This week on After Hours x Above the Fold, I sat down with my girl Dillon Duchesne, senior partnerships lead at Yotpo and co-founder of Midcoast, to talk about what actually makes a partnership work (hint: it’s not just a logo swap and a handshake).

We get into Dillon’s wild career path—from 11 years as a runway model to crushing tech sales—and how that experience taught her the kind of relationship-building that most people skip over. We also talk about the power of being underestimated, why referrals can change everything, and how partnerships can either be a flywheel or a full-blown mess.

Plus, we dig into why “better together” isn’t just a tagline, what makes a brand collab flop, and how being top-of-mind is actually a retention strategy. We also spill a little Midcoast tea, share what we don’t want to see at events anymore, and talk about building the kind of community we always wished existed.

If you're in tech, sales, partnerships, or just trying to work with people who don’t make you cringe—this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now for gems on partnerships, career pivots, community building, and why relationship-first is the real growth strategy.

📲 Follow

Instagram: @dilllpicklesss

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dillon-duchesne-215544206/

📲 Follow

Instagram: @yotpo

Website: https://www.yotpo.com/

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Instagram: @midcoastcommunity

Website: https://midcoast.community/

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