In this week’s episode of the Niche Pursuits podcast, Jenny Gonzalez and I discuss her inspiring journey from struggling bartender to successful entrepreneur in the affiliate marketing space. We explore her path, from her early days in Venezuela to her current role as the founder of Trackfinity, a SaaS platform that aims to revolutionize the affiliate marketing industry.
Along the way, Jenny shares how she navigated numerous challenges, built lasting relationships, and ultimately transitioned from working for others to creating her own businesses.
Watch the Full Episode
From Bartender to Affiliate Marketer: The Early Struggles
Jenny’s career trajectory is a true testament to the power of persistence. Born in Venezuela, she moved to the U.S. to learn English but quickly found herself facing political unrest back home. After a series of twists and turns, including bartending, she realized that her future could not be tied to a service job forever.
- Struggles with college: Jenny’s dream of completing her degree was put on hold due to financial and personal struggles.
- Unexpected career pivot: After injuring her back bartending, she took a receptionist job where she discovered the world of affiliate marketing.
- Bilingual advantage: Her ability to speak Spanish opened doors, allowing her to transition into a career she never saw coming.
Jenny had already faced several setbacks, but those experiences shaped her into a resilient entrepreneur. It was during a stint as an office assistant in Barcelona that she met someone who would become a major influence: an affiliate manager. Intrigued by his work and the lifestyle it afforded him, Jenny took it upon herself to learn about affiliate marketing.
Rising Through the Affiliate Marketing Ranks
After securing her first affiliate marketing position, Jenny adopted a strategic approach to her career. Her guiding philosophy was simple: make a mark in every role, or move on to the next. She used each job as a stepping stone, moving from a marketing role in a German company to eventually becoming the CMO for a group of companies.
- Two-year promotion rule: Every two years, Jenny either got promoted or moved to a different company with a better position.
- Commitment to excellence: Jenny always treated her roles as if she owned the company, investing her energy into creating impactful, profitable strategies.
- Public speaking: She leveraged public speaking to promote her work and gain industry recognition, further cementing her reputation as a results-driven leader.
Despite working for multiple companies, Jenny always focused on making them profitable with minimal resources. She made sure to treat every business like her own, which helped her rise quickly through the ranks.
Breaking Free: The Leap into Entrepreneurship
After years of success as an employee, Jenny eventually reached a point where she no longer felt valued. While she had enjoyed making an impact in the corporate world, the time came for her to take the leap and start her own venture.
- The decision to leave: Jenny realized that even if she made less money, being her own boss would bring her greater fulfillment.
- The challenge of bootstrapping: Unlike many entrepreneurs who seek outside investment, Jenny chose to use her savings to fund her business.
- Rocahead’s creation: Jenny’s first venture as an entrepreneur was creating an affiliate network, which quickly gained traction due to her technical approach and deep industry experience.
However, launching her business didn’t come without challenges. Jenny’s first venture, Rocahead, launched in October 2019, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic would change the business landscape forever. While the timing wasn’t ideal, Jenny’s ability to pivot proved invaluable as she found new ways to grow her business during a time of global uncertainty.
The Impact of COVID-19 and Early Success
Like many entrepreneurs, Jenny had to navigate the unforeseen challenges brought about by COVID-19. However, the pandemic also led to unexpected opportunities for her business.
- Surging demand: As people turned to online services, the online dating sector saw a massive boom, benefiting Rocahead’s affiliate network.
- Revenue growth: Jenny reported $2.5 million in revenue during her first year in business, with minimal marketing spend.
- The rise of content creators: Jenny also recognized the growing trend of content creators leveraging affiliate marketing as a way to monetize their platforms.
For Jenny, the pandemic served as a turning point. While many businesses struggled, hers flourished due to the explosion in online activity. This allowed her to reinvest in her company and expand her horizons, ultimately leading to the creation of Trackfinity.
Trackfinity: A SaaS Solution for Affiliate Marketing
Jenny’s next big move was to start Trackfinity, a SaaS platform aimed at improving the affiliate marketing process. The idea came from her frustration with the tools available in the market, which were often clunky and insufficient for scaling affiliate operations.
- Simplified affiliate management: Trackfinity was designed to make managing affiliate programs easier, offering a flexible platform for businesses of all sizes.
- Focus on freedom: The platform is built with flexibility in mind, allowing users to adapt the software to their unique needs.
- Solving technical issues: Jenny and her team ensured that Trackfinity could handle the technical hurdles that often hold back affiliate marketers.
Trackfinity allows marketers to focus on driving traffic while automating the technical aspects of affiliate program management. For Jenny, the goal was to empower smaller teams with the tools they needed to succeed without the overhead of large corporate operations.
Leveraging Relationships for Growth
A key aspect of Jenny’s success has been her ability to leverage relationships within the affiliate marketing industry. From her early days in Barcelona to her current ventures, Jenny has always taken a people-first approach.
- Relationships over transactions: Jenny’s approach was never about collecting referrals but about building trust and connecting people.
- Support from peers: After launching her own business, Jenny was amazed by the support she received from former colleagues and affiliates, showing the power of professional relationships.
- Community-driven growth: Many of Trackfinity’s early users were people Jenny had worked with or met at conferences, highlighting the importance of networking and maintaining strong industry ties.
As Jenny’s network grew, so did the potential for her businesses. By fostering genuine relationships, she was able to build a community of advocates who supported her ventures.
Final Thoughts: The Power of Persistence and Adaptability
Jenny Gonzalez’s journey serves as an inspiration for anyone looking to break free from the traditional 9-to-5 grind and build something of their own. Her story highlights the importance of resilience, relationship-building, and the willingness to pivot when opportunities arise.
- Adaptation is key: From shifting careers to adapting to market conditions during the pandemic, Jenny’s ability to pivot has been crucial to her success.
- The importance of networking: Building and maintaining relationships has been a cornerstone of Jenny’s journey, both in her personal and professional life.
- Entrepreneurial mindset: Jenny’s move into SaaS with Trackfinity reflects her drive to innovate and create scalable solutions for the affiliate marketing industry.
As Jenny continues to grow both Trackfinity and Rocahead, her story proves that success is not about taking a linear path but about being open to new opportunities, learning from failures, and adapting to changing circumstances. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or an established marketer, there’s much to learn from Jenny’s approach to business and life.
