HubSpot Setup Mistakes Even Experienced Teams Make

Experience with HubSpot doesn’t always mean a healthy portal.

In fact, many of the biggest performance issues in 2026 come from teams who’ve been using HubSpot for years - not from new users. Legacy decisions, outdated assumptions, and “it works well enough” thinking quietly erode efficiency over time.

This blog breaks down the most common HubSpot setup mistakes even experienced teams make, why they happen, and what to do instead.

1. Treating the original setup as untouchable

One of the most common mistakes is assuming the initial HubSpot setup should remain largely unchanged.

What started as:

• a small sales team

• a simple pipeline

• basic lifecycle stages

Often evolves into:

• multiple teams

• complex customer journeys

• layered reporting needs

But the portal never adapts.

By 2026, HubSpot is designed to evolve alongside your business. Setups that aren’t revisited become rigid, confusing, and misaligned.

Fix:
Schedule regular portal reviews and treat setup as an ongoing system — not a one-time project.

2. Letting data structure grow without governance

Over time, experienced teams accumulate:

• hundreds of properties

• inconsistent naming

• duplicate fields

• conflicting values

This usually happens slowly - and quietly.

By the time issues show up in reporting, automation, or AI insights, the root cause is deeply embedded.

HubSpot’s increasing reliance on clean, standardised data means these issues now have a much bigger impact than they used to.

Fix:
Establish property governance, standardise naming, and routinely audit what’s actually being used.

3. Overbuilding automation instead of simplifying processes

Experienced teams often know how to build complex workflows - which leads to building too many of them.

The result:

• overlapping automation

• conflicting triggers

• workflows no one wants to edit

• manual work to “fix” automation side effects

Automation should remove friction, not create it.

In 2026, HubSpot’s AI-assisted features reward simpler, clearer automation built around core lifecycle moments.

Fix:
Audit workflows for value, not volume. Remove automation that exists “just in case.”

4. Ignoring how new HubSpot features change best practice

HubSpot evolves quickly - but many teams don’t adjust how they use the platform.

Common examples:

• not adopting newer data tools

• sticking with outdated reporting methods

• ignoring AI-assisted insights

• continuing manual processes that are now automated

This leads to paying for features you’re not using - and missing out on efficiency gains.

Fix:
Regularly review new HubSpot features and ask: Does this replace something we’re doing manually?

5. Misaligned lifecycle stages across teams

Lifecycle stages are often treated as marketing-only - or sales-only - concepts.

In reality, they should represent shared customer truth.

Common issues include:

• sales and marketing using different definitions

• lifecycle changes triggered too early or too late

• service teams excluded entirely

This breaks reporting, automation, and customer experience.

Fix:
Redefine lifecycle stages collaboratively and enforce consistent usage across teams.

6. Building reporting after problems appear

Even experienced teams often treat reporting as an afterthought.

The result:

• dashboards built reactively

• metrics chosen for convenience, not decisions

• inconsistent definitions across reports

By 2026, HubSpot reporting is designed to surface insight - but only when the underlying structure supports it.

Fix:
Design reporting based on decisions you need to make, not data you happen to have.

7. Letting integrations run without review

Integrations often get added to HubSpot and then forgotten.

Over time, this leads to:

• duplicated data

• conflicting updates

• unused syncs

• hidden dependencies

As data becomes more central to automation and AI, unmanaged integrations quietly undermine accuracy.

Fix:
Audit integrations regularly and remove anything that no longer serves a clear purpose.

8. Assuming experience protects you from setup drift

The biggest mistake experienced teams make is assuming they’re immune to setup problems.

In reality:

• experience can reinforce outdated habits

• familiarity can hide inefficiencies

• “we’ve always done it this way” becomes a risk

HubSpot in 2026 rewards teams that revisit, refine, and rethink - not just those who know the platform well.

Fix:
Adopt a mindset of continuous optimisation, not static expertise.

The takeaway

Experience with HubSpot is valuable - but only when it’s paired with reflection and evolution.

The most effective teams in 2026:

• revisit their setup regularly

• simplify before adding complexity

• treat data as a shared asset

• align teams around the same truth

• use new features intentionally

HubSpot works best when it’s treated as a living system - not a finished product.

How Profoundly Can Help

Many experienced teams know something isn’t quite right in their portal - but can’t easily pinpoint why.

Profoundly connects HubSpot users with vetted specialists who can:

• audit your existing setup

• identify hidden inefficiencies

• clean up legacy decisions

• modernise workflows and data

• align your portal with 2026 best practice

Experience is powerful - but the right perspective makes it even more valuable.

👉 Post a project and get matched with a HubSpot expert.

About Profoundly

Profoundly helps HubSpot users get more from their CRM by connecting them with experienced specialists across CRM architecture, automation, data, and RevOps. From audits to optimisation, Profoundly helps teams build systems that scale.

About the Author

Emma Cooper is a HubSpot and operations strategist who helps experienced teams modernise their CRM, reduce complexity, and unlock more value from the systems they already have.

FAQs

Is this only relevant for large teams?
No. Smaller, experienced teams often feel setup drift even more acutely.

How often should we review our HubSpot setup?
At least once a year - or after any major business or team change.

Do we need to rebuild everything to fix these issues?
No. Most improvements come from simplification, not rebuilding.

Does HubSpot experience still matter in 2026?
Absolutely - but only when it evolves alongside the platform.

Can someone help audit our setup?
Yes. Profoundly can connect you with experts who specialise in HubSpot audits and optimisation.