TEQUILA WITHOUT A HANGOVER: WHAT KIND OF STRONG PLAYER IS CONFIDENTLY FLOODING THE MARKET?

Tequila: We launched in 2024. But if you are looking for a story about a "young team that is just gaining momentum" here, this is not for us. We didn't wear a "newbie" badge, but started working right away. We assembled a team, built a partnership, and developed our product.

Yes, we were not in the media - not because we are modest. We just thought it would be good to have something to say at first. And now we do. There is often a stereotype in the market: if we are new, we are still "green". But this is a myth. Just think of Little Groot from the Guardians of the Galaxy. Small does not mean weak. On the contrary, sometimes he holds the whole system.

Pros. Tequila is a team with experience in performance marketing, with its own technique, its own approach, and its own stubbornness to bring everything to a working state. We immediately started with the main things: launching systems, optimizing traffic, and building partnerships.

And now we are going public. Not to impress anyone, but to let you know that we exist. That 300+ partners are already working with us. And that if stability, normal communication, and a product that does not fall apart every now and then are important to you, then we definitely have something to talk about.

CEO Tequila says that the biggest thrill is seeing ideas turn into numbers.

HWYD: Tell us about your approach. What do you like most about what you do?

Tequila: Each team has its own "fuel system". For some, it's hype, for others, it's a quick start. У Tequila - character and people. It all started with a small but very stubborn team, where everyone is in their place, has expertise and a desire to show that it is possible to do things differently. This is what helped us grow and develop.
According to the team, they build processes on the gut feeling that it should work. This is probably about intuition gained through experience. But if something doesn't work, because we're all human, no one looks for excuses. Instead, the team changes its approach. В Tequila do not believe in magic, but in consistency, healthy perfectionism, and a team that does not merge at the first rollback.

HWYD: Why Tequila? It sounds too unusual for the affiliate sphere.

Tequila: It all started with love. For Latin America - its rhythms, colors, fire in the eyes and passion for life. It was even before the name appeared. Just a passion that cannot be imitated. And the idea to name the team after it grew out of it.
We were not looking for "something that sounds good in the digital environment". We were looking for meaning. Tequila - It is something strong, strong, not massive, with character, fiery. This is the choice of those who are not afraid of fire in themselves and in their work.
They say that tequila was born from a bolt of lightning that struck the heart of an agave. It seems that we can't think of a better metaphor for our launch. Because we are not about calm either. We are about energy, about a leap forward. About the drive that gives birth to real solutions.
We do not hunt for simple answers. We work with challenges. And we do it with the same expression with which the first shot is poured - decisively, sincerely, without fear. That's why Tequila is more than just a name. It is our boiling point. It's a symbol of how we see our work, people, and the idea of business: in a real way.

HWYD: How did your journey begin? Did you have any doubts at first?

Tequila: We started with a few people in the team (literally enough fingers on one hand to count). The numbers at the start were nothing special, to be honest. But we were not following the numbers, but the feeling that we knew what we wanted to build.

Each person has already had some experience that is difficult to measure in charts: media buy, affiliate marketing, product - we have already gone through all of this, and more than once. This time we decided to gather our strength in one place and do it our way.

Six months later, there were three times as many of us. And then it only got faster. We're growing so fast that there are times when it's hard to keep up with new names in chats rather than processes (and if someone has trouble with this, they know what we mean 😄).

But this is, in fact, the best indicator: it means we are doing everything right. People join and stay. Because behind the growth, we retain the main thing: the internal charge, the same culture of responsibility and focus on real results, not on beautiful presentations. And as long as we manage to combine expertise with humanity, we will continue to keep up the pace.

HWYD: Looking back at yourself at the start of the company, with your current experience, what would you say to yourself?

Tequila: Don't think that it will all start quickly. Give yourself time and just take it one step at a time. It will be hard, but we can do it. And also: the team is the most important thing. Trust that you have chosen the right people. And remember - the best advertising is returning partners.

Tequila: We are often asked: who are you looking for in your team? And we answer: well, technically, experienced people. But in reality, we are looking for our own people. Those with whom we can build a strategy and exchange memes on Friday.

Our selection process is not entirely based on resumes. We look for that fire in the eyes - when it is important for a person not just to complete a task, but to really dig into an idea, spin it from different angles and bring it to a result.

But we don't live in outer space either - hard skills matter. If you know your way around media buyers, affiliates, and arbitrage, you have a great base. If you are also not afraid of changes, know how to adapt to different people (and, spoiler alert, they are very different 😅), you are our hero.

And yes, we value analytical skills, initiative, and the ability to keep focus. But we value adequacy, humor, and healthy self-irony even more. Without these, how can you do anything? Because a team is not just skills. It is energy. And if it coincides, then the numbers go up and the results come.

HWYD: Is the company at the scaling stage or does it plan to scale?

Tequila: Right now, we are actively scaling up. It's like a lifestyle, so we don't stop:

• traffic is gaining momentum,
• the team is actively recruiting new specialists,
• internal product solutions move from paper to production.

By the way, right now we are actively looking for team leaders of buyer teams, strong media buyers, and business developers who are interested in building something systemic. If you've been looking for an entry point into a project with movement, meaning, and challenge for a long time, this is it.

HWYD: What is the next growth point for the company? How do you see it?

Tequila: Our next growth point is Tier-1. Not just new markets, but a new level of requirements that we are ready to reach. We are also focused on iGaming: we are launching new offers tailored to what works well now and will work even better in the future. The team is also actively building in-house tools and using all possible automation methods.

Do you attend international conferences? Do you plan to sponsor or have stands?

We have already been to iGB and SiGMA, and we are planning some interesting news for this year. We are currently actively negotiating a stand and sponsorship. More details to come. As we can say, it's coming soon. Our approach is to show ourselves when we have something to show.

HWYD: You are now entering the media. Are there any representatives of the company that you plan to make media personalities in the industry?

Tequila: The team is growing, and there are those among them who are already wanted to be heard, seen, and read in the industry. We are focusing on the affiliate and product teams. They have long deserved to be in the spotlight. So get ready - you will soon learn more about them.

HWYD: Tell us about your corporate events/teambuildings. How did they impress you and your guests?

Tequila: Well... we're not quite sure that we can tell you this openly (sly look). But in short: it was hot, loud, beautiful in its own way - and definitely unconventional. The last time we met as a team was at our villa in Cyprus. It's better not to read about it in the text - you'd better watch the video on Instagram. But for that matter, I want to end this block properly. Not with dry summaries, but as we did at the villa.