Hello, community! Our guest in today’s interview is Oleh Kupets. Oleh is not just the author of KUPETS_TRAF or the founder of KuPartners (although those are part of it too). First and foremost, he’s an example of how to successfully convert motivation into high-level results and make a meaningful contribution to the development of the industry. Enjoy reading!
Intro for readers who don’t know you — how would you describe your path from your first earned money to your first affiliate success?
I was born in a village. Lost my mom at six. We were so poor I used to eat pigeons and hedgehogs. My brother got wheat grains, we’d grind them in a manual coffee grinder and cook porridge. Bread was a celebration. I worked from a young age — in the fields, orchards, grain elevators, anywhere I could earn a penny. This went on for 3–4 years, then things gradually got better.
Despite all that, I’m grateful to my father. He gave me more than many could have in those conditions — he taught me survival and growth, to work hard, keep my word, and take responsibility for my actions. The difficulties weren’t his fault — he was the one who weathered the storm and kept our home afloat. I get that now.
My first money came from selling pumpkins to neighbors. Then I caught crayfish and delivered them to local bars. Later — construction, pots, perfumes.
Eventually, I launched several online stores. Things were going well, but I realized I didn’t want to be tied to a location or physical goods. I wanted to go fully online and work from anywhere. That’s what led me to affiliate marketing.
In 2019–2020, I dove deep into traffic. My first real success wasn’t a lucky hit — it was when I built a team that figured out how to work better than I could myself.
I didn’t chase hype or shady schemes. I wanted a system that wouldn’t collapse from one ban. It was tough: I built and lost six or seven teams (not all at once) due to poor hiring or lack of structure. Only then did KupetsTeam emerge — a team based on transparent rules, autonomy, and deep control. It wasn’t luck. It was about systems, persistence, and dozens of attempts — even when no one believed anymore.
KuPartners — how fast was the transition from an affiliate team to your own network?
This wasn’t some “let’s build a partner network” plan. It was more like “how much more can we take?”. We were running lots of traffic and kept stepping on the same rakes. Some networks disappeared (like DepLeb). Others shaved openly. Some delayed payments for weeks until they got paid by the advertiser.
And I thought: is it really that hard to just do your job properly? No circus, no “I’ll send it tomorrow”, no “not our fault”. We’ve been on the other side and saw all these issues firsthand. Eventually, I said: enough. If we can’t find a reliable, transparent partner network — we’ll build our own.
And we did. And it worked.
At KuPartners, we addressed everything that hurt us as affiliates. For trusted partners — daily payouts, no holds. We provide all launch tools: smartlinks, PWAs, prelanders. We offer free bots to simplify and automate routine. And most importantly — you can always reach not just support, but actual media buyers who’ve launched campaigns and know how to fix burning issues. No “we’ll forward it to the department”, no formalities.
This isn’t about service. It’s about partnership. And from day one, we’ve built this partnership on trust, expertise, and respect for affiliates’ work.
Who runs KuPartners now? Is it the same people from your affiliate team?
Our partner network isn’t a separate project or something running in parallel. It’s a logical continuation of our affiliate team. We never had a split like “this is the team” and “this is the network” with no overlap. On the contrary — KuPartners grew directly from KupetsTeam.
Some of the people now representing KuPartners were the ones running traffic with me. Some were in buying, others in support, some in analytics. We didn’t hire “ready-made” affiliate managers from the market — we grew our own. Instead of teaching rookies what traffic is, we gave responsibility to those who’d lived it.
That’s why our team is built not around roles, but around values. These are people with experience. Not just theory — they’ve been through the grind.
Do you follow Oleksandr Slobozhenko or other affiliates who inspired you?
Yes, I really was inspired by his example back in the day. At the time, I had no team, no office, no idea how things worked behind the scenes — and his content gave me an entry point. Not motivation, but an actual example. “Here’s a guy who built something from scratch.” And that was enough to want more.
Today, I don’t follow every step he takes — I’ve gone my own way. We have a different culture, a different speed of decision-making, different approaches. But I respect everything he’s done for the industry.
We don’t copy anyone’s models. I watch others’ mistakes, interviews, decisions — and build my own products based on that. KuPartners and everything else we’re growing — it’s not about chasing trends. It’s about solving real pains. And those pains we’ve experienced ourselves.
The same goes for PWA.pro — it came from an internal need. We couldn’t find a good enough solution, so we built our own. And now we offer it to the market.
