Swiggy’s Rohit Kapoor on knowing one's calendar for the next 90 days
Rohit Kapoor, CEO of food marketplace at Swiggy Ltd, on learning from unconventional mentors and being on top of one's schedule
There’s a hack that Rohit Kapoor swears by—doing things right the first time. It is something he picked up during his school days in Kolkata, where he was all ears in the classroom to grasp as much of the lesson as he could.
“I didn’t want to revise things later and spend inordinate hours preparing for examinations. It is something which helps even today. To be able to do multiple things well, one must give undivided attention to the task at hand in order to reduce unnecessary churn," says Gurugram-based Kapoor, 51, CEO, Food Marketplace, Swiggy Ltd.
When Kapoor took on his role in 2022, he faced the challenge of managing growth amid intense competition. Within a year, the food marketplace turned profitable and today operates across 700 cities, while also creating employment for their delivery partners.
“We are still in very early stages—not just in terms of food delivery adoption, but also in the evolution of the restaurant ecosystem. The grocery market is still ten times larger than the food market in India. This represents a multi-decadal opportunity, one that will demand high execution rigour and continuous innovation. So the future of food delivery is bright," he says.
Kapoor talks to Lounge about mentorship and the importance of building a good team.
Who do you consider your mentor?
I do not have a particular mentor who has shaped me. In a very philosophical way, the most I have learned is from walking the streets and listening to the chaos that is India. So the person on the street is my teacher and mentor.
One major insight you worked on with your mentor's guidance?
Walking the streets has taught me that wisdom has no correlation with background or education levels. The guidance I have come away with is to be respectful and listen with intent to a wide cross-section of people. You can find me happily chatting to practically anyone I meet in my daily life. The lessons are free and available - one has to simply seek.
What does a mentor mean to you? How do you mentor your colleagues at work?
Being a mentor means three things—one has to customise advice to the situation and person, it has to come from a place of wanting the best for the mentee, and needs a trusting relationship where one can share a viewpoint which may not be liked. A mentor should earn respect first and ideally affection as well. It rarely works the other way around.
What is your morning schedule like?
I do not have a fixed schedule. Sometimes I am in my car within 30 minutes of waking up and on other days I need to be dragged out of bed, usually on a Sunday or a long weekend. I used to wake up very early, irrespective of when I slept, but now I consciously try and get in 6-8 hours of sleep. It is very important for my productivity and health.
What are some of the productivity principles you follow that have made your professional life much easier?
The biggest principle of productivity is to build an amazing team, empower them and have their back. That accounts for 80% of my productivity. A minor hack is to know my calendar for the next 90 days. I can almost tell you without opening my calendar which city I will be in and what I am likely to be doing. It helps me stay ahead and plan effectively.
What is the one positive work routine you have developed during the pandemic?
I personally believe the pandemic created the single largest shift in work habits. My ability to connect and work from anywhere and still be on top of things is just an amazing revelation to myself. One routine I have developed is to have multiple one-on-ones with people while walking. For some colleagues who enjoy it, I invite them for early morning walks. We discuss things uninterrupted for an hour, while also getting 8,000 steps in.
Any book or podcast you would recommend about mentorship and growth?
I would recommend books by Naval Ravikant, speeches by the greatest politicians and leaders, and Sufi wisdom regarding life.
How do you unwind? Do you pursue any serious hobbies?
The best way to unwind is to caddy for my 13-year-old daughter who is a golfer. Greens are magical and having a teenager disregard anything you say is humbling and brings you back to earth. I have many hobbies such as photography, travelling and most recently, learning to DJ. I pursue most of them in a fairly non-serious way.
Monday Motivation is a series in which business leaders discuss their mentors and their work ethics.
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