When choosing partners, we always look at the market: what is popular now, which offers are in the top in terms of geo and rates - these are the main factors we pay attention to. For us, an independent approach is not just a working format but a strategic decision: it gives us the freedom to quickly test different offers and geos, minimizes risks, and helps us build long-term partnerships based on trust and flexibility.

Anna, Business Development Manager, CashYard

Europe and Latam are priority geos due to stable demand, high bids, and predictable conversion. We estimate the potential by analyzing traffic, bids, and trends, and create offers for websites based on top offers and optimal conditions for scaling.

Anna, Business Development Manager, CashYard

The team evaluates the web's readiness based on several key factors:

• Traffic quality: stability, relevance to the GEO and audience, and offer requirements.
• Web experience: whether they have experience with similar verticals/sensitive products.
• Technical discipline: customized tracking, postbacks, and the ability to quickly adjust links.
• Risky connections: whether they violate advertising policies and rules of advertising platforms.

Why sometimes a correct rejection is normal:

• Failure preserves the quality and reputation of all parties.
• This prevents risks (bans, fraud calls, KPI failures).
• This is part of a responsible approach, when we offer only those offers that the website can actually work with stably.

Pasha, Affiliate Team Lead, CashYard

CashYard's culture is built on three key principles: transparency, responsibility, and speed. We are a young team, but with the ambition to work like adults: this means clear internal standards, fast decisions, honest communication, and the absence of chaos that is often found in the market.

Within the team, we follow a structured approach:

• Each cooperation is carried out with specific deadlines and responsibilities;
• managers don't just answer in a chat, but accompany partners from testing to scaling;
• we regularly update internal guidelines on communication, security and work with GEO.

But the main thing is the character of CashYard. It is about being a partner by your side, not a support service from above. We don't build a facade, we build real workflows where the partner sees the result, not a pretty wrapper. This is what forms the culture that makes us stand out in the market.

Dasha, PR & SMM Lead, CashYar

Why CashYard is a new generation affiliate program

The CashYard concept does not contain loud statements that the market is used to hearing from CPA networks. Their new generation affiliate program is not just about marketing.

It is about processes that produce results:

• offers are tested by traffic before they are sent to the web;
• support that works like an expert, not a contact center;
• a clear financial system;
• independence in choosing products;
• working with markets where the fastest and the most stable survive, not the fastest;
• responsibility in accessing top offers;
• a culture where processes are more important than promises.

It is the combination of these elements that forms a model that differs from traditional approaches in the market. CashYard is creating an affiliate program that works not on the principle of «more» but on the principle of «better.» And this makes it a new type of player in the iGaming industry

For many years, iGaming affiliate programs have been dominated by loud promises, excessive noise, and repeated attempts to attract attention with flashy campaigns. LeadHeaven chooses a different path. The brand enters the media space not as a gesture of self-presentation but as an opportunity to explain its approach, outline the principles of work, and make interaction with the market clearer.

LeadHeaven created a team that worked on both sides of the market - both as webmasters and on the side of advertisers. The company saw the realities of launches, traffic quality, negotiations, and responsibility from both sides. This experience formed the basis of its approach: structure, maturity, and focus on long-term cooperation.

Dmitry, CEO of LeadHeaven

When the team was assembled, we conducted an in-depth analysis of all successful cases and mistakes on previous projects. We formed constant and variable vectors of movement and identified destructive processes that have no place in the company. Having practical experience and understanding the problems of the niche, we did not want to create another copy-paste project. We are implementing our own idea.

Kateryna, Head of Advertisers at LeadHeaven

The foundation of LeadHeaven is systematic and technological. Most companies start out chaotically: a lot of manual work, quick decisions, and a minimum of structure. And then at the growth stage, it breaks them. We took a different path. LeadHeaven has an infrastructure in place from day one: CRM, tracking, automation. This gave us predictability and control at all stages of work.

For us, consistency is not about a rigid framework. It is about predictability, clear rules and a team that works as a single mechanism. As a result, the partner receives one thing - quality that can be relied on for a long time. And it is the combination of technology and consistency that gives LeadHeaven an advantage - a service that does not depend on circumstances and partnerships that go the distance.

Bogdan, Head of Affiliate LeadHeaven

For LeadHeaven, entering the media space is an opportunity to communicate with the market. We want to be transparent and show our approach, people, and principles on which our cooperation is based. We are making the brand open source. And it is trust and honesty that form what matters more in iGaming than any bonus.

For me, the most important thing is openness and a clear position. The market needs to understand who we are, how we think, and why we build partnerships for the long term or in this way.

The Verdict

The company's strength lies in its consistency, maturity and ability to fulfill agreements. This is an affiliate program that does not embellish reality or create an artificial image. Here, decisions are made based on factual data, partners' interests, and long-term consequences.

