I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity I had in September with UP, attending HubSpot’s UNBOUND Event in Boston and WOW what a year to go for my first one!
2026 marked the first UNBOUND, the evolution of what was previously known as INBOUND, bringing together around 14,000 people across marketing, sales, service, operations and technology for three days of ideas, learning, networking and inspiration.
Having never attended before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I knew there would be plenty of HubSpot product updates, AI conversations and big-name speakers, but what struck me most was just how much the event had evolved beyond being a traditional marketing conference but with a focus still on AI, human interaction was still key to this event.
Unsurprisingly, AI was one of the biggest themes throughout UNBOUND. From the first headline speech of the event from HubSpots CEO Yamini Rangan, to the last with Tom Brady the NFL legend, it was clear AI was going to be the main talking point!
But what I found particularly interesting was that, despite so much of the conversation being about technology, the event itself felt incredibly human.
There were dedicated spaces to sit, talk and connect without a screen in sight. Breakout areas encouraged proper conversations rather than everyone being glued to a laptop. There were quieter, more personal spaces to step away from the noise and recharge.
It felt deliberate.
Almost like a reminder that as technology becomes increasingly embedded in the way we work, the value of human connection doesn't become less important, it becomes more important. Human Intelligence has never mattered more.
And I think that’s a really interesting thought I took away from the whole event for us and our clients. We can automate more. We can personalise more. AI can help us work faster and make sense of more data than ever before. But ultimately, we're still designing experiences for people.
Customers are still people. Colleagues are still people. And the best technology should make those human interactions better, not remove them.
Alongside the big-picture conversations, there was also plenty of genuinely practical learning.
I spent time in lots of different sessions from ones focused on CRM, AI, What’s new in HubSpot, HubSpot Admin support, Academy sessions to other sessions more about your personal development with the way you think and managing stress.
For me, these were some of the most useful sessions because they brought everything back to the day-to-day reality of working with clients.
It’s one thing to understand what HubSpot can do. It’s another to understand how to build it properly, manage it effectively and make sure it works for the people who are going to use it.
The CRM sessions reinforced how important it is to get the foundations right from data, processes, structure, automation and reporting, before layering on all the exciting new technology.
That’s very relevant to the work we’re doing at UP.
We’re increasingly talking to businesses that have accumulated different platforms, disconnected data and manual processes over time. The challenge isn’t necessarily that they need more technology, it’s that they need their technology to work better together.
One of the things I was most looking forward to was hearing from the incredible line-up of speakers.
And they didn't disappoint.
Mel Robbins spoke about taking action rather than getting stuck in hesitation, using her 5 Second Rule to help people move from knowing what they should do to actually doing it and ‘The Let Them Theory’, which is where you are only in control of what you do, let others do what they want and don’t let it affect you.
Suni Williams, the NASA astronaut, shared what she learned from an eight-day mission that unexpectedly became 286 days. Her story was about resilience, trust, teamwork and continuing to focus on the problem directly in front of you when the original plan changes.
Tom Brady talked about what it takes to sustain success over time; preparation, repetition, getting comfortable at being bad at something new and continually looking for ways to improve.
And Cynthia Erivo spoke about building something that lasts: the choices, curiosity, hard work and willingness to change direction that sit behind a successful creative career.
There were many more brilliant speakers and conversations throughout the three days, but what surprised me was how much of the content went beyond business.
The common thread seemed to be keep moving forward, but don't forget yourself along the way.
Think about where you're going. Be ambitious. Try something different. Push yourself. But also recognise what you can control, where your energy is going and what you need to prioritise for yourself.
That felt particularly powerful coming from people who have experienced such extraordinary highs, challenges and changes in their own lives.
It wasn't simply “work harder.”
It was more about knowing what matters, being intentional about where you put your energy and time, and keeping going when things don't go according to plan.
And I think that’s something we can all take away.
Probably four things.
Think bigger than the platform.
The best HubSpot conversations start with the business problem, not the technology. What are we trying to improve? Where is the friction? What does the customer experience need to look like?
Get the foundations right.
CRM, data, processes and good administration aren't necessarily the most exciting parts of HubSpot, but they're what make everything else work. The shiny stuff only delivers value when the foundations are right.
AI needs to be part of the conversation…but it needs to stay human.
AI can transform how we work, but the goal shouldn’t be automation for automation’s sake. We need to think about where technology genuinely adds value and where human interaction remains essential.
Keep moving forward…but look after yourself too.
Perhaps my most unexpected takeaway from UNBOUND. Think ahead, keep learning, push yourself and don't be afraid to change direction. But be intentional about where you put your time and energy, and remember that success isn't just about constantly doing more.
I came away from Boston with pages of notes, memories and an even bigger appreciation for where HubSpot is heading and all of us with our futures.
The future of technology might be increasingly AI-powered, but it still needs to be human-centred.
For all the talk of AI, automation and connected platforms, UNBOUND made space for something much simpler; people talking to people.
And I think that’s something worth remembering.
I'm really excited to take the learnings back to UP – helping our clients use technology to connect their data, people and processes, while making sure the human experience never gets lost along the way.
And, of course, Boston wasn’t a bad place to spend three days either. An incredible city, full of sights, food and of course some good American shopping to take home to the kids!