Josh ‘Triple J’ James is leaving eConversions this week for pastures new, so I thought it would be a good opportunity for an interview with one of the UKs most popular Gok Wan look-a-likes.
JJJ is a good friend of mine, and a regular weekend drinking buddy. I wish him the best of luck in the new role, and I am looking forward to actually doing some work with him (and being able to expense against him).
So Triple J, Last week at eConversions, you excited about the new role?
I’m really excited about taking on a new challenge working network side. I don’t think it will be easy but I’m all for pushing oneself so I’m going to be embracing the challenges rather than shirking them.
I must also add that I will miss the guys at eConversions immensely. It’s been a great three years working there and I’ve been presented with so many opportunities and learned a helluva lot.
Right quick back ground, tell both the readers of this blog how you got into affiliate marketing and what you do/ did at eConversions, (try not to bore people)
Those who know me know that I struggle to tell a story without repeating myself/boring people but I’ll do my best.
I started at eConversions three years ago as an account manager running paid search campaigns and got into the Industry purely by chance – I applied for a few marketing jobs, had an interview with Dunc (Jennings) and Rich (Foister) over a ping pong ball table where we spoke about the Internet and poker and I knew that this was the Industry for me.
After around a year in the job the need for a Head of Client Services arose at eConversions as the company grew we realised that we needed somebody to manage all client, network and agency relationships and the fact that I enjoy a good banter, my love for affiliate marketing and the fact that I had already started managing most of our key relationships made me a perfect candidate for the role. That and the boys wanted to get me away from using AdWords as I was useless. Definitely a more theory than practice kind of guy.
And what brought on the decision to move on?
It was a big decision to move on as the guys there are good friends and I really believe in the services they offer and the web projects they are working upon but quite simply I wanted a new challenge to develop myself more professionally… That and I wanted to be able to expense drinks when we go out.
What is your role at Affilinet going to be?
My official title is Director of Publisher Services and Strategy whatever that means, but quite simply I see myself developing relationships with affilinet’s publishers (both existing and new) and ensuring the service that they are receiving is the best in the Industry. Ultimately, helping to bridge the gap between publishers and merchants, to drive more incremental sales and commissions for publishers and merchants alike.
Is there any truth in the rumour that Pete Rowe only hired you so he would have someone to drink with?
I can categorically deny those rumours. We are both tee total.
What do you think you are going to bring to the Affilinet table?
Coming from an affiliate background I think I am in a unique position to bring a certain level of knowledge and understanding as to what affiliates are and are not looking for in an affiliate network.
Generally when I describe affiliate marketing to my friends and family, I describe a network’s role as acting an intermediary between merchants and publishers where necessary and in my new role that is exactly what I am hoping to do. Transparency has been a big talking point in affiliate marketing recently and at affilinet I hope to be as transparent as possible to our publishers and merchants to help build trust between parties to facilitate the maximisation of incremental sales growth for the benefit of all parties – this is a sales business after all.
I’m also looking to raise the profile of the company. affilinet invest a lot of money back into the Industry (they were platinum sponsors of the A4U Expo in London in October and are doing the same for upcoming A4U Expo in Amsterdam) however they seldom publicise themselves and are still relatively unknown to a number of affiliates despite being one of Europe’s largest affiliate networks. I’m looking to help improve this by engaging a lot more with affiliates, merchants and agencies alike.
Does your new role and move away from a Farringdon base mean that you won’t be wearing as many cardigans and skinny jeans?
If anything my collection of cardigans and skinny jeans will grow.
Is there any truth in the rumour that you were hired by Affilinet to help them gain access to the Mexican affiliate market?
The rumours that I have Mexican roots are completely unproven.
If either of the readers of this blog are female, Josh is Single!
Triple J, what are you looking for in a woman? And can you confirm you once lost a “who is better looking contest” with me?
I’m looking for a girl who is nice and huggable but at the moment I’m focussed on my new job rather than looking for a woman.
A “who is better looking contest”?!?! I’d never be arrogant enough to enter one of those. Though if I were to have a competition when drunk, I definitely wouldn’t lose… To you.
What i am wearing right now: Jeans, stan smiths and a polo
p.s. Josh did start a who is better looking contest on one night out in Islington, and lost, to me. Before sending text to people who he thought would vote for him. A classic reply to one text he sent:
“One of you is more classically good looking, the other is more interesting good looking!”
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