Nilufar Usupova (also spelled Yusupova) is the CEO of Rezono and the former Head of BD & PR at AdsEmpire. In this Inside A Hustler’s Brain episode, the Nilufar Usupova Rezono interview covers a startup partnership that, in her words, went wrong, her lessons on trust, why she went public and how she is building Rezono.
Instagram shows private jets and champagne. It rarely shows the founder who worked a year for free and was left holding the debts.
In the latest episode of Inside A Hustler’s Brain, I sat down in Barcelona with Nilufar Usupova (also known as Nilufar Yusupova), CEO of Rezono and former Head of BD & PR at AdsEmpire. Nilufar had posted on Facebook about being let down by people she trusted, and nobody had asked her about it openly, until now.
We last did a podcast at Affiliate World Bangkok (read my earlier Nilufar Yusupova interview here). This one is far more emotional, and far more important.
Quick Facts: Nilufar Usupova
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Guest | Nilufar Usupova (also spelled Nilufar Yusupova) |
| Role | CEO of Rezono |
| Previously | Head of BD & PR at AdsEmpire |
| Rezono helps brands scale on | Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Google and Newsbreak |
| First time exhibiting at | Affiliate World (with Rezono) |
| Recorded | In Barcelona, at Affiliate Takeover Barcelona |
| Based in | Spain (moved back from Dubai) |
| Host | Jitendra Vaswani |
| Podcast | Inside A Hustler’s Brain (YouTube) |
In This Episode, We Unpacked
- Exhibiting Rezono at Affiliate World for the first time
- How a CEO role turned into unpaid salaries and companies in her name (her account)
- The lessons: put yourself first and never trust blindly
- Why she went public, and how the industry responded
- The side of affiliate marketing nobody posts about
- Why old-school honesty and reputation still matter in 2026
- Moving countries, getting married and her toughest year
- Her last wish: to become the person she wanted to be
Watch the Full Nilufar Usupova Rezono Episode
What Nilufar Usupova Is Building at Rezono
When we met, Nilufar had just exhibited with Rezono at Affiliate World for the first time. It was a big step and, she says, a success. Rezono helps brands scale on Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Google and Newsbreak.
She was candid about how hard exhibiting is. Meeting people is the easy part. Organising merch, booth design and the team is where the stress lives. Some of their merch didn’t arrive on time, and she heard of another company that lost seven boxes and had nothing at its booth.
After that came Sardinia, then Affiliate Takeover Barcelona, this time without a booth. Her focus now: closing deals.
What Happened in Nilufar Usupova’s Business Partnership?
Nilufar was offered a CEO position at a startup. She built the team from scratch and learned email infrastructure from zero: hiring emailers, digging into deliverability and warming up domains. She also used her reputation to bring in valuable contacts and push the company forward.
After about a year, she discovered the company’s data monetisation for another company wasn’t properly agreed, so “the base of the business was already corrupted”. The company had to close.
Closing wasn’t the shock. What came next was:
- She said the company closed with unpaid salaries to her and the team
- She had been convinced to open two companies under her name that weren’t really hers
- When money was tight, she paid the team and the tools first. That left her owed about three months’ salary while others were owed one
- When she warned she would go public if debts weren’t paid, she says they blocked her everywhere
“It was on pure trust. I’m never doing it again.” – Nilufar Usupova
Her biggest lessons are ones every affiliate and founder should tattoo on their brain:
- Put yourself first. Value your job, your time and yourself
- Never trust blindly. If you’re doing something together, sign legal agreements
- Don’t put your name on companies you don’t own. Legally, the paper owner can be responsible
- Do your research before you partner with anyone
- Protect your reputation. It goes a long way in this industry
She pointed out that in some countries, as the owner on paper, she could have been personally responsible for paying everyone’s salaries.
I’ve learned similar lessons myself over the years. For another powerful story about trust and rebuilding, read Sara Al Madani’s advice on life after abusive relationships.
Why Did Nilufar Usupova Go Public, and How Did the Industry Respond?