LeadHeaven acts predictably, transparently, and responsibly, and these are the traits that emphasize the brand's adult character. The brand enters the public sphere not to attract attention, but to honestly outline its standards of work and support market development through openness and clarity. This is a signal of readiness to talk about difficult topics as calmly as about successes - and of readiness to take responsibility for its decisions. That is why LeadHeaven has been consistently building a model of cooperation that goes beyond typical affiliate programs and sets a mature level of interaction in the iGaming market.

The Verdict

Space Profit Team - is not just a team with expertise in its guts. It is an environment where people grow together and are not afraid to take responsibility. Here, each person not only fulfills his or her role, but also influences the overall result and culture. Focusing on one vertical has given us depth, and media has given us visibility and recognition. But the foundation remains a team that knows how to support, keep the pace, and act with focus even in difficult times. And what they call "gut adrenaline" is not about a chaotic race.

It's about a state where complex tasks don't scare you, but engage you; where speed doesn't throw you off balance, but helps you grow; where you feel like you're moving forward - not alone, but with a team. That's why SPT's strength is not in speed. It's in community, stability, and an internal focus that really leads forward.

Fellows Team - a team that built itself without slogans and advertising, but with a deep respect for people and processes. The company was founded in 2020, when traffic arbitrage was still a wild market of experiments. The founders did not pursue scale and were not looking for investors. They wanted to create a place where they could work honestly, without pathos and without artificial rules.

We started with a few buyers and one direction, gradually building a structure based on trust. In five years, the team has grown to more than eighty people with an office in Warsaw, launched its own product, Fellows App Sales, focused on Facebook Ads, SEO, UAC, PPC, and ASO traffic, and today has an annual turnover of more than ten million dollars. But, as Fellows says, it's not the numbers that matter, it's how they're achieved. Success here is not perceived as a reward, but rather as a side effect of systematic work.

The Fellows philosophy is simple but mature: trust instead of control, responsibility instead of fear, stability instead of chaos. There is no status cult here: the owners work alongside everyone, make decisions together, help in crisis situations, and do not avoid difficult conversations. Mistakes are not seen as faults, but as part of development. It is thanks to this that the team managed to create an atmosphere where there is no need to play roles. People remain themselves and at the same time take maximum responsibility.

If a campaign is not profitable, it is analyzed and restarted. If there is an idea, it is tested, not postponed for later. If a decision is needed, it is made here and now.

This approach gave the team stability and speed. Buyers have full autonomy in their work, but they are also fully responsible for the result. Here, everyone understands that trust is not a bonus, but a credit that needs to be confirmed every day. And perhaps that is why the Fellows Team remains stable even in times when the market is experiencing another turbulence.

The infrastructure at Fellows is not a matter of pride, but a form of respect for people. They don't shoot videos from the office, or build a brand around coffee machines or chat zones. Everything you need to work effectively is simply there. Decent conditions, timely payments, clear HR support and technical facilities are not a privilege, but the norm. Because in a professional environment, comfort should not be a competitive advantage - it is only the basis for results. And this is also where the restrained approach comes in: no demonstrations, no unnecessary noise, but with deep humanity.

The years 2024-2025 were challenging for the industry: algorithm changes, falling conversions, and reduced offers. Many teams lost momentum, some simply disappeared from the market. Fellows Team stayed - not because they were lucky, but because they acted. When the market was stormy, they gathered the core of their people, shared responsibility, and kept moving. The company is not used to running away from problems, but rather to analyzing them. This allowed them to survive and even grow.

Today, the Fellows are not just stable - they have become an example of how consistency and honesty still matter in a field where hype often wins. Many professionals who once left to try other teams eventually returned. The Fellows do not hide the fact that such stories are the best testament to their culture. "It's humanly better here," say those who have returned. And this simple phrase captures the essence of the company: no loud promises, but real relationships based not on words but on mutual respect. It's hard to be real in a world where everyone is trying to be liked.

Fellows Team They do not create an ideal image, do not engage in excessive self-promotion, and do not measure success by the number of media mentions. Their reputation is built on their work, their stability, and the way their partners talk about them among themselves. For the team, "being real" means staying honest even when it would be easier to color the result. It is about the ability to keep your word, even if the context changes. It's about working without falsehood. And it was this habit of saying less but doing more that turned them into a mature team. Many companies formulate values in texts.

У Fellows Team These principles have long since become everyday practice. "Less talk, more action" has become a muscle memory rather than a slogan. Their philosophy is evident in everything from their campaign decisions to the way they interact with each other. Fellows grew up not on hype, but on stability. They have proven that it is possible to be both professional and human in media buying. And perhaps that's why they attract not with hype, but with calmness - the calmness that you feel when a team really loves what they do.

