Zoltan A. Vardy

The Launch Code

• The Launch Code is a blueprint that helps B2B founders close high-ticket deals and accelerate growth.
• Worked with 200+ startups from 26 countries.
• I share The Launch Code via a video course, personal mentoring, a group accelerator, and workshops.

Founder - B2B Sales Advisor

• Startup & Tech Conferences: Dublin Tech Summit, EU Startups Summit, TechChill, TNW, Wolves Summit, PODIM, LEAP Summit and Techsylvania.
• Accelerators & VCs: Startup Wise Guys, Supercharger Ventures, Design Terminal, ReaktorX, Speedinvest, Kindred Capital, Euroventures, Fil Rouge. 
• Organizations: Venture Cafe, HBBA, United Way

Speaker - B2B Sales & Entrepreneurship

Antavo Enterprise Loyalty Cloud

• Support founders, leadership team, and investors to accelerate Antavo's global expansion.
• Antavo is an enterprise loyalty SaaS technology with clients like BMW, KFC, Kathmandu and BrewDog in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

Chairman

Investor & Board Member

Mentor Equity LLC

• Investor and board member of B2B enterprise technology startups based in Europe.
• Portfolio - Dexory (AI data analytics in logistics), Antavo (loyalty program SAAS tech platform)
• Exit: Brainient (video advertising technology), sold to Teads (2016).

Angel Investor & Board Member

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

• Led global ad sales teams for international TV division, 12 offices and 50+ channels across EMEA, APAC and LatAm. 
• Grew TV and digital ad revenues +20%, unified global sales organization, developed digital commercial strategy and negotiated multi-market ad partnerships.

Sr. Vice President, Global Ad Sales, NBCUniversal International Networks

ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE

• P&L responsibility for 900-employee, $150m revenue division with TV channels in Hungary (TV2, FEM3), Romania (Prima TV, Kiss TV) and a TV production company. Private-equity backed (KKR, Permira) company, bought SBS Broadcasting in June, 2007.

CEO, Central & Eastern Europe

• Generated record revenues and profits by relaunching flagship general entertainment channel, reducing costs during economic downturn, and launching cable channel portfolio.

CEO, TV2 Hungary

SBS Broadcasting

• Oversaw ad revenues of $1.1 bil for 19 TV channels in Nordic, Benelux & Central Europe; negotiated group-wide advertising deals with marketers and media agencies.

Vice President, Advertising Sales

• Led 60-person commercial team in super-charging revenues by 50% to $150 mil over 3 years alongside declining viewing share.

Commercial Director, TV2 Hungary

eEurope Media

• Developed business plan and raised $1.5 mil from angel investors to launch a network of consumer Internet portals in Central Europe; built and managed staff of 30, created exclusive partnerships with Google and Hewlett Packard; sold business to strategic buyers.

Co-Founder & CEO

CBS Corporation

GM & Vice President, CBS Plus

Turner Broadcasting

Business Development Manager, Europe

USA TODAY

Marketing Manager, Europe & Asia

I teach B2B founders how to close more enterprise deals faster using The Launch Code 🚀 Generated $2 billion in B2B revenue in my 30-year career📣 Speak about B2B sales & entrepreneurship

Turn Your Product Expertise into Sales Success!

More Revenue 💥 Faster Growth 💥 Less Stress

I help B2B tech founders sharpen their focus and master high-ticket sales so they scale with confidence.

DM me if you’re ready to land high-ticket clients and grow faster.

**********

🚀 For startup & early-stage founders

❓Struggling to sell your B2B tech product❓

I help product-driven founders land 3-5 high-ticket clients per quarter using The Launch Code - my step-by-step B2B sales and marketing blueprint trusted by 200+ founders in 26 countries.

You’ll learn how to:

✅ FOCUS your offer & message so buyers instantly get it.

✅ STRUCTURE your sales so you close more with less effort.

✅ SCALE your operations so you stop doing it all yourself.

Choose from:
• A DIY video course
• Mentoring support
• Personal mentoring program

➡️ Learn more at thelaunchcode.net

**********

💥 For scaleup & later-stage founders 

❓ Leading a growing tech company and stuck at a sales plateau ❓

My 1-on-1 mentoring gives you the clarity, structure, and accountability to break through revenue ceilings, scale your sales team, and step out of day-to-day selling.