Nilufar was scared to post. She worried people would call her stupid for working without salary and opening companies she didn’t own, and worried about legal complications. She consulted advisers before sharing.
Instead, the reaction surprised her:
- Former employees messaged her privately to share similar experiences with the same people
- Many thanked her for being brave enough to speak up
- Other co-founders of the company reached out and supported her
“If someone is doing wrong to you, you should not be silent.” -Nilufar Usupova
Today she feels good because she stood her ground, even though it took courage. Posting about private jets is easy. Posting about something painful is not.
The Side of Affiliate Marketing Nobody Posts
After sharing her story, so many people told her theirs in private that she came to an unpopular conclusion: affiliate marketing has a lot of scams, alongside its huge opportunities.
She also reflected on how people at conferences call each other “family” and “brother” or “sister”. Those bonds can be real, and some of her closest friends came from events. But that closeness is also where you can get badly hurt.
“Old-school reputation, old-school honesty, responsibility has to be still there. We work in 2026, but these old-school terms are still relevant.” -Nilufar Usupova
For more stories from strong women in this industry, read Parul Bhargava’s vCommission journey and PR head Catherine Tarasova on family, money and life.
Marriage, Moving Countries and Her Best Year
Nilufar got married this year, which she says was big, but stressful too, along with everything else. She moved from Dubai back to Spain, which she loves.
Honestly, though, her best year was the one before the war in Ukraine started, when she lived in the city she wanted, travelled a lot and life felt easy. Now it’s “grown-up decisions”: entities, companies and employees.
She also reminded me that moving countries sounds glamorous, but it means rebuilding everything: friends, gym, routines, even finding a new nail salon, often in a new language.
What Is Nilufar Usupova’s Last Wish?
If she could bring one person back, it would be her father, who passed away many years ago.
Her last wish before she dies is to feel that she lived her life fully and became the person she always wanted to be, not just the person she could have been.
Nilufar, you’re one of the kindest and most humble people I meet at events, and this story will help a lot of people.
Key Takeaways From the Nilufar Usupova Rezono Interview
- Put every partnership in writing
- Never be the paper owner of a company you don’t control
- Value yourself, your time and your salary
- Research partners before you trust them
- Speaking up can help others who stayed silent
- Reputation and honesty still matter most
- Closeness at conferences is real, but it is also where you can get hurt
- Every move has a cost. Moving countries means rebuilding your whole routine.
FAQs About Nilufar Usupova and Rezono
Nilufar Usupova (also spelled Yusupova) is the CEO of Rezono and former Head of BD & PR at AdsEmpire. Rezono helps brands scale on Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Google and Newsbreak.
She took a CEO role at a startup, built its team and email infrastructure for about a year, and opened two companies under her name on trust. When the company closed, she said salaries were left unpaid and she was blocked by the people involved.
Put yourself first, never trust blindly, sign legal agreements, don't open companies you don't own, research partners and protect your reputation.
Many people, including former employees, privately thanked her and shared similar experiences. Other co-founders also supported her.
She shared her LinkedIn profile in the episode description: linkedin.com/in/nilufaryusupova.
More Inside A Hustler’s Brain Interviews You’ll Love
- Annie Ma On Overcoming Loss, Regrets, & Finding Success In SEO
- How Did Kulwant Nagi Rebuild His Life with AI? The Untold Story
- He LOST His SEO Empire.. Then Built It Back With AI ft. Kripesh Adwani
- Niels Zee On Building a 7-Figure Affiliate Business with Google Ads
If this conversation with Nilufar Usupova gave you even one idea, share it with a friend who needs it today. One conversation can change someone’s life.
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Jitendra Vaswani is a well-known expert in SEO and AI-driven digital marketing. He has spoken at international events and founded Digiexe, a digital marketing agency, and AffiliateBooster, WordPress plugin designed specifically for affiliate marketers. With over 10 years of experience, Jitendra has helped many businesses succeed online. His bestselling book, Inside A Hustler’s Brain: In Pursuit of Financial Freedom, with over 20,000 copies sold globally, underscores his influence and commitment to empowering digital marketers.