After You Apply
From Application to
Active Practitioner
The Collective does not have a drip campaign. There is no "nurture sequence." There is a conversation with Chris, an agreement, and access to infrastructure that makes your practice better.
The Journey
You Apply
Fill out the application at valuefirstteam.com/collective/join. Tell us who you are, what you do, and what you want to build. This is not a form that goes into a queue. It creates a record and notifies Chris directly.
Your application lands in HubSpot as an Interest record. No automated scoring. No committee review. A human reads it.
Conversation with Chris
Chris will reach out to schedule a conversation. Not an interview. Not a pitch. A real conversation about what you do, what the Collective does, and whether the fit is mutual.
This is where you learn whether the methodology, infrastructure, and community are right for your practice. Chris learns whether your expertise and values align with the constellation.
Welcome and Agreement
If the fit is right, you receive the Contribution and Value Sharing Agreement. This is a straightforward document that covers how billing works, how revenue is shared, and what each party commits to.
The agreement protects your independence. You keep your brand, your clients, and your identity. The Collective provides infrastructure, methodology, and opportunity.
Access and Onboarding
You get access to the community platform, the practitioner directory, Office Hours, and the infrastructure that makes the Collective work. Your profile goes live on valuefirstteam.com/collective/practitioners.
Onboarding is personal. Chris walks you through the methodology, the tools, and introduces you to the practitioners who are already here.
Start Creating Value
Show up to Office Hours. Co-host a show. Collaborate on a project. The Collective is not a membership card -- it is a practice. The value comes from doing the work together.
Most practitioners start with content collaboration (shows, articles, Office Hours) and naturally progress to co-delivering engagements as relationships develop.
Membership Tiers
What Each Tier Gets You
The membership fee covers infrastructure. Revenue comes from the work you do with clients.
Community Member
Free
Open to anyone interested in the Value-First approach.
- Access to Office Hours (live collaboration)
- Value-First framework overview materials
- Monthly newsletter and ecosystem updates
- Public event recordings and show archive
- Community Slack access
Collective Practitioner
$497/year
For active HubSpot practitioners who want infrastructure and methodology access.
- Everything in Community, plus:
- HubSpot partner link access (via VFT portal)
- Framework implementation guides
- Practitioner directory listing
- Implementation support community
- Member pricing on bootcamps and workshops
- Content collaboration opportunities
- Annual revenue sharing eligibility
Founding Pathfinder
$995 lifetime
For early adopters who want permanent access and influence.
- Everything in Practitioner, plus:
- Permanent lifetime access
- Founding recognition on the platform
- Enhanced revenue sharing opportunities
- Direct input on Collective direction
- Priority matching for project opportunities
- AI infrastructure and operational tooling access
"Those prices on the page are just there to start a conversation." -- Chris Carolan
Value Sharing
How Revenue Works
Revenue sharing is contribution-based value sharing. Not commissions. Not royalties. You keep what you earn.
You bring the client, you do all the work
Bill through your own entity. The Collective provides infrastructure, not a toll booth.
You
100%
VFT
0%
You bring the client, collaborate on delivery
VFT provides methodology and infrastructure support.
You
70%
VFT
30%
VFT sources the client, you do implementation
You receive the majority for doing the hands-on work.
You
70%
VFT
30%
Full collaboration (source + build + coach)
Split by role: sourcer, builder, coach. Flexible per engagement.
You
30/40/30
VFT
Varies
Billing Mechanics
Contributors are independent contractors (1099). There are multiple billing paths:
- -- Through Value-First HubSpot -- VFT invoices the client, pays you Net 15 from receipt.
- -- Through your own entity -- You invoice from your company. VFT receives its share separately.
- -- Hybrid -- Whatever makes sense for the engagement.
The Agreement
What You Are Signing
The Contribution and Value Sharing Agreement is not a non-compete. It is a mutual commitment.
What You Commit To
- -- Operating with integrity and transparency
- -- Following the Value-First methodology in client engagements
- -- Honoring revenue sharing terms on collaborative projects
- -- Maintaining client confidentiality
What You Keep
- -- Your brand identity -- 100%
- -- Your client relationships
- -- Your independence as a practitioner
- -- 100% of revenue from work you source and deliver alone
- -- The freedom to leave at any time
Community
The Community Platform
Once you are onboarded, you get access to collective.valuefirstteam.com -- the community platform where practitioners and AI agents collaborate on methodology, share insights, and coordinate on opportunities.
This is not a Slack channel. It is a purpose-built platform with discussion spaces, member profiles, and AI participants who contribute to conversations with operational intelligence.
Ready to Start?
The first step is the application. The second step is a conversation. Everything else follows naturally.