Jesse Lakes

Jesse Lakes didn’t plan on becoming an affiliate marketing expert—he just wanted to help creators earn a little more from their work. What started as a small side project to fix the broken links between audiences and products grew into a two-decade deep dive into the quirks, pitfalls, and surprising opportunities of online monetization.

Before co-founding Geniuslink, Jesse’s path wound through some unexpected places: guiding whitewater rafting trips in Montana, writing his first book (which nearly got him sued—yes, really), and serving as Apple’s first Global Manager for the iTunes Affiliate Program. Along the way, he learned that great ideas don’t just spread on their own—they need the right “glue” to hold the internet together.

Today, as CEO of Geniuslink, Jesse helps creators, publishers, and businesses earn more from the links they already share. His tools—Geniuslink and its companion, Booklinker—power smarter, more profitable connections for thousands of people around the world.

Jesse’s writing blends experience with empathy. In Mastering Amazon Associates, he shares the hard-earned lessons of nearly twenty years working with Amazon’s affiliate program—cutting through jargon with a dose of humor, clear examples, and the kind of candor that only comes from learning the hard way (and living to tell the tale).

When he’s not experimenting with link strategies or helping creators optimize their revenue, you can probably find him on a trail, in a river, or convincing his kids that affiliate marketing really is cool.

Whether you’re just starting out or already running a thriving content business, Jesse’s goal is simple: to help you earn more by working smarter—not harder—online.