Hosts Ryan Gunn and Brian Garvey welcome Rikki Lear, the Chief Growth Officer at Profoundly. Rikki shares his extensive journey in the HubSpot ecosystem, discussing how he transitioned from running a successful digital marketing agency to leading growth initiatives within HubSpot's partner network. This episode dives into effective strategies for scaling within the HubSpot ecosystem, the importance of niche marketing, and the challenges of managing growth during periods of rapid expansion.

Key Topics Discussed

• Rikki’s Journey in HubSpot: Rikki recounts his 15-year journey, starting with his early digital agency and the pivotal moment that led him to become a HubSpot partner.
• Scaling Challenges: The discussion covers how they navigated hiring and project management amidst rapid growth, including managing capacity and resource allocation.
• Consultative Selling: Rikki explains the unique approach to sales within the HubSpot ecosystem and how internal strategic roles can enhance sales effectiveness.
• Geographic Expansion vs. Acquisitions: Insights into his experience with international expansion and the lessons learned from organic growth versus acquiring businesses in new markets.
• Mistakes and Challenges: Rikki shares valuable lessons on the complexities of acquisitions, legal negotiations, and the cultural integration challenges that come with merging teams.

We chat with Bryan Byler, Chief Revenue Officer of Aptitude 8, live at INBOUND! We explore the shifting landscape of the HubSpot ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of adapting to new technologies, understanding enterprise needs, and reshaping internal processes for better service quality. Listeners gain insights into the challenges and opportunities present within the HubSpot partner community.

Main Topics Discussed:

• Embracing AI: Bryan shares how Aptitude 8 has integrated AI into their operations and services, ensuring they stay ahead in efficiency while meeting client demands.
• Internal Restructuring for Enterprise Clients: The discussion covers the challenges of scaling business operations to service larger clients effectively.
• The Impact of the Partner Program: Insights are provided into how the HubSpot partner program has evolved, along with strategies for leveraging it for growth.
• Company Culture and Hiring Practices: The importance of company culture in retention and growth is highlighted, showing how Aptitude Eight fosters an environment that encourages career development.

In this episode of the Partner Playbook, Doug Davidoff shares his journey into the HubSpot ecosystem, discussing the importance of aligning sales and marketing strategies, the rise of revenue operations, and how to identify customer pain points. He emphasizes the need for businesses to find their unique value proposition and the significance of team dynamics in achieving success. Doug also offers valuable advice for new HubSpot partners, encouraging them to focus on solving real problems for their customers.

The Partner Playbook is hosted by Brian Garvey, Co-founder of Profoundly, and Ryan Gunn, Founder of Attribution Academy.

We're joined by Jeff Kuszmarek, founder and CEO of Infinite Renewals. Learn how Jeff's journey through the SaaS landscape led him to specialize in HubSpot's Service Hub, focusing on domain expertise and quality service delivery. We explore the transformative role of AI in customer success and support, and discuss strategies for thriving in the evolving HubSpot ecosystem. Tune in for insights on building strong client relationships and achieving impactful outcomes.

The Partner Playbook is hosted by Brian Garvey, Co-founder of Profoundly, and Ryan Gunn, Founder of Attribution Academy.

We sat down with Michelle O'Keeffe, CEO of Engaging.io, one of HubSpot's top elite implementation partners. With over sixteen years at the helm, Michelle shares Engaging.io's journey from an accidental HubSpot partner to an elite technical powerhouse in the ecosystem.

Discover how maintaining a client-first approach and embracing change has positioned Engaging.io for long-term success in the constantly evolving HubSpot landscape.

The Partner Playbook is hosted by Brian Garvey, Co-founder of Profoundly, and Ryan Gunn, Founder of Attribution Academy.

Dog bark sound effect provided by Bowie Gunn.