Same with education: while most “info-gurus” are pumping out fake experts with broken views of the market, I decided to just share my own view openly. My free training isn’t meant to sell anything. It’s a response to the market. I ask for nothing in return — I just want more people in this niche with real skills and heads on their shoulders, not just some course and a filtered Instagram avatar.
Why gambling? How do you handle competition in this high-stakes niche?
Gambling — because it’s honest. If you’re strong, you earn. If you’re weak, the wave washes you away. There’s no “maybe you’ll get lucky” here. Either you know how to generate results — or you’re out.
Yes, competition is fierce. But I like that. It keeps you sharp. That’s why we’ve survived while many others faded. Because we didn’t rely on luck — we relied on systems, analytics, creative quality, audience work. We’re not afraid of hard GEOs — we study them, adapt our creatives, and enter from the bottom, but for the long term.
Attacks? They happen all the time — fraud, spying, hunting, all kinds of tricks. But it’s part of the game. We don’t retaliate. We just show there’s another way — you can simply be excellent. No dirt, no drama, no manipulation. That’s what works long-term.
Taking a hit is about character. And I know we’ve got it.
Your attitude toward gambling as a phenomenon, not just a vertical?
I see gambling as part of life — it has always existed and always will. As a phenomenon — without judgment or romanticism. It reflects a human need: to take risks, to believe in luck, to seek emotion. Some get it from sports, some from relationships, some from slots.
Have I ever gambled? Yes, I tried. It didn’t hook me. I’m more interested in building systems than chasing luck. But I don’t judge those who play. Gambling isn’t evil. Addiction is a separate issue — and that applies to any obsession without awareness, not just gambling.
My stance is clear: I don’t promote gambling as a “way to get rich” or “a second income.” It’s not an investment or a business. It’s entertainment. And when users understand that, they make an informed choice. My choice is to give them an honest experience: no tricks, no fake scripts, no deception. Just the kind of product I’d want to see myself.
Why focus on PWA? Is it the best format for gambling today?
PWA isn’t a trendy gimmick or a magic bullet. It’s just a stable tool that lets you launch campaigns without unnecessary risks. The benefits are obvious: it doesn’t get banned from app stores, no moderation required, fast loading, easy to customize for any flow. Most importantly — it works.
Speaking of Facebook, the best-performing and most reliable traffic solutions right now are PWAs, iOS wrappers, and smartlinks. Your choice depends on goals, GEO, and your team’s experience — but these three offer the best mix of scale and stability.
Sure, there are other options. But they’re either unstable, hard to maintain, or lack optimization flexibility.
We provide PWAs for free to anyone running traffic through our partner program. Not because “we’re generous,” but because it benefits both sides. The affiliate gets a working tool without extra hassle, we get a strong partner driving solid volume. Win-win. You have the traffic — we handle the rest: PWA, tracking, support, customization.
My position is simple: tools shouldn’t be a barrier. If someone’s ready to launch — we don’t block the way, we open it.
Is there a plan to monetize PWA like the paid SPY service?
PWA is a standalone project with a full technical base, support, and flexible pricing. Yes, it’s an investment: we spend on development, hosting, customization, updates. And many would see that as just another service to monetize. But we built it with a different logic from day one.
For those driving traffic through our partner program — PWA remains completely free. It’s part of the partnership. If you’re with us, we provide the tool without strings attached. You bring the traffic — we handle tech support, fast onboarding, customization, scaling.
But if someone wants to use our PWA for another partner program — sure, there are separate pricing tiers. Transparent, clear, with fair conditions. We’re not against others using our tech — it’s just a different collaboration format.
As for the SPY tool — it went paid not to make money, but to become self-sustaining. We didn’t want the product to become a shadow of itself. If something’s being updated, supported, and developed — it needs resources. And we gave it that, so SPY could keep serving the market for real.
What’s next: new services, projects, other verticals?
We don’t chase the number of projects. Everything we launch is meant to solve a real pain. If there’s no pain — there’s no point in making another service just “to have it.”
Right now, we’re working on a few solutions specifically for the market — and yes, they’ll be free. But it’s too early to announce anything. We’ll show them when they’re ready. We don’t tease — we release.
As for new verticals — we’re constantly testing. If we see we can deliver results that are on par with our gambling performance, we go deeper. But for now, gambling remains our #1. And we’re not disappointed — it’s honest: do well, get rewarded. That’s our kind of model.
