Always Be Testing

This podcast features Ryan Fitzgerald, an affiliate industry expert at AWIN, discussing various aspects of affiliate marketing. Key takeaways include the importance of initially working with all publisher types to build brand equity, AWIN's global reach and commitment to a publisher-centric approach, and Fitzgerald's sales leadership focusing on educating and mentoring SMBs. He emphasizes the need for transparency and data-driven decision-making in affiliate marketing, particularly for convincing C-suite executives of its value. Fitzgerald also shares insights into his team's success strategy, focusing on deal closure, self-education, and organization, and offers advice for brands on time commitment and agency utilization. The conversation touches upon AWIN's ShareASale integration, bringing modernized technology to a large existing client base. Finally, Fitzgerald shares personal insights, including book and movie recommendations, and advice for fathers.

This podcast episode features Vinod Varma, founder and CEO of Creator Co., discussing the evolving landscape of social commerce. Varma defines social commerce as the next wave of influencer marketing, enabled by expired Amazon patents, and highlights TikTok Shop's leading role due to its seamless user experience. Creator Co. helps brands navigate this space by providing technical setup and access to a vast influencer network. The conversation touches upon the potential of other platforms like YouTube, YouTube Shorts, and the surprisingly underutilized Pinterest, emphasizing the platform's aspirational and positive nature. A key theme is the importance of authenticity in influencer marketing, particularly in the age of AI, and the need for improved attribution models and transparency in influencer compensation to address concerns arising from browser extensions like Honey.

Jordan Koene, CEO & Founder of Previsible.io, breaks down how AI is reshaping the SEO landscape. As tools like ChatGPT provide direct answers, many websites are seeing noticeable drops in organic traffic—ranging from 10% to as much as 90%, depending on the industry and keyword.This shift is happening quickly and requires a thoughtful response. Jordan explains why it's important for brands to focus on becoming trustworthy sources within AI ecosystems, addressing inaccuracies in AI-generated content, and leaning into unique brand assets. He also emphasizes the need to shift from broad outreach to more targeted strategies on platforms where the audience is most active.AI isn't replacing jobs, but it's changing them—making skill development and retraining a priority. The future of SEO will center around helpful, relevant content, deeper personalization, and multimedia formats like video that build trust and engage users.The key is to move from reactive to prescriptive marketing by focusing on serving specific audience needs within the evolving limitations of AI.

This podcast features a conversation between two performance marketing experts with 20+ years of experience, discussing the evolving landscape of digital marketing. Svet, with a background at Stanford, McKinsey, and Nextag, shares his insights on leveraging first-principle thinking and algorithmic understanding to optimize marketing campaigns across B2B, e-commerce, and local service businesses. Key themes include the importance of rigorous testing, overcoming common data measurement mistakes (like under-tagging and misaligned attribution), and adapting to the increasing influence of AI and automation in paid search. The discussion highlights the ongoing relevance of keywords despite Google's shift towards AI-driven contextual search, the untapped potential of Bing Ads for B2B marketers, and the crucial need for marketers to develop a "hacker mentality" and deep technical skills to thrive in this rapidly changing environment. Svet also recommends utilizing AI tools effectively, studying AI models, and understanding the underlying algorithms to gain a competitive edge.

In this episode, Brendan Regan, Senior Director of Lifestyle/Lifecycle Marketing at Smartsheet, shares his strategic, multi-channel approach to engaging both enterprise and SaaS customers. He explains how Smartsheet blends digital programs with human touchpoints—such as customer success reps and account executives—to optimize acquisition, retention, and monetization. Brendan discusses key growth levers they've tested, including freemium conversion, upgrades, seat expansion, and cross-sell/upsell tactics, all rooted in a data-driven, experimental mindset. He also explores the benefits and challenges of Product-Led Growth (PLG) and Product-Led Sales (PLS), highlighting how A/B testing and propensity modeling support smarter decision-making. Among his most surprising learnings: onboarding plays a larger role in expansion than expected, and simple, sales-driven heuristics can be remarkably effective in cross-selling. Brendan wraps up with valuable advice for B2B SaaS companies—avoid silos, don't fall into copycat marketing, and never underinvest in technology. Mastering your martech stack and integrating it properly, he emphasizes, is essential for impactful customer communication.

