Cristian Ionescu is the creator of CatStats.ai, an AI-powered intelligence platform for affiliate networks. Before building his own SaaS, he deployed analytics systems for Samsung Europe and worked across automotive, telecommunications, and digital marketing. In this episode, we explore the harsh realities of AI's impact on experienced professionals, the "7-day startup" philosophy that gets products to market before competitors catch up, and how Netflix-style recommendation algorithms are being weaponized for affiliate marketing.
🔑 Key Topics Covered:
[03:45] From aerospace engineer to data analytics expert—Cristian's unconventional journey into discovering you can "program math"
[06:20] Behind the scenes: Building analytics dashboards for Samsung Europe's phone launches and tracking retailer visibility across markets
[11:15] The analytics blind spot: Why small businesses waste money on expensive marketing experiments instead of being strategically picky
[15:40] The unglamorous truth: Why updating your Google Business Profile matters more than exotic marketing strategies
[19:50] AI adoption paradox: Why fewer businesses are using AI in 2025 than 2024 (paralysis by analysis)
[24:30] The ChatGPT M-dash problem: Why AI-generated ad copy loses to human copy in Meta A/B tests—and how to fix it
[28:15] How LLMs are teaching us to write better: When to skip AI altogether and post authentically
[31:40] Ross Simmonds' "Create Once, Distribute Forever" strategy: The hierarchy approach to repurposing long-form content
[36:25] Why pre-planned content calendars kill authenticity (and what to do instead)
[39:10] Inside CatStats.ai: How Netflix-style recommendation algorithms match affiliates with winning offers
[45:20] The "7-Day Startup" philosophy: If you're not ashamed when you launch, you launched too late
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