No Bound for HubSpot’s Inbound!

A $2 billion success story reveal!

Jan 31, 2024

Once upon a time, businesses had this standard way of doing marketing and sales. They'd bug you with cold calls, flood your inbox with emails you didn't ask for, and throw annoying ads in your face. But, people got fed up! It’s like that old saying - too much of anything will turn poisonous. ☠️

So, customers started doing things their way. They picked how they wanted to talk to companies and expected everything to be personalized. They started ignoring cold calls and dodging annoying ads. Instead, they turned toward search engines and social media to check out stuff before even talking to a company.

With this, businesses faced a problem. The old tricks weren't working, and they needed a better way to grab people's attention and make them happy, which was less about disturbance and more about assistance.

That’s when inbound marketing came into the picture - Instead of bombarding people with ads and annoying messages, inbound marketing is like having a friendly chat. It's about creating content that people actually want to see and find useful. Imagine getting info about a product or service when you're really interested, rather than having it crammed into you.

Why am I talking so much about Inbound marketing? Because my story this week is about HubSpot - the maestro of all platforms specializing in inbound marketing and sales and the founders of this organization - Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan came up with the term ‘Inbound Marketing.’ So, what better way to introduce it, I thought.

Now, picture yourself at a bustling marketplace filled with vendors shouting about their products, each trying to outdo the other in grabbing your attention. Amid such noise, HubSpot is like that quiet, cozy corner store where the owner knows your name, your preferences, and exactly what you need – without bombarding you. 😌

In this chaotic world of business, HubSpot decided to be the soothing retreat, an antidote to the old-school, interruptive ways of sales and marketing. It's like walking into a store where the staff doesn't just pounce on you with random stuff. Instead, it's like having a knowledgeable friend by your side, suggesting things that genuinely matter to you.

Dorm room dreams, heard worldwide!

“We just started describing the world as the old school outbound marketing that was the traditional way, and the new school inbound marketing. And that's sort of how the idea of HubSpot sort of started.” — Brian Halligan

In 2004, MIT classmates Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah pioneered the idea of inbound marketing, seeing the internet shift gears from numbers to engagement. In 2005, armed with their engagement-focused solution, Brian and Dharmesh entered MIT's business plan competition. While they didn't win, it didn't stop them. Graduating in 2005, they launched their brainchild, HubSpot. Starting with a blog and an inbound community, they provided a platform for small businesses to excel at inbound marketing. 👏

As the community thrived, they crystallized the core ideas – social media engagement, website optimization, and engagement tactics. In 2008, the first sales representative was hired. One of their early success stories was Schwartz Communications, whose revenues soared by 300% in 2009.

By the end of 2010, HubSpot's revenue had skyrocketed to $15.6 million, and they were just getting started. The momentum picked up in 2011, with Halligan receiving accolades, acquiring Oneforty (a Twitter app store), and securing $65 million in venture capital. The subscriber count exceeded 5,000, and HubSpot moved towards serving larger businesses. In 2013, HubSpot went global, opening an office in Dublin. In 2014, it became a publicly listed company. Its revenue hit $1.731 billion in 2022, and the success story continued into 2023, reaching $2.058 billion by the quarter ending September of 2023, a 26.21% YoY increase.

See how a simple chat in college grew into a global marketing giant? They changed how marketing works with their keen observations, actions, innovative ideas, and unwavering dedication. It's important to get to know the people who made this massive organization happen. So, in the next part, it’s all about Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan.

(From left: Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan)

Dharmesh Shah, one of the brains behind HubSpot, is like a tech genius with a degree from MIT. He kicked off his business journey at just 24, making millions by selling Pyramid Digital Solutions. Even though he swore he wouldn't start another company, in 2006, he couldn't resist, and HubSpot was born.