This podcast features Kayla Hamilton, who is the affiliate marketing manager of Sage. The discussion centers on Sage's B2B SaaS affiliate marketing strategy within the FinTech vertical. Key topics include the challenges and successes of building a year-old affiliate program, targeting high-value executives, the importance of internal collaboration between marketing, sales, and PR teams, leveraging AI for forecasting, content creation, and data analysis, and the crucial role of data-driven decision-making in optimizing partner performance and achieving scalable growth. Hamilton emphasizes the need for a holistic approach, aligning product offerings with partner audiences, hyper-targeting growing SMBs, and focusing on quality leads over volume. She also highlights the importance of understanding the nuances of medium-sized business (M) marketing and the value of non-traditional sub-affiliates and industry-focused partners. The conversation concludes with Hamilton's recommendations for further learning and personal insights.

This podcast features Vanessa Lawrence, Chief Content Officer at Linkby, an ad tech platform connecting brands with premium publishers using a CPC model. Linkby operates globally and has recently expanded into Europe. The platform's success is attributed to its measurable approach, fast turnaround, and no upfront costs for brands. Linkbee complements existing publisher revenue streams (CPA, flat fee) rather than replacing them, emphasizing diversification and experimentation. The platform offers access to a wide range of publishers, from major media outlets to newsletter creators and Substack writers. A key differentiator is Linkbee's focus on publisher authority and trust, recognizing that brands are paying for more than just ad placement. Lawrence discusses Linkby's innovative "publisher pitches" feature, which allows publishers to proactively pitch brands, and highlights the importance of data and third-party validation in their operations. The conversation also touches on Lawrence's background, her role at Linkby, and her passion for helping publishers diversify their revenue streams.

In this episode, fintech affiliate marketing expert Lawrence Sarpong shares insights from years of hands-on experience in the space. He breaks down how fintech affiliate marketing stands apart from the broader industry — with a stronger focus on customer education and solving very specific financial needs.Lawrence dives into best practices for building a strong affiliate program, from choosing the right platform (he gives a big nod to Impact) to cultivating genuine, long-term relationships with partners. He emphasizes that authenticity beats flashy influencer deals, especially in fintech where trust is everything.He also walks us through a powerful online-to-offline campaign that drove real revenue and explains why social media is becoming more critical than ever in affiliate marketing.Other highlights include common mistakes to avoid (like overlooking partner fit or dropping the ball on communication), plus some personal reflections — including his favorite travel spots and how he thrives as an introvert in a relationship-driven industry.

This episode features Jason Fuentes, a seasoned affiliate marketer and active member of the Austin tech community, now working with Wildfire. Wildfire specializes in white-labeling loyalty and rewards platforms for businesses, particularly within the financial sector, helping them boost revenue and engagement through shopping companions like Capital One Shopping. These tools offer cashback, rewards, and coupons while preserving user privacy by avoiding predictive advertising. Instead, Wildfire focuses on highlighting existing benefits within users' shopping experiences. Jason shares insights into the recent launch of the Wildfire Commerce Network, a retail media network that enables partner apps to drive transactions through strategic partnerships. The conversation also explores Jason's background in ad tech, his life with three dogs, and his love for Costa Rican beaches. 

In this episode, Tye DeGrange is joined by Udi Ledergor to dive into Udi's new book, "Courageous Marketing: The B2B Marketer's Playbook for Career Success," released on April 10th. Drawing from two decades of experience and insights from top CMOs, the book challenges traditional B2B marketing practices and encourages a bold, strategic mindset.The conversation covers key themes like overcoming “death by committee,” prioritizing product-market fit over blindly following so-called best practices, and embracing a human-first approach — even in an AI-driven world. They discuss the power of bold branding (with examples like Gong's distinct visual style) and the importance of tailoring strategies for both the 5% actively in-market and the 95% who aren't — known as the “95.5 rule.”Other highlights include building trust through authentic content and personal branding, using frameworks like RAPID for faster decisions in big teams, and leaning into courageous marketing that solves real problems and creates lasting brand impressions — even if they're not always easy to measure.

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Pitylak, VP of Growth at NinjaTrader, to talk about the evolving world of performance marketing and how AI is changing the game. We dive into the rise of Google Performance Max and how AI is reshaping ad platforms, why the creator economy and authentic influencer marketing are gaining momentum, and the biggest mistakes growth marketers make—especially when they focus too much on advertising over product fundamentals. Ryan shares why a full-funnel, product-first approach leads to better long-term results, the real role of A/B testing, and what most people get wrong about it. He also emphasizes the importance of aligning your growth strategy with what truly matters: patience, passion, and priorities. Drawing from his journey—from launching startups like Zen Business to leading growth at NinjaTrader—Ryan offers practical advice on resource prioritization and building sustainable marketing strategies in the age of AI. Watch the full conversation now — link in the comments.

