Martin Zarian, co-founder of Factory 39 and full-stack brand builder, joins me on this episode of The Manesh Palli Show for a deep conversation on why brand strategy beats product-led growth in today’s saturated markets—especially iGaming.

We unpack why “build it and they will come” is a dangerous myth, how only a small percentage of customers are ever ready to buy at any given moment, and why the strongest brands win by owning mental real estate long before conversion happens. Martin shares why most iGaming companies look the same, how brand foundation should come before product features, and where performance marketing breaks without brand support.

We also explore the real role of AI in branding, the rise of the fractional CMO, and why personal branding has become a powerful growth lever for founders and operators building in highly competitive environments.

🔗 Connect with Martin: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinzarian Agency – https://www.factory39.io

🎙️ Hosted by Manesh Palli Fractional CMO for iGaming Providers. More: https://maneshpalli.com

💡 This episode is powered by Bettorify White-label and turnkey iGaming solutions, deeply local and built for Asia. Built for operators who want beyond ordinary. More: https://bettorify.com

🎧 Like, follow & share if this episode helped you rethink how brands actually win.

Valentina Diaco spent nearly two decades in B2C iGaming before making the leap to start her own consultancy: Profit Matches. In this episode of The Manesh Palli Show, we dive into the real story behind her transition from agency and operator life to building a human-first business.We talk about:• The turning point that led her to leave full-time roles• Why she believes success comes from alignment, not hustle• How AI is transforming iGaming workflows (and what’s missing)• What “Profit Matches Purpose” really means• Red flags in short-term-only strategies• Brandformance: Blending brand building with performance marketing🔗 Connect with Valentina:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentina-diaco-2b62526/Newsletter – https://www.profitmatches.com⸻🎙️ Hosted by Manesh PalliFractional CMO for iGaming Providers.More: https://maneshpalli.com⸻💡 This episode is powered by BettorifyWhite-label and turnkey iGaming solutions, deeply local and built for Asia.Built for operators who want beyond ordinary.More: https://bettorify.com⸻🎧 Like, subscribe & share if you enjoyed this episode.

If you’re building a business, especially in iGaming or fintech, you must understand how payments and banking really work.

In this episode, Viktoria Soltesz (Founder of PSP Angels & author of Moving Money: How Banks Think) shares hard truths and real-world insights about:

• Why so many startups fail because of banking
• The problem with introducers and commissions in high-risk industries
• How to actually choose the right payment provider
• The Soltesz Payment Framework and how it helps you plan before it’s too late
• Crypto vs. compliance: what most marketers don’t realise

This is a must-watch conversation if you’re a founder, CFO, or operator navigating global payments, compliance, and growth in iGaming.

🎧 Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations with the builders shaping the future of iGaming.

📍 The Manesh Palli Show is powered by https://www.10xbrand.io – The full service marketing agency for iGaming companies ready to build brands that dominate.

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I'm Manesh Palli and I support iGaming companies as a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer to launch, scale, and unify brand & marketing strategy across multiple growth channels including expos, social media, press features, and more.

• Connect with Manesh Palli on ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• Visit ⁠website⁠
• ⁠Follow the show⁠
• ⁠Learn more about fractional CMO⁠

In this episode of The Manesh Palli Show, I sit down with Hanna Rai, CEO of Bettorify, to unpack her journey... from running 6 brands alone on night shifts to building a platform designed around operator success, not just features.

Most iGaming platform providers sell software and operate like factory lines. Bettorify is building with a different approach.

We talk about:

• How iGaming platforms usually operate and Why operators fail

• Deep localisation vs lazy translation

• How Bettorify vets operators instead of onboarding anyone with a budget• What the industry gets wrong about Asia

• The importance of building with intention

This one’s not just for founders or marketers... it’s for anyone who’s tired of the broken factory model of iGaming platforms.

> Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations with the builders shaping the future of iGaming.

> The Manesh Palli Show is powered by https://www.10xbrand.io – The full service marketing agency for iGaming companies ready to build brands that dominate.

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I'm your host Manesh Palli, the Fractional Chief Marketing Officer for fast-growing iGaming companies. I work directly with Founders & CEOs and turn marketing chaos into a growth engine.

• Connect with Manesh Palli on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠
• Visit ⁠⁠website⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Follow the show⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Learn more about fractional CMO

In this episode of The Manesh Palli Show, I sit down with Keith Zammit, Chief Sales Officer at XGENIA - a startup revolutionising iGaming through AI-powered game development.

Keith shares how his team built a slot machine in 15 minutes using AI, what it’s like to launch at the intersection of iGaming and innovation.

From bootstrapping demos at ICE with a laptop to launching a game creation platform, Keith takes us behind the scenes of building one of the most disruptive tools in the market today.

If you’re into iGaming, startups, or the future of AI in creative industries - this one’s for you.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more.

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I'm Manesh Palli and I support iGaming companies as a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer to launch, scale, and unify brand & marketing strategy across multiple growth channels including expos, social media, press features, and more.

• Connect with Manesh Palli on ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• Visit ⁠website⁠
• ⁠Follow the show⁠
• ⁠Learn more about fractional CMO

In this episode, I sit down with Eman Pulis, the founder of SiGMA Group, SiGMA Foundation, and IKIGAI Ventures.

From starting with €16,000 in debt to building one of the biggest iGaming events in the world, Eman shares the unfiltered truth about entrepreneurship, leadership, and redefining what it means to win.

We talk about how he built SiGMA from scratch, pivoted during COVID, and why he’s now measuring success in people, not in money. He also reveals the next big move for SiGMA in North America.

Whether you’re a founder, operator, or someone navigating your own growth journey... this one’s loaded with real talk and timeless insight.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more.

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I'm Manesh Palli and I support iGaming companies as a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer to launch, scale, and unify brand & marketing strategy across multiple growth channels including expos, social media, press features, and more.

• Connect with Manesh Palli on LinkedIn
• Visit website
• Follow the show
• Learn more about fractional CMO

In my first episode of The Manesh Palli Show, I sit down with John Wright, co-founder of StatsDrone, for a real conversation about building a B2B SaaS in iGaming.

We talk about the messy middle... shutting down the first version, dealing with revenue leak, rebuilding from scratch, and staying in the game when most would quit. John shares what most people don’t see: burnout, hard decisions, and what it actually takes to grow in this space.

If you’re building anything in iGaming, especially on the affiliate or B2B side, this one’s for you.