How I Helped My Partners Earn $19M+ From Performance Deals

There’s a reason some of the world’s best consultants opt for performance based pay behind the scenes. James explains why they work, what to avoid, and how he makes them last.

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For years, performance-based deals have been seen by consultants as too risky to touch.

“Red flag.” 
“No serious consultant works without a retainer.”
 “They never last.”

You’ve probably heard the same. But after building a multi-seven-figure income stream entirely from performance deals, with no retainers and no salary, James has learned a few things worth sharing.

He unpacks here why performance deals can work, who they’re for, and what makes them fail.

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Table of contents:

1. Over $1.5M on performance alone
2. The seed was planted decades ago
3. Sales roles prepared him for rev share
4. Most people get rev share deals wrong
5. The truth about control and contribution
6. The numbers speak for themselves
7. What makes performance deals work
8. Retainers aren’t the only way to get paid
9. Need help structuring a rev share deal?

Over $1.5M on performance alone

This isn’t theory. James has earned $1.52 million USD from performance-based royalties to date, with six active deals still paying. Four more were bought out, and another four he exited by choice.

In total, James’s partners have earned over $19 million in revenue from these collaborations. No retainer. No hourly billing. Just aligned incentives and shared upside.

Several of James’s mentees are now replicating the model, building high-margin, low-risk income by backing the right partners and structuring the right deals.

Download Before You Say Yes: 10 Filters for Rev Share Partnerships (and the PDF transcription)

The seed was planted decades ago

James’s first exposure to performance-based income came in 1989. His grandfather was a timber broker who earned 3% of every deal he closed. That was it. No base, no hourly rate, just outcomes.

Years later, James discovered Jay Abraham’s teachings on royalties in the copywriting world. That was when he realized: this model isn’t just for timber or advertising. It applies to books, music, legal work, advisory, and yes, even business consulting.

And when he asked Jay his biggest regret, the answer was simple: “I wish I’d done more royalty deals.”

Sales roles prepared him for rev share

Between 1995 and 2001, James lived off performance. In those sales roles, if you didn’t close, you didn’t eat. It was brutal, and it taught him to back himself and choose wisely.

When James moved into mentoring and business strategy, he carried that same filter with him. And over the past decade, he’s built dozens of rev share deals on those two principles.

Back yourself. 
Choose wisely.

Most people get rev share deals wrong

Here’s what James has found: the loudest critics of performance deals usually don’t understand how to qualify partners. They assume all deals are risky because they don’t know how to de-risk them.

You’ll hear things like, “top consultants don’t do rev share.” That’s false. Many top consultants do. They just don’t talk about it publicly. They’re too busy getting paid.

You’ll also hear that lawyers don’t work on performance. But contingency fees and “no win, no fee” arrangements are common in legal fields where clients can’t afford upfront costs. The same principle applies in consulting if you know how to structure it.

The truth about control and contribution

Another myth: “You can’t control the outcome, so you shouldn’t tie your income to it.” James disagrees.

In the right deals, he helps shape offers, pricing, hiring, and strategy. He influences the business in meaningful ways. James only takes on partners where he can amplify their efforts, where his involvement increases the total pie.

You don’t need to run the business. But you do need to move the needle.

The numbers speak for themselves

Venture capitalists expect 1 or 2 home runs out of 100 bets. Private equity might aim for a 20% success rate.

James’s performance deals? Almost two-thirds have worked out. A third have already paid out. The rest continue producing like oil wells.

And all without debt, equity, or capital at risk.

What makes performance deals work

Here’s what James looks for before he says yes:

If any of those are missing, it’s a no.

Every deal has a contract. Boundaries are clear. Scope is defined. There’s always an exit path. And James usually tests the relationship by promoting the partner as an affiliate before they talk revenue share.

Retainers aren’t the only way to get paid

Yes, retainers feel safe. But they can breed resentment and lead to short-term thinking.

Performance deals align incentives, reduce friction, and keep the focus on outcomes.

They’re not for everyone. But if you have skill, judgment, and the ability to create results, you can build real wealth by backing the right people.

That’s how James has done it.
 That’s how his mentees are doing it.
 And if you’re ready, it’s a model you can build too.

Need help structuring a rev share deal?

 James has coached dozens of consultants and mentors through this process. If you’re looking to get started, or want to refine what you’ve already got, he’d be happy to help.

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