How Founder-led sales can be done right? • Founder at Sellestial • 3rd-time Founder • Don't be a stranger, follow me and reach out

Is one of your main projects for 2026 cleaning up your HubSpot data?  Want to run AI in production?

If you answered yes to anything, keep on; otherwise, stop reading this.

👉 How we are different to tackle data hygiene with your internal team only:

1. Deep Data Cleaning & Enrichment Expertise
We're data cleaning and enrichment specialists who know this problem space and its traps inside out. By cleaning and enriching 100+ HubSpot portals, we've developed a deep understanding of edge cases that first-timers don't anticipate. This is not general HubSpot admin work; it's pattern recognition from seeing hundreds of messy databases.

2. Dedicated Bandwidth + Project Discipline
Data cleaning is important but rarely urgent, which means it gets perpetually deprioritized by internal teams. We provide dedicated focus with clear project boundaries that prevent the "cleaning to infinity" trap or arbitrary abandonment that internal teams tend to fall into.

3. Production-Grade AI Expertise for Data Maturity
We've built specialized AI infrastructure designed for accuracy and reliability. We are regularly deploying 7+ different AI models for different parts of the process. We tested and evaluated over 50 LLM models over the course of the last few years, and have a comprehensive understanding of their capabilities and caveats. 

The ROI for you: Your internal teams and HubSpot admins can focus on what they do best while we handle the extremely complex, time-intensive data cleanup and/or enrichment with the AI resources your team doesn't have access to.


👉 Want to talk about Sellestial?
Shoot me a DM, and we can schedule an introductory call to discuss data.

Klemen Hrovat

Want better HubSpot marketing email open rate?

Fix this.

Regularly review your marketing contacts:
- remove non-personal contacts
- remove disposable domains
- check for mx records of domains
- remove fake contacts
- check contact's employment status

Clean recipient lists  --> higher open rates

#EmailMarketing #HubSpot #marketinghub

Talks about HubSpot data + AI daily | HubSpot Community Champion

A customer asked us to help them with lead scoring in their HubSpot

saying "We have data in a separate system."

They're paying for a subscription to an industry-specific database. 
The data is supposed to help them score leads.

But the HubSpot integration?
Broken.
And the vendor has zero intention to fix it.

So they asked: "Can you help us get this information into HubSpot somehow?"

We built an AI agent instead.

It takes basic contact and company info from their HubSpot, searches for the specific information they need, and writes it back to the CRM automatically.

Here's where it gets interesting:
The agent finds more accurate information than their paid database.
It's more up-to-date.
And it has a higher success rate at finding what they need.

They're now questioning why they're paying for that subscription at all.

This isn't magic.
It's just what happens when you design data flows around what you actually need, not around what vendors decided to give you.

The real unlock?

When the right signals live in your HubSpot, lead scoring works.
Relevant lead prioritization becomes possible. 
Marketing is handing over good leads.
Sales stops wasting time.


Curious to hear from other RevOps and HubSpot admins.

What's a data source you're paying for that you suspect could be replaced or improved by something smarter?

Your reps are wasting 5+ hours per week chasing wrong accounts that:

- Are duplicates of accounts that they already reached out to
- Closed down companies
- Moved to another job 8 months ago
- Aren't actually a good fit

This isn't a process problem.

It's a data problem.

I saw that in a portal recently ... 9 duplicates of Coca Cola, missing subsidiaries, wrongly enriched company records ...  the list goes on up to 43 companies with something like Coca Cola as a company name.

Multiply that by every corporation in your HubSpot 🤯 

Before you hire more people or buy another shiny AI tool, audit your CRM. 

You will be surprised by the value hidden in the data you already have. 

What was the strangest duplicate situation you found in your HubSpot?

I got an idea to help HubSpot users understand their data AI readiness.

What could be improved in how I set it up in HubSpot?

I developed a form with 10 questions in HubSpot.

Each question is a new property with 3 possible answers.

Each of the possible answers has a different score (0, 1, or 3)

I didn't know how to weight specific values in properties to build the logic for how many points you get for each question natively in HubSpot. So I built a simple script in Sellestial that calculates the AI readiness score and writes it to a property in HubSpot.

I set up a workflow that, based on the calculated score, customizes the email with the score and some thoughts about their AI readiness and sends it via a HubSpot sequence.

