Not Every Collab Makes Sense—But the Right One Changes Everything.

The playing field is wide open for small studios to work with big-name clients around the world.

My Approach to Partnerships

So here's something cool—I'll be speaking with the Webflow Experts community on the 23rd of this month about building successful partnerships. Sadly, I can’t invite you to this one (understandably, it’s a closed session), but I still wanted to share some thoughts with you here.

Let’s talk partnerships— ones that actually work.

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Partnership as a Mindset

You see collabs all the time in the streetwear world—brands link up, create something fresh, build hype, and drop pieces that feel bigger than either brand could’ve pulled off solo. I’ve always loved that energy. That’s the same vibe I bring into my web design studio.

Partnerships, to me, are more than just business deals—they’re a mindset shift. It takes a certain kind of openness to let others borrow your talents and vision. Not everyone’s there yet, and that’s okay. But if you are open to it, there’s so much potential.

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Spotting the Right Opportunities

Since March, Crafted Studios has partnered with five companies—ranging from SaaS platforms to creative agencies. Most recently, we linked up with a brand studio in San Francisco (can’t say who just yet, but it’s one of those pinch-me moments).

So, why lean into partnerships? A few reasons:

• We don’t know it all—and that’s the point. Collaboration brings new ideas to the table. When everyone’s aligned on mindset, the growth becomes mutual.

• It’s a revenue booster early on. Building something from scratch is hard, and truthfully, partnerships helped me skip the “just trying to stay afloat” stage. Still gotta put in the work—nothing’s guaranteed—but this route helped keep the lights on while I built the foundation.

• It validates the idea. People aren’t just hiring us—they’re buying into the vision of Crafted Studios. Partners give feedback that helps confirm we’re on the right path.

• Let’s be real—collabs are just dope. There’s a creative spark that only shows up when the right people link up. That’s reason enough.

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But It’s Not Always Simple

Partnerships sound great (and they are), but they come with growing pains—especially in the early stages. Here are a few lessons I’ve picked up:

• Not every business is a match. You’ve got to find ways to actually fit into a partner’s workflow, and that only works if you bring real value. Sometimes the synergy just isn’t there.

• Systems matter. Without strong SOPs, collabs can get messy—especially when you’re dealing with larger orgs that have layers of decision-makers. Having structure helps everyone move faster.

• The work reflects you. You want partnerships that lead to work you’re proud to share. Not every project will be portfolio gold, and not every company attracts the kind of clients you want. That’s why alignment (creative and business) is everything.

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Wrapping Up

At the end of the day, partnerships work when they’re thoughtful, intentional, and strategic. I’ll probably share more down the road about how you can integrate this kind of approach into your own business—but for now, I just want to leave you with this:

Keep building dope things with good people. That’s how the money flows. That’s how the opportunities show up.

Until next time,
—Dexter 🥂