The challenge
A growing company with a long and complex sales cycle came to us with a problem many businesses face: their sales process was scattered across multiple tools, with no clear way to track deals, manage contacts, or measure performance.
The team relied heavily on ClickUp for project management but lacked a centralized CRM. This meant that deal ownership was unclear, data lived in silos, and leaders had no visibility into the health of their pipeline.
To complicate things further, the company’s sales motion wasn’t linear. They needed to track multiple deal types—new business, renewals, repeat engagements, informal referrals, and even future “what-if” opportunities. Traditional pipeline structures simply didn’t account for their unique workflow.
On top of this, the team was brand new to HubSpot and unsure how to make the most of it. They wanted not just implementation but real guidance: best practices, clear recommendations, and a structure that could grow with them.
The solution
Our approach centered on strategy, education, and empowerment. Rather than delivering a cookie-cutter setup, we partnered closely with the client to co-create a HubSpot environment tailored to their needs.
- Strategic pipeline and data architecture: We built multiple sales pipelines that separated net-new opportunities, first renewals, and repeat business. For informal referrals and long-term prospects, we introduced flexible tagging and far-out close dates, ensuring nothing slipped through the cracks.
- Hands-on training and workflow automation: We trained the sales team directly inside their own HubSpot instance, showing them how to manage association labels, conditional properties, and custom forms to keep data clean and usable. Automations reduced manual work, while a native ClickUp integration allowed their project management and CRM data to sync into a single source of truth.
- Best practices and education: We didn’t just hand over a system—we showed them how to use it. From user permissions and data property customization to dashboards and reporting, the team gained confidence in managing their own CRM. We also clarified which features required additional HubSpot subscriptions versus those available in their current plan, setting realistic expectations.
The results
- A fully integrated sales hub: With multiple pipelines, custom fields, and standardized processes, the company finally had visibility into every stage of their sales cycle.
- Stronger data management: Custom views, form structures, and import processes created a clean, usable database.
- Efficiency gains: Automations and streamlined workflows eliminated busywork and ensured deals moved forward.
- A roadmap for growth: With a scalable system in place, the client was positioned to expand their sales team and adopt more advanced HubSpot tools over time.
Why it matters
This project highlights the importance of pairing technical setup with strategic guidance. A CRM alone doesn’t solve disorganization—what matters is designing a system around how a business actually works.
The client walked away not just with a new sales process, but with the knowledge and confidence to use it. That’s the true mark of transformation: when the technology serves the team, rather than the other way around.
About the partner
This onboarding was delivered by a globally distributed software development agency founded in 2016. Known for combining startup agility with enterprise-level experience, the team works with clients across industries including fintech, healthcare, e-commerce, and consumer technology. Their philosophy is rooted in transparency, quality, and building long-term relationships. With projects ranging from fast-moving startup launches to large-scale enterprise integrations, they position themselves as the bridge between vision and execution.