HubSpot experts, what could I do better?

p.s. Want to get your AI readiness score? Linki in the comment

RevOps teams are accountable for outcomes they can't control.


- You own forecast accuracy but don't control pipeline creation.
- You own the tech stack but can't enforce process adoption.
- You're measured on conversion rates but have no authority over how leads get handed off.

That's not tools problem.
That's not a headcount problem.
That's a mandate problem.

What does RevOps actually own?

Have you set up the cap on marketing email frequency?

If you have already or plan to, be cautious.

This lets you cap the number of marketing emails each contact receives within a set period to prevent over-communication.

I keep seeing that challenge with HubSpot users I talk to.
Marketing sets up several/numerous/countless workflows. 
They automate marketing emails and lead nurturing.
But they don’t think about customer’s experience. 

A human got 2 emails right away, in the first 10 minutes after form submission.
Who knows what they’ll get today 🙂

By setting this up, you define a cap for regular marketing emails, workflow automated emails, and blog notifications. It does not apply to transactional emails, one-to-one emails, feedback surveys, or conversations inbox emails.

The cap is calculated per contact on a rolling time basis. If someone receives an email on Friday with a weekly cap of 1, they won't get another until the following Friday.


Think about these things before you turn this on.

1. You can’t guarantee that emails will be really sent to a contact. If you have some emails that you want to make sure you send, you can exempt specific emails (like critical announcements or promotions) from the cap by unchecking "Apply send frequency cap" in the email's send settings.

2. With that turned on, each email you send should stand on its own; it should not assume the person has received the previous email in the workflow.

When was the last time you reviewed your HubSpot contacts?

The 90-day data decay problem
Why your HubSpot Data Cleanup won't stick
and what to build instead


You just finished a cleanup project.
Reports finally make sense.
Properties standardized.
Duplicates merged.

Give it 90 days. 

It'll be broken again.

Why cleanups fail

We've audited over 100 HubSpot portals. The pattern is always the same: a team spends weeks (or months) cleaning their CRM. Three months later, they're back where they started, or worse.

The problem isn't the cleanup. It's the cleanup model.

One-off fixes are a lie.
They feel productive but decay within months. 
Nobody owns ongoing accuracy.

The only real solution is a system that run themselves.

We call this Perpetual DataOps. 

It's a framework for building HubSpot data infrastructure that stays clean, not for a quarter, but forever.

The goal of the Perpetual Data Framework: Stop fixing data. Configure a system that prevents data decay.

Three pillars

1) CLEAN DATA - Duplicates merged. Gaps filled. Properties standardized.
- <2% duplicate rate on contacts and companies (continuously maintained, not one-time)
- 95%+ fill rate on "must-have" properties
- Standardized formats (not enforced at entry, but standardized right afterwards)

2) RICH DATA - ICP scores. Buying signals. Lead prioritization.
- Contact + company enrichment running on every new record
- Waterfall enrichment from reliable sources
- ICP fit score configured and maintained
- Relevant signals captured and associated to the right records

3) UNIFIED DATA - Systems synced and unified.
- Field mappings explicit (no "sync everything and hope")
- Potential data overwrites defined with guardrails

The build plan

Days 0–10 | Audit & scope
Document your current data model
Identify your "must-have" fields per object (the 10–15 that actually matter)
Map where data enters: forms, imports, integrations, manual entry
Quantify the problem

Days 11–30 | Build the foundation
Deploy automated deduplication
Implement waterfall enrichment on contacts and companies
Configure processes to standardize field formats

Days 31–45 | Add intelligence
Build lead scoring based on firmographics + engagement signals
Configure lead prioritization logic
Set up routing rules based on clean, scored data

Days 46–60 | Activate & monitor
Turn on 24/7 operation
Document: how it works, when to intervene, how to extend


Stop cleaning your HubSpot. Start building infrastructure that keeps it clean.

The companies winning with AI, with ABM, with outbound at scale - they're not the ones with 100% perfect data. They're the ones with systems that keep data good enough, perpetually.

Ship the system. Let it run. Move on to strategy.

p.s. Want to know where your HubSpot data actually stands? We can audit your HubSpot to show you what's broken, what it's costing you, and what it takes to fix it permanently. No obligation to continue after the audit. DM or comment below.

