In Ep. 79 of Earned, we sit down with Adam Ross, CEO of leading affiliate marketing platform Awin. To start, Adam explains what affiliate marketing is, and how Awin helps connect companies to affiliate partners with engaged consumer audiences. We discuss why affiliate marketing is relevant to any industry, and Adam reveals how Awin is working to unite the influencer and affiliate marketing industries for a more seamless experience. We hear how Awin competes with social platforms’ native affiliate marketing programs, as well as giants like Amazon and Shopify, by providing superb opportunities and customer service to their affiliate partners. Next, we switch gears and talk through the growing pains involved in building a company with over a thousand employees, and hear how Awin successfully brought several acquisitions into the fold. We discuss the challenge of balancing company growth with profitability, before Adam shares his experience transitioning from COO to CEO. To close the show, we learn how Awin has cultivated such a positive company culture, and why Adam supports a four-day work week.

In this episode, you will learn:

What affiliate marketing is, and why it's relevant to any industry
How to scale a company thoughtfully and sustainably
The power of promoting a positive company culture as CEO

Key Takeaways:

2:50 - 8:20 What affiliate marketing is, and the sectors that benefit the most from it
9:22 - 11:56 How Awin aims to make affiliate marketing easier for creators
28:05 - 31:22 The challenge of balancing company growth and profitability
34: 27 - 38:02 How Awin cultivates a positive company culture

Resources:

AWIN

Connect with the Guest(s):

Adam Ross’s LinkedIn

Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ:

Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley
CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq

CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics
CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq
CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq
CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

79 - Adam Ross, Awin