About
I'm Ankit Kohli — Director of Enterprise Sales at Gupshup, a Conversational AI and CPaaS platform. I lead a team that closes multi-crore platform deals with India's largest enterprises, including Flipkart, PhonePe, Myntra, and Cred.
Over 14 years in SaaS and enterprise sales, I've been promoted three times, co-founded a startup, led teams across India and internationally, and delivered Rs 229 Cr in annual revenue. I've sold everything from helpdesk software at Freshworks to AI-powered customer experience platforms at Gupshup.
I started at Freshworks as a BDM in 2014, hit 120% quota, and won Best Sales Performer in my first year. Then moved to Hiver, where I helped lead expansion into North America and EMEA. In 2017, I left to co-found Grabfox — a CX SaaS startup for mid-market brands. It taught me more about sales, product, and resilience than anything else I've done.
I returned to corporate at OneDirect, India's largest CX software provider, which was acquired by Gupshup in 2022. I've been at Gupshup since, promoted twice — from Senior Manager to Associate Director to Director — closing deals like PhonePe Rs 10 Cr ARR and Flipkart Rs 92 Cr utility commitment.
I write about what I've learned — the frameworks I've built, the deals I've won and lost, and the leadership lessons I wish someone had shared with me earlier. Most sales and leadership content is written by consultants and coaches. I write from the field — from active deals, real teams, and decisions made under actual pressure.
If you're an enterprise sales leader, a SaaS founder, or someone building a career in B2B sales, this is written for you.
## What I write about
**Enterprise sales** — Discovery, negotiation, pricing, closing multi-crore platform deals, and building the playbooks that actually work in the field.
**High-performing sales teams** — Hiring, enablement, weekly reviews, NRR, retention, and what separates managers from leaders.
**AI, CX and the future of selling** — What Conversational AI and CPaaS actually mean for enterprise buyers, sellers, and teams in 2025 and beyond.
**Career growth in SaaS** — How to get promoted, how to navigate ambiguity, and how I went from BDM to Director in 14 years without playing politics.
Career
2024 – Present · Director, Enterprise Sales (CX & CPaaS) · Gupshup
Delivered Rs 229 Cr revenue in FY2025. Built Rs 16.36 Cr CX ARR. Closed PhonePe Rs 10 Cr, Flipkart Rs 92 Cr+ utility commitment. Led 10+ ICs and ADs. 110% NRR, 90% retention.
2022 – 2024 · Associate Director, Enterprise Sales · Gupshup
Drove retail CX sales for South India. Cracked key upsells — Meesho, Groww, Cred, Super Money, 360 ONE Group. Promoted January 2023.
2020 – 2021 · Senior Manager, Enterprise Sales · OneDirect
Managed CX SaaS suite across Service Cloud, Messaging, WhatsApp, and Brandwatch. Achieved 110% of target. Closed Canara Bank, Zebronics, Wakefit.
2018 – 2020 · Business Development Manager, South India · LeadSquared
140% FY19 quota — Rs 1 Cr+ new revenue. 25 new logos across BFSI, EdTech, and Healthcare.
2017 – 2018 · Co-Founder · Grabfox
Bootstrapped a CX and Online Reputation SaaS platform for mid-market brands. Built US GTM strategy and MVP.
2015 – 2017 · Head of Sales · Hiver
Led North America and EMEA expansion. Generated $120K ARR including Uber and Green Dinosaur. Optimised qualification process — 21% increase in booked meetings.
2014 – 2015 · Business Development Manager · Freshworks
120% quota — MRR $43K to $500K ARR. Won Best Sales Performer FY15 Q1. Acquired 200+ logos including Papa John's, Wipro, Kansas University.
Education
PGDM (Sales & Marketing) — Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai
B.Tech (Electronics & Communication) — Chitkara Institute of Engineering & Technology, Chandigarh
I'm open to conversations about enterprise sales, AI platforms, team building, and leadership. If you're a founder, sales leader, or executive who wants to think through a deal, a career move, or a team challenge — book a 30-minute call or drop me a message.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/akiikohli
Email: hiankit.k0@gmail.com