In a recent conversation between Noah Berk, Co-CEO of Aptitude 8, and Director of Demand Gen & Marketing Operations Ryan Gunn, the duo explored the rapid evolution of the HubSpot ecosystem, particularly its expansion into the enterprise space. Here’s what they had to say about the trends shaping 2025 and how businesses can adapt.
The Move to Enterprise: Why Companies Are Switching to HubSpot
Enterprise organizations that traditionally relied on platforms like Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or Marketo are rethinking their tech stacks. Noah explains: "Every three to five years, companies reevaluate their platforms. The main drivers for change? Ease of use and total cost of ownership."
Legacy platforms often accumulate complexity over time—resulting in slow processes, rising costs, and reliance on third-party developers. HubSpot’s appeal lies in its simplicity and an all-in-one platform approach that empowers teams to be more self-sufficient.
Takeaway: If your business feels bogged down by administrative hurdles or high managed service costs, HubSpot offers a compelling alternative by reducing reliance on external support and enabling faster time to value.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Beyond Licensing Fees
Ryan highlighted a key finding from a recent report: "It’s not just about software costs—it’s about internal resources, managed service retainers, onboarding timelines, and how long it takes to roll out changes."
HubSpot’s intuitive interface allows businesses to cut hours of external development time. By centralizing workflows, teams avoid the operational silos that come from using disparate systems, reducing costs associated with troubleshooting and integration.
Pro Tip: When evaluating your platform's TCO, factor in hidden costs like training time, system integration, and support. These often add up faster than expected with more complex platforms.
HubSpot’s Unified Hubs: A New Era of Integration
HubSpot’s suite isn’t just for marketers anymore—it’s a full-fledged platform that includes Sales Hub, Service Hub, and Operations Hub. Noah described the typical adoption path: “Marketing Hub is often the gateway. But once organizations see its potential, they start migrating their entire stack.”
For enterprises managing customer service, sales pipelines, and marketing under different tools, unifying on HubSpot means better data flow and alignment. This eliminates the friction of integrating third-party tools and enables faster decision-making.
Emerging Trend: Some companies are skipping the piecemeal approach altogether and opting for a full-suite migration from day one.
Data Centralization and Automation
A key driver for enterprise adoption is HubSpot’s ability to centralize data across sales, marketing, and customer support. Noah emphasized: "Organizations want real-time insights across departments. Instead of fragmented data, HubSpot provides a single source of truth."
With built-in automation capabilities, HubSpot supports workflows that reduce repetitive tasks and empower teams to work smarter. This cross-functional collaboration aligns with HubSpot’s signature "flywheel" concept—where departments support and propel each other, driving overall growth.
The Role of Integrations: When HubSpot Isn’t Enough
Despite its all-in-one platform, HubSpot doesn’t operate in isolation. Ryan noted the rise in native integrations with tools like Slack, Snowflake, and ERPs. "Enterprise clients need systems that work together seamlessly, not silos. HubSpot’s open API and integrations with CRMs like Salesforce and data warehouses make it possible."
Businesses can build custom workflows and extend HubSpot’s capabilities without losing the benefits of a unified platform.
Hot Tip: For companies with complex tech stacks, investing in the right integrations can streamline workflows and reduce friction between departments.
Overcoming the Operational Shift: Adoption Challenges
One challenge Noah flagged for enterprises considering a switch to HubSpot is internal pushback: "The people managing your current platform aren’t always going to volunteer for a migration—because it might make their roles redundant or change the way they work."
Organizations need to focus on change management to ensure smooth adoption. This includes proactive communication, upskilling, and showcasing wins during early adoption phases.
What’s Next for HubSpot in 2025?
With its increasing configurability and features like PII-compliant data hosting, HubSpot is poised to meet the needs of highly regulated industries like finance and healthcare. Ryan and Noah both agree: as HubSpot continues expanding its capabilities, more organizations will adopt it not just as a CRM but as a strategic growth platform.
Final Thoughts
The HubSpot of 2025 isn’t just a tool—it’s a platform designed to drive connection, collaboration, and efficiency at every touchpoint. Whether you’re an SMB scaling up or an enterprise streamlining operations, now is the time to evaluate how your platform serves your goals.
Your turn: What’s your top priority for 2025—streamlining processes, integrating tools, or improving data insights? Let us know in the comments!