Biography of Sukhbir Kalsi: Co-Founder & VP at LeadSquared- Entrepreneur
Biography of Sukhbir Kalsi:
Sukhbir Kalsi is the Co-Founder and Vice President at
LeadSquared, a company known for its innovative solutions in sales and
marketing automation. Prior to establishing LeadSquared, Sukhbir gained
extensive experience in managing and designing MS Dynamics CRM implementations
for a range of medium to large enterprises. His efforts in these roles were
marked by a strong focus on achieving high levels of user and customer
satisfaction, which laid the groundwork for his later success with LeadSquared.
Sukhbir Kalsi is a professional with expertise in product development and
engineering. He has built a solid foundation in these areas through his education
and career experiences.
Educational Background
He pursued his Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree in
Automotive Engineering at BLDEA's College of Engineering and Technology, where
he studied from 1994 to 1998. This education provided him with the technical
skills needed to excel in the field of engineering.
Before his time at college, Sukhbir attended Shivalik Public
School, where he completed his earlier education. This background helped shape
his academic journey, leading him to a successful career in engineering and
product development.
Early Career in Engineering
Sukhbir's career began with hands-on technical roles. From
2003 to 2006, he worked as a Project Manager at Net Solutions, where he gained
critical experience in project management. His journey in engineering started
even earlier, with a role as a Software Engineer at Imperial Auto Industries
Ltd. from 1999 to 2000. These early experiences laid the foundation for his
successful career in product development and engineering.
Project Management Expertise
Before his time at LeadSquared, Sukhbir gained valuable
experience at PositiveEdge Technologies, where he worked as a Senior Project
Manager from July 2010 to May 2011. In this role, he led the implementation of
Microsoft Dynamics CRM and was instrumental in setting up the practice. His
expertise in project management was further honed during his tenure at Proteans
Software Solutions from March 2006 to July 2010, where he focused on Microsoft
Dynamics CRM implementation and support.
The Birth of MarketXpander
In 2011, Sukhbir, along with his friends Sudhakar Gorti,
Prashant Singh, and Nilesh Patel, founded MarketXpander, a B2B marketing and
lead generation company. They recognized that businesses, particularly in
India, struggled with managing sales leads and customer relationships
efficiently. Their determination to streamline these processes led to the
creation of LeadSquared in 2013, a platform designed to handle sales execution,
marketing automation, and field force management.
Biography of Sukhbir Kalsi: Co-Founder & VP at LeadSquared- Entrepreneur/ Investor/Success story of Sukhbir Kalsi/Journey of Sukhbir Kalsi/LeadSquared
Leadership at LeadSquared
Sukhbir played a pivotal role at LeadSquared, a Sales 2.0
services company focused on helping B2B technology companies enhance their
revenue and sales efficiency. From January 2021 to April 2024, he served as the
Senior Vice President of Product Development. In this role, he was responsible
for building and maintaining advanced marketing and sales automation tools.
Prior to this, Sukhbir held the position of Vice President of Product
Development at LeadSquared from July 2011 to December 2020, where he also
contributed to the development of next-generation automation tools.
Rapid Market Adoption
LeadSquared quickly gained traction in India by offering a
solution that integrated various aspects of sales and marketing into a single,
user-friendly interface. This innovation allowed businesses to manage their
leads more efficiently, resulting in improved customer acquisition and
retention. Over the years, LeadSquared's reputation grew as it consistently
enhanced sales efficiency across multiple industries.
Overcoming Investor Skepticism
Despite early success, LeadSquared's growth faced
challenges, particularly skepticism from investors who doubted its potential to
scale globally, especially without a strong US presence. Although
disheartening, the founders remained confident in LeadSquared's potential to
become a global SaaS leader.
The First Institutional Investment
In 2019, after years of bootstrapping, LeadSquared secured
its first institutional investment from Stakeboat Capital, a private equity
firm that invested $3 million. This marked a new chapter for the company,
allowing it to expand operations and explore international markets, achieving a
revenue of INR 59 crore by the end of FY20.
Expanding Horizons
LeadSquared achieved significant milestones in the following
years. In December 2020, it raised $32 million in a Series B funding round led
by Gaja Capital, enabling the company to expand beyond India and establish a
presence in the US. By FY21, LeadSquared's revenue had doubled to INR 100
crore, and the platform's customer base grew across diverse sectors,
solidifying its dominance in the Indian market.
Joining the Unicorn Club
The year 2022 was pivotal for LeadSquared. In June, the
company raised $153 million in a Series C funding round led by WestBridge
Capital, earning a $1 billion valuation and joining the unicorn club. This
milestone was achieved without venture capital funding, relying instead on
strategic private equity investments. The company announced plans to invest
heavily in India, North America, APAC, and EMEA regions.
Poised for Global Success
With new capital, LeadSquared planned to expand aggressively
by enhancing its product portfolio, pursuing strategic acquisitions, and
doubling its workforce within 18 months. Nilesh Patel relocated to Palo Alto,
California, highlighting the company's commitment to establishing a strong US
presence. The leadership team, including Sukhbir, focused on transforming
LeadSquared into a global SaaS powerhouse.
A Vision for Global Impact
The founders' vision for LeadSquared extended beyond
building a successful company; they aimed to create a platform that would
fundamentally change how businesses manage customer relationships. The name
"LeadSquared" symbolized the exponential growth in leads that the
platform promised to deliver. This vision resonated with its customers,
including Byju's, Amity University, Olx, Dunzo, Practo, and Godrej Housing
Finance.
An Inspirational Journey
As LeadSquared continues to scale, its journey inspires
other SaaS companies emerging from India. The company has demonstrated that
with the right product, a deep understanding of customer needs, and a
relentless focus on execution, global success is possible, even in the face of
challenges. Sukhbir Kalsi has played a pivotal role in this remarkable story,
with LeadSquared standing as a testament to innovation and perseverance.
Timeline for story
1994-1998: BE in Automotive Engineering, BLDEA's College of
Engineering and Technology.
1999-2000: Software Engineer, Imperial Auto Industries Ltd.
2003-2006: Project Manager, Net Solutions.
March 2006 - July 2010: Focused on Microsoft Dynamics CRM at
Proteans Software Solutions.
July 2010 - May 2011: Senior Project Manager, PositiveEdge
Technologies.
2011: Launched LeadSquared.
July 2011 - December 2020: VP of Product Development,
LeadSquared.
2019: Secured $3M investment from Stakeboat Capital.
December 2020: Raised $32M in Series B funding.
June 2022: Achieved unicorn status with $1B valuation.
January 2021 - April 2024: SVP of Product Development, LeadSquared.
