How to build a team with a special atmosphere: an interview with ProfitPeak's Head of Marketing Alina

Affhub continues to introduce the community to market leaders. And today, we conducted an extensive interview with ProfitPeak’s Head of Marketing Alina. She has built a team from scratch based on mutual respect and understanding. Read the secret of such success in our new interview. 

Alina, how did you get to where you are now? What brought you here?

I joined ProfitPeak as head of the marketing department last summer. Over the past six months, I’ve built a talanted team. We prepared for our public launch, developed a strategy, and recently went live.

I’m excited to share that Our online casino Winaura has already made a splash in traffic arbitrage even before going public. We’ve attracted attention of Famous media-buying teams that already work with us. They say our product might be the most profitable one of the year. ProfitPeak focuses on Tier-1 countries and offers great terms, making our casino a prime opportunity as a direct advertiser.

The holding has other projects, but I can’t discuss them because of an NDA. /While I can’t discuss other projects within the holding due to NDA , I’m thrilled to have found the team that shares my vibe. This makes me believe we have a great potential for success. Expect a lot of cool content and surprises from us in 2025!

People say the team here has a special atmosphere. Did you bring any personal values from the start? Why are they important?

Absolutely! This is my second time building a team from the scratch. I took my time finding real “gems.” Of course, I focused on hard skills, but soft skills were just as important.

For me, honesty, decency, directness, and creativity are essential. I encourage my team to voice their opinions, even if they disagree with me. Why is that/this important? Because when someone truly cares, they deserve to be heard and their ideas valued. In my department we don’t impose work , instead our team is proactive and pours energy into projects. When people care about what they do, they do their best, and the results truly shine.

If I were new to your company, how would you impress me in the first few days?

We start with a video call — since we’re a remote team. I meet a new team member and ask about his expectations so that I can provide everything he needs for a smooth start.

I also prepare a file with details on who does what, the project’s tone of voice, our strategy, current concepts, and goals for the new hire. Then I give him time to read it through, ask questions, and meet the team.

Next comes a test assignment. It helps new team members get used to the workflow. Usually, they have lots of questions, so I guide them. Later, I let them handle tasks on their own.

How do you define the “ideal job” for someone in your department? Does it match your own idea?

For me, the ideal job is centered around creativity — that’s the value of my team. I regularly run anonymous surveys, and the feedback shows that most team members want to share their ideas. I actively encourage that. We have a respectful environment where everyone can propose new concepts, formats, and approaches. I see my role like a parent who keeps the child on the right path but gives them space to explore.

You want everyone to come to work with a real smile, right? How do you achieve that?

I want them to feel motivated and excited each day. So I watch their workloads—if someone is overwhelmed, I encourage them to delegate or ask for more time. I don’t want them work in constant stress or deliver low-quality work. I’d rather extend a deadline than force overtime.

We never have urgent tasks that “should’ve been done yesterday.” Plus, once a month, we do a casual video call to chat and joke around. That helps us build a friendly vibe even though we’re remote.

In this space of affiliate marketing, you can’t avoid some “hard” moments, right?

Having worked in this field for five years, I’ve faced that all.  I’ve worked through the night, burned out, and felt disgusted with tasks. Because I’ve lived it, I try to prevent the team from harming their mental health. Sometimes I push them, but I stay realistic with deadlines and quality.

We strive to complete the tasks ahead of the schedule and support other departments. Early on, it was tough because we built a design system from scratch with no references. We created 144 logo variations, tested colors, and refined the palette. It wasn’t so much about working overtime as it was about lots of revisions. But we stayed calm, communicated clearly, and tactfully explained changes. That teamwork helped us enter the market strong — and we plan to keep growing.

It sounds like you have a solid team. But you were hiring people recently, right? Besides resumes and portfolios, what do you look for?

My team is fully staffed now, but before, I hired many people at once — PR, SMM, design, copywriting. It was hard because, although lots of people want to work in this industry, not everyone is skilled enough.

Beyond the resume and portfolio, I rely on test assignments. I tailor these to each candidate to see if our styles match. I love it when people offer unusual, creative solutions. It shows they think differently. If they do well on the test, I have a video call with them. If we share values, I decide whether to hire them and always give feedback.

Do you ever have tension in the team? How do you deal with toxic behavior or conflicts?

So far, we haven’t encountered any major conflicts. The biggest issue is usually editing for designers. They get a lot of requests, and as creative people, they have their own vision. So we must be careful how we communicate changes.

At our very first team meeting, I explained how I wanted us to handle communication. If there’s a problem, we talk openly. We’ve been together six months without any toxic behavior or gossip. If I did spot that, I’d put a stop to it.

If you found someone toxic, would you fire them or try to fix them?

I’ve dealt with a toxic employee before. I was new to management and tried to be very patient. I talked to them many times, but it didn’t improve. Finally, I had to let them go because they affected the team negatively.

Often, you see red flags during the interview process. It’s better to say no right away. I don’t try to “fix” anyone; I just let them find a place that suits them.

How do you make employees feel like they’re not just cogs in the machine, but key parts of a bigger picture?

I want everyone to be involved and interested in their work. I make sure to stay in touch with each person. My department is small, so it’s doable. Some people don’t get detailed technical tasks from me; I just explain the result we need. They come up with solutions, and I choose the best one.

Different people have different strengths. One copywriter might love technical tasks, while another is more creative. I assign tasks based on those preferences.

You balance results and long-term human connections. Which matters more? And do you agree that “nobody is irreplaceable”?

I care about lasting relationships. That’s also profitable—if people stay, we save time and money on hiring. I’m not looking for high turnover. I hire people who fit the project and my style. So our department usually grows instead of shrinking.

What’s the future of ProfitPeak?

I see ProfitPeak becoming a large, well-known company with many interesting projects. My team will grow too, adding creative thinkers who will help us stand out.

What makes you smile when you look back? And what do you look forward to in the future?

I smile when I remember how I started in this industry by chance. I thought it was temporary, but it turned out to be permanent.

A new graduate wants to form their first team — like you did. Any advice?

Be yourself, and develop the qualities you want in your team. Like attracts like. The stronger your skills, the more people will trust and join you. Be kind, wise, and resilient. Remember you’re the leader, but also know people might take advantage of your kindness. So be wise: don’t let them walk all over you.

Finally, if ProfitPeak were a character in a book or movie, who would it be?

Tony Stark — Iron Man.

Interesting. Why him?

He gathers a talented team and inspires them to take on big ideas. He’s not a loner but a power source for everyone. In our marketing team, each person has a unique superpower — some do PR or SMM, others design, and others write.

Iron Man is tech-savvy, ambitious, willing to risk, and invests in large-scale projects. But he also values his team. We do the same at ProfitPeak. We welcome new ideas and give people the freedom to bring them to life.

We weren’t born with superpowers either. Like Tony, we invest in building our own “iron suit,” using all our resources but staying human. Now we’re taking off and not looking back.