[shostack]

In some cases the amount of leverage these sources of customers have over you can be crippling as well.

The other factor that I feel doesn't get brought up enough is the attribution piece. How much did they REALLY contribute to bringing a customer vs. all your other marketing efforts, brand awareness that has built up over time, etc.?

In the worst cases, some partners can just be parasitic and leech off bottom of the funnel traffic to maximize their return and minimize their risk. The trick is finding the right balance between all those efforts which requires data, flexibility, and trust between all parties in the relationship.