Headline

Associate Director – GTM & Sales Leadership | Built Sales Engines 0→1 | Enterprise Sales | Scaling B2B SaaS Revenue | Led 120+ Person Teams | Team Builder | Channel Partnerships | 13 Yrs+ in SaaS, Ed-tech & E‑commerce

About

I build revenue engines. Not just sales teams. Over 13 years in B2B SaaS and ed‑tech, I’ve done this twice, from zero to scale. At Commmerce, I built the entire sales, support, and customer success function from scratch. Over 3.5 years, we acquired 25,000+ paying DIY SMB customers and closed 50+ enterprise deals with brands like HDFC Bank, Tata Trust, Taneira, Health & Glow, Tata Motors, and Neptune Logitek. I also closed the company’s largest deal: a ₹2Cr implementation plus ₹10L/month recurring AMC with Neptune Logitek. Six months in, I dug into funnel data and unit economics (LTV:CAC <2x in the DIY segment) and flagged structural constraints: Indian SMBs preferred one‑time builds, had limited marketing maturity, and churned when immediate ROI wasn’t visible. I ran pricing experiments, shifted focus from top‑of‑funnel volume to activation and retention, and influenced the roadmap with 15+ feature enhancements. The founder ultimately pivoted to an omnichannel platform, a long‑term bet that elongated sales cycles and required a leaner GTM. I’m proud of the systems we built (Zoho CRM, 15‑min SLA, 4.9 Google rating, 50+ partner network) and the enterprise outcomes we delivered. At Unacademy, I led a 120+ person sales organization during India’s ed‑tech boom, owning ₹50Cr+ annual revenue. My team averaged 105%+ quota attainment and hit 160% of target in January 2022. More importantly, we maintained <5% attrition in an industry infamous for burnout, and I mentored 13 team members into leadership roles. I also designed Unacademy’s first channel partner program and led the company’s first sales process outsourcing initiative with zero revenue disruption. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲: • 0-to-1 and 1-to-10 GTM build experience (designed systems, hired teams, scaled revenue) • Full revenue lifecycle ownership: new ARR, expansion, renewals, churn management • Enterprise sales execution (closed ₹2Cr+ contracts, built CXO relationships) • Sales ops rigor: CRM strategy, forecasting, pipeline management, CAC/LTV optimization • Team development: built high-performing cultures with low attrition and clear promotion paths • AI-powered execution: Vibe code prototypes with AI to accelerate product feedback loops and GTM experimentation I’m looking for my next leadership‑level GTM role (Director of Sales / Head of Sales) at a Series A B2B SaaS company scaling from ₹15Cr to ₹50Cr+ ARR, where I can own the number, build the team, and drive meaningful scale. Connect with Somnath: ✉mailtosomnathbasu@gmail.com

Location

Greater Bengaluru Area

AI stack

aistudio

antigravity

claude

gemini

lovable

openai

Work experience

Head of Sales & Customer Success at COMMMERCE.COM™, Dec 2022 - Present · 3 yrs 7 mos, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, Recruited as the foundational commercial leader to build the 0-to-1 GTM engine for a B2B commerce-tech startup. Owned a dual-track strategy: scaling a high-volume DIY SMB acquisition funnel while architecting a high-margin enterprise sales motion. Directly reported to the CEO, managing the full revenue lifecycle from CXO negotiations to Revenue Operations. Revenue & Enterprise Growth • Generated ₹10Cr+ in Total Contract Value (TCV) across SaaS subscriptions and enterprise custom builds. • Architected a high-volume SMB funnel onboarding 25,000+ top-of-funnel users, optimizing for high-LTV retention cohorts. • Spearheaded enterprise expansion, closing 50+ engagements with 8 marquee accounts: HDFC Bank, Tata Trust, Health & Glow, Tata Motors, LG, Neptune Logitek etc. • Closed the company’s largest deal: ₹2Cr implementation + ₹10L/month recurring AMC with Neptune Logitek. Strategic & Commercial Leadership • Diagnosed structural PMF constraints in the V1 DIY segment (LTV:CAC <2x); advised the CEO to pivot R&D toward a Unified Omnichannel Commerce ecosystem (POS, Inventory, Apps), directly shaping the V2 product strategy. • Led pricing strategy, proposal structuring, and enterprise negotiations directly with CXOs. • Influenced the product roadmap with 15+ feature enhancements driven by churn analysis. • Maintained direct commercial reporting to the CEO (3x weekly), providing full revenue visibility, forecasting, and CAC/LTV analysis. GTM Build & Revenue Operations • Built Sales, CS, and Partner functions from scratch: scaled the team to 13 during the initial land-grab phase, and strategically right-sized post-pivot to optimize resources for high-value enterprise hunting. • Launched a partner program from 0 to 50+ onboarded partners (~35 active), complete with GTM playbooks and deal registration. • Implemented Zoho CRM and Knowlarity to establish rigorous pipeline management, SLA tracking, and data-driven Revenue Operations.

