By: Zach Miller
Tonya Turrell is a B2B lead generation industry leader with over 25 years of industry experience. She is a certified Women’s and Minority Business Enterprise innovator, and she founded The Launchpad in 2020 to fill the gap between old-school sales tactics and modern IT buyers’ preferences. Her innovative SaaS marketplace has already revolutionized vendor procurement, ranking #123 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies. In this interview, Tonya shares the inspiration behind the company, the secrets of rapid success, and her plans for the future.
Tonya, can you share your journey into tech procurement and what inspired you to establish The Launchpad?
My journey into tech procurement has been deeply influenced by my 27 years in B2B lead generation. Over the past decade, I’ve observed a significant shift: while IT buyers have evolved, many tech companies’ lead generation strategies have not kept pace. Today, over 65% of IT buyers are Millennials and Gen Z—digital natives who prefer self-service and digital channels over traditional methods like cold calls.
This disconnect inspired me to establish The Launchpad and build technologymatch.com. I envisioned a platform that acknowledges the modern buyer’s journey, emphasizing digital engagement and self-service options. By aligning procurement strategies with the preferences of today’s IT buyers, The Launchpad aims to bridge the gap between outdated sales tactics and the expectations of a new generation, facilitating more effective and efficient technology procurement.
In essence, The Launchpad is about meeting buyers where they are—online—and providing them with the tools and information they need to make informed decisions without the friction of outdated and unwanted sales approaches.
Tech procurement is often viewed as a traditional, process-driven domain. What specific challenges or inefficiencies in the industry motivated you to adopt an innovative approach, and how does The Launchpad address them?
Tech procurement has traditionally been seen as a rigid, process-heavy domain focused on compliance and cost-cutting rather than agility and innovation. One of the biggest challenges I observed is the disconnect between the needs of modern IT buyers and the outdated processes used to reach them. The traditional approach often relies on cold calls, lengthy RFP cycles, and one-size-fits-all solutions that don’t account for the preferences of today’s digital-first buyers.
Another significant inefficiency is the lack of transparency and access to the right information at the right time. Buyers are left navigating an overwhelming landscape of options without the tools or resources to make confident decisions. This not only delays procurement but also leads to suboptimal outcomes for both buyers and vendors.
The Launchpad was built to address these pain points by focusing on modernizing and streamlining the buying journey. We embrace digital-first strategies that align with how today’s IT buyers prefer to engage—through self-service platforms, transparent product information, and accessible digital channels.
Our approach emphasizes speed, flexibility, and empowerment, giving buyers the resources to make informed decisions without being bogged down by unnecessary friction. By combining deep industry expertise with a buyer-centric mindset, The Launchpad is reshaping tech vendor discovery and procurement into a more dynamic, efficient, and user-friendly process.
In one of the articles, you discuss how the tech landscape is shifting rapidly. What are the most significant changes you have observed, and how do these shifts influence the way IT leaders select vendors today?
The tech landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by advancements in cloud computing, AI, and automation, as well as the growing need for cybersecurity and scalability. One of the most significant changes I’ve observed is the shift in buyer expectations. Today’s IT leaders prioritize agility, transparency, and value over the traditional metrics of cost and brand reputation.
Modern IT buyers—many of whom are Millennials and Gen Z—are digital natives who expect a seamless, self-service experience. They want to evaluate vendors on their own terms, leveraging peer reviews, case studies, and detailed product information available online rather than engaging with sales teams upfront. This is a stark contrast to the past, where vendor selection was heavily relationship-driven.
Another major shift is the increasing emphasis on integration and interoperability. IT leaders now seek vendors whose solutions can easily fit into their existing ecosystems. The ability to deliver rapid time-to-value and demonstrate measurable outcomes is critical in a world where tech investments need to justify their ROI more quickly than ever.
These shifts have fundamentally changed the way vendors must approach the market. It’s no longer enough to have a great product; vendors need to meet buyers where they are, providing transparent, accessible information and a frictionless evaluation process. At The Launchpad, we help IT leaders navigate this landscape by connecting them with vendors that prioritize these evolving needs, empowering them to make decisions that are both informed and future-proof.
With the emergence of smart tools and AI-driven solutions in vendor selection, how does The Launchpad incorporate technology to redefine how businesses connect with vendors?
At The Launchpad, we’ve embraced the transformative potential of smart tools and AI-driven solutions to modernize the vendor selection process. Traditional methods of connecting businesses with vendors are often time-consuming, inefficient, and overly reliant on manual effort. Our approach leverages technology to address these inefficiencies while delivering greater value to both buyers and vendors.
One way we do this is through AI-powered matchmaking algorithms. These tools analyze key factors like a buyer’s specific needs, industry context, and budget constraints and then recommend vendors that are the best fit. This eliminates the guesswork and ensures that businesses engage only with solutions that align with their goals.
We’re also integrating data analytics into our platform, allowing buyers to access insights such as peer reviews, performance benchmarks, and compatibility scores. These insights empower IT leaders to make faster, more informed decisions, all while reducing the time traditionally spent on vendor evaluation. You’ll see all of this in the subsequent few releases in 2025.
By combining cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of the buyer journey, The Launchpad isn’t just redefining how businesses connect with vendors—it’s setting a new standard for transparency, efficiency, and impact in the tech procurement space.
Looking ahead, what trends do you foresee in tech procurement, and how do you envision The Launchpad evolving to stay ahead of these changes?
Looking ahead, the tech procurement landscape will continue to evolve rapidly, shaped by key trends that demand a more agile and buyer-centric approach. One major shift is the increasing reliance on self-service tools. Modern buyers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, prefer transparent, self-guided evaluations through resources like product demos, peer reviews, and free trials. This trend will only grow as digital-native decision-makers continue to dominate the market.
Another critical trend is the rising importance of trust and familiarity. While traditional brand reputation is no longer the sole deciding factor, buyers gravitate toward vendors that build trust through transparency, authentic customer stories, and unbiased peer-driven content. The focus has shifted from the weight of the brand name to the credibility it earns.
To stay ahead of these changes, The Launchpad is committed to continuous innovation. We are enhancing our platform to offer deeper AI-driven insights that help buyers identify vendors tailored to their specific needs. Self-service capabilities will expand to include more interactive experiences, like virtual product trials and seamless comparison tools, empowering buyers to make informed decisions with confidence.
Additionally, we’ll continue to foster trust in the procurement process by building a robust ecosystem for peer interactions and reviews, ensuring buyers have access to authentic, user-generated content. By staying attuned to market shifts and prioritizing transparency, agility, and trust, The Launchpad will remain a leader in redefining the future of tech procurement.