The Mind Behind the Operator
A Journey of Professional Growth and Personal Simplification
Hey, I’m Jaspal Kahlon
Meet me in person, and you'll sense it fast — I live in the details, but think in systems. I’m not chasing titles. I’m chasing clarity.
I thrive where learning meets execution — where ideas get built, tested, and refined.
I don’t aim to sound smart. I aim to be useful.
What drives me? The quiet satisfaction of solving real problems — with precision, logic, and a little bit of instinct.
About Me
Born in Jamshedpur. Shaped by steel, silence, and staying power.
My grandfather moved there in the 1930s to work with a Tata Steel subsidiary—and stayed for 95 years. That kind of rootedness shaped me, even as I chose a path of movement.
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I wasn’t the most outgoing kid. Home was my world. But high school in Chandigarh cracked that open. That’s where I found cycling—not just a sport, but a way to feel alive beyond books and classrooms.
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In 1996, I moved to Indore for college and stayed through postgrad. Met the love of my life there. What followed was a ride through Mumbai, Delhi, and finally Chandigarh—our home since 2016.
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I’m a father to two daughters. Watching my elder one step into college now feels like life coming full circle. It makes me proud—and a little more curious about what’s next.
As for work—I'm not cut from the stay-in-one-place cloth. I’ve switched jobs, not out of restlessness, but to learn faster and build better. Every role has been a project. Every switch, a statement: that growth matters more than comfort.
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If we meet, you'll meet someone who moves with purpose. Who doesn’t pretend to have it all figured out, but shows up anyway—curious, committed, and always ready to make things better.
Experience That Built Me
Over two decades, I’ve worn multiple hats — not as a generalist, but as someone who sees the full system and fixes what others overlook.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Back to Orane with responsibility to drive top line across existing revenue heads plus introduce a couple of new revenue lines
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES, JUNGLEWORKS
Joined to set up the outbound sales function for SaaS, but quickly stepped into a Business Head role — leading Tookan’s team, streamlining sales ops, and mentoring Inside Sales on CRM discipline and performance routines.
VP MARKET DEVELOPMENT, ABZOOBA
At Abzooba, I was trusted with a bold challenge: build momentum for a newly launched MLOps platform.
I focused on intelligent prospecting — not just chasing leads, but identifying signals that matter. And I’m proud of the early traction I created.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ORANE INTERNATIONAL
The beauty skilling company was growing fast, but without a senior operator to build the backbone — systems, processes, and accountability.
The CEO needed someone who could lead without handholding, move fast without breaking trust, and build without over-delegating.
I stepped in.
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Took ownership where it was missing.
Empowered teams to decide more, depend less.
Simplified what had become needlessly complex.
The result?
Cross-functional clarity. Faster decisions. Stronger ownership across the board.
When people are trusted and systems don’t get in their way — things start to move.
HEAD FINANCE & OPERATIONS, JUGNOO
Joined a Chandigarh-based startup with strong brand recall as India’s first auto-aggregator.
The founding team was sharp, ambitious — and a decade younger. They weren’t looking for “old school.” They wanted experience without ego.
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I fit right in.
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Moved fast, focused on what mattered, and hit the business goals we set out to achieve.
No drama. Just decisions, delivery, and trust built through execution.
CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER, EASTMAN AUTO & POWER
Started as Head of Strategy and transitioned to lead Finance & Accounts when the business hit USD 10M in annual revenue.
I didn’t inherit a polished system — I built one.
- Streamlined the working capital cycle
- Tightened statutory compliance and plugged revenue leakages
- Reframed finance not just as control, but as a growth enabler
Led bank negotiations to secure flexible funding aligned with our seasonal cash flow needs.
Improved our credit rating from BB+ to A-, unlocking over 5% in annual interest savings.
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Execution met insight — and it showed on the balance sheet.
