For international startups entering the U.S. market, a lack of local business culture often slows down sales. That’s why immigrant founders are routinely told what Kalimi heard: hire an American sales professional.
But for early-stage companies, that advice comes with a price tag. Kalimi didn’t follow it. After moving to the U.S. to expand his web development firm, Vinn Corp, he took sales into his own hands — and made it work.
Kalimi credits the results to persistence, execution — and a comfort with the spotlight.
“I wanted to be on TV or in movies when I was a kid,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed being in front of the camera. Some people worry — how do I look, what are they thinking about me? I deleted that line of thinking. Just go out there and do your thing.”
From layoffs to launch
Kalimi’s journey began in Pakistan, where he transitioned from computer science to business school, then fought his way into roles at Oracle, Microsoft, and VMware.
Each chapter was marked by layoffs, pivots, and a growing desire for autonomy. After a final round of corporate disillusionment, he launched Vinn Corp quietly — without telling even his family.
“Four months later, after closing my first deal, I showed up at home with sweets. I told them I’d been jobless — and now I was working on something of my own.”
His first product was a political campaign management platform built for Pakistan’s 2018 elections. By election day, the tool had helped digitize and search over 32 million voter records.
But the product was seasonal. Kalimi quickly pivoted to a services model — and set his sights on the U.S.
The U.S. equation
“I was selling web development services at $8–10 an hour in Pakistan,” Kalimi explained. “In the U.S., I could charge $30 for the same work. It was a simple equation.”
Armed with a business degree, coding experience, and years in enterprise sales, Kalimi made the move. Selling online yielded one customer a month. In-person networking in the U.S. led to three clients a week. The decision was easy.
Today, Vinn Corp supports businesses like RingCentral, Extreme Networks, and 8×8, a $3B public company.
Founder-led selling at scale
Kalimi attributes his success to consistent hard work—and a formula he now follows religiously: split time equally between selling and delivering. “You sell, then you deliver. Then repeat. That’s the rhythm.”
He also doubled down on founder marketing — publishing a book, launching a podcast, and sharing value-driven content on LinkedIn.
“Everyone is selling. So act like a thought leader. Share knowledge, build trust, and the sales will follow.”
By staying visible and vocal, Kalimi attracted higher-quality clients. “It’s math,” he said. “If 100 people know you’re good, 10 will buy. If 1,000 know, 100 will buy. I turned sales into a mechanical process.”
Breaking the stereotype
Being an international founder, he says, wasn’t a limitation — it was fuel.
“Hard work is a global language. I like the U.S. — especially New York — because if you’re good, people will take a chance on you. I’m living proof.”
He adds that learning to say no is just as critical as saying yes to growth.
“Don’t waste time on things that don’t move the business forward,” Kalimi said.
“Focus only on working with the most ambitious, consistent, and positive people — and spend your energy on sales and delivery. It’s your dream. No one else will live it for you.”
