“Hope” is not a strategy. It's a tax on the unprepared.
Most businesses approach partnerships like they're playing the lottery. They build a "Hope & Pray List"—a random list of anyone who might say yes.
It's a numbers game that guarantees you stay small.
The pros build a "Dream 100 Partner Hitlist."
This isn't just any list; it's a strategic roster of perfect-fit partners who already own a captive audience of your ideal customers. It turns outreach from a game of chance into a precision strike.
This list has been my best friend for the last 3 years at beehiiv.
I recently had a client, Ben, stuck in the Hope & Pray cycle.
We didn't start by looking for partners. We started by defining his Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) with surgical clarity. He has a b2b SaaS company in the oil and gas industry.
Once he knew exactly who his customer was, his Ideal Partner Profile (IPP) became painfully obvious.
He stopped asking, "Who can I partner with?" And started asking, "Who already has my ideal customers?"
The shift was immediate.
His outreach became targeted, his 'yes' rate skyrocketed, and he stopped begging for attention because he was now offering clear value.
Within a month he had 5 high-leverage partner conversations in the works.
You only need a handful of these strategic partners to change your business. But you'll never find them by accident.
Stop hoping. Start hunting. Keep stacking 🧱
TG