"I could not help myself. It's just a genetic flaw!" - Dharmesh Shah

Dharmesh believes in being transparent, and at HubSpot, they use an internal wiki to keep everyone in the know. He's also a big fan of coding, thinking it helps him stay down-to-earth and be a better entrepreneur. Before HubSpot became a thing, Dharmesh and Brian started a blog to get the word out. While still at MIT, he began investing in other companies and now, as an angel investor, he's on the lookout for people with something to prove. When he's considering an investment, he loves doing a deep Google search, wanting to know everything an entrepreneur has shared online. 👀

He's not just about tech stuff; Dharmesh founded OnStartups.com, with over 350,000 members, and co-authored books like "Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs" and "Inbound Marketing: Attract, Engage, and Delight Customers Online." Even when faced with challenges, like the controversy around the release of "Disrupted,"- a book by Dan Lyons, where he described HubSpot's culture as ageist, cult-like, and sometimes cruel, and that their business model amounts to glorified spamming. Dharmesh handled it like a pro. There's a ton to learn from his successes and how he stays strong when things get tough. This is just a sneak peek for you.

“Inbound marketing is the exact opposite of spam” - Dharmesh and Brian

Brian Halligan, the other brain behind HubSpot, has a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Vermont and a master’s from MIT. Before starting HubSpot in 2006, he worked at Longworth Ventures and was the VP of sales at Groove Networks, later acquired by Microsoft. Brian believes in creating an “inbound culture” and emphasizes the importance of an inspiring mission over money. He's also an angel investor, spreading his wisdom. Halligan teaches at MIT Sloan School of Management and co-authored books like "Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead" with David Meerman Scott and "Inbound Marketing" with Dharmesh Shah.

Known as a "huge nap guy," 😴 Halligan often finds his most brilliant ideas either falling into or coming out of a nap. His keys to work-life balance include working from home every Wednesday and spending more time thinking than working excessively. Halligan advises entrepreneurs to take risks, stating that conservative behavior leads nowhere. He uses an interesting bus analogy for leadership, which is worded like this:

“A leader has 3 responsibilities that are akin to a bus. First, the leader must have a clear set of directions in mind on where the bus is headed. Second, the leader must have the right people on the bus who are excited about the direction and work well together. Third, the leader must have enough gas (cash) in the tank to get to their destination.”

For him, success is a delighted customer, considering nothing better.

These founders, rather unconventional, laid the foundation for a company that would challenge norms and redefine success. The next section is all about how they defied tradition and overturned expectations.

Smashing the norm!

Doing Things Differently:

Successful founders often stand out for doing things in a unique way — taking a path less traveled instead of following the crowd. Brian Halligan said, “We have not been afraid to fight conventional wisdom,” 👊showing how their unique ideas have worked well. HubSpot did three things that were a bit different.
This is the trilogy:

(1)They didn’t focus on big Fortune 500 companies, and confined their energy towards assisting startups and scaleups instead.
(2)They changed from marketing to a more complete Customer Relationship Management (CRM) approach.
(3)They built their CRM company from scratch instead of buying other companies.

Not Afraid to Be Different:

Brian Halligan remembered a professor saying, “Watch the competition, but never follow them.” It means not being scared to do your own thing even if others are doing something else. HubSpot did these three big things that everyone else, including investors, thought were bad ideas.

Trying Something New:

HubSpot didn’t talk about “culture” in the first five years. They were busy growing, building, and selling the product. But then, in a group for CEOs, Brian Halligan realized culture was missing, and Dharmesh Shah took charge. They treated it like a project in engineering, creating something called the "culture code." This different approach to culture is like HubSpot’s product — it helps attract and keep customers and employees. It’s also about being open, sharing things like how the company is doing financially and even doing public reviews of the founders.

Making Changes Inside:

“We treat culture as a product, and that has been game-changing for us internally,” said Dharmesh Shah. It means they think of culture as something important, not just a side thing. So, as your company gets bigger, remember: don’t forget about culture; spend time and effort on it, and let your employees be a part of making it better.

Frictionless growth and how?

How HubSpot Works:

HubSpot's software tools help businesses attract, engage, and delight customers through inbound marketing techniques. They have hubs like Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub. Additionally, HubSpot offers a free CRM solution to manage leads and customers, allowing users to track deals, gain insights, and generate reports.

Making Money:

HubSpot makes money through subscription-based sales of its software tools. The CRM tool is free and serves as a way to attract more customers. Revenue comes from premium features in Hub applications, the app marketplace, consulting services, and events. 💸

The Flywheel Model:

Now, let's delve into the heart of HubSpot's business strategy — the Flywheel model.

