When the Licensing Checks Stopped Coming: How I Reclaimed My Income—and My Power

Years ago, I got not one but TWO $25,000 checks from a licensing partner. It felt like magic.

It was the kind of income that changes your life.
I remember holding that check in my hands and thinking,
"I’ve made it. I can breathe."

But the following year? Everything changed.

The company was sold.
Their priorities shifted.
Licensing was no longer their focus.
And just like that… the well dried up.

No more $25k checks.
No warning.
Just an email and a gut punch.

I Had to Ask Myself: Will I Ever Replace This Income?

I had built something beautiful—but I had unknowingly built it on someone else’s foundation.

And when that foundation shifted, I had to decide: Would I crumble?
Or would I get scrappy, resourceful, and figure out how to take back control?

That moment led me to what I now teach inside my signature program, Leverage Your Art—because I never want another artist to feel that vulnerable again.

If You've Lost a Licensing Deal, Here's What to Do Next

Whether it was a licensing contract, a client relationship, or a revenue stream that suddenly dried up—please hear me when I say:

You are still in charge of your business.

Here’s what I learned to do when the predicted income disappeared:

1. Reuse the Work You Created

That art you made for the client? It still has value.
Turn it into a collection. A product line. A portfolio pitch.
Just because they passed on it doesn’t mean the world will.

2. Re-Pitch. Reframe. Reopen Doors.

I took that same artwork, updated my pitch, and sent it to five new companies.
One of them said yes.
Sometimes the “no” isn’t about you. It’s about timing, leadership changes, or shifting priorities.

3. Replace the Revenue With Something New

I launched a new product line.
I opened up new income streams.
I made a plan to never rely on just one client again.
It wasn’t overnight, but I replaced the income—and I did it in a way that felt sustainable.

4. Rebuild Your Revenue Mix

This was the wake-up call that led me to diversify.
I learned to license smarter, sell products more consistently, and create repeatable systems.
It wasn’t about hustle—it was about leverage.

5. Ask: “What Does This Make Possible?”

That’s the question that changed everything for me.
Not: Why did this happen to me?
But: What is this creating space for?

For me, it was the chance to build a business that didn’t rely on luck, a single deal, or someone else's priorities.

If You're Ready to Build Something That Lasts…

I teach all of this—and so much more—inside Leverage Your Art, my signature 8-week course that reopens in August 2025.

This is the program where I walk you through:
✅ Licensing your work with clarity
✅ Selling physical and digital products
✅ Creating repeatable systems that make money while you sleep
✅ Building multiple income streams from the art you already love to make

You don't need to start from scratch.
You just need a roadmap that works—and support along the way.

👉 [Click here to join the Leverage Your Art waitlist.]

Be the first to know when we open doors again—

You deserve a business that doesn’t break when one client backs out.
You deserve income that feels steady and supportive.
You deserve to keep creating—and to get paid well for it.

This moment of uncertainty might just be your turning point.
I know it was mine.

With you every step,
Stacie