In this spotlight Q&A, we caught up with Sol Silva, a member of CAKE’s U.S. Business Development team. Sol brings more than 7 years of professional experience across multiple industries including the mortgage and technology space. He is passionate about working with prospects interested in scaling their performance marketing program by educating them on CAKE features poised to help expand their existing operations.

Check out the highlights from our conversation.

What is your current role at CAKE and what are you focused on?

I am currently a Business Development Representative at CAKE. My role consists of reaching out to potential clients and learning the ins and outs of their affiliate and lead gen businesses and educating prospects on how to build effective affiliate programs. When speaking with prospects I try to gain as much insight into their strengths and weaknesses to help tailor a demo to their specific use case.

Working in a dynamic environment has made me focus on current and future affiliate marketing trends while deepening my knowledge of CAKE.

Can you share more about your journey into performance marketing?

I was first exposed to performance marketing while earning my bachelor’s degree at San Francisco State University. I had been aware of affiliate marketing, but I had no idea about all the moving parts that it encompasses behind the scenes.

Once I became part of the CAKE team, I quickly realized how vast the performance marketing landscape really is and how pivotal CAKE’s platform is for large companies. From then on, a whole new world of marketing opened up and I learned about all of the players and innovative technology in the performance marketing space.

What is the biggest trend you are seeing in performance marketing in the U.S. right now?

Privacy is a huge topic of discussion. As the general sentiment toward data privacy shifts, affiliate marketers want to make sure they will still be able to effectively and efficiently track their events and conversions.

CAKE’s ability to measure performance without relying solely on cookies enables companies to track their affiliate program without forgoing privacy concerns. We are able to prioritize consumer privacy while maintaining accurate measurement through server-to-server tracking.

Outside of work, what are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I have been practicing Jiu-Jitsu for close to two years and have been enthralled by the values and skills it teaches both on and off the training mats. It has centered me in my work, personal relationships, and overall health. In my free time, I love training with friends at other gyms and putting my Jiu-Jitsu to the test by competing in local competitions.

What is one piece of advice you would offer prospects looking for an affiliate software solution?

Have a plan to scale your business. Whether you’re just starting out or are already running an affiliate program, plan to have a platform that will be able to grow alongside your business. CAKE has different tiers that are easily scalable to the size and scope of all businesses.

What is your favorite CAKE feature and why?

My favorite CAKE feature would have to be event tracking. It goes without saying, different companies are looking to track different events that lead up to the sale of a product. I’m always interested in how clicks become conversions and enjoy understanding a company’s sales funnel. CAKE’s ability to track a variety of events, whether it’s a signup to a newsletter or a free trial, is pivotal for businesses to better understand the steps a prospect takes to purchase a product.

What is one thing people don’t know about you?

I am a huge documentary nut. The intricacies of profound events and extraordinary people have always fascinated me. My current obsession is true crime. Understanding the psychology of regular people who commit evil crimes deeply interests me. Each of these events are like their own blockbuster fantasies that we wouldn’t believe actually happened unless documented by police reports and first-hand accounts.