I’ve had to say not to a lot of things.

…and trust me, especially in the early days of my career when I knew I’d be worth more one day, turning down commercials and projects that wanted to retain my likeness in perpetuity was HARD… but a smart move.

Most weeks I get dozens upon dozens of offers in my inbox for social media collabs alone. The craziest one I’ve ever gotten was for an anal insert to keep farts from smelling or making noise.

Check out the video I made in honor of turning this bad boy down.

Aside from that and the offer to promote an anime smut site, most inbox queries are harmless. So why water my brand down with a bunch of bullshit just for a quick buck?

The rule: If it’s not aligned, extremely lucrative long-term, or isn’t fun to say yes to — the answer is no.

Here's what I've learned about personal value: it's like a really good bottle of wine (and by ‘really good’ I for sure mean at least a $19.99 bottle with a cool label, because that’s my gauge). You can water it down to make more glasses and serve more people, but eventually nobody wants what you're pouring because it tastes like it was fermented in a bathtub.

Your brand — whether you're a comedian, an accountant, a realtor, or a garbage man with a TikTok presence — is built on people trusting that when you recommend something, you actually mean it. The second you start shilling random crap just because someone waved money in your face, that trust evaporates like a scentless fart in the wind.

The old term was “selling out.” Now it’s more like “selling literally anything.”

Trust is worth way more than any individual partnership check. When I do endorse something, people actually listen because they know I'm not just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks (or in this case, throwing fart inserts at my... never mind).

The real cost of saying yes to everything isn't just diluting your brand — it's training your audience to ignore you. And once you've lost their attention, good luck getting it back.

Saying no to things makes space for the yes’s that matter.

But, how do you actually make money while keeping your soul intact? Let me break down how I've built sustainable income streams that don't make me hate myself.

The Hustle

There’s an art to soft mentions, introductions and having a vast network.

I'm not sure why (but I also totally am), but people running companies have been seeking me out for partnerships and projects for many years. Maybe it's because I understand business, maybe it's because they saw my hustle, or maybe they just liked how I operate. Porque no los tres?

Nine years ago, while I was still grinding it out full-time in LA, a restaurant tech startup came to me with their entire vision: a travel food and beverage series they wanted me to star in, plus a sizable chunk of their company to be the face of their product.

The offer was flattering, but I turned it down because I didn't feel aligned with the product and wasn't about to pretend I invented something I didn't. (Also, the product was a bit lame — ha!)

But that opened my eyes to thinking differently about partnerships. Instead of just taking whatever brands threw at me, I started creating opportunities that made sense for everyone involved.

Take my Vegas show launch in 2019 — I brought in brands I actually loved, gave them exposure to the Vegas market, and everyone paid me for the privilege. The hotel paid me, each brand paid me, and this covered all weekly flights from LA, hotel stays for comedians, drinks, dinners, and everyone's show pay. Win-win-win. (A rarity in Vegas…)

Hotel partnerships have been a game-changer for my touring income. I work with major brands like Marriott (shoutout to my ride-or-dies since 2017) where I get the royal treatment in exchange for soft mentions. Low lift work that adds to my tour income, and I'm staying at places that don't make me question my life choices.

The magic happens when you stop thinking like someone begging for sponsorships and start thinking like a problem solver. Find companies you'd genuinely recommend to your pals, then figure out how your network or skills can help them win. The partnerships that feel effortless? Those are the ones that actually pay.

I’m currently on the board of three companies like this — long story for another time and some fat beers — but I intro them to people who need them, and I make money without having to do anything else. I even have equity in a few of these. The best thing is they are highly ethical companies doing great work, and I didn’t have to build something new.

But here's what all this strategic business talk misses: none of it matters if you don't know how to completely disconnect from it. Sunday, I did absolutely zero business development, made zero strategic introductions, and did no work. Instead, I did something way more important — went boating with friends.

The Chill

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is absolutely nothing productive at all.

I'd been looking forward to Sunday’s boat day for weeks. Not because I had some grand plan or agenda, but because I just wanted to exist on some water with people I love. (See a theme? St. Croix Comedy Fest… if you’ve been following along)

The moment I jumped off that boat into Lake Michigan, everything else fell away. No emails, no strategies, no agendas. Just great friends, good music, tons of seltzers, lightly lake-sprayed snacks, and the clean clean super clean crystal clear waters of Lake Michigan. (IYKYK)

There's something magical about being the person who brings people together and then gets to sit back and watch genuine connections form. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my friends become friends. And what better place to do it than a yacht.

I work as my own brand, which means traditional work boundaries don't really exist. But that also means I get to be extremely intentional about when I choose to be fully present — when I'm with my little 1 year old niece, when I'm on stage, when I'm floating around Lake Michigan or the Caribbean Sea with people I love — my phone becomes irrelevant and my attention becomes completely theirs.

The thing about working for yourself is that you're never really 'off' — but you can choose to be completely present. There's a difference between being available and being consumed.

That kind of presence is a skill you have to practice. It doesn't happen automatically just because you're somewhere beautiful with people you love.

You have to actively choose to be where you are instead of where your brain thinks you should be working.

The hustle is important, but the chill is what makes the hustle sustainable. Without days like Sunday, all the strategic partnerships and smart business moves just become another hamster wheel.

The boat day wasn't a break from my life — it’s the entire point of life.

The best business strategy is knowing when to stop strategizing and just live. I've learned to say no to fart inserts and yes to lazy drunk Sundays. Both decisions have served me well.

Success isn't just about building something sustainable — it's about building a life you don't need to escape from. A chill-ass life where the hustle can shut the fuck off.

Upcoming Shows

I’m on the one-month-out grind for polishing my Ted Talk! Working on accompanying media this week. This is crazier than shooting my first special was, and I love it. I’ll also be ready for a long vacation when it’s over 🙂 Cue a big stint in LA (work x play x chill)

September 26th — TedX Chicago

Love you all and cheers to the hustle + chill. We all deserve a boat day.

xx NPH