Stop adding to the mess (before you start cleaning it up)
Everyone wants to clean their historical CRM data.
That's the wrong place to start.

The first quick win in data hygiene
STOP ADDING TO THE PROBLEM

Perform a thorough HubSpot data audit to understand what's broken, with a focus on understanding root causes, not just symptoms.

Start cleaning up your CRM after you understand:
- the current state of data
- what's causing the mess
- where data is coming into HubSpot
- what data is relevant and important

By knowing where you currently stand, you can design an implementation plan toward clean data. 

Do you plan to clean up your HubSpot in 2026? Where do you plan to start?

Unified Customer View: Pipedream or Realistic Goal?
Join me, Casey, and Klemen Hrovat for a live workshop moving through the Unified Customer View Playbook.

🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://lnkd.in/dAaAJzce

Had a great conversation with Karen Ng at INBOUND about what it actually takes to run AI in production.

The insight that stuck with me: "Evals has become a core skill that product managers need to understand."

AI is non-deterministic. 

Same prompt, different results. 

So how do you trust it?

You build guardrails:
→ Human in the loop
→ Evaluations at every level (prompts, outputs, actions)
→ Citations that trace back to source data

Watch the clip for Karen's full breakdown on how HubSpot approaches this.

"How many customers do you have?"

Asked a few of our customers when we started working together. 

None of them could answer it from their HubSpot.

Here are the reasons
Enrichment tools were overwriting properties. 
Duplicate companies were created. 
Churned customers were not marked accordingly.

Everyone and every system creates data. Nobody owns the mess.

So many CRM can't answer basic questions:

- Who are our active customers? Unclear. 
- Where's our biggest opportunity? Depends who you ask. 
- Which segment is growing? Check the spreadsheet backup.
- What do we report at BoD? Give me a week to prepare the slides.

You can't segment. Can't forecast. Can't prioritize.

I've watched RevOps spend hours manually building lists because they couldn't trust data. 

Seen execs commit to decisions based on numbers that were flat wrong.

All because nobody defined, implemented, and maintained data standards.

Want better insights? Fix data first.

And here's the part most teams skip: it can't be a one-time project.

Data decays.
People leave.
Processes drift.

Whatever you build needs to run itself, or you're back here in six months.

If you don't protect the foundation, nothing built on top will hold.

🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://lnkd.in/dAaAJzce

High Performing Business Lifestyle Program

I have created a High Performing Business Lifestyle Program Ebook.
Your guide with actionable steps to higher personal & work performance.
Work smarter, level up your results and earn more. Avoid burnout and have more time & energy for yourself.

For busy company employees, CEOs, enterpreneurs, business owners, freelancers and consultants

Founder and Author

Krka

Managing large and small accounts

• I build longterm and trustful relationship
• Being transparent and active listener
• Actively solve challenges
• Deliver what I promise

I've also been leading local team & remote team:

• Find and empower each member's talent
• Motivate individuals for their personal & career growth 
• Making good vibes among all team members

Beside I have been implementing Sales & Marketing strategies that:

• Give results
• Realize KPIs
• Follow goals and objectives

Head Of Sales

My first independent role where I:

• Learnt how to lead a team and remote team
• Was preparing commercial offers
• Was setting prices for products and services
• Was preparing contracts and agreements

Head Of Sales office

This was the role where I made first steps and started getting experience

• I was mainly establishing client relationships
• I have managed my first 3 clients
• Did lots of business and market analysis
• I have absorbed knowledge & experience from my colleagues and mentors

Sales manager 

Next Level Zone Newsletter

Writing a newsletter for busy company employees, CEOs, enterpreneurs, freelancers and consultants.   The goal is to help everyone with actionable tips to perform better in personal & work life

Avoid being stuck. Work smarter & deliver better results. Earn more. Escape the burnout and have more time & energy for yourself!
Become a subscriber.

Author

Porsche Slovenija

B2B sales intern

CCUSA

Summer Camp Counselor

B2B Sales | Account Manager | Multilingual | Sales | International Sales and Marketing | Project manager | New Business Developer | Portfolio manager | Pharmaceutical Sales |

Having difficulties with your B2B sales, managing your clients and leading teams?

Struggling with