HEAD CORPORATE PLANNING, DENAVE INDIA
Joined a leading sales outsourcing firm managing channel sales for giants like Intel, Microsoft, and HP.
Came in through a trusted referral — my mentor Subu, who knew exactly what I bring: strategy, alliances, and execution that moves.
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They needed someone to think beyond field sales.
I stepped in to unlock two core levers:
- Secured alternate funding from a public sector bank — collateral-free, improving cash flow and financial agility
- Owned key client relationships, especially with Microsoft and HP
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With Microsoft, the partnership deepened — five new projects won under my leadership.
I wasn’t just part of the system. I strengthened it.
SENIOR MANAGER STRATEGY, ADITYA BIRLA RETAIL
Joined Aditya Birla Retail (ABRL) in its founding year — at a time when organized retail in India was still taking shape.
The challenge: build clarity in a landscape where speed outpaced systems.
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- Refined a 30-sheet financial model to track ROI, payback periods, and funding needs
- Worked directly with senior leadership, aligning business plans with the Chairman’s vision and board expectations
- Built a co-development model to support store expansion decisions
- Secured a revenue partnership for in-store media monetization
- Designed Excel-based weekly performance trackers to create operational visibility in a low-automation environment
ERP was limited. Processes were evolving. But we moved — with discipline, rigor, and a financial lens that helped shape ABRL’s early momentum.
MANAGER CORPORATE PLANNING, JASUBHAI
DIGITAL MEDIA
I still wonder why I was hired — maybe that’s what made it work.
The Founder-CEO didn’t want industry baggage. He wanted intellect.
Someone who could think structurally, ask the right questions, and build from zero.
My academic, analytical mindset caught his attention.
I was brought in to build the business model and draft the first pitch deck — the Information Memorandum.
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But the role quickly expanded:
- Sat in on key business and finance reviews
- Improved internal reporting flows
- Even wrote editorial pieces for company magazines
Most importantly, I met Subu — a mentor whose support and clarity shaped many of my career moves since.
ACADEMIC ASSOCIATE (F&A), INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, INDORE
IIM Indore wasn’t part of my plan — until it was.
A batchmate nudged me to apply for an Academic Associate role. I was considering a PhD, so I took the entrance test. Then came the interview — seven professors in a semicircle, me alone on a chair, no table to hide my nervous legs.
They grilled me on finance — cost of capital, theories, markets. I held my ground. Until they asked: “What’s the full form of PhD?”
I said, “Philosphe.”
A professor gently corrected me: “Doctorate in Philosophy.”
That moment stuck. And so did the experience that followed.
I worked closely with Prof. LV Ramana and Prof. G Sethu, assisting on subjects like:
- Strategic Finance
- Risk Management
- Stock & Options
- Debt Markets
- Financial Accounting
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It felt like a crash course in a second MBA — but with deeper rigor.
I dived into research papers, used EBSCO and ProQuest like second nature, and built fluency in Excel-based financial modeling.
I also authored a case study on Maruti Suzuki’s transformation — a deep dive into public-to-private transitions and strategic realignment.
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My time at IIM Indore gave me more than academic exposure.
It gave me a glimpse of what intellectual discipline feels like — and planted the seed for future scholarly work.
SKILLS
Most relevant ones
Strategic Execution
From plan to profit — I help businesses turn strategy into structured execution using clarity frameworks, OKRs, and workflow optimization.
Workflow Automation & AI Integration
Automate what slows you down — I design and implement lean, no-code/low-code automation systems that save time and boost productivity.
Business Decision Structuring
Decisions, de-biased — I apply mental models, data logic, and behavioral insights to help founders and teams make high-stakes decisions with clarity.
Narrative & Thought Leadership Writing
Clarity that converts — Whether it’s a pitch, blog, brand story, or internal vision — I bring structure, soul, and simplicity to your message.
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Sales & Operations Optimization
Team performance, redefined — I restructure teams, align incentives, and build systems that make your backend lean and your front end revenue-ready.