Q: Can you start by telling us a bit about your journey and how you came to B2B sales?

Zoltan Vardy: My background is in corporate leadership, where I spent about 20 years in high-profile sales and executive roles. I worked with large companies like NBC Universal, where I was the Senior Vice President of Global Sales. During that time, I learned a lot about what it takes to close deals and drive consistent revenue growth. But after spending so long in the corporate world, I felt it was time for a change.

In 2017, I decided to shift my focus to something more personal and meaningful to me: helping early-stage founders. These were people who had incredible ideas and innovative products but were missing the critical skills to sell them effectively. I noticed that many founders were brilliant at building technology but struggled to turn that innovation into revenue. That’s when I realized there was a need for a system—a blueprint that would guide them through the process of building predictable, scalable sales revenue.

That’s how The Launch Code came to be. It’s based on the same principles I used to drive $2 billion in B2B sales over my career, but it’s tailored specifically to the unique challenges of early-stage founders. I wanted to give them a step-by-step approach that would help them go from just having a great product to actually building a sustainable business.

Q: What are the key elements of The Launch Code, and how does it help founders?

Zoltan Vardy: The framework is built around three core pillars that address the most common problems I see early-stage founders struggle with. The first pillar is focus your offer message. So many founders try to be everything to everyone, which is a recipe for disaster. They need to be able to clearly articulate what problem they solve and why their solution is better than the alternatives. If you can’t explain that in one clear sentence, you’re not ready to sell.

The second pillar is structure your client acquisition. This is where many founders fall into bad habits, like relying on their network—what I call the “I know a guy” approach—or just blasting out emails in a ‘spray and pray’ fashion. Neither approach works long-term. You need a structured plan for how you’re going to reach and engage potential clients, whether it’s through outbound sales, inbound marketing, or partnerships.

The third pillar is scale your operations. Once you’ve figured out how to sell and you’re starting to see traction, the next challenge is growing sustainably. This means setting clear goals, tracking performance, and building the kind of organizational structure that allows you to expand without constantly reinventing the wheel. It’s about creating a process that can be repeated at scale.

Q: Can you share a success story where The Launch Code made a significant impact?

Zoltan Vardy: Absolutely. One of the companies I’m most proud of working with is called Dexory. They’re based in the UK and operate a warehouse intelligence platform that helps logistics providers to maximize visibility of their warehouse operations using autonomous robots. When I first started working with them, they had about eight employees and were struggling to find their focus. They were targeting too many different types of customers—retailers, logistics providers, you name it.

We worked together to narrow their focus to logistics providers, specifically large warehouse management companies. That was their sweet spot. We also put a structured sales plan in place, using outbound sales and inbound marketing to reach their ideal clients. And then we built a scalable operations plan to support their growth.

Today, Dexory has grown to over 120 employees, and they’re on track to reach nearly €10 million in annual recurring revenue. They’ve also raised over $80 million in funding. It’s been incredible to see their transformation, and it all started with implementing the core principles of The Launch Code.

Q: You’ve worked in both the US and Europe—how do cultural differences impact sales strategies?

Zoltan Vardy: That’s a great question. I was born and raised in the United States, but I’ve spent the majority of my career in Europe, living in countries like the UK and Hungary. So, I’ve seen firsthand how different cultural perspectives can shape business practices. That said, while cultural differences are real and important to recognize, they don’t define the fundamentals of sales.

No matter where you are in the world, sales is about solving problems. Customers, whether they’re in New York, London, or Budapest, all want the same thing: they want someone who understands their pain points and can offer a solution. If you can clearly define the problem you solve and communicate how you’re going to make their lives easier, the geographical and cultural nuances become secondary.

Now, that’s not to say culture doesn’t play a role. The way people communicate, negotiate, and build relationships can vary. For example, in some cultures, business relationships are more formal, while in others, it’s all about building a personal connection first. But if you focus on solving your customers’ problems, you’ll be able to navigate those differences effectively.

Q: Many founders are afraid of sales. How can they overcome that fear and build confidence?

Zoltan Vardy: That fear of sales is incredibly common, and it can be paralyzing for founders. But here’s the thing: the fear usually stems from a misconception about what sales actually is. A lot of people think sales is about pushing a product onto someone who doesn’t really want it. But that’s not what effective sales is about at all.

When I work with founders, I encourage them to shift their mindset. Sales isn’t about convincing someone to buy something they don’t need; it’s about helping them solve a problem. If you believe in your product, and you know it can genuinely help people, then sales becomes a lot less scary. You’re not bothering them—you’re offering a solution that could improve their business.

Of course, rejection is part of the process, and that’s something founders need to accept. Not everyone will have the problem your product solves, and that’s okay. You move on to the next potential client. As you get better at it and see some early wins, that fear starts to fade. And remember, every ‘no’ gets you closer to a ‘yes.’

Q: When is the right time for founders to hire their first salesperson?

Zoltan Vardy: I’m a big believer that founders need to be the first ones selling their product. There’s no substitute for that experience. You have to go through the pain of sales yourself to understand what your customers need and how your product fits into the market. It also helps you appreciate the type of person you need to hire when it’s time to build a sales team.

Once you’ve done the hard work and you’ve gotten some traction—when you’re clear on your messaging and you’re starting to close deals—then you can think about bringing in a salesperson. But be careful: don’t just hire someone with a shiny CV. What you really need is someone who can thrive in the chaos of a startup, someone who can help create the structure that doesn’t yet exist.

I’ve seen too many founders hire people with great corporate backgrounds only to find out they can’t function without the resources and systems of a big company. Startups need people who can roll up their sleeves, figure things out on the fly, and build processes from scratch. That’s a different kind of salesperson.

Q: Do you have any advice for founders trying to balance product development with sales?

Zoltan Vardy: It’s one of the toughest challenges for any founder—there are only so many hours in the day, and both product development and sales are critical. In the early stages, it’s natural to be more focused on building your product. You need something tangible to sell. But once you have an MVP—a minimum viable product—you should shift some of that focus toward sales.

Start talking to customers, getting feedback, and fine-tuning your product based on what you hear. It’s a balancing act, and it’s something you’ll have to juggle constantly. The key is to never go 100% in either direction for too long. Product and sales need to inform each other. The feedback you get from sales will help you improve the product, and a better product will make it easier to sell.

If you have a founding team with complementary skills, that can help. For example, one founder might be more focused on product, while the other handles sales. But even then, both founders should stay involved in both areas because you need that holistic understanding of what your customers need and how your product solves those needs.

Q: Lastly, what are three essential actions founders should take to kickstart their sales process?

Zoltan Vardy: First, you need to articulate your value proposition in one clear sentence. You have to be able to explain what problem you solve and why you’re better than the alternatives. If you can’t do that, you’re not ready to sell.

Second, define your ideal customer profile (ICP). Who is most likely to see your product as the perfect solution to their problem? The more specific you can be about your ICP, the better your chances of reaching the right customers.

Third, identify 50 companies that match your ICP and start reaching out. This isn’t about sending out thousands of emails and hoping for a response. It’s about meaningful, targeted outreach to companies that are likely to benefit from your product. Once you have those first few conversations, you’ll start to build momentum, and everything else will follow from there.