Founder's Story: Episode 230 – "Affiliate Marketing Was a Mess. Here’s the System That’s Fixing It" with Victor Boechat de Carvalho

Release Date: June 16, 2025
Host: IBH Media
Guest: Victor Boechat de Carvalho, Founder of Glidescale

Introduction

In Episode 230 of Founder's Story, hosted by IBH Media, Victor Boechat de Carvalho, the innovative founder of Glidescale, delves deep into the tumultuous world of affiliate marketing. The episode, titled "Affiliate Marketing Was a Mess. Here’s the System That’s Fixing It," explores the inherent flaws in traditional affiliate marketing systems and introduces Glidescale’s transformative approach to resolving these issues.

The State of Traditional Affiliate Marketing

The conversation kicks off with a provocative question from the interviewer:

Interviewer [00:01]: "Some people might say that affiliate marketing is dead. I’d love to understand why you are so excited and what do you say to those that would make that statement."

Victor responds candidly, acknowledging the shortcomings of existing affiliate marketing frameworks:

Victor [00:22]: "When it comes to traditional affiliate marketing systems, they are absolutely correct. They are limited in their reach, fraught with security concerns, and often bogged down by cumbersome infrastructure. The real question is, can we develop a system without all that bloat? Through Glidescale, we’re pioneering a version of universal affiliate marketing that I believe is the future."

Identifying and Solving Industry Problems

Victor outlines the core issues he aimed to address when founding Glidescale:

Victor [01:13]: "During my time in college, I experimented with digital marketing agencies and quickly realized how inefficient they were, primarily due to the excessive middlemen involved. Affiliate marketing appeared as a partial solution by reducing intermediaries, but it was still hampered by security issues, technological limitations, and inconsistent payments. This inefficiency sparked my mission to create a more streamlined and secure affiliate marketing system."

Glidescale’s Innovative Solution

Discussing the foundational principles of Glidescale, Victor emphasizes efficiency and security as paramount:

Victor [02:32]: "Our first goal was to enhance efficiency by eliminating middlemen. Affiliate marketing inherently allows affiliates to utilize their expertise, whether through cold emailing, videos, or Google Ads. However, the challenge was making this universally compatible across diverse platforms, not just Shopify or standard e-commerce sites. To tackle fraud—a persistent issue—we engineered unique innovations that ensure traffic authenticity. For instance, when someone clicks an affiliate link, they first see a preview of the website, prompting them to confirm genuine interest. This mechanism filters out irrelevant clicks, ensuring that affiliates are rewarded for legitimate traffic."

Reception and Benefits for Users

The discussion shifts to how Glidescale is received by both affiliates and brands:

Interviewer [04:09]: "Do you find that the affiliates are more excited about this or the brands, or is it both?"

Victor elaborates on the enthusiastic response from marketers:

Victor [04:41]: "Our primary users are marketers who manage campaigns and those who participate as affiliates. Affiliates are particularly drawn to Glidescale because of instant, reliable payments and minimal fees. Unlike traditional systems where affiliates are often burdened with high fees and delayed payments, Glidescale ensures that affiliates receive payments automatically and promptly, with only a small percentage retained by us for maintaining security and efficiency. Our focus is on maximizing user growth, even if it means keeping fees as low as possible."

Joining Glidescale: A Seamless Experience

When asked about the onboarding process for affiliates and brands, Victor provides a detailed walkthrough:

Victor [06:26]: "Joining Glidescale is straightforward. Affiliates can sign up using their Google accounts in just a few seconds. They can then browse public campaigns—though these are rare due to security concerns—by default, we offer public campaigns and also provide the option for private ones. Upon joining a campaign, affiliates receive a unique link to share. Payments are processed instantly via PayPal or direct bank transfers. For brands, creating a campaign entails setting up the campaign details, including name, banner image, description, and location targeting. Brands can choose between public or private campaigns, with private ones often offering premium rates due to their exclusivity."

Optimizing Marketing Spend with Affiliate Strategies

The episode further explores strategic allocation of marketing budgets, highlighting the advantages of affiliate marketing over traditional channels:

Interviewer [08:48]: "When you look at how much marketing spend someone should be doing on, let's say, affiliate marketing versus social media ads versus email marketing, what do you feel is a good percentage?"

Victor counters conventional marketing budgets by advocating for efficient spending through affiliates:

Victor [09:45]: "For traditional affiliate links, I’d recommend a bare minimum of $11,000 to see meaningful results, assuming no organic growth. However, with Glidescale, you can start effectively with as little as $1 per click. This minimal investment leverages warm traffic from affiliates' networks, as anyone joining a public campaign can share it within their circles, ensuring higher engagement. For greater impact, scaling up to $10,000 or more allows for extensive experimentation with various pay-per-click rates, identifying what strategies yield the best results."

Connecting with Glidescale

Concluding the episode, Victor provides avenues for listeners to engage with Glidescale:

Victor [10:59]: "To connect with us, users can utilize the inbuilt support system within Glidescale to send tickets directly. Additionally, we have a dedicated email available on our website www.flightsfellow.me. By navigating to the 'Contact Us' page at the bottom of the site, anyone can reach out for support or inquiries."

Closing Remarks

The interviewer wraps up the episode with enthusiasm:

Interviewer [11:23]: "Thank you so much for joining us today on Founder’s Story. I can’t wait to dive in as an affiliate and as a brand to check this out because I really see affiliate marketing being an incredible opportunity for a lot of people."

Victor reciprocates the gratitude, marking the end of a compelling discussion.

Key Takeaways

1. Addressing Traditional Flaws: Traditional affiliate marketing systems are inefficient, security-laden, and hindered by excessive middlemen. Glidescale aims to rectify these issues by creating a streamlined, secure, and universally compatible platform.

2. Innovative Security Measures: Glidescale employs unique methods, such as previewing the website before confirming interest, to eliminate fraudulent clicks and ensure that affiliates are rewarded for genuine traffic.

3. User-Centric Approach: By minimizing fees and ensuring instant payments, Glidescale transfers maximum value to its users, fostering a thriving community of motivated affiliates and satisfied brands.

4. Seamless Onboarding: The platform offers an easy signup process for both affiliates and brands, with comprehensive tools to manage and optimize campaigns effectively.

5. Strategic Marketing Spend: Glidescale advocates for flexible marketing budgets, allowing brands to start small and scale their investments based on performance, thereby optimizing their marketing ROI.

6. Growth-Oriented Vision: Glidescale prioritizes user growth and platform adoption over immediate profitability, positioning itself as a future-proof solution in the affiliate marketing landscape.

For more insights and updates, visit Glidescale's website and follow their journey towards revolutionizing affiliate marketing.