In this episode, Nancy Harnett, Head of HubSpot's Affiliate Marketing Program, shares how they transformed their strategy to achieve 2x ROI. By shifting from a broad partnership model to a highly personalized, one-on-one approach, HubSpot was able to build stronger collaborations and drive better performance. She highlights the importance of prioritizing key partners, offering tailored support, and using data-driven testing and rapid iteration to optimize the program. Instead of flat-fee structures, HubSpot focuses on performance-based incentives and treats partnerships as strategic investments, similar to marketing or HR functions. Nancy also discusses the company's powerful tech stack, including HubSpot CRM, Impact, PartnerStack, and AI tools, while emphasizing the need for compliance, fraud prevention, and a customer-centric approach. She explores underutilized partner opportunities, outlines a realistic one-year timeline for building a successful affiliate program, and shares valuable book recommendations such as Nudge and Atomic Habits.

In this episode, we talk with Sid Nagpal, Director, Customer & Field Marketing at PartnerStack, about the power of community in B2B SaaS marketing. Sid breaks down PartnerStack's four pillars of customer marketing—expansion, engagement, education, and advocacy—highlighting how their thriving community drives success. He discusses the impact of the Stacked Conference and various meetups, emphasizing how community plays a role in every stage of the customer journey. The conversation also explores PartnerStack's partner ecosystem platform (PRM) and its integrations with tools like HubSpot, as well as the rise of B2B creator marketing and the importance of in-person connections for building strong customer relationships. Sid shares personal stories, including his visit to Freshworks India, along with his top book and TV recommendations. He also explains why allocating 20 percent of a marketing budget to community-building initiatives is a strategic investment.

This podcast features Jennifer Rhima, Apollo's Partnerships Lead, discussing strategies for building and scaling B2B SaaS partner programs. She emphasizes enabling partners beyond acquisition, tracking activation metrics, fostering internal collaboration, and leveraging PRM tools like PartnerStack for scalability. Rhima highlights the value of different partner types, the importance of data analysis in measuring partner success, and the challenges of attribution modeling. She also explores the untapped potential of agency partnerships and shares personal book and travel recommendations.

In this podcast episode, Pranav Piyush joins the conversation to discuss marketing measurement and incrementality, with a focus on affiliate and influencer marketing. The discussion highlights Media Mix Modeling (MMM) and its growing accessibility through open-source tools and lower costs, positioning it as a key attribution method in the coming decade. The episode explains the difference between attribution and incrementality, contrasting the limitations of multi-touch attribution (MTA) with MMM's cause-and-effect approach. Pranav shares insights on how MMM can help brands assess the impact of various marketing channels, including those that are traditionally difficult to track. Listeners will also gain practical advice on implementing MMM, covering data needs, cost factors, common pitfalls, and real-world success stories. The conversation emphasizes the value of actionable insights and the importance of moving beyond basic dashboards to achieve meaningful business growth.

In this episode of Always Be Testing, host Tye DeGrange welcomes Dan Darcy, Chief Customer Officer at Qualified, for a deep dive into growth, performance marketing, and the evolving role of AI in sales and marketing. Dan shares insights from his time at Salesforce and how Qualified has transformed from a live chat tool into an AI-powered platform helping marketers convert website visitors into leads. The conversation explores how Piper, an AI Sales Development Representative, is automating and personalizing lead engagement, the importance of speed to lead, and how AI-driven data insights are replacing traditional lead forms to improve conversion rates. Dan also discusses the challenges of scaling startups, the role of education in category creation, and why continuous testing and learning from failures are essential for growth. He highlights the power of face-to-face customer interactions and the impact of Qualified's highly rated support team. The episode wraps up with personal insights from Dan, touching on his favorite tools, passion for hosting, and love for Bravo reality shows. Listen now to gain valuable lessons on AI, marketing, and building strong customer relationships.

We had an incredible conversation with Cornelius from Opinary, now part of Affinity, about the transformative power of AI in affiliate operations and the future of content monetization. 

In this episode of Always Be Testing, Ian Martins, Managing Director of Zenith, explores marketing fragmentation and the need for integrated, client-focused strategies. He discusses balancing brand building with performance marketing, the rise of D2C, and the shift toward hybrid in-housing models. Ian also highlights media trust, influencer marketing, and the challenge of attracting top talent. The episode wraps up with his personal insights on media, technology, and industry trends.

