Before we jump into the newsletter……you heard it here first! Something incredible is coming……
There’s a new community coming called The School of Chaos. This will be the who’s who of internet growth marketing. Do you want an invite? DM Me. This will be by invite and we are only taking serious community builders that want to be a part of something special.
Now let’s get into it….
“You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.”
— James Clear
If your affiliate program still runs like a list of links and logins, you’re leaving serious money on the table.
The best programs don’t just manage partners — they activate, reward, and scale them.
They operate like a flywheel — spinning faster every time value flows both ways.
This is where 2026’s real growth story begins: building an affiliate ecosystem that compounds momentum month after month.
What You’ll Get in Chaos to Grow
• How to shift from static affiliate management to a living, breathing growth system
• The 4 stages of the “Partner Flywheel” model
• How to recruit smarter, activate faster, and measure deeper
• The metrics that actually matter for partnership velocity
From the Trenches: Building the Partner Flywheel
Stage 1: Recruit with Intent
Most brands recruit affiliates reactively — waiting for inbound applications or hitting “clone” on someone else’s partner list.
That’s not recruitment, that’s recycling.
Do this instead:
- Define your top 5 partner types (content, creator, loyalty, media, tech, newsletter).
- Use AI and manual prospecting to fill each bucket intentionally.
- Score partners by category fit, credibility, and conversion potential.
Recruitment isn’t about volume — it’s about velocity. Find partners who will move the needle, not just pad the list.
Stage 2: Activate Fast and Often
The moment between onboarding and first sale is where most programs die.
Fix it:
- Get partners live within 7 days of approval.
- Provide ready-to-use assets, top-selling products, and sample copy.
- Run onboarding bonuses (extra 5% CPA on first 30 days of sales).
- Share data early — affiliates mirror what works when they see results.
Momentum matters. The faster you get a partner to revenue, the longer they’ll stick around.
Stage 3: Reward Strategically
Every affiliate program claims to have “tiered commissions.” Few actually use them to drive behavior.
Here’s how to make it work:
- Reward incremental lift, not just volume.
- Bonus for new-to-file customers, AOV growth, or LTV contributions.
- Create monthly micro-goals (hit $5K, earn an extra 2%).
- Recognize public wins — spotlight your top performers on LinkedIn or partner newsletters.
Affiliates are humans. Recognition fuels repeat behavior.
LIFE LESSON:
Incentive drives behavior,
behavior drives action,
action drives results!
Stage 4: Review, Refine, and Reactivate
A healthy program is never “set it and forget it.”
Every quarter, analyze:
- Partner ROI by segment (content vs. loyalty vs. creator)
- Contribution to CAC and blended efficiency
- Partner churn and reactivation rates
Re-engage your silent majority with new offers, assets, or Q4 co-op deals.
The best partner managers know: retention is the new recruitment.
Your Weekly Chaos Challenge
Pull your affiliate partner list.
Ask yourself:
Which partners are actually part of a system — and which are just names in a spreadsheet?
Pick three that haven’t produced in 90 days.
Reach out personally with a new incentive, exclusive creative, or test offer.
That’s how flywheels start spinning again.
The Chief of Chaos Partner Flywheel Framework
At Chief of Chaos, we help brands move from partner management to partner performance.
Our process:
- AI-powered recruitment for high-impact affiliates
- Strategic activation sprints to get partners live fast
- Tiered incentive design tied to growth metrics
- Full-funnel performance reporting and client summaries every week
We don’t “run programs.” We build flywheels that compound.
👉 Want a copy of the Partner Flywheel Playbook we use with clients?
Comment “FLYWHEEL” or DM me and I’ll send it over.
Final Thought
Affiliate isn’t supposed to be a waiting game.
The best programs don’t rely on luck — they build systems that make results inevitable.
The goal isn’t more partners. It’s more momentum.
Start your flywheel now — before Q4 spins without you.
—Matt Frary
Chief of Chaos