KUPETS_TRAF — your personal channel. It has more followers than your team or partner channels. And the content is top-tier. Have you considered being more visible on other channels? Like FACEBOOKovych? Or is your goal different — more about informing than outreach?
KUPETS_TRAF is my unfiltered voice. It’s where I say what I think, how I think, and when I think it. No edits, no deals. That’s why it’s alive and growing. People can tell when you’re speaking straight to them.
FACEBOOKovych is a different format. It’s run by a separate admin with deep Facebook buying expertise. A real top-tier buyer sharing his hands-on experience. That’s why it’s structured, practical, and straight to the point. No fluff, no content just for the sake of content.
I don’t see a reason to spam other channels. That’s what Kupets_Traf is for. It’s my platform, and that’s where I fully open up. I only show up elsewhere if there’s real value to share — some expertise, or a thought worth highlighting.
The goal is simple: every channel should have a clear purpose. And readers should know — this isn’t just text, it’s how we live and work.
What’s the most insane traffic test you’ve ever launched — that surprisingly worked?
The craziest test wasn’t about a creative or prelander. It was a decision. I cut off a stable income from e-commerce — monthly profits — and dove headfirst into arbitrage. No guarantees, no safety net.
I could’ve stayed comfy, launching “more or less” and keeping my margin. But I saw arbitrage could lead to something much bigger. And to build that — I had to leave the comfort zone entirely.
If arbitrage was banned tomorrow — what would you do?
Marketing, sales, consulting, creativity — something in that direction. I’d definitely find myself, no doubt.
I don’t care what the niche is. What matters is building systems that deliver results. If arbitrage disappears — something else will take its place. I’m not tied to an industry. I’m tied to an approach: go deep, do quality work, create real value.
So for me, the name of the tool doesn’t matter. As long as I’ve got my hands and my head, I’m good.
You can send one sentence to yourself from 5 years ago. What would it be — and why?
Keep doing what you’re doing. No doubts. No second-guessing.
Because all the “pause and think” moments only held me back. But decisiveness — that’s what pulled me through. Even when it hurt, that’s what built my character. So better to act and deal with the outcome, than overthink yourself into paralysis.
The most toxic arbitrage myth that annoys you — but still exists?
“Arbitrage is just a side hustle.” Or worse: “Arbitrage is dead.” Seriously?
This myth annoys me not because of the phrase — but because of the tone. Usually said by people whose only launch was a Telegram channel. Arbitrage isn’t a side gig. It’s complex technical work: analytics, creatives, logic, risks. It’s not “got lucky” or “got in early.” It’s about systems.
It’s like those “Soviet quality — things were better back then” folks. Same mindset. Nostalgia for imaginary stability.
If it were really dead, you wouldn’t see strong new players entering the space every month and carving out their share.
Arbitrage isn’t dead. “Dead” is the mindset of grabbing and bailing.
Do you have an “illogical” work principle that gives you consistent results?
I make a lot of decisions intuitively, very quickly. And I don’t second-guess them later — even if it looks like I “should have” done something else on paper.
From the outside, it seems illogical — no analysis, no spreadsheets, no eight-person calls. But for me, it’s about speed and internal honesty. If there’s a clear yes or no inside — the decision is already made. And it’s usually right. I didn’t learn this from books — I learned it from dozens of blown budgets and failed tests where logic said yes, but results said no.
This principle gives me consistent results: trust myself and move forward, instead of getting trapped in endless planning.
By the way, my wife of 12 years still hasn’t gotten used to it. I can make a decision in 10 seconds that others spend weeks on. And often, that decision is final. She’s not surprised anymore, but still sometimes asks, “Did you just decide like that again?” Yep.
How did you meet UAGEEK — and what would you say to our readers?
We connected through a simple conversation — as it often happens. No hype, no shouting. Just a message, a chat, and shared values. I like that you don’t chase trends — you create real space for meaningful conversations. That’s rare.
To the readers, I’ll say this: filter out the noise and listen to those who’ve actually built something with their own hands. Don’t confuse hype with expertise. And don’t wait for someone to hand you the “secret to success.” Everyone has their own. And if you want something real — start doing. Only action opens doors.
And that’s the perfect conclusion to our conversation. Huge thanks to Mr. Kupets for taking the time to give such thoughtful, in-depth, and honest answers. You can always share your thoughts in our Telegram community, where we discuss the most important topics in the world of arbitrage!
With respect, Your Geek!