I bring 30+ years of global B2B sales experience, including:

• $2B+ in closed deals

• $150M revenue responsibility at NBCUniversal International

• Successful exits as founder and investor

➡️ Learn more at zoltanvardy.com/mentoring.

**Reach out if you’re ready to turn sales into your growth engine.**



• The Launch Code is a blueprint that helps B2B tech founders sell and market to enterprise customers.
• Worked with 200+ founders from 26 countries.
• I share The Launch Code via a personal mentoring program, an on-demand course and a course + mentoring package.
• Startup accelerators can choose a course + group coaching package.

Yesterday, I flew 1,180 km to give a keynote speech... to four people.

Yes, four. As in, a crowd that could comfortably fit in an Uber.

To be fair, the audience tripled by the end. 

(We hit double digits!)

I knew something was off when I realized I was the only person scheduled to speak on stage in English.

Now, this isn’t my first rodeo.

In the past two weeks alone, I’ve spoken about founder-led sales to packed rooms of 300–400 founders at Podim Conference  and the EU-Startups Summit.

I sold nearly 100 copies of The Launch Code book at these events and had the kind of high-energy experience speakers dream of.

So… what went wrong?

👉 Wrong language
👉 Wrong positioning
👉 Wrong stage

A painful reminder that knowing your audience isn’t just a sales principle — it’s the key to everything.

If you're a founder and want to catch me in a slightly more crowded setting, I’ll be speaking at LOGIN in Vilnius and Arctic15 in Helsinki over the next few weeks.

Looking forward to seeing more than four of you in the audience!

#startups #saleslessons #speakerlife

the-launch-code

central-european-theme-parks-ltd

mentor-equity

medient-consulting

Talks about #b2bsales, #startups, #entrepreneurship, #salesandmarketing, and #businessdevelopment

I help B2B tech founders win high-ticket clients & scale faster | Creator of The Launch Code | $2B+ in B2B sales | Advisor & speaker on sales & growth

I didn’t expect this to happen in Helsinki.

But somehow, I ended up leading the conversation on founder-led sales at the Arctic15 startup conference in Finland.

✔️ One keynote.
✔️ One workshop.
✔️ One book signing.

Founders kept coming up to me to talk about selling with more confidence and less fear.

We tackled the real issue: sales isn’t about being pushy — it’s about solving problems.

I laid out a path from resistance to revenue.

I showed how to fix your value proposition or fail.

I met dozens of founders who grabbed The Launch Code and said they’re ready to use it in their business.

And finally met my LinkedIn buddy Katie Stoddart 🎯The Focus Bee 🐝 in person!

👇 What’s holding you back from mastering founder-led sales?

#b2bsales #founders #startups

No alternative text description for this image

The best opportunities never arrive on schedule.

I was rushing to the airport when a last-minute podcast invite landed.

No time to prep. No fancy studio. Just a hotel room, a towel, and a borrowed chair.

(Thankfully, I brought my mic and webcam.)

Most importantly, I had the mindset to say yes and figure out the rest later.

That’s entrepreneurship.

✅ Taking advantage of unexpected opportunities

✅ Creating solutions from what you’ve got

✅ Showing up even when the setup isn’t ideal

We ended up having a great conversation about founder-led sales — and my new book, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝘾𝙤𝙙𝙚.

Because when you’re ready with the right message, it doesn’t matter where or how you show up.

Success doesn’t always come from being perfectly prepared.

It comes from being ready.

👉 When was the last time you had to solve a problem on the fly?

#founders #startups #entrepreneurs

I used to hate my name. Now it’s my superpower.

I introduced myself to a Dutch guy in Lithuania recently and his first reaction?

“That’s the coolest name I’ve ever heard.”

Wow! What a difference context makes!

Growing up in 1980s suburban America with a name like ‘Zoltan’ wasn’t easy.

(My Hungarian-born parents didn’t get the memo.)

❌ Teachers paused.
❌ Classmates laughed.
❌ I hated roll call.

