Business partnerships don’t sustain themselves on contracts alone. They thrive on exceptional delivery, strategic communication, and problem solving that goes beyond what’s expected. Few understand this better than Kyle Kane, who has spent two decades crafting deals between major brands and some of entertainment’s biggest names. His approach to partnership building stems from a simple truth: nobody renews just because you did what you promised.
Understanding Renewal Reality
Kyle Kane doesn’t sugarcoat it when he talks about client relationships. “Nobody renews a partnership just because you did what you promised. They expect that,” he says. After two decades putting together deals between major brands and entertainment heavyweights like Rihanna and Kylie Jenner, Kyle knows what actually drives repeat business. It’s not the pitch that seals the long term deal. “The biggest deals I’ve closed didn’t happen at the pitch table,” Kyle explains. “They happened because of how I delivered after the ink was dry.” This simple insight drove him to develop what he calls the “three levers of smart over delivery”, the stuff nobody teaches you in business school.
Here’s where most get it wrong. They think overdelivering means extra work for free. Kyle sees it differently. “Overdelivering isn’t just about doing more work for free. It’s about knowing exactly where to show up stronger than expected in the places that your partner actually cares about,” he says. The real goal isn’t to work yourself to death. It’s to make clients think, “I’m so glad we picked them.” Most business owners miss this completely. They throw in random extras nobody asked for, then wonder why clients don’t seem impressed.
Communicating Early
The first lever seems obvious until you realize almost nobody does it right. “You need to over communicate your progress before they even ask. Tell them what’s happening, tell them why it matters, and where you’re headed next,” Kyle advises. Wait for clients to check in on you, and you’ve already lost their confidence. “If they have to ask you for updates, you’ve probably already lost the momentum.” Good partners hit their targets but great ones make sure you always know where things stand. It’s the difference between checking a box and building trust. Most business relationships fall apart in the silence between updates.
Empowering the Client
Your client contact isn’t just paying your invoice. They’re defending your partnership to their bosses. Kyle puts it plainly: “Your contact inside the company isn’t just approving your invoice. They’re actually pitching your success to their leadership.” The smart move? “Give them the language and the tools and the narrative that they need to tell your story upstream. Help them win inside the organization,” Kyle suggests. Something as simple as, “Here’s a quick summary you can pass along to your VP showing the key wins this partnership has driven so far” can turn your contact into your biggest champion.
Preventing Problems
The third lever is where even seasoned pros fall short. “The partner they trust most is the one who flags issues early and brings solutions with the issues,” Kyle explains. Letting a client get blindsided by bad news is relationship suicide. Kyle’s approach is straightforward: “Never let your partner be surprised by bad news. Overdelivering means being proactive, not perfect.” A simple heads up like, “Hey, we’re seeing lower engagement on this channel than expected. Here’s why, and here’s our recommendation to adjust it before it impacts our results” shows you’re on top of things.
Kyle doesn’t believe in flooding inboxes or making big splashes. “Consistency beats intensity. You don’t need to flood their inbox. You need a predictable rhythm of value added touch points,” he advises. His formula is simple, regular check ins (biweekly or monthly) with the occasional surprise that adds real value. The goal isn’t more emails. It’s fewer surprises and stronger alignment. The signature on a contract doesn’t make you anyone’s go to partner. How you show up after the deal does. As Kyle puts it, “The people who keep getting invited back into the room aren’t the ones who shout the loudest. They’re the ones who make their partners feel like they’re always a step ahead, solving problems, delivering wins, making success feel easy.” That’s real over delivery. That’s how you become the partner they keep coming back to.
Connect with Kyle Kane on LinkedIn to learn more about his partnership strategies.
