Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Identify one piece of work appropriate for licensing
1–2 weeks
Identify one existing piece of creative work that is appropriate for licensing — a song, a photograph, an illustration, a font, a pattern, or other creative asset that a business, publication, or individual might want to use commercially. Not all creative work is licensable: a portrait of a specific person, work that incorporates third-party IP without permission, or work that is too personal or experimental for commercial use are all poor licensing candidates. The best licensing candidates are work that is specific enough to be useful (a photograph of a particular city skyline at sunset) but general enough to be reusable (not a one-off commissioned piece).
Proof required
Share the piece you are proposing to license. State the medium and why you believe it is commercially licensable — what type of buyer might want this work and for what use. Write one sentence on how you intend to make it available for licensing.
What gets checked
- The piece is shared and described.
- At least one realistic buyer type and use case is named — 'stock photo for travel publications' is specific; 'someone might want it' is not.
- Licensing mechanism is stated — a stock platform, direct licensing, or other method.
Common mistakes
- Work incorporates third-party IP without a clear fair use or license basis — stock music, brand logos, or other owned elements in the work create licensing complications.
- Buyer type is not named: 'I think people would buy it' — the licensing market requires understanding who specifically would pay for this type of work.
- No licensing mechanism mentioned: 'I'll figure it out' — the licensing method must be at least proposed.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- The piece must be clearly original — ask whether any third-party elements (music, brand assets, referenced works) are present in the work.
- Buyer type: ask for a specific example of who would license this — 'a travel magazine using it as a cover image' is specific enough to be actionable.
- Licensing mechanism: ask whether the creator has researched the platform's acceptance rate and requirements — not all work is accepted to stock platforms.
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List the work on a licensing platform or make a direct licensing offer
1–3 weeks
List the work on a licensing platform (Adobe Stock, Getty Images, Pond5, AudioJungle, Creative Market, or equivalent) or make a direct licensing offer to a specific potential buyer. The listing or offer is the proof of action, not the sale. Many first licensing attempts do not result in immediate sales — the milestone is the act of offering the work for licensing, not the receipt of payment. Direct licensing offers (contacting a publication, brand, or business directly) are a fully valid alternative to stock platform listing.
Proof required
Share evidence of the listing or offer: either (a) a screenshot of the live listing on a stock platform with the work visible and the listing status shown, or (b) a copy of the licensing offer email or message sent to a specific potential buyer. State the asking price or licensing terms.
What gets checked
- Live listing screenshot or licensing offer is shared.
- Listing status or offer recipient is visible.
- Asking price or licensing terms are stated.
Common mistakes
- Listing submitted but not yet live: 'I submitted it to Adobe Stock and am waiting for approval' — the milestone requires a live listing or a sent offer.
- Licensing offer sent without terms: 'I emailed a magazine about using my photo' without a price or licensing terms.
- Asking price absent: 'I left it open for them to propose a price' — entering a negotiation without an asking price is a negotiating weakness.
Resources
Foundationstart here
What a verifier looks for
- Live listing: visit the platform URL directly to confirm the listing is publicly accessible.
- Direct offer: the email or message should include specific licensing terms — ask what the terms were and whether a response was received.
- Asking price: ask how the price was arrived at — was it researched against comparable work on the platform?
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Complete a first licensing transaction — payment received or license granted
4–16 weeks after listing
Complete a first licensing transaction — either a payment received for a license, or a formal license granted (including free licenses under a defined terms framework such as Creative Commons). A free Creative Commons license granted to a specific user who requested it counts — the requirement is that someone has used the work under defined terms, with documentation. A paid license (stock platform payment, direct licensing fee) is the stronger signal. The reflection asks what the creator learned about what makes work licensable.
Proof required
Share evidence of the first licensing transaction: either (a) a payment confirmation from a stock platform or direct client; or (b) documentation of a license granted (a formal request + license response, or a CC licensing notice on a specific use). Write one paragraph on what you learned about what makes creative work commercially licensable from this process.
What gets checked
- Licensing transaction evidence is shared — payment or documented license grant.
- The work licensed is identified.
- What makes work licensable is addressed specifically — the insight should be based on this transaction, not generic.
Common mistakes
- No transaction: 'the listing is live but nothing has sold yet' — if the work has been listed for 8+ weeks with no transaction, M3 alternative is a direct licensing attempt or a CC license granted.
- Generic insight: 'good work sells' — the insight should be specific to the type of work and the buyer type encountered.
- Free use without a formal license: 'someone used my photo on their blog' without a formal license grant or permission is a copyright issue, not a licensing transaction.
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- Paid transaction: the payment confirmation should show an amount and a platform name — stock platform micropayments ($0.25–$2 per download) are legitimate licensing revenue.
- CC license: ask whether the license was requested and granted specifically, or whether the CC license was placed on the work as a blanket permission — the former is a transaction, the latter is just a licensing policy.
- What makes work licensable: ask whether the creator has updated their approach to new work based on this insight — the most useful answer connects back to how they will make future work more licensable.
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