Swapnil Mhaske, City CEO, Blinkit, speaks with India Employer Forum on how quick commerce is reshaping consumption, creating large-scale job opportunities, what modern founders get right, and the HR/operational playbook for building motivated, high-performance frontline teams.
Moderated by: Shylaja P, Account Director, Enterprise Sales & Account Management, TeamLease Services Ltd.
When asked about India’s quick commerce growth, Swapnil Mhaske said, “Quick commerce has changed consumer behaviour, from thinking 10 minutes about an order to getting essentials delivered within 10 minutes. This rapid shift has forced FMCG and retail players to rethink distribution, inventory strategy and last-mile economics. It’s no longer an experiment; quick commerce is a core channel that drives frequency, loyalty and new revenue streams.”
On job creation and workforce scaling, he added, “Quick commerce is a massive employment engine. Millions of gig and frontline roles, riders, store associates, operations staff, are being created across metros and tier-2/3 cities. With the broader platform and gig economy expanding, the ecosystem is unlocking flexible, localised work options at scale.”
On what differentiates today’s founders, Swapnil observed, “Young entrepreneurs are purpose-driven, tech-native and hyper-exposed to global best practices. They come with clarity, speed and a bias for customer obsession. But founding still requires slog: you must go to the ground, test hypotheses, and build instincts by doing. Ideas alone won’t survive without field experience and relentless execution.”
On driving productivity in high-scale delivery ecosystems, he commented, “Productivity isn’t manufactured solely through supervision, it’s created via alignment. Leaders must articulate one single, clear goal and relentlessly cascade it to every rider, store manager and support role. Align communications, incentives, rituals and recognition to that goal. When people see how their daily work ties to a bigger purpose, motivation and performance follow naturally.”
On non-financial levers that boost engagement and retention, Swapnil said, “Recognition, meaning and belonging matter more than we admit. Simple, non-monetary interventions, competitions, visible awards, localised celebrations, build pride and reduce churn. Regular on-ground listening, clear role expectations, and personalised development touchpoints keep frontline teams invested.”
On enabling founder diversity and women entrepreneurs, he noted, “The narrative should shift from ‘empowerment’ to ‘enablement.’ Urban women founders are confident and capable; grassroots women often need access, mentorship and hands-on support. Established founders and ecosystem players must intentionally mentor, sponsor and create pathways for women entrepreneurs in tier-2 and tier-3 markets.”
On what makes people stay, Swapnil reflected, “People spend a major part of their lives at work. They stay when work makes them happy and feels meaningful. Clarity of contribution, emotional connection to the company’s goal, and personalised recognition create loyalty. Purpose + recognition beats pure financial incentives in building long-term commitment.”
Watch the full Samvaad: In Conversation with Swapnil Mhaske, City CEO, Blinkit
About Swapnil Mhaske
Swapnil specialises in taking brands from zero to one, with new product development as his core strength. His experience spans the full value chain from brand strategy, supply-chain design, warehousing, and logistics to PnL management, enabling him to build businesses with both creative clarity and operational precision. He’s helped scale multiple early-stage ventures in India into sustainable, high-performing organisations, and he currently serves as a City CEO at Blinkit, leading large-scale operations in one of the world’s most competitive quick-commerce markets.
Alongside his work in operations and brand-building, he is the author of The Closing, a contemporary business novel that draws from his real-world experience to explore the human and operational complexities behind fast-growth companies. Writing allows him to bridge strategy with storytelling and bringing a deeper, more relatable perspective to the business landscapes he works in.
He also contributes as a guest lecturer at select universities, engaging with young professionals and helping shape the next generation of builders and leaders. You can connect with Swapnil here.
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