“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” — Not Einstein (but still true)
I’m in New York this week for Affiliate Summit East—surrounded by smart people, big ideas, and one recurring truth: Affiliate programs are either being built intentionally, or they’re quietly falling apart.
If you’ve been following along these past few weeks, you’ve seen us tackle the signs of neglect—zombie programs, broken tracking, and management teams that haven’t touched their partner list in months.
Today, I want to keep it simple:
If your program isn’t producing the way it should, now is the time to fix it.
Affiliate Summit is the perfect excuse to reset. If you’re in the industry and you know your program could be better—this is your moment.
What You’ll Get in Chaos to Grow
- Affiliate strategies that actually drive revenue
- Tactical fixes for underperforming programs
- Battle-tested recovery frameworks
- Simple systems to build from
- And today: a chance to stop managing the chaos alone
Why You Need an Advocate at Events Like This
Affiliate growth doesn’t just happen behind dashboards—it happens in conversations.
I’ve been doing this for 26 years. I’ve built programs, scaled brands, and sold companies in this space.
At events like Affiliate Summit, I run into hundreds of friends, colleagues, and longtime partners. And I’ll meet hundreds more.
That matters.
Because the top affiliates, the tech platforms, the content creators—they don’t want to hear from an inbox. They want to talk to someone who’s in it. Someone they trust. Someone with a point of view and a proven track record.
If your brand doesn’t have someone advocating for your program in places like this, you’re already a step behind.
This week, I’m here. And I’m working on behalf of the brands that are ready to grow.
From the Trenches: 3 Reasons Brands Don’t Fix Their Program (And Why They Should Anyway)
1. “It’s technically working.” Yes, but is it growing? Is it efficient? Are your top partners even active?
2. “Our agency says it’s fine.” Maybe. But what does your data say?
3. “We don’t have time to deal with it.” That’s exactly why you need help. Ignoring it won’t fix it.
Your Weekly Chaos Challenge
Ask yourself:
If someone audited our affiliate program today—would I be proud of what they’d find?
If the answer is anything less than hell yes, let’s change that.
Want to Meet in NYC or Schedule a Quick Review?
I’m in town. Let’s talk. We can walk through your tracking, tech stack, partner activity, commissions, and growth plan.
Even a 15-minute conversation can uncover what’s blocking performance—and what it will take to revive it.
DM me on LinkedIn or email me directly at matt@chiefofchaos.com
Let’s clean up the chaos and build something worth scaling.
—Matt Frary
Chief of Chaos
