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Interview with Tanya Bratchykova – COO at V.Partners
In a recent interview with AffPapa, Tanya Bratchykova, COO of V.Partners, discussed her journey into affiliate marketing, how to stand out in a competitive market, adapt to its shifts, and more.
Yeva: You’ve built a successful career in the competitive world of digital marketing and affiliate partnerships. How did you get into the industry? Was there a specific moment that made you think “I’m in the right place”?
My path into iGaming wasn’t planned — it began with an experimental SMM and acquisition project through social media. It was my first contact with the industry, and to make sense of it, I had to go back to the basics: what an iGaming product really is, who the audience is, and how the player journey works.
That curiosity pushed me to start knocking on doors — meeting with product managers, retention teams, marketers, support, even content specialists — asking questions, listening, and connecting the dots. Those early conversations gave me not only knowledge, but also a deep understanding of how all the pieces of this business fit together.
The real turning point came when V.Partners was about to launch as a brand-new affiliate project. I was recommended for the role, and the timing was perfect. I had experience in marketing, I spoke German — key for our first DACH-focused brand — and most importantly, I was ready to take on the challenge of building something from scratch.
In 2017, I joined as one of the very first team members. At the start, I had no clear picture of what V.Partners could become — it was fast-paced and full of unknowns. But as I began shaping processes, setting priorities, and bringing the right people together, the vision started to take form. That’s when I understood: this was where I could apply both my operational mindset and my passion for people — and make a real impact.
Yeva: Tanya, as the COO of V.Partners, what are the biggest challenges you face in the affiliate marketing industry, and how do you tackle them?
One of the hardest parts of being a COO is balancing speed with depth. This industry moves so quickly — new markets, new brands, new regulations — but at the same time, building a strong team and sustainable processes takes patience.
There have been moments when I had to decide: do we hire senior specialists from outside to move fast, or do we grow our own talent from within, which is slower but often more rewarding long-term? I’ve done both. It’s never easy — things don’t always work perfectly on the first try. But I’ve learned to tackle that by staying structured yet flexible, keeping faith in the result, and most importantly, relying on my team — who support, inspire, and stand by each other when it matters most.
And that’s really the essence of the COO role: turning vision into operations. Strategy may set the destination, but my job is to make sure the processes, the systems, and the people all work together to actually get us there. It’s demanding, and sometimes messy, but when all those moving parts align and the results show up — that’s when you feel the impact. For me, that’s the most rewarding part: seeing what once looked impossible actually takes shape.
Yeva: V.Partners works with well-known brands like Vulkan Vegas and Ice Casino. With so many affiliate programs in the market, what strategies do you use to make sure your partnerships stand out and stay valuable for both your company and your affiliates?
What sets V.Partners apart is not just the brands we work with, but the way we’ve grown into a large-scale affiliate program. From early on, we made speed and innovation part of our DNA — every year bringing in new tools, new markets, and new ways to give affiliates an edge.
Our commission models are highly adaptable — from CPA, revenue share, and hybrid to streamer bonuses and unique conditions for top partners. But beyond flexible deals, what really makes us different is how we support affiliates with practical tools: real-time, in-depth analytics, professional support, tailor-made creatives, and features like our Telegram bot, self-service postback setup and many others that make cooperation smoother and faster.
We’ve also never stopped refining our approach — redesigning our brands, upgrading UX, and exploring AI technologies to better serve our partners. That constant drive to improve, combined with a long-term focus on relationships, is what makes us stand out in such a crowded market.
Yeva: V.Partners works in many international markets, each with its own rules, customer preferences, and economic conditions. How do you keep conversion rates high across such different audiences?
There’s no universal recipe when it comes to conversions across international markets. What works perfectly in one region may completely fail in another. That’s why we put so much focus on data, adaptability, and operational readiness.
Entering a new market is never a quick decision (though sometimes speed is essential — and we act fast when the opportunity is right). We evaluate the overall health of the iGaming market, the competitive dynamics, and the extent to which our partners are already engaged in the region. Operational readiness is more than a checkbox — it’s about having the right payment flows, trusted provider relationships, localised support teams, and the tools to build lasting player engagement from day one.
This is usually a joint decision between product management and the affiliate team, combining market data with partner feedback. Once we’re sure we can deliver real value and quality to affiliates, we make the move.
From there, it becomes about localisation — not just language, but also design, usability, and the cultural “feel” of the product. We’ve redesigned brand interfaces for specific markets, improved communication channels, and developed analytics that allow partners to react in real time.
So while the formula sounds simple — data, localisation, and flexibility — in practice it’s a layered process. But that’s exactly what helps us keep conversion rates strong across such diverse audiences.
Yeva: Affiliate marketing is all about staying flexible and adapting to changes. Can you share a time when V.Partners had to quickly adjust its strategy due to unexpected market shifts?
In nine years of V.Partners, we’ve had to adapt more times than I can count — sometimes overnight. One clear example was Germany. For years it was one of our strongest markets, but then regulatory changes came faster than expected. We had to close registrations almost immediately and re-think our entire strategy. It was tough, but it also pushed us to look beyond familiar ground and expand into new regions.
There were other moments too — when once-promising markets tightened their rules, or when search algorithms changed and suddenly SEO traffic dropped. At those times, we had to diversify into other traffic sources like PPC or media buying to keep volumes steady.
The truth is, you can’t always predict these shifts. Sometimes you prepare in advance, but often you only know once the change hits. What helps us is the way we handle it: together with the team and with our partners. We share information, adjust campaigns, and look for solutions side by side. It’s not always easy, but each challenge has made us more resilient and flexible. And in the long run, those moments became the reason we kept growing instead of standing still.
Yeva: Is there a V.Partners campaign that you think was special or unique? What made it successful, and what can other affiliate marketers learn from it?
I wouldn’t point to a single marketing campaign as ‘the one,’ but there’s one moment that really stands out for me — our 7th anniversary celebration in Amsterdam in 2023. That event wasn’t just a party; it felt like a statement of who we are as a program and as a team.
We brought partners, colleagues, and friends together in a way that truly reflected our culture — open, energetic, and focused on long-term relationships. Honestly, I think we outdid ourselves. It set a new standard for how we want to celebrate and connect with the people who make our success possible.
The video is still on our YouTube channel (“V.Partners 7th Birthday party”) — it captures the spirit perfectly. And if there’s one lesson for others, it’s this: don’t underestimate the power of moments like these. Affiliates remember not just the numbers, but the experiences and the human connections you create together.
Yeva: As COO, you have to handle all kinds of tasks, from making big plans to solving problems quickly. If you could have any superpower to help with your job, what would it be and why?
That’s such a great question — I love it because it really fits the reality of my work. If I could choose one superpower, it would definitely be the ability to clone myself — and maybe even my colleagues, just for the fun of it.
So often, there just aren’t enough hours or enough of me to go around. I’d love to be everywhere at once: closing tasks, helping the team, running numbers, having important conversations, and yes — even sharing a laugh with someone who needs a break.
That kind of superpower — the power to multiply yourself and do everything at the same time — would be incredibly useful in a role like mine. At least I’d love to try it once.
Company: V.Partners
Interviewee: Tanya Bratchykova
Date: 15.10.2025
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