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“When I first spoke to Ashima, all I wanted was honest feedback on our product from someone who truly understood eCommerce. But a few minutes into the conversation, I realized this was going to be much more than that.
Her excitement for building something that could solve real problems for hundreds of brands was infectious. And what struck me most was her courage, from starting her own venture to taking a career break to be with her family, she has always chosen the path that feels right, not the easy one.
Since joining GobbleCube, Ashima has brought not just structure, but a sense of energy and ambition that raises the bar for the entire team.”
~ Manas Gupta, CEO & Co-founder @GobbleCube
How did you first hear about GobbleCube?
When I met Manas, I was on a career break, taking some time off to be with my mother. During that phase, I was also meeting people, remaining curious, and trying to keep pace with the rapid evolution of the ecosystem.
The first time I heard about GobbleCube’s vision, something just clicked. It didn’t feel like another role; it felt like a chance to build something I genuinely believed in. Having lived those challenges myself, I knew exactly how tough it can be for brands, and I wanted to be part of solving that.
And being based in Gurgaon meant I could stay close to my parents. Somehow, everything just aligned: the purpose, the people, the timing. It all felt… right.
In Manas’ words, “you’ve transformed our GTM”. What’s the secret sauce behind this?
No secret formula here. Having led eCommerce at Bajaj, L’Oréal, and Coty, I have sat through my fair share of product demos, dashboards everywhere, and insights nowhere.
Each demo promised magic: endless metrics, colorful graphs, and AI-powered buzzwords. But when it came to solving real problems, like why market share dipped last week or which channel truly moved the needle, the answers were never clear.
That’s what shaped my empathy for the big-data struggle. I have lived it firsthand, the frustration of being surrounded by data yet starved for clarity. The reality is, brands don’t need more dashboards; they need faster decisions. And that’s the lens through which I now build, think, and lead.
How did that perspective influence your approach at GobbleCube?
When I first joined GobbleCube, our demos were... let’s just say, traditional.
A one-hour walkthrough. Dummy dashboards. Dummy data. The same story, every time.
It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t real.
It didn’t show brands what we could actually do for them.
So we tore it down and rebuilt it from scratch.
Now, every demo is custom-built around the brand’s own SKUs, platforms, and pain points. Even if they never convert, they walk away with something valuable and actionable.
Deliver value first. Deal later. Always.
Because here’s the truth → customers don’t care about what your product is; they only care about what it does for them.
So, every conversation now starts with one question:
👉 “What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing right now?”
Not “Here’s what we’ve built.”
That simple shift changed everything: our sales process, our mindset, and how people experience GobbleCube.
Great approach! This must take a lot of energy. What does recharging look like for you?
Outside of work, I like to switch off with the simple joys, like cooking. I discovered my love for it back in college, and it’s still my favourite way to unwind after a long day.
I also enjoy painting; it’s something I do mostly for fun, but I love gifting my paintings to friends and family on special occasions. My husband and I are big on road trips and a bit of off-roading in our Thar whenever we can squeeze in a getaway.
I keep saying that the gym is also a hobby, though lately it’s been more of an aspiration than a routine! Travel, food, and some creative time are usually what keep me recharged.
From working with large enterprises to running a fast-scaling startup, how has the journey been?
At GobbleCube, it’s truly a 0-to-1 journey. I actually started something of my own (it was Chandigarh’s first health food startup, ‘POSHTIC’) back in 2015 and later worked with another startup for a couple of years. I have been part of teams that were building from scratch and also scaling, and that mix is what excites me the most. The passion, the energy, the constant hustle of startup life, I think I genuinely thrive in that environment where ideas turn into action fast.
What’s exciting at GobbleCube right now is the pace at which we’re problem-solving.
We’ve moved beyond digital shelf solutions to a full-stack co-pilot for brands. While our journey started with D2Cs, we’re penetrating the enterprise brands at breakneck speed, showing the relevance of what we are solving.
We’re also moving beyond India and entering other geographies like MENA and LATAM. Every new geography comes with its own learning curve, different platforms, consumer behaviour, and retail ecosystems.
The challenge is to localize without losing the core of what makes GobbleCube work. We’ve built our product to be modular, so adapting it for new markets like MENA is less about redoing and more about fine-tuning for local nuances. Every conversation with our partners is a learning experience, and we’re constantly back at the drawing board, building solutions that truly move the needle for them.