In this episode of Always Be Testing, I sit down with Nate Ivey from Impact to talk about what's working in partner marketing today.We cover why diversifying partners is key, how trust and authenticity drive better results, and what brands need to know about Google's crackdown on-site reputation abuse. Nate also shares insights on the shift to performance-based influencer models and why consistent recruitment keeps programs strong.We wrap up with some personal stories—including sports, family, and parenting. 

Ely Lerner delves into his role as an advisor, distinguishing it from consulting by emphasizing his focus on advising rather than delivery. He works closely with founders in software verticals such as consumer marketplace, fintech, SMB SaaS, enterprise SaaS, AI, and dev tools, but avoids hardware, DTC, biotech, and crypto sectors. Lerner highlights the importance of integrating product strategy, growth strategy, and go-to-market strategy, spending an hour weekly with each CEO to focus on key priorities and learning.

In this episode of Always Be Testing, I talked with my longtime friend and Round Bar Labs COO Mike McElhaney. We explore affiliate influencer marketing, Meta ads, algorithmic machine learning, and B2B lead optimization. Mike highlights leadership traits like low ego, high empathy, and continuous learning, inspired by books like The Captain's Class and Extreme Ownership. The discussion blends marketing insights, personal anecdotes, and fun topics like family vacations, favorite TV shows, and Giants predictions for 2025—offering practical takeaways for marketers and leaders alike.

In this episode, Ty DeGrange sits down with Zoe Mackay, the strategic partnerships lead at TechnologyAdvice, to dive deep into the world of B2B tech guidance and affiliate marketing. 

Udi Ledergor's journey at GONG is a testament to the power of innovative marketing, human-centric strategies, and the importance of experimentation. His insights offer valuable lessons for marketers looking to make a significant impact in the B2B SaaS space. 

In this episode of the Always Be Testing podcast, Tye DeGrange introduces the show and its focus on growth, performance marketing, customer acquisition, paid media, and affiliate marketing. The episode features a panel discussion on leveraging AI for better marketing results, with insights from industry experts Alexis Contos (CMO of NEA), Cory Treffiletti (CMO of Rembrandt), Jennifer Barkley (VP of Commercial Marketing for Visa), and Tye DeGrange (CEO of Round Barn Labs).

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Tyler CalderHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Tyler CalderHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Famous RhodesHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Jake SchonbergerHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Reagan FryHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Richie CarreonHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Greg RollettHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Emma MondolinoHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Ben GrynolHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Will FraserHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Todd CrawfordHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Andrea Barsk-RobertsHype man & Announcer: John PotitoTimestamps:00:06 Introduction01:20 Marketing Journey Begins02:41 HelloFresh: Career Impact05:31 Risk-Taking in Careers08:26 Testing and Feedback Importance10:16 Data vs. Speed in Decisions13:08 Retail vs. Brand Challenges18:08 Innovative Marketing Tactics22:04 Advanced Customer Service Insights25:10 Consumer Mindset Strategy29:01 Health and Wellness Trends33:37 Networking and Future Plans

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Fareed MosavatHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Jim KingsburyHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Richard WrightHype man & Announcer: John PotitoTimestamps:00:00 Introduction to Always Be Testing podcast06:46 Ty De Grange welcomes guest Richard Wright15:54 Richard's long-standing relationship with Ty23:40 Richard's entry into the affiliate marketing world32:52 Differences between UK and US markets37:56 Importance of diverse partner mix in affiliate marketing42:19 Richard's thoughts on AI in affiliate marketing46:39 Richard's love for space and guitars52:13 Richard's recommendation: Yamaha THR guitar amp53:17 Richard's LinkedIn presence and closing remarks

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Erin McMahonHype man & Announcer: John PotitoTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction and Welcoming Amber Osborne as Guest06:42 - Discussing Favorite Songs and Music Industry Challenges15:54 - Exploring Collaborative Writing and Visual Identities23:40 - The Importance of Community and Collaboration in Startups61:00 - Excitement for 'McCartney III' Release and Future Discussions

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Erin McMahonHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Noelle SpagnaHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Peter MullenHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Olivia McNaughtenHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Jeff GreenfieldHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Cormac JonasHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Vikki DanielsonHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Andrew CovatoHype man & Announcer: John Potito

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Alper TanerHype man & Announcer: John Potito