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Brian Minick: The Cost of Bad Email Data & How ZeroBounce Helps Businesses Stay Connected

Brian Minick, COO of ZeroBounce, discusses why email validation is crucial for deliverability, marketing success, and protecting your sender reputation.

Noah Berk
Noah Berk

Feb 25, 2025

UpYourStack with ZeroBounce

Email remains the backbone of business communication, yet many companies don’t realize how  much bad email data is costing them. From high bounce rates and spam folder placement to  lost leads and wasted marketing spend, poor email hygiene can cripple a business’s ability to  reach customers.  

In a recent episode of the UpYourStack Podcast with Aptitude 8 Co-CEO Noah Berk, we talked with Brian Minick, COO of ZeroBounce, about why  clean email lists matter and how businesses can protect their sender reputation.  

What is ZeroBounce?  

ZeroBounce helps businesses validate, clean, and protect their email data so their messages  reach real people—not dead inboxes. The platform integrates seamlessly with HubSpot and  other CRMs to automatically verify emails before they enter your database.  

Why Bad Email Data is a Big Problem  

Many businesses don’t realize how quickly email lists decay. A third of all emails become invalid  or inactive every year, leading to:  

  • High bounce rates, which signal spam filters to block future emails  
  • Lost marketing dollars spent on undeliverable messages  
  • Damaged sender reputation, making it harder to land in real inboxes
  • Wasted sales efforts on non-existent leads  
  • If an email is bad, the whole record is useless

How ZeroBounce Keeps Email Lists Clean  

ZeroBounce provides real-time email validation that helps businesses:  

  • Catch typos before a form is submitted  

  • Remove invalid and fake emails from databases  

  • Prevent bots and fraud from corrupting lead lists  

  • Improve deliverability and protect sender reputation  

One of ZeroBounce’s most powerful features is its HubSpot integration, which allows users to:

  • Validate emails directly within HubSpot forms  

  • Automatically clean imported contact lists

  • Remove bad emails before they hurt deliverability  

The Impact of Poor Email Hygiene  

If you’re collecting leads from forms, sales outreach, or purchased lists, bad emails slip through  all the time. Many companies only realize the problem when they notice:  

  • Lower open rates and engagement  

  • More emails landing in spam folders  

  • An increase in unsubscribes and complaints  

Without regular validation, businesses burn money on ineffective campaigns and lose  opportunities to connect with real customers.  

Why Email is Here to Stay  

Despite claims that email is becoming obsolete, Brian disagrees. Email is still the foundation of  digital identity for nearly every business.  

From marketing campaigns to account verification, email remains the primary way companies  communicate with customers. The key is ensuring that you’re sending emails to real, active  recipients—which is exactly what ZeroBounce helps with.  

Lessons from ZeroBounce’s Growth  

ZeroBounce’s success didn’t happen overnight. Brian shared an important lesson:  There is no magic bullet for growth.  

Instead, success comes from:  

  • Small, consistent improvements  

  • Embracing failure and learning from it  

  • Listening to customers and solving real problems  

By focusing on data quality, customer service, and speed, ZeroBounce has grown from a small  startup to a company with more than 400,000 customers worldwide.  

Final Thoughts  

If your business relies on email marketing or sales outreach, email validation is not optional— it’s essential. Keeping your email list clean ensures better deliverability, higher engagement, and  stronger customer connections. 

Learn more about ZeroBounce: zerobounce.net 

Ready to Simplify Your Processes?

If you’re looking to optimize your HubSpot stack, Aptitude 8 is here to help. Contact us today to learn how we can help you integrate, customize, and optimize these platforms for your unique needs.
 
 
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