Episode #81: Building a Partner-Centric Loyalty Platform with Jason Fuentes

Release Date: April 22, 2025

Introduction

In Episode #81 of the "Always Be Testing" podcast, host Ty DeGrange engages in a compelling conversation with Jason Fuentes, the Vice President of Business Development at Wildfire Systems, Inc. This episode delves deep into the intricacies of building a partner-centric loyalty platform, exploring topics such as growth marketing, customer acquisition, data-driven strategies, and the evolving landscape of affiliate marketing.

Guest Background: Jason Fuentes

Jason Fuentes is a seasoned veteran in the affiliate marketing space with a rich history spanning over two decades. Beginning his career with manual lead generation for prominent online educational institutions like the University of Phoenix in the early 2000s, Jason has witnessed and contributed to the evolution of ad technology from its nascent stages to the sophisticated systems in place today.

Jason Fuentes [02:05]: "When I think back to my first job, it was affiliate, manually scrubbing lead lists... It was affiliate manually scrubbing lead lists. This was doing lead generation through these online schools back in the day."

Wildfire Systems Overview

Wildfire Systems specializes in white-labeling loyalty and rewards platforms primarily for financial institutions and digital businesses. Their solutions aim to enhance revenue, user engagement, and customer loyalty by integrating value-added features such as cash back, rewards, coupons, and discounts into the user experience.

Jason Fuentes [04:09]: "Ultimately we white label a loyalty and rewards platform for businesses, mainly financial institutions... to help them increase revenue, user engagement, and loyalty."

Loyalty and Rewards Platform

The core offering of Wildfire Systems revolves around creating "shopping companions" similar to Capital One’s shopping tools. These companions seamlessly integrate into a user's shopping journey, providing relevant rewards and incentives without disrupting their natural purchasing behavior.

Jason Fuentes [10:07]: "We take a much more user-centric approach... Go buy the things you want to go buy. Go buy it where you want to go buy it."

User-Centric Approach and Data Privacy

A significant emphasis of Wildfire’s platform is its user-centric design, ensuring that the loyalty tools enhance rather than intrude upon the user’s experience. Jason highlights their commitment to data privacy, refraining from utilizing personally identifiable information (PII) and instead focusing on public transaction data to power their solutions.

Jason Fuentes [13:07]: "We are very data-driven, but we utilize it in a way that puts it in the control of our partner, of our publisher versus us... We're allergic to PII. We don't want it, we don't need it."

Business Development and Partnerships

In his role overseeing business development and strategic partnerships, Jason collaborates closely with financial institutions—ranging from mobile-first banks to traditional ones—to tailor Wildfire’s solutions to diverse customer profiles. This bespoke approach ensures that each partnership aligns with the unique needs and behaviors of their respective user bases.

Jason Fuentes [17:34]: "I oversee business development and strategic partnerships, which ultimately is engaging with prospective publishers, prospective partners... We really have to pay attention. It starts at the user."

Wildfire Commerce Network

One of the standout initiatives discussed is the Wildfire Commerce Network, akin to a retail media network. This network leverages branded experiences within financial institutions' apps, creating lucrative real estate for merchants to engage users through rewards and personalized offers.

Jason Fuentes [24:52]: "The concept of the Wildfire Commerce Network was to bring in a brand, bring in a merchant, bring in an experience front and center into the app to help highlight the opportunity of branding and earning rewards."

Product Innovation and Experiments

Wildfire Systems operates with a startup mindset, constantly experimenting and iterating on product ideas. This agile approach allows them to swiftly test concepts, gather feedback, and refine their offerings to better serve their partners and users.

Jason Fuentes [21:25]: "We're a startup and we're innovative and we're constantly trying new things... This has allowed us as an organization to move fast, stay lean, and not make the wrong decision."

Partner-Centric Strategies and Best Practices

A key takeaway from the conversation is the importance of understanding each partner's unique audience and tailoring the platform accordingly. Jason emphasizes the necessity of initial discovery to comprehend partner needs, which then informs the customization of tools, messaging, and user experiences.

Jason Fuentes [30:21]: "The discovery process in the very beginning is very important... Let's figure this all out first."

Use of Predictive Analytics

While acknowledging the growing role of AI and predictive analytics in advertising, Jason explains that Wildfire’s current strategy focuses less on predicting user purchases and more on integrating seamlessly into the user’s existing shopping journey. This approach prioritizes real-time, relevant rewards over predictive modeling.

Jason Fuentes [34:20]: "Our approach is not necessarily about predicting what the user is going to buy next... It's about inserting ourselves into the organic journey of that user."

Quick Fire Round: Personal Insights

Towards the end of the episode, Ty and Jason shift gears to a more personal conversation, uncovering fun facts about Jason:

• Hidden Talent: Jason revealed his impressive musical background, notably being the second-best tuba player in Texas in the year 2000.

  Jason Fuentes [36:04]: "In the year 2000, I was the second-best tuba player in the state of Texas."

• Favorite Vacations: Jason shares his love for Costa Rica and New Orleans, highlighting Costa Rica's serene beaches as his go-to relaxation spot.

  Jason Fuentes [37:21]: "Costa Rica is perfect... I love to pull up a chair on the beach and relax."

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Ty commending Jason on Wildfire Systems' partner-centric and user-focused approach. The discussion underscores the critical balance between leveraging data for personalized user experiences and maintaining stringent data privacy standards. Jason's insights provide a valuable roadmap for businesses aiming to enhance customer loyalty through thoughtful, integrated marketing solutions.

Ty DeGrange [16:08]: "The big takeaway for me is this notion of being very centric to the user, centric to the partner. It's what's made Amazon successful, it's what Apple's successful, it's what's made Wildfire successful."

Where to Learn More

Listeners interested in connecting with Jason Fuentes can find him on LinkedIn, as he prefers this professional platform over other social media channels.

Jason Fuentes [39:00]: "LinkedIn. I don't do social media. I haven't participated in social media in probably like four or five years."

This episode offers a deep dive into building effective loyalty platforms that prioritize both user experience and partner success. Jason Fuentes’ expertise and strategic insights provide valuable lessons for professionals in growth marketing, affiliate marketing, and customer engagement.