A journey that started in engineering now leads the sales strategy at Swiggy — Bhavya Singla, Business Head – North & East India, is proof that passion powers progress.
Her one-liners are life lessons, her opinions are strong, and her passion for her work is intense. Meet Bhavya Singla, Business Head – North & East India. Whether it was figuring out her academic journey or navigating the professional world, she took big leaps to build an impressive decade-long career punctuated with multiple learnings. From training in a region where she didn’t speak the local language to breaking stereotypes surrounding women at the workplace — Bhavya’s story is inspiring and engaging in equal measure.
What Keeps You Grounded, Lifts Your Business
Bhavya started off as an IT engineer. However, it was the business side of things that attracted her the most. “Growing up, business strategy was a part of our daily dinner conversations, and it is what kept me intrigued and invested” she remembers. That’s why the next step after engineering, however cliche, seemed natural — MBA in Marketing and Strategy from XLRI Jamshedpur.
Bhavya’s first professional stint was in the FMCG industry at Hindustan Unilever where she was a Management Trainee in their Sales & Marketing Division. She recalls how this job began with a seven-month sales training in Tamil Nadu. Reflecting on the impact of the training, she says, “It was eye-opening as we developed grassroot level businesses by overcoming cultural boundaries and even linguistic barriers, which surprised me and also made me realise that humans have more similarities than differences.”
Along with the humanistic understanding, Bhavya also mastered the art of driving sales by utilising disruptive systems and tech – such as the meteoric rise of e-commerce and the ongoing AI revolution — for business advantage. She believes that, “Sales keeps you grounded, not just to the customers but to the society at large, thereby enabling better business making”.
Can You Do Without Us? She Thinks Not
Bhavya understands that Swiggy’s heart and motivations, as an organisation, lie in tech and innovation that helps deliver unparalleled convenience. She says, “I see Swiggy as a dynamic organisation having far-sighted plans and a proven history of meeting them. This makes Swiggy a market leader.”
While adding, “When I am pitching the organisation, I make sure people know that without us they are missing out on a huge chunk of the industry’s growth and innovation. You cannot do without us. We’re quietly making leaps that are super exciting for the country as a whole.”
Never Settle, Do We?
“Absolutely not.” exclaims Bhavya, “This is a Swiggy value which defines how I am as a person too. When it comes to Sales, never settling is doubly important, because it is pivotal to an organisation.”
She continues, “You need to get your hands dirty, and get to know exactly what makes a business tick. So, when I say I resonate with the Swiggy value ‘Never Settle’, it’s because I want to grab every opportunity to learn and grow.”
Gender Bias is Baseless
A job in Sales comes with stereotypes pitted against women. While she admits the existence of the bias, she thinks that challenges are for all genders as Sales is a demanding function. She points out, “I think there are certain broad challenges everyone faces in such a fast-paced industry, chief among them is balancing your personal and professional life. The more you grow, the more responsibilities you have, and the balance becomes harder.”
She continues, “In Sales, one is required to be on ground & work closely with the customers & partners. This coupled with the stereotype of women not being good with field & leadership roles, poses a significant challenge.” In her experience, especially at Swiggy, the stereotype has no logical reasoning, “At Swiggy, I have met remarkable women, especially in the domain of Sales, and I humbly feel that this stereotype must be addressed so that we can also arrive at societal progression and probably contribute better to the talent pool.”
What Needs to Change?
“The proverb, ‘making mountains of a molehill’, is fitting in this context. I have known highly skilled women deflecting sales roles, fearing the failures associated with the stereotypes.” Bhavya has strongly vocalised a sentiment that has creeped up in Sales professionals over the years. She adds, “ I always urge women to look beyond the stereotype and go all out in pursuit of their interests. I am confident their efforts will be supported, especially at an organisation like Swiggy.”
“While I agree Sales roles have their own set of challenges, so do all other business roles or even vocations. Remember – if you don’t even try, you eliminate the possibility of success. I have been blessed with strong family support who have turned a blind-eye towards these stereotypes. I have also been blessed with Swiggy as an organisation which overlooks them. I hope and pray that such support, both personally and professionally, becomes universal in our society. Even if it feels like a mountain, mountains are there to be climbed, aren’t they?”
Bhavya believes that there’s always a way, and even if there isn’t, one must at least try. “If you believe the challenge is too big to solve, then you’ve lost the battle right there.”
“I keep telling my team the same — don’t give up before you’ve even tried. Also, help is always right there. Seek support, ask for clarity and guidance. I make it a point to actively go to my superiors for help, and I also ask my team for support whenever required. To sum it up, I think it’s important to be open about what one doesn’t know instead of decorating oblivion.”
Advice for Women Looking to Start Their Career in Sales
“Keep a basic, four pronged approach –
(1) build self-confidence and inspire confidence;
(2) develop a thick skin;
(3) maintain persistence and perseverance; and
(4) communicate and ask for help”