I was “Zoltar” or “Voltron” or worse.

But working in international markets for 30 years changed everything.

In a global context, everyone’s name is different.

Nobody blinks at “Zoltan.”

Now I don’t stick out. I stand out — in a good way.

When everyone brings a unique national background, you’re judged by your contribution, not your label.

So, here’s to every Dragomir, Trygve, or Caelan who knows what I’m talking about!

👉 Ever have something you once hated turn into a strength?

#personalbrand #globalbusiness

Craving a more energizing professional life?

Go global.

This week I visited Vilnius, Lithuania for the first time to speak about entrepreneurship at LOGIN Conference. 

I used the opportunity to turn online connections into offline friendships.

I finally met Jurate Jurginyte, Leon van der Laan, and Cedric Charpenet in person after years of digital connection. 

We didn’t talk KPIs or pipelines.

We talked life. Passion. Purpose. And shared a few good laughs.

It reminded me: the real magic of building a global business isn’t just about scaling revenue — it’s about expanding your perspective.

New places, new people, new energy.

👉 If you want deeper conversations, unexpected opportunities, and a career that feeds your curiosity, don’t just grow your business.

Grow your world. 

#GoGlobal #Connections #FounderLife

“I'm not good enough.”

That’s the whisper that sneaks in after 10 minutes of doom-scrolling LinkedIn on a Sunday.

But here’s the thing:

You’re not falling behind.

You’re just watching the highlight reel through a filter called “Look how amazing I am.”

If you’re not careful, you start chasing someone else’s version of success.

The workshop that went viral.

The follower count that exploded.

The personal brand built on perfectly lit humblebrags.

And in that chase, you miss what you actually have:

A business that works. 

Clients who trust you. 

A voice that’s your own.

So here’s your reminder (and mine):

Lean into what’s real. Do your thing.

The algorithm can go f**k itself. ✌️

#founders #startuplife #socialmedai

What got you here won’t get you there.

(And no, working 14-hour days and living on caffeine doesn’t scale.)

Early startup life is controlled chaos.

Winging it, wearing 6 hats, and praying something sticks.

That’s how you survive the zero-to-one phase.

But if you want to grow beyond a few lucky wins, you need more than hustle and duct tape.

At some point, you have to stop building the rocket mid-flight...

...and start operating like an actual business.

That means:

✔️ Set goals your team can actually follow

✔️ Track performance without relying on vibes

✔️ Hire people who know what they’re doing, and let them do it

This is Pillar 3 of The Launch Code.

It shows you how to scale your operations without losing your soul.

👉 If you’re ready to build a business that runs without burning you out...

...DM me to see how 1-on-1 mentoring with me can help you scale faster, with less chaos and more control.

#founders #mentoring #scaling

The fastest way to scale? 

Don’t do it alone.

Partnerships can massively extend your reach - if you know which type fits your strategy.

Most startup founders lump everything under “channel partners,” but there are 3 types worth focusing on:

✅ 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 - they resell your product through their network (think consultants or wholesalers).

✅ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 - they introduce you to their network, like trade associations or agencies.

✅ 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 - they actively sell on your behalf in markets where you don’t have a presence.

Each gives you access, credibility, and scale you can’t build overnight.

I break down how to identify, approach, and activate these partners in my new book, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲 - a practical guide to mastering founder-led sales and driving revenue growth.

📘Get your copy on Amazon.

#b2bsales #thelaunchcode #partnerships

Building a business is weirdly personal.

When you're a founder, every little thing feels like it means something.

Someone unsubscribed from your email 
list?

Just gonna stare at the wall and question my life choices for 20 minutes.

When you’re an employee, rejection is part of the job.

When it’s your own business?

It’s you they’re rejecting. 

Your words. Your face. Your dreams.

(Okay maybe not your face, but it feels that way.)

That’s what makes being a founder so unique...and so brutal.

Everything matters. Everything stings.

But it’s also why you put up with the chaos, the stress, the never-ending notification.

Because you’re building something that’s yours.

And honestly? 

I’ll take unsubscribes and awkward silence over building someone else’s dream any day.

