We all have weird interactions with brands who offer sponsorships or exdeal, right? Well, this situation happened in 2019 wherein a start up facial spa offered a sponsorship to me. I stumble upon their post that they are looking for bloggers who are willing to do an exdeal in exchange of an honest review of their experience.

I signed up and received a call from the owner talking about how the situation was done.

I found it weird that she was really "hard selling" her spa to the point where she says "Dina-dare ko talaga ung clients ko na itry muna nila ako dahil mas maganda ang service ko compared to this and that well-known facial spa" so I was like "Okay, sana po magkaron tayo ng maayos na usapan wherein I can also help you gain from my review".

Here comes the first weird scenario.

I asked for a contract and she said that she don't have any so I said that it would be important for the both of us to have a contract not just for formality but for our security as well- bloggers won't have any other collaboration with the client's competitors. Also the bloggers will feel assure that they will have the proper care that they deserve despite the fact that the arrangement is for ex-deal only. Since she said that there's no contract, she said that I can draft one to her and they can check for us to sign.

So I did, which we didn't sign upon meeting. Well, okay.

Second weird thing is that we agreed to meet early since she said my procedure will last for 2 to 3 hours so I arrived there a little bit late due to traffice but to my surprise when I arrived there she said that she will do her eyebrows done first and I have to document it. To me I was like, EH? I didn't signed up for this, you need a marketing team to do the documentation for you because that was not part of my job.

Not sounding like a diva but that what happened, I was doing her FB live- setting up the camera and I have to talk on the live while she barge in by telling HOW GREAT HER SERVICE IS! So while she was doing her microblading, I was really pissed off already because a microblading session is long and the master artist who was doing her brows is also an exdeal and I have to wait for their procedures to be done before I get my turn- I feel like my time was wasted.

But for formality and professionalism, I didn't said anything but in the back of my mind, I was thankful that we didn't sign the contract because she will continue making and treating me as her assistant instead of an influencer. Well, I must adjust because she admit at first that she has limited knowledge as to how things work between business and influencers- okay, cards closed.

While doing my procedure, she was asking what I do and I told her that I was managing social medias and as an entrepreneur, I took the opportunity to handle her page for a minimal amount, and she said sure why not. She paid the initial deposit and I do my thing as to how to make her business page even better- made her a simple logo, cover photo and postings.

What shockens me is that her personal account was always changing, there are so many accounts with different names but same profile picture adding me, so I don't mind it because there are so many posers now but I wonder, my client is not responding to the facebook account in which I am friends with. After two or three days, she called me on my phone and told me that her facebook account was hacked and she can no longer sign in and then to cut a long story short, she wants me to report and ask my friends to report her 'poser' account.

That is the time I had enough because I am not an assistant and even though the service was good, the way she treated me was not good compared to the other brands I've worked before.

So bye felicia, I don't hold the facebook page anymore and I didn't continue doing the exdeal. I had a proper good bye to her to give respect but my experience with her is such life changing and eye-opening.

Always know your worth, bloggers. Sure we need sponsors to make content and we need money but once we are taken for granted by the clients, we have the right to say no. =)