Of course, it's too early to summarize the year's results - two and a half months of 2025 are still ahead. Someone may jump into the last carriage, come up with something unpredictable and image-shocking - who knows. But we, HOW WAS YOUR DAY MEDIA, have an inner feeling that our collaboration with 2B DIGITAL will be hard to beat.

Together, HWYD and 2B DIGITAL have created something significantly new in the industry - an offline event for the soul! Yes, it's indirectly about networking, maybe even about exchanging contacts and getting to know each other (no one forbids guests to socialize), but the main idea is to strengthen the community. The event was called HOW WAS YOUR ART, and it featured a beautiful Provence location decorated with lush bouquets of fresh flowers, a long table with prepared easels, paints, and other necessary artistic tools. Prosecco and wine in exquisite wine glasses... Two professional artist-mentors who helped our guests realize their creative ideas...

We managed not just to gather representatives of the industry, but to spend a magical day together without any selfish intentions, to talk about things that are far from work, to find out who lives what and what they dream about. Behind the people whose faces you see at conferences every time, stories, dreams, and art began to reveal themselves. Our guests talked about their travels, which they remembered for the rest of their lives, drew them and left the pictures as a memento; they talked about symbols in their personal lives and also drew them. Each of the 20 guests spoke in a warm, friendly company about their own works of art that they managed to depict as part of HOW WAS YOUR ART.

This collaboration between HWYD and 2B DIGITAL demonstrated that the field can be much broader than just work; proved that friendship and mutual support exist between the companies, and most importantly, revealed the stories and spiritual potential of well-known and well-known figures in the arbitration world. Thanks to the impetus of 2B DIGITAL's support, HWYD realized its plan and continued a series of warm meetings that continue to this day.
We appreciate this collaboration and consider it worthy of being nominated for the Collaboration of the Year award at AFFHUB CPA VOICE 2025. We will be grateful to each and every one of you who will support us with your voice! This will make us more recognizable and will allow even more of our colleagues to join HWYD/2B events.

This partnership was HWYD's first major joint project and a real start into the world of awards. And for 2B DIGITAL, it was an important stage of growth, which they developed throughout the year. The team made a powerful debut: from bright ideas to their own formats and non-standard campaigns that set a new pace in the industry. That is why when it comes to the Breakthrough of the Year, we are proud to talk about them.

And it is no coincidence that it was 2B Digital is running for this year's AFFHUB CPA Voice award in the Breakthrough of the Year category. After all, they truly embody the word "breakthrough" in all its senses. It all started with the agency account service, which has become a real anti-ban solution for dozens of teams.

Today, 2B Digital is an avatar in the world of arbitration, an ecosystem that connects:

• Meta and Google agency accounts
• PWA-designer
• creative department
• Telegram bots for traffic
• in-house media buying department.

Together, they create a complete filling cycle that works smoothly as a single mechanism. And this is not just a technical structure - it is a team of 25 people that has grown from scratch in just one year.

The power of 2B is in people. In the synergy where everyone understands the brand's mission, works honestly, takes risks, tests, creates new things - and does more than is expected of them. They are the ones who think outside the box, are creative and courageous, and go beyond the boundaries of what is allowed. You've definitely seen their viral videos - a video with the squid game prototype, teasers for the joint event with YoSa - Affiliate Morning Club, which was held for the first time in Kyiv.

A debut that everyone will remember

In its first year of operation, the 2B Digital team took part in the AFFHUB conference in Lviv, where it made its first appearance with its own stand. At that time, they presented themselves as a new arbitrage ecosystem, presented partners with stylish branded merchandise, and, as always, made a show of themselves.

The guests of the event remembered for a long time the blue fur coat that was tried on, touched, and photographed by almost everyone who passed by. These are the details that make up the identity of the brand, which has a character - bold, cheerful and lively. Moreover, this year, 2B Digital recorded and released its first arbitration song - a real anthem of the company, a soundtrack that rips and rocks.

A campaign that will be remembered

They even turned their participation in the award into a creative performance. 2B Digital applied for Breakthrough of the Year, but did it in their own way - they launched a PR campaign in the style of political elections.

Everything we are used to seeing in the real political arena

Tents, banners by the roads, buckwheat and notebooks "for votes", the address of the "candidate for president of the arbitration", loud slogans.

They humorously ridiculed the most crass moments of political campaigns and subtly interpreted them in our field - just for fun. But there is real power behind this irony. A strong team that takes risks, tests, implements new things, works honestly, cares about partners and values its reputation.

Such a company doesn't just break through, it changes the culture of the industry. We sincerely believe that 2B Digital deserves the title of Breakthrough of the Year, and our joint story with HWYD is definitely Collaboration of the Year. We will be grateful to everyone who supports us with their vote. Together, we show that arbitration is not just about work, it is about people, community, ideas, drive, and the soul of the industry.