👉 What’s the most ridiculously personal thing you've taken way too personally as a founder?

Drop it in the comments - I know I’m not the only one 😅👇

#founders #startups #entrepreneur

You don’t get what you deserve. You get what you commit to.

A young entrepreneur asked me to mentor him after he saw me give a speech in December 2023.

I said yes....IF he followed up.

He did.

We had an intro call.

We agreed on monthly mentoring.

For three months, we met.

I gave him real, practical advice.

I assigned homework between sessions.

He realized I was serious about helping, but only if he was serious about our work too.

Then he vanished. No explanation.

I thought about him the other day, because I came across a lead that would have beenn perfect for his business.

Guess who didn’t get the intro?

If you want someone’s time, prove you’re worth it.

Follow up.

Show up.

Do the work.

Otherwise, don’t be surprised when the opportunity moves on without you.

👉 What do you think? Did I make the right decision?

#businessbehavior #mentoring #founders

Confession time...

I find it super hard to reveal personal details online.

But that’s what you're supposed to do to be “relatable,” right?

I come from a generation where you hid your personal faults.

Now you’re expected to celebrate them.

So (deep breath), here are my “secrets”:

❌ I once created a spreadsheet to rank my favorite cities.
❌ I narrate my dog’s thoughts in a deep British accent
❌ I only write with one specific brand of pen (it's expensive, and my one luxury).
❌ I rehearse presentations in the shower like I’m on a TED stage
❌ I’m low-key terrified of snakes.

Well, there it is, boys and girls.

👉 How am I doing? Too much? Not enough?

Please advise.

#authenticity #storytelling

Most people think startup success is about luck or timing.

It's not.

It's about behavior.

At LOGIN in Lithuania, I shared "The Entrepreneur’s Secret" — and the feedback founders sent me hit a nerve:

“I wish my business would succeed faster.”

“Still thinking about how to apply this.”

“Insightful and useful — I’d love to revisit it.”

What did I share?

✅ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: Know your destination. Say no to distractions.

✅ 𝗔𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Move fast. Learn faster.

✅ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: One more thing. One more time. Every day.

These three traits separate those who thrive from those who barely survive.

No hype. Just hard-earned truth.

If you were in the room, you know the challenge I gave:

Score yourself 1–10 on each trait.

👇 Where are you today, and where do you want to be in a year?

#founders #startups #entrepreneurs

“We sell digital marketing services.”

That’s what the founder told me when I asked what his business does.

I didn’t say anything.

He stared at me. “What?”

“I’m waiting for you to finish.”

“...Finish what?”

“That’s not a business,” I said. “That’s a category.”

He frowned. 

So, I gave him a way to think about it.

“Imagine the Mona Lisa,” I said. “There’s only one in the world. That’s 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆.”

“Now picture the Mona Lisa on mugs and posters in a gift shop. That’s 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.”

“Then imagine a website that lets people order the Mona Lisa in whatever format, color, or frame they want. That’s 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.”

He nodded slowly.

“You’re offering a general service,” I said.
 
“But until you decide exactly what you’re selling, you don’t have a business. You have a blank canvas.”

That got the point across.

The key takeaway?

A service isn’t a business until you choose the model behind it.

- Who are you targeting?
- What problem are you solving?
- What solution - and in what format - are you selling?

When you get this right, sales and growth become 10x easier.

________________

This is just one of the practical frameworks I share in The Launch Code - my step-by-step guide to mastering founder-led sales.

Grab a free chapter or order the book on Amazon.

👇 Link in the first comment. 

#b2bsales #founders #thelaunchcode

Reality check, courtesy of a €5M revenue founder...

I told a friend I was frustrated because my LinkedIn reach had tanked.

She stared at me and asked: “What’s LinkedIn?”

This from a founder running a profitable food services business.

No content. No hashtags. Just revenue.

It stopped me cold.

A perfect reminder that what feels important in your world… might not even register in someone else’s.

We all play different games.

Doesn’t make yours less valid, but it’s a helpful dose of perspective.

👉 What’s a moment that made you realize you were in too deep?

#realitycheck #founderlife

The world is changing, and so is the way founders sell.

