Applying to programs

How applying works

Applying to a program is how you start earning from a brand you already back. You find the brand in the catalog, apply, and the brand reviews you by hand. If they approve and you accept, your tracking link is created and you can start sharing it.

Two things hold from the start:

• You see the real terms before you commit. The commission and the windows are written down and saved to your application the moment you apply.
• You keep the full commission. The 20% platform fee is billed to the brand, so it's never taken out of your payout.

If you're brand new here, start with getting set up as an athlete first, then come back to apply.

Browse the catalog

Open the catalog in your athlete portal. Each program is one brand's offer that you can apply to. Look for brands you genuinely use and would back without being paid to. That fit matters more than your follower count.

Each program listing shows you what you're deciding on before you apply:

• The brand and what they sell - so you can tell if it's a real fit for you.
• The commission - a flat dollar amount per sale (say $40) or a flat percent of the order, set by the brand.
• The attribution window - how long after someone clicks your link a sale still counts for you, in days.
• The refund window - the period during which a refund can reverse a commission, pro-rated to the amount refunded.

Apply with a terms snapshot

When you select apply, two things go to the brand: your profile, and your application itself. At that moment, Harmonia saves a snapshot of the program's terms to your application:

• The commission for that program.
• The attribution window.
• The refund window.

This snapshot is the exact deal you applied under. If the brand changes the program later, your saved snapshot still shows what you accepted. Nothing is hidden and nothing changes on you after the fact.

Browsing and applying are open to you right away. You don't need to finish identity verification to apply. The only thing that's gated is payout, which needs Stripe Connect identity verification before money can move to you. See getting verified for that step.

Two-way veto: the brand approves, you accept

Working with a brand takes a yes from both sides. This is a two-way veto:

• The brand approves you. They choose which athletes promote their brand.
• You accept the brand. You choose which brands you back.

Neither side is auto-enrolled. A brand can't sign you up without your yes, and you can't be added to a program a brand hasn't approved you for. The relationship is live only when both have agreed.

A brand may also decline. If they do, you get a short, neutral message, sometimes with a reason. A decline is a brand's call for right now, not a permanent block. You can apply again as your profile grows or the program changes, and plenty of other brands are in the catalog. Keep browsing.

The insertion order on approval

When a brand approves you, Harmonia creates and signs an electronic insertion order, or EIO. It's a short PDF that records the deal in writing:

• The brand, you, and the program.
• The commission you'll earn, in full.
• The attribution and refund windows.
• The date you were approved.

The EIO is your contractual record of the terms. It's emailed to you and saved to your application, so you can always check the exact deal you're working under. If the commission changes or you're approved to a new program, a fresh EIO is signed, so the record always matches the live terms.

What happens after approval

Approval turns a yes into a working relationship. Three things land at once:

• Your tracking link is created. You get one tracking link per program, per brand relationship, not one per product. Attribution is first-party and server-side through the brand's Shopify store, so there's no discount code for the customer to enter and nothing for them to remember.
• Your signed EIO arrives by email. Keep it; it's your record of the terms.
• You can start sharing. Share your link, add a QR code, or point it at a specific product page. The same ?ref= attribution holds across all of them. See creating tracking links.

From there, your earnings build per brand. Here is how the money works once your sales convert:

$40commission you keep, in full $0deducted from your payout $25minimum payout

You earn the commission the brand set, in full. The 20% platform fee is billed to the brand, never to you. Payouts run automatically through Stripe Connect: once the brand's monthly invoice clears, we pay out daily, with a $25 minimum, and balances under that roll forward. On December 15 we pay out any remaining balance regardless of the minimum. We issue your 1099-NEC automatically at year-end. For the full picture, see understanding your earnings.

FAQ

How do I apply?

Open the catalog in your athlete portal, pick a program for a brand you actually use, and select apply. Your profile goes to the brand, and you accept a snapshot of that program's terms (the commission and the attribution and refund windows) at the moment you apply. Browsing and applying are open to you right away. Only payout is gated, by Stripe Connect identity verification.

How long does approval take?

It depends on the brand. A brand reviews each application by hand and either approves or declines, so there is no fixed timer. You can have several applications open at once while you wait. If a brand declines, you get a short, neutral note, and you can apply again later as your profile grows or the program changes.

Can I work with multiple brands?

Yes. You can apply to as many programs as you are a genuine fit for, and there is no cap on how many brands you work with at once. Each approved program gives you its own tracking link, and your earnings are rolled up per brand so you always know which brand paid what.