Affiliate marketing isn’t dead—it’s just misunderstood. In this episode, Jessica Robinson, founder of Affiliate Marketing Partners and former Global Head of Affiliates at PayPal, reveals why affiliate marketing is one of the most underutilized but high-ROI client acquisition strategies today.

Whether you're a solopreneur, an agency owner, or part of a high-growth startup, Jessica breaks down how affiliate marketing works (the right way), how to build sustainable partnerships, and what you need in place before launching a program. Plus, she shares her incredible entrepreneurial story of starting her agency while on maternity leave—and scaling it with a newborn in one arm and a newborn business in the other.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

💰 Why affiliate marketing offers one of the highest ROIs—and how to make it work in any industry
🤝 How to build win-win relationships with affiliates, even if you’re starting from scratch
🔍 The real reason most affiliate programs fail (and how to fix it)
📈 What you must have in place before launching an affiliate program
🧠 Why product-market fit and conversion rates matter more than rev share
👶 How Jessica started and scaled her agency while raising two kids—and what it taught her about leadership

📝 About the Guest
Jessica Robinson has been in the affiliate marketing space since 2012. She has managed multiple programs ranging across many verticals including DTC, B2B, Retail, Logistics and Finance. Most recently, she was PayPal’s Global Head of Affiliates before leaving PayPal at the end of 2023 to focus full time on growing her marketing agency, Affiliate Marketing Partners.

🎯 Jessica’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs

“There is no perfect timing. If the opportunity presents itself—take it.”

Key Takeaways:

✅ The right opportunity rarely comes at the “perfect” time—action matters more than timing
✅ Fortune truly favors the bold—especially when you're willing to step away from comfort
✅ Building a business means everything you do matters—your work has real impact

📢 Memorable Quotes

“Affiliate marketing is not a get-rich-quick scheme—it’s a relationship-based, high-ROI channel.” – Jessica Robinson
“If you’re waiting for the perfect time, it’s probably already passed.” – Jessica Robinson
“Everything I do now matters. That’s what I love about entrepreneurship.” – Jessica Robinson

💡 Actionable Takeaways

✅ If you’re running ads, consider adding a pay-per-performance affiliate channel to diversify
✅ Only launch an affiliate program when your product, conversion funnel, and value prop are ready
✅ Build your program around the right partners—not the most partners
✅ Think like a business owner, not an influencer—affiliate marketing is about strategy and sustainability

🔗 Links & Resources

Visit Affiliate Marketing Partners’ Website
Follow Affiliate Marketing Partners on LinkedIn
Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn

1141: THIS relationship-based strategy can get you customers & clients with NO UPFRONT COSTS w/ Jessica Robinson

Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business

1141: THIS relationship-based strategy can get you customers & clients with NO UPFRONT COSTS w/ Jessica Robinson