Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast, the show where we discuss the latest developments in the technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most influential people in the industry.
In today's episode, we're happy to present an interview with Kirsty Sharman, founder and CEO of Referral Factory, one of the leading referral marketing platforms in Europe. Kirsty breaks down how referral programs really work, from the lemonade stand basics to the numbers behind them, and shares why cash is still king when it comes to rewards.
We also get into the hard parts: why most referral programs fail (hint: it's marketing, not tracking), how European data privacy rules shaped Referral Factory's product, and why distribution now matters more than the product itself for founders building in 2026.
Feel free to email us with any questions, suggestions, and opinions at contact@thenextweb.com.
