3 Reasons Why We Started an Affiliate Marketing Agency
Why We Started an Affiliate Marketing Agency: 3 Key Reasons Behind Growth HQ
During the 2020 pandemic, I was furloughed from my role as CMO at Choose Wisely, a credit-focused FinTech startup. As COVID-19 rapidly spread, the world changed overnight leading to many people losing their jobs and searching for new career opportunities.
Word quickly spread through my network, and I began receiving requests to step in as a marketing consultant or interim marketing director for several startups. Among these opportunities, one stood out: setting up the affiliate and partnerships channel for Plum, a money management app.
This project reignited my passion for performance marketing. Helping a company scale through the sustainable and data-driven affiliate marketing channel made me realise a gap in the industry—there weren’t enough progressive, strategic affiliate marketing agencies that went beyond traditional cashback and coupon-based affiliates.
From Consulting to Co-Founding Growth HQ
After a few months with Plum, I picked up additional affiliate marketing clients, including Thread and InvestEngine. As my workload grew, my life partner and now co-founder, Firuj, stepped in to help. That’s when we saw a real opportunity: what if we built an affiliate & partnerships agency designed to help startups and scale-ups unlock untapped growth opportunities?
That’s how Growth HQ was born. And at our core, three key reasons drove us to start this business:
- A Better Work-Life Balance
For too long have I worked in businesses where investing every minute of your week in your career was the norm. For me this was always out of a place of love for the game, never because my employer made me too.
I truly feel passionate about delivering value through growth marketing, but have learned the hard way that having space to breathe, sleep, enjoy family time, laugh with friends and travel the world are actually the essential elements we all need to recharge the batteries that allow us to perform at such a high level.
Aside from selfishly wanting to have a better work-life balance, it’s key for our fast-growing team to have space to be themselves, and enjoy their time in and outside of the office.
Transparency is key. Both Firuj and I openly discuss stress, anxiety, and de-stressing techniques with the team. Creating an inclusive, open work culture is a continuous effort, but we are committed to fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.
- Delivering Real Value to Clients & Our Team
For us, affiliate marketing isn’t just about traditional cashback and discount affiliates, it’s about building long-term, incremental growth strategies for our clients.
At Growth HQ, we go beyond basic affiliate marketing by leveraging:
✅ Top-of-funnel awareness (content marketing, Paid PR, influencer collaborations)
✅ Mid-funnel partnerships (YouTube sponsorships, sub-affiliate networks, content-driven affiliates)
✅ Bottom-of-funnel conversion strategies (review sites, comparison platforms)
This full-funnel approach ensures that our clients maximise ROI and drive sustainable growth.
But our commitment to value doesn’t stop with our clients. We also focus on building a highly motivated, knowledgeable, and engaged team. We hire curious, ambitious individuals who want to see the direct impact of their work.
- Giving Back & Creating a Positive Impact
Growth HQ was never about chasing wealth or job titles, it was (and still is) a passion project. One of our biggest values is giving back. That’s why we donate both time and 2% of our quarterly revenue to charities and organisations that our team cares about. We believe that businesses have a responsibility to contribute positively to society, and this ethos is embedded in everything we do.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Growth HQ
In just two years, we’ve grown 10x in both team size and revenue, and we’re just getting started.
At Growth HQ, our mission remains clear:
🚀 Help startups and scale-ups unlock growth through innovative affiliate marketing strategies
💡 Prioritise work-life balance and team well-being
🤝 Give back to the community and make a real impact
As we continue to scale, we’re committed to staying true to these core values while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in performance marketing.
Are You Looking to Scale Your Affiliate & Partnerships Strategy?
If you’re a startup or scale-up looking to launch or optimise your affiliate marketing program, we’d love to help. Get in touch with us by filling out our contact form or check out our service plans.