Not every operator can boast of such a background. Parimatch - is the official partner of UFC in Asia, Manchester United in different parts of Asia and the Middle East and North Africa region, and Leeds United - three icons of world sports.

For the Korean audience, this means:

• international level of trust;
• prestige;
• associations with global sporting events.

This background immediately increases the conversion rate and simplifies the work of webmasters: users do not need to explain who is behind the tournament for a long time.

For Parimatch Affiliates, this campaign opens up continuous opportunities:

• A wide mass market: Porsche, Rolex are status symbols that are perfect for the Korean target audience.
• Retention is built into the mechanics: quests, cashback, weekly bonuses.
• Anyone can win: it opens the door to massive traffic.
• Different channels of the bay: Push, TikTok, YouTube, messengers (Telegram, KakaoTalk) - each works in its own niche.
• A clear deadline: the user sees the final date and does not postpone participation.

Football is one of the most popular sports in South Korea. And while Manchester United has long been associated with global greatness, Leeds United adds another powerful channel of emotional connection with fans to the Parimatch brand.

For the Korean audience, it is:

• the history and traditions of the UPL, which is actively watched here;
• different fan bases: from the millions of Manchester United fans to the younger, more local audience of Leeds;
• associations with legendary Asian footballers (Park Chi-Sung at Man Utd, Son Heung-Min at Tottenham - and a bridge to modern Korean realities);

In this way, Parimatch emphasizes not only the global nature of the brand, but also its "humanity" - its closeness to fans and different football cultures.

That day, KITCHEN&GARDEN turned into a creative oasis. An apple orchard, sunlight breaking through the branches, the aroma of fresh fruit, glasses of wine, and live music that seemed to know when to become a gentle background and when to become the main theme. The atmosphere smelled of apples and acrylics, mixed with the light August wind and made us feel as if we were at a reunion of old friends.

The small number of guests made the evening special. The intimacy was our advantage: everyone had the time and opportunity to get to know everyone, to talk in a real way, not in a hurry. Here we met again those we knew well and saw for the first time in person those with whom we had previously communicated only in work chats.

The details of the evening also spoke for themselves: aesthetic glasses with motivational quotes, light delicacies, and thoughtful decor. And at the end, there were packages with pleasant surprises that we didn't want to open right away, but to keep as a memory of the event.

It was more like a party at a friend's house that suddenly turned into an art meeting than a traditional event with a program and timing.

The main character of the evening was art - not the gallery, not the "right" paintings, but the process itself. Everyone painted: some for the first time after school, some experimented with colors, some created their own affirmation paintings.

The result was a whole gallery of little stories: abstractions, landscapes, symbols, and paintings that everyone painted not only with their hands but also with their mood. The tables were filled with laughter and jokes, and they became our soundtrack for the evening. No one here was afraid to do something "wrong" because it was not about the colors, but about the feeling that we were creating together.

The instructors played a big role in this, helping everyone to find their own rhythm and suggesting how to realize their ideas. Thanks to their support, even those who doubted their abilities were surprised by the result. And in the end, all the guests took their paintings home as a small piece of the evening that will now warm them for a long time.

Kostya, as the host, kept the atmosphere light and relaxed, adding to the feeling of a home gathering. Indeed, people were the main element of the evening.

We received so many warm words and sincere responses that our hearts are still fluttering. Someone admitted that he hadn't felt such awe for a long time. Someone wrote that it was the first time they saw themselves as an artist. For some, the main value was the opportunity to spend time in a circle of like-minded people, where you don't have to prove anything - just be yourself.

These words did not sound like dry "feedback". They were more like small toasts after the evening - simple, sincere, and very personal. And they made us realize that we had done something more than an event. We created a memory that we want to repeat.

After the evening, we spent a long time looking through the photos and re-reading the messages from the guests. These were not just words of gratitude, but warm notes in a common memory album that will continue from now on.

By the way, we have prepared a photo report from the event for you - it can be viewed at link. 

There are smiles, paintings, and the most sincere moments of the evening that cannot be expressed in words.

We are immensely grateful to our guests - it was you who filled this evening with meaning and created an atmosphere that cannot be recreated in any scenario. Thank you for sharing your warmth, trust and creativity.

Special thanks to our friends and partners from 2B Digital, who helped bring this idea to life and added their own colors to the overall picture.

HWYD: How long have you been in the affiliate market and how did it all start for you?

Yulia: I have been in the affiliate market for 10 years and it all started with a job fair. That was the first time I got a full-time job as an affiliate manager in mobile marketing.

HWYD: What challenges did you face at the beginning of your career?