What is the Flywheel?

Think of the flywheel as a model explaining the momentum gained when a company aligns around delivering a remarkable customer experience. 🌀It's like a wheel storing and releasing energy, invented by James Watt. The more happy customers, the more energy for growth.

How It Works:

The flywheel's momentum depends on speed, friction, and size. Companies increase speed with forces like inbound marketing and decrease friction by eliminating obstacles. The goal is to create promoters – happy customers who drive the flywheel.

Inbound Methodology and the Flywheel:

HubSpot aligns its entire company around the flywheel. The new inbound methodology, represented as a circle, focuses on attracting, engaging, and delighting customers. The flywheel helps reduce friction between teams, providing a holistic customer experience. 🔗

Flywheel vs. Funnel:

(Image Courtesy: hubspot.com)

The traditional funnel views customers as an outcome, whereas the flywheel sees them as a driving force. Funnels fail to consider how customers can help a business grow. The flywheel is a more comprehensive model, revealing growth areas and customer-driven momentum.

HubSpot's Journey with the Flywheel:

HubSpot transitioned from the funnel to the flywheel over time. The company invested in customer marketing, advocacy, delightful onboarding, and an integrations ecosystem. By putting customers first and focusing on growing better, HubSpot adapted its business for a customer-friendly approach.

Next Steps:

HubSpot's customer platform unifies marketing, sales, service, and commerce to track each customer interaction. By combining various tools in one platform, businesses can add force and remove friction from their flywheel for better growth.

Now that we've covered how HubSpot operates and the Flywheel they have going on, let's chat about their latest big news, HubSpot’s acquisition of Clearbit. This is like the grand finale of our story cuz, it’s a pretty big deal! This partnership is like adding extra rocket boosters to their Flywheel strategy. Let's dig into why this merger is so exciting and how it fits into HubSpot's journey of making customers super happy. Here's the last chapter for you!

Hubspot + Clearbit

HubSpot recently made a big move by acquiring Clearbit, a company that provides business data for $150M in cash. This means HubSpot customers will now have a better understanding of their customers and potential clients. 💡 HubSpot is committed to using data responsibly and keeping things transparent and secure.

HubSpot is a big player with $2 billion in revenue. They acquired Clearbit as part of a trend in the software industry. Let's go back to the basics first to understand why this merger happened and how they will benefit from this.

HubSpot is a tool that helps companies with marketing and sales. It does things like bringing in people to your website, turning them into leads, and helping close deals. While there are many tools like HubSpot, what makes it special is its ability to gather data about potential customers from different places like emails, calls, and website visits. The recent addition of Clearbit takes this to another level.

Clearbit, the company HubSpot acquired, is good at providing information about what other companies are doing. For example, if a potential customer is comparing different products, Clearbit can give insights about that. By joining forces with HubSpot, Clearbit's data becomes part of a more extensive package for customers.

“Clearbit has made it its mission to collect rich and useful data about millions of companies. HubSpot’s AI-powered customer platform combined with Clearbit’s data will create a powerful, winning combination for our customers.🤝”- Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot

This move comes as the software industry is changing. Companies are not growing as easily as before, so they are combining their strengths. The combination of ClearBit and HubSpot is more valuable than each one on its own. With this merger, HubSpot benefits by expanding its offerings and upselling to existing customers, while Clearbit gains distribution through HubSpot.

In simple terms, this acquisition is not just about competing with ZoomInfo - the Sales Intelligence Platform. It's about providing a complete package of tools for customers. HubSpot wants to be a strong player in the world of data and sales tools, challenging others like Apollo.io and LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

As we witness this consolidation trend in the SaaS industry, HubSpot's acquisition of Clearbit stands out as a significant move, setting the stage for more strategic acquisitions in the future. It shows that HubSpot is gearing up for long-term battles in the data intelligence and sales engagement space. So, the story of HubSpot continues, shaping the future of how businesses connect with customers.

That's all for now. HubSpot has a lot more to its story, and I've covered bits that caught my eye. I trust you found this exploration of their growth story enjoyable. Until next time, Ciao! 👋