Publication date: 23 Mar 2025
We are launching a new series of short interviews iGaming Heroes with the brightest representatives of the industry. Our first guest is the founder and CEO of Affise — Stanislav Litvinov.
– Who has helped you in your professional development/career? And how?
All by myself. When I started in 2004, everyone was hiding as much as possible, and there were almost no live meetings.
So, I also kept a low profile, didn’t reveal myself to anyone, and never gave out my real contact details.
That’s why I can say that Master-X, crutop, and GFY forums were really helpful.
– How did you start? Take us back to the very beginning: your age, first job/earnings?
I began in 2000 when some friends invited me to work at a hosting company. I was responsible for marketing, sales and collecting money from customers.
It was there that I first encountered websites of adult affiliate programs—our clients. As soon as I understood what was happening, I quit my job and became a typical affiliate, driving traffic to paid sites.
It took me 6 months to make $19, then a few more months to make $70 a week, and then another 6 months to make $700 a week. From then on, things just snowballed…
– Best advice you’ve ever been given?
“Embrace the shame!” When you try something new, it doesn’t always work out immediately. There are plenty of naysayers telling you to “give up,” “it won’t work anyway,” or “do something normal.”
But more often than not, if you ignore them and “embrace the shame,” you’ll eventually succeed.
– Your greatest victory?
My family and kids. Plus, being engaged in a career I’m passionate about and still enjoying it.
– Your biggest / most expensive mistake?
There have been many, costing tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, but you can always learn something valuable from them.
From a funny one: I used to run an online casino, long before the current boom in online gambling. After a year, I decided to shut it down because I didn’t believe in the future of online gambling at that time.
– Commercial break: Why was Affise named Affise?
I actually have a photo somewhere showing me sitting in my office brainstorming the name. I wanted something starting with “aff” while ensuring a free .com domain was available.
We tried every combination imaginable, and after about ten grueling hours, we finally settled on Affise…
– Why do you think you succeeded?
Probably due to two main factors:
1. Luck, of course.
2. Hard work, regardless of the obstacles and failures along the way.
No matter how tough it got, I stayed focused on my goals and systematically worked toward them. I concentrated on what I could control rather than worrying about what I couldn’t.
A crucial factor was the people around me—the team and partners. Without them, I wouldn’t have achieved anything.
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