Sales Manager (promoted from Associate Sales Manager in 7 months) at Unacademy, Jun 2019 - Nov 2022 · 3 yrs 6 mos, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, India's largest edtech SaaS platform. Company scaled from Series D to $3.4B valuation during tenure. Led large-scale Revenue Operations across sales, forecasting, and CAC optimization during hyper-growth phase. Revenue & Scale • Managed ₹50Cr+ annual revenue throughput (₹4.2Cr monthly peak) across inside sales and channel operations • Led 120-member sales organization (8 Team Leads + 1 Deputy Manager + 100+ SDRs/AEs) handling 43,000+ monthly leads • Achieved consistent 105%+ quota attainment across 36-month tenure, with peak of 160% in January 2022 • Promoted from Associate Sales Manager to Sales Manager in 7 months based on 137% target achievement Team Leadership & Development • Built high-performing sales culture with <5% attrition in an industry averaging 25-30% turnover • Promoted 13 team members into leadership roles: 8 Assistant Sales Managers, 2 Team Leaders, 1 Assistant Manager, 1 Quality Manager, 1 Trainer • Designed transparent incentive structures, coaching frameworks, and performance management systems • Conducted daily pipeline reviews and weekly strategy sessions with Director covering forecasting, CAC visibility, and escalations Operations & GTM Build • Designed Unacademy's first channel partner program, establishing outsourced SDR partnerships to expand reach • Led company's first sales process outsourcing initiative with zero revenue disruption during transition • Built sales dashboards, forecasting models, and lead attribution systems for multi-team environment • Implemented CRM workflows (LeadSquared, Nimbus) for pipeline management, conversion optimization, and performance tracking • Collaborated with Marketing on campaign strategy and lead generation optimization 🥇Received 5 internal leadership awards (2021–2022): Phenomenal Leadership Award (AMJ '21), Leadership Excellence (July & August '21), Best Iconic Contribution (July & August '22) for consistent 105%+ quota attainment and exceptional team performance

Inside Sales Specialist (Manager Grade- B1) at Simplilearn, Jan 2018 - Feb 2019 · 1 yr 2 mos, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, Drove full B2C Inside Sales cycle for high-value professional certification courses in AI, Data Science, and Big Data at India's leading EdTech SaaS platform. Managed 120+ monthly leads and achieved ₹3.6M+ revenue. Consultative Sales & Pipeline Management • Managed end-to-end Inside Sales pipeline for premium courses (avg. ₹30,000) in emerging technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Big Data, Robotics Process Automation • Processed 120+ qualified leads monthly, converting 9 enrollments/month average (7.5% conversion rate), closing 120+ enrollments total CRM & Salesforce Optimization • Leveraged Salesforce CRM to manage 1,500+ leads, track pipeline velocity, and personalize customer engagement for superior conversion rates • Utilized data-driven insights to refine sales pitches, optimize follow-up strategies, and forecast performance with high accuracy • Ranked in top 10% of sales floor for Q4 2018 Mentorship & Team Development • Selected as mentor to onboard and train 5 new sales representatives on product knowledge, Inside Sales techniques, and Salesforce CRM best practices • All 5 mentees hit first-quarter targets; contributed to faster ramp-up times and stronger team performance Customer-Centric Approach • Built trusted advisor relationships with professionals seeking career advancement in tech, translating complex course offerings into personalized learning solutions 🥇 Achieved 108% of monthly sales target (average) 🥇 Closed 120+ enrollments with 7.5% conversion rate 🥇 Ranked top 10% of sales floor (Q4 2018) 🥇 Mentored 5 new team members, all hitting first-quarter targets

Health and well-being at Career Break, Jun 2016 - Dec 2017 · 1 yr 7 mos, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, Took a purposeful 19-month career break to address and successfully manage a personal health matter. This period of intentional focus strengthened my resilience, deepened my adaptability, and provided valuable perspective that enhances my professional approach. ☑ Key Outcomes: • Returned to career with renewed energy, clarity, and commitment to delivering impactful results • Developed enhanced emotional intelligence and problem-solving capabilities through navigating complex challenges • Gained fresh perspective on work-life integration, team wellbeing, and sustainable high performance

Student Executive Counsellor at Jigsaw Academy, Aug 2015 - May 2016 · 10 mos, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, Served as a trusted advisor at one of India’s premier analytics institutes, guiding 1,000+ prospective students and working professionals through critical career transitions into Data Science and Analytics. Ranked #1 among a 35-member team in Q1 2016, while driving corporate upskilling initiatives and consistent enrollment excellence. Consultative Advisory & Enrollment Excellence: • Advised 1,000+ learners over 10 months (100+ consultations/month) across SAS, R, Hadoop, Google Analytics, Python, and emerging technologies • Achieved 94% average monthly enrollment target; ranked #1 in Q1 2016 for revenue generation • Conducted online demos and in-person consultations, translating complex curricula into clear career pathways Corporate Partnerships & B2B Influence: • Facilitated enterprise upskilling programs for Accenture (15 enrollments) and ANZ Bank (20 enrollments) • Bridged corporate L&D teams and program offerings, managing a pan-India student base from fresh graduates to senior professionals Subject Matter Expertise & Market Intelligence: • Maintained up-to-date knowledge of analytics trends and emerging skills to provide future-focused guidance • Employed consultative needs-analysis to match students to optimal programs rather than highest-value courses • Specialized in advising career transitioners, including professionals from non-traditional backgrounds Full-Cycle Sales & Student Lifecycle Management: • Managed complete B2C enrollment journey: inquiry, program selection, application, and enrollment • Built trusted advisory relationships to enhance conversion rates, satisfaction, and program completion • Leveraged CRM systems to track engagement, personalize follow-ups, and maintain organized pipelines for 100+ monthly leads Jigsaw Academy was acquired by UNext Learning. 🥇 Ranked #1 out of 35 team members for Q1 2016 revenue 🥇 Achieved 94% average monthly enrollment targets 🥇 Drove 35 corporate enrollments (Accenture 15, ANZ 20)

Advanced Technical Support Analyst at Dell, Jan 2011 - Aug 2013 · 2 y 7 mo, Bangalore

Education

Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.), Biotechnology, New Horizon College of Engineering

Class 12, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, De Nobili School

Public links

linkedin.com: https://www.linkedin.com/somnath-basu/