What does it take to generate over $265 million in sales? According to veteran sales leader Edward Gard, the answer lies in three timeless qualities: empathy, mettle, and intelligence. In this exclusive conversation, Gard shares hard truths for founders, startups, and sales professionals on how to survive — and thrive — in today’s competitive landscape.
A Veteran’s Perspective
Edward Gard has spent decades at the intersection of technology and sales. With leadership roles at Microsoft, SAS, and Teradata, he has also built and sold companies of his own. Over his career, he’s driven more than $265 million in sales. But ask him what matters most, and his response is surprisingly simple:
“To succeed in sales, you need three things — empathy, mettle, and intelligence.”
1. Empathy: The Foundation of Trust
Gard emphasizes that the ability to deeply understand a customer’s pain points sets great salespeople apart.
Customers often decide within seconds whether they trust you, based on body language, tone, and presence. Founders and sales professionals who master empathy can build relationships that go beyond transactions.
“You have to see the world from your customer’s eyes. It’s not about your tech; it’s about their pain.”
2. Mettle: Toughness Under Pressure
Sales is not for the faint of heart. Rejection is constant, stress levels run high, and uncertainty is part of the job. Gard compares it to military special forces — requiring grit, endurance, and a refusal to quit.
Founders in particular must embody this toughness. In the early stages, there’s no sales team to hide behind. If the founder can’t sell, the startup won’t survive.
3. Intelligence: More Than Book Smarts
The final piece is intelligence — but not just academic knowledge. Sales leaders need to be “wicked smart” about their industry, the competitive landscape, and their customer’s business problems.
This allows them to uncover what Gard calls “latent pain” — the hidden challenges that customers don’t always articulate but are desperate to solve.
Selling as a Founder
Gard warns founders not to fall in love with their product more than their customer.
Many startups obsess over features, forgetting that buyers are often overworked, under pressure, and short on attention. Emotional intelligence and communication skills are critical to cut through the noise.
“If you can’t communicate clearly, you won’t close. Hope is not a strategy.”
AI and the Future of Sales
Gard acknowledges the growing role of AI in sales enablement. Generative AI can create proposals, emails, and insights faster than ever. But he cautions against over-reliance.
While AI can scale efficiency, it cannot replace human trust. Buyers still want to deal with people who understand their business and can solve problems in real time.
“AI will never replace emotional intelligence. The last true competitive edge will always be human connection.”
Hard Truths Every Startup Must Face
Gard leaves founders with sobering advice:
Sales is survival. No sales, no startup.
80% of business comes from 20% of people. Focus your energy.
Clarity beats hope. Be direct with customers and with yourself.
Final Thoughts
Edward Gard’s career is proof that while tools and technologies evolve, the core of sales remains timeless. For founders, the lesson is clear: before scaling, before fundraising, before building — learn to sell.
Empathy, mettle, and intelligence may not sound like revolutionary concepts, but in Gard’s words, they are the difference between a startup that dies quietly and one that thrives boldly.
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