Check out the full interview with Tim Johnson on the Levels Podcast.