Snapdeal CEO Kunal Bahl urges founders to prioritise profits over ‘growth at any cost’

Kunal Bahl, Co-Founder of Titan Capital and Snapdeal, believes that businesses that focus on profitability rather than hypergrowth are more likely to access the public markets successfully.

Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Bahl shared an insightful example from his experience with Unicommerce, a B2B software business. Acquired in 2015 to support Snapdeal’s warehouse operations,

Unicommerce expanded its services to other brands and platforms. Over time, it evolved into India’s first SaaS company to go public. Remarkably, the company raised no primary capital to fuel its growth, relying instead on sustainable expansion. This approach culminated in a successful listing in August 2024, with Unicommerce’s IPO becoming the second most subscribed IPO of the year.

Bahl’s advice to founders is clear: avoid the “growth at any cost” mindset. Instead, focus on building profitable, enduring businesses.

Watch the accompanying video for more.