At the Venture Café Berlin "Many Faces of AI" event, I shared my thoughts on how founders can cut through the noise.

Instead of obsessing over the latest tools, we focused on what still matters most:

✅ A clear offer 
✅ A focused message 
✅ A structured sales process

Then, we explored how to use AI to support these fundamentals — not replace them.

Founders left with clarity, confidence, and a signed copy of 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝘾𝙤𝙙𝙚 to turn ideas into action.

Because while AI might shift how we execute, the core of selling remains the same.

Tech evolves.

But the fundamentals still win.

👉 I'm curious: how are you adopting AI into your business?

#b2bsales #founders #ai

Tell me you’re a founder without actually telling me.

I’ll start…

✅ I get a business idea right before bed and run downstairs to write it down

✅ I regularly check my website and spend 10 minutes debating one word

✅ I celebrate wins with a 1-minute fist pump before jumping into the next thing

👇Your turn: what’s on your list?

#founders #startups #entrepreneurs

You don’t have a positioning problem.

You have a “trying to be everything to everyone” problem.

Here’s the truth:

If your product could “technically” help anyone... it probably won’t help anyone at all.

When I injured my knee trail running, I didn’t book a call with a general practitioner.

Or a cardiologist.

I went straight to a knee specialist.

He solved my problem. I paid: gladly.

Why? Because people don’t want “options.”

They want the perfect solution to a specific problem.

That means answering 3 questions with painful clarity:

1️⃣ What specific problem do you solve?

Go narrow. Jeff Bezos started with hard-to-find books, not “everything.”

2️⃣ Who do you solve it for?

Chasing everyone = winning no one. 

Find your pond. Fish there.

3️⃣ Why are you better than the rest?

What makes you the obvious choice?

Want to stand out in a crowded market? 

Specialize.

👉 What’s your “knee injury” moment: the one that made you niche down?

P.S. This is me during a run with my good-as-new knee - happy customer, zero regrets.

#b2bsales #founders #thelaunchcode

I’m headed to Helsinki to lead the conversation on founder-led sales — and I’d love to see you there.

On tap...

✔️ One keynote.
✔️ One hands-on workshop.
✔️ One book signing.

If you’re a founder who wants to sell with more confidence and less fear, this is for you.

I’ll show you how to go from resistance to revenue, and how to fix your value proposition before it breaks your business.

And I'll be signing copied of my new book, The Launch Code.

👉Drop me a DM is you want to meet up and talk sales at Arctic15 .

#FounderLedSales #TheLaunchCode #Arctic15

Want more leads? Stop hiding behind your laptop.

Some of your best opportunities are waiting on stage, in the crowd, or inside a journalist’s inbox.

In my latest article, I share how I turn live events and PR into a lead generation machine without feeling “salesy":
🎤 The messaging that gets you invited (and re-invited)
🧲 The content hooks that turn awareness into inbound interest
📈 The 5 levels of event presence (and how to level up)

If you’ve been ignoring this part of your growth strategy… it’s time to change that.

Read my article and find out how. 👀

This time of year, I find myself on the road a lot - speaking, moderating panels, and signing copies of The Launch Code at startup events across Europ

Want more leads? Step into the spotlight

What if I told you I can see the future?

On December 28, 2024, I predicted Elon Musk would turn on Trump by June with a tweet so cryptic it would need a Rosetta Stone to decipher.

Musk tweeted this on June 5, 2025:  “@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files…Have a nice day DJT.”

Right on cue. 

Political pivot? 

Check.

Cryptic? 

Nailed it.

So, if you want to know…

….next week’s AI startup to invest in…

….which Series A founder will publicly flame their VC, or…

…when your co-founder will suddenly move to Bali “for clarity”…

I’m open for business.

I take cash or equity.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to prepare my next forecast: 

which unicorn will implode because they forgot product-market fit is still a thing.

P.S. Do you think rebranding myself as “Nostradamus” would be over doing it?

Taplio

Zoltan A. Vardy's Linkedin Analytics

What is Zoltan A. talking about?

Who is engaging with Zoltan A.

's Best Posts (last 30 days)

Want to drive more opportunities from LinkedIn?