Yulia: The main challenge for me was the prejudice of society, in particular, stereotypes that a young age and pleasant appearance cannot be combined with a girl's analytical mind. This manifested itself in the form of ageism, objectivism, and gender discrimination. At the beginning of my career, I literally had to insist on integrations, join negotiations with partners on technical issues, explain that my role in the company was not a servant or escort, etc. It was not just a challenge, but a daily need to prove my competence through actions.

Over time, I have learned to build clear boundaries in communication, and my market recognition has reduced the risk of such situations at times. And this opened up an opportunity for me to be a voice of support for those who face similar difficulties in their team or profession (in either direction by gender and age).

HWYD: What do you love most about your job?

Yulia: The opportunity to grow, scale ideas and influence, and not just be aware of trends, but shape them. And also, people...

I'm inspired by the combination of technology, marketing, public relations, and especially by the focus on people, the team, and the HR aspect. It's a rare synergy that allows you not only to create products or campaigns, but also to shape the environment in which they are born.

HWYD: You are a person who knows how to be "at ease" with both the tops and the newcomers. How do you do it?

Yulia: For newcomers, it is enough to remember their personal experience and honor the hard work and the path these people are going through now. Believe, support, and guide them.

For the tops, it is an understanding of what these people went through, having an unknown number of issues outside of work that accompanied their path to the "top" status among others. It's about great responsibility, an incredible amount of knowledge, skills, and diverse abilities. It's about the peaks reached from the outside, and the impostor syndrome and dissatisfaction because "it could have been better."

HWYD: In your personal opinion, is friendship in affiliate marketing a reality or more of a beautiful illusion?

Yulia: I am happy to say that this is a reality. And I even know cases where it is also a great beautiful love!

HWYD: What qualities do you value in your market partner friends?

Yulia: Mutual respect, honesty, openness, responsibility, trust, and concern.

HWYD: Have there been any cases in your career when friendship helped you overcome difficult situations? Tell us.

Yulia: There were many such cases! From professional issues to help with car evacuation (Oleksandr, CEO of Triangles) and returning personal belongings from Warsaw (there was a whole delegation here - Anastasia, CCO of Gambeat; Kateryna, Head of Advertisers of LeadHeaven; Maria and Anna, CEO and TL of Affiliates of Spyro). I even still have 2 hair dryers, because one was given to me by Olya PR TL WWGroup when I was without personal belongings for a month.

I sought support to get through the stress. For attention that she might not receive in the required amount from managers, colleagues, etc. Friendships helped me to find the right contacts for any purpose. Someone can tell you an agency that prints business cards in another country, someone can suggest a little-known product or team, and someone can recommend a person for your open position in the company.

HWYD: What mistakes most often prevent you from maintaining friendly relations in a professional circle?

Yulia: One of the most common mistakes is to confuse working relationships with friendships without having an internal filter: "do I call this person a friend because we are really close, or just because we are united by a common cause every day?"

Another mistake is the unwillingness or inability to let go of a relationship when your values, goals, or career paths start moving in different directions. And this is normal. But attempts to "keep" the connection at the same level often lead to disappointment, resentment, or misunderstandings.

HWYD: In what cases do you think friendships with people from the industry can interfere with your work?

Yulia: When it's not really a friendship, or you put different meanings into the term.

HWYD: You once mentioned that your friends are mostly from the industry. Doesn't this blur the line between work and personal life?

Yulia: My friends know the golden rule of our communication - we MUST talk about more than just work. Usually, I'm the one who makes everyone change the subject, but it's an important reminder for each of us that we are interesting to each other for a variety of reasons.

HWYD: Do you have a story about a friendship that changed your attitude to work or the market?

Yulia: For me, my environment is a great resource for the opportunity to "look from a different angle" at everything around us. I think everyone has contributed to certain changes in my attitude to work.

But I have a lot of stories about work that changed my attitude to friendship - and the most striking one is the appearance of Anastasia, Gambeat's CCO, in my life in the neighboring building 3 years ago. We jokingly say about our friendship, "If it weren't for our guys, we'd already be living together with 4 cats in the center of Kyiv."

HWYD: As we know, there is a lot of controversy around the topic of friendship between men and women. Do you personally believe in it?

Yulia: I believe, know and feel. I consider Oleksandr Shchypak to be my closest friend among men - this man once chose me to be his boss. My longtime partners, for whom I used to be an affiliate manager (I send my warmest greetings to Misha Funk and Vadym Zavadiuk), as well as boyfriends and husbands of my friends from the industry.

About two months before the wedding, Maria-Victoria wrote to me with a proposal to meet the three of us for lunch before paddle tennis and chat. I accepted the offer and rushed to the lunch without realizing it. We met and, as usual, talked about everything - work, personal... Yura was a little late, and when he arrived, they started looking at each other smiling. I realized something was going on. And I was right - Maria-Victoria told me that they were planning a wedding - but I knew that, as did most of the community, because only the lazy hadn't seen the story of the incredible proposal on Instagram. But it was nice to hear that I was invited among the people closest to the newlyweds. However, the main surprise was yet to come - I was invited to perform the ceremony! Wow - that's where it took my breath away! It's not just to come, congratulate, support, share the celebration... It's something much more. It's about incredible trust and hope. Can you imagine: 100+ guests, parents, grandparents, friends, and finally the newlyweds themselves, who together cherish this holiday - and trust you most of all! I felt fear and pride at the same time! However, there was no question of refusing these two, so I said "YES!" (as if I was standing at the altar at that moment).

Then the preparation process began. I don't know all the details, but the approach to even the smallest details was fantastic. The couple agreed with the specialists - a wedding agency. I can't imagine how many calls they had about other topics - dancing, seating arrangements, menus, colors, music, dresses, etc... But even the meetings about organizing the ceremony were weekly.

I wrote down the sequence of actions, exits, traditions that would be honored, and finally I had to prepare the text. To say that I revised it, rewrote it, crossed it out, and wrote it again at least 100 times is an understatement. But when July 26 came, I was ready, knowing that I had put my sincerity, friendship, and emotions into the preparation, and that if it was sincere, it would be of high quality. It was tested by my own experience.

The wedding took place in the countryside, in Yasnogorodets, where a famous ostrich farm was once opened. Accordingly, the name of the complex for the celebration was "Strauskhol". It was a large, well-kept, beautiful area: outside there were lawns, a pond with bridges, wooden log cabins and lush landscape, and inside there was a huge hall decorated and furnished as aesthetically pleasing as in American movies about a luxury wedding.

While the guests were arriving, a well-drunken welcome was waiting for everyone, music was playing, the guests' snow-white smiles shone in the sun, and a silent pleasant excitement reigned in the air. Everyone was greeted by a handsome and experienced host, Igor Zenin. Personally, I know Igor from the show "What's the Song?" on YouTube, maybe you've seen it too? If not, I recommend it, it's fun.

Closer to 1 p.m., the organizers began to call the guests to take their seats near the beautiful arch, which was decorated in the middle of the lawn so delicately that they wanted to take pictures of it even before the ceremony began. The front row seats, of course, were taken by the parents and people closest to the newlyweds, and the rest of the area was occupied by friends.

I started talking and realized that the level of concentration of the guests was cosmic - everyone's attention was focused, people were listening to every word, and it was a thrill! First, I called the witnesses - the guys - there were five of them! We shared a few jokes to lighten the atmosphere a bit. After that, five bridesmaids came out dancing. Everything was in the best traditions-the witnesses' clothes were in the same color scheme and very much in harmony with the colors of the event-even this moment was carefully thought out. After joking about a bachelor party and a bachelorette party, we invited the groom to the arch.

Yura came out confidently. He was handsome, statuesque, in a chic suit. His eyes betrayed a slight excitement, but he carried himself elegantly - polite, smiling, intelligent as always. But when the time came for Maria-Victoria to come out, the groom was in for a surprise: dressed in a wedding dress and hiding his face under a veil, one of his friends came out to Yura 🙂 Everyone understood that this short joke was necessary because in just a moment Masha would come out and tears of joy would flow.

And so it happened. I invited Maria-Viktoria, and her handsome father walked her down the aisle. A luxurious white dress with a slight ivory tint accompanied the bride's steps across the green lawn. Yura looked at his beloved with admiration. "My grandmother, who was always smiling at me and supporting me in every way, started to cry. Even the young people could not hold back their emotions.

The newlyweds held hands, looked into each other's eyes, and recited their vows. Sincerely, confidently, forever! After that, they received the blessing of their parents, traditionally stood on an embroidered towel (at the same time) and broke the loaf.

And then - the words that everyone was waiting for. And most importantly, which our newlyweds had been dreaming of since they met each other 7 years ago... "Are you ready, Yura, to protect, love, and take care of Maria-Victoria throughout your life?" - "YES!" "Are you ready, Maria-Victoria, to protect, love and care for Yura throughout your life?" - "YES!"

At these words, emotions could no longer be contained: tears, applause, and all-encompassing joy accompanied the newlyweds' kiss. I wiped away a tear and smiled, because I realized that everything had been done the way these two wanted it! And it made me happy.

And then everyone moved to the restaurant, there were toasts, funny and non-funny contests, dancing... I especially remember a prank from the host: throughout the wedding day, he secretly filmed various pranks on the guests - he asked them to feed him with their hands because he couldn't get his hands dirty, or hinted at bringing him alcoholic drinks in secret because he was told he couldn't get a drink at work 🙂 At the end of the evening, all this was edited and shown on the screens. The audience was laughing.

Masha danced with her father, Yura with her mother. They threw the bride's bouquet to the bachelors, and the unmarried guys caught the garter. In the middle of the dinner, the newlyweds took care of the guests' leisure and invited a secret guest. It turned out to be Shumei, who sang about 7-8 songs live with an acoustic guitar. Personally, I don't listen to this kind of music, but when I heard it live, I was blown away - his incredible voice gave me goosebumps and evoked the same real romantic emotions as the wedding itself.

For the newlyweds, this day was not only the biggest celebration of their lives, but also a lot of hard work that they did at 1000% - smiling, taking pictures, walking in heels all day, dancing, listening, responding, thanking.

And in conclusion

HWYD: Tell us how Gentle Partners came to be?

Anya: Gentle PartnersI just couldn't help but appear. It was something that was already in the air. Now it seems to me that it was fate. I had a very difficult period in May. I didn't expect such a dramatic turn of events at all, because I was preparing for childbirth, not a job change. My dismissal from the position of CEO at the previous company was very painful news - it was very difficult for the team to take. All my tops with whom we worked, built, and grew took it to heart. That's when the idea was born that we could build a new team. Gentle Partners. Because business is based solely on people and personal relationships, and nothing else. And we had every opportunity to do that. And because we didn't get along very well with the previous team, we just decided to fully immerse ourselves in the new one.

HWYD: How long did it take you to create your own new brand from scratch?

Anya: When you have professionals and personal experience, you don't need much time. If you have a taste, a vision, an understanding of how everything should look, and you follow the right examples, two weeks is really enough to create something of high quality. I can't say that everything was perfect right away - no. Of course, there were some gaps and it took another two weeks to fill them. In fact, it took a month from the idea to the finished product. Why did it happen so quickly? Because we have professionals. Almost all of the employees who are with us now are people I've worked with for many years in various projects. They are not just friends, they are specialists whose results I have seen with my own eyes. That's why we managed to assemble a strong team. And when they come together, it happens quickly. Even in two weeks, or even earlier.

HWYD: Why the name Gentle Partners?

Anya: Gentle - This is about us. Our policy is that we care about both our partners and our team. Gentle - is tenderness, politeness, something pleasant. And these are our values. We have a small team, so every employee is very important. We have no staff turnover. People work steadily - without running from one team to another. For us, this is a red flag, because we invest as much as possible in training our staff and aim to build long-term relationships with the team, where everyone is focused on the result. So the name "Gentle"In addition to sounding good, it fully reflects our values and positioning. The brand name has a lot of meanings that resonate with the team and partners. It looks great in communication, style, and design.

HWYD: How did the partners you have known and worked with for many years react to your transition and the creation of the new PE?

Anya: I wouldn't say "transition". This is the creation of a new company. And here, everything was decided by the reputation that we have all been working on for years. Every employee who is now in our team has always cared and cares about their own reputation, regardless of the brand they work under. This is a rule that we have all been following for many years. That is why we have received a lot of support. Our partners have shown loyalty and trust. There was practically no negativity - everything went as smoothly as possible. Many offered to invest in a new project, which was very nice. And we are still considering offers, deciding who we are ready to join forces with and who is ready to share our values. In general, the market has received us well. Of course, everyone wanted to know "what happened," but globally, everything is fine.

HWYD: Ania, how did you take the news of the shake-up in the company you represented?

Anya: I was not ready for this at all. I was preparing to give birth. I was scheduled for the end of May. And that day in the evening, I still had a stream - and I did it, without a single hint of negativity. We talked about important topics and joked around so much that no one suspected how difficult it was for me.

Before the stream, I even wondered whether I would be able to physically withstand these two hours for such a long time. And after what happened, it was even harder. Although, if you watch that broadcast, I look as calm as possible there. Because I had already set myself up internally to hold on. But after the stream, my emotions were overwhelming. I started to cry. Because when you build something from scratch and see a positive result, it's hard to believe and accept such a decision.

HWYD: We know, thank God, you are doing well, you gave birth! We congratulate you on that! Tell us how the labor went, who did you give birth to?

Anya: Because of my nerves, I, of course, went to give birth earlier than planned. But, thank God, everything went well. It was not without complications for me, but I got out of it. And I was motivated: a new future awaited me. The idea of creating a new company and team. And you know, when I first saw my son, he took my finger, so tiny but so strong... At that moment, I realized for sure: I can do anything. For him. And for myself.

HWYD: So, the idea of creating Gentle Partners arose during the last days of pregnancy? How worried were you at that moment? Describe your feelings.

Anya: I can't say what exactly happened in the last few days. We already realized that we were leaving the previous project. But it was not yet clear what would happen and how. After giving birth, when the stress subsided a bit, it became obvious that we would have a new company. We knew exactly what to do, because it's not a product, it's people. And I didn't even have the opportunity to go on maternity leave. I wouldn't wish anyone to go through dismissal, childbirth, and business launch - all in two weeks.

HWYD: How many employees does the new brand consist of?

Anya: Now there are 20. We are actively recruiting more. So welcome!

HWYD: How difficult was it to recruit the team?

Anya: We are still in the process of recruiting. I cannot say that we are fully staffed. But it was not difficult. The personal brand is working. And many thanks to our marketer Olya - she did a great job of promoting everything, building communication, explaining to people what was what.

HWYD: What values does the company share in terms of recruiting "your people"? Gentle Partners?

Anya: We have our own mindset. If a person shares it, he or she is ours. We are about trust, sincerity, humanity, and partnership. And the result, of course. We are not about dancing around. We are about business. All of us are professionals. And, by the way, we have an interesting trend - a company of young mothers. Someone is always pregnant. We even have a baton. We are loyal to mothers with small children because we know what it's like.

HWYD: Who do you need now?

Anya: At the moment, we need affiliate managers the most.

HWYD: Do you hire people exclusively from the industry, or are there exceptions?

Anya: We hire not only people from the industry - we are ready to train them. We already have many years of experience in this: if a person has the right skills and shares our values, we can adapt them to us. Of course, there are positions that are difficult to teach from scratch, but adaptation is almost always possible.

HWYD: Let's emphasize once again: Gentle Partners - Is it not a rebranding or a branch of the old company?

Anya: No, this is a completely separate, new project. Gentle Partners - is a new company where the co-founders are me, Anya and Sasha.

HWYD: Who manages this flagship?

Anya: The managers are Anya Sukhanova, Anya Shemyakina, and Sasha Lotharia. Each of us has extensive experience in affiliate marketing - more than 8-10 years. These are different verticals, but for the last 4 years, we have been working in iGaming.

HWYD: How much time has passed since the launch and public announcement of the new company?

Anya: We officially went public on June 9.

HWYD: What successes have you achieved?

Anya: I don't want to talk pathetically about "super successes," but in a short period of time we managed to build normal working relationships with our partners. We received a lot of offers from advertisers with good caps. And most of the websites that have been friends with us for a long time decided to support the launch of our brand and began to actively pour with Gentle Partners. And I consider this to be a result as well.

HWYD: What fears did you have at the launch stage? Did you believe in success?

Anya: Honestly, I had no more fears. After being laid off a few weeks before giving birth to a child, what could possibly scare me? We knew what we were doing. If you know your business, you are confident in the result. I emphasize again: reputation is the most important thing. We had it, and it continues to work for us. Build brands on trust, no matter how pretentious it may sound, and then any fears fade into the background.

HWYD: If things hadn't happened the way they did, Gentle Partners would have appeared?

Anya: I cannot fully answer this question even to myself. I think not. Because I get very attached to the people I work with, I give my maximum energy and time. And I would hardly dare to make any drastic changes. It's not about me at all. But life has decreed otherwise, and I can say with certainty that I am grateful for this case. Now we, and you, have Gentle Partners.

HWYD: What are your plans for the future?

Anya: We need to reach our revenue and margin targets as soon as possible. And we are actively looking for a reliable holding company or investor. This partnership should be not only about money, but also about attitude, approach, and values. We are about efficiency, results, and humanity.

HWYD: Do you plan to scale up? In what way?

Anya: Of course. We have a growth plan for the rest of the year and for the next year. But first of all, we need to understand with whom we are moving forward and in which direction.

HWYD: Do you plan to participate in conferences?

Anya: Yes, we are planning it. Now the big conferences are over, and it's even good for us, because we have enough time to focus on fulfilling our internal goals. And in September, we will all meet in Lisbon at the SBC Summit, and then Kyiv Conversion, and then Rome SiGMA Europe Summit.

HWYD: We are very pleased that you have entrusted us to be your first messenger to the media world on behalf of Gentle Partners! We really appreciate your trust, and that's why we are speaking so sincerely and heartily! But do you plan to enter the large-format media market?

Anya: Yes, definitely. And in the near future, we will intensify our communication. Now we are at the stage of collaborations with partners, and then we plan a large-scale entry into the public field with a focus on marketing and PR. Our marketing manager Olya has everything ready for this. So, subscribe to our social media and follow the updates.

HWYD: What would you wish yourself for the year ahead?

Anya: Honestly? I went through something I didn't think I could handle. But I persevered, drew conclusions, and built my company. So I wish myself only one thing - success. And I am sure that everything will work out. Because if you have the right mindset, you live positively, you think about good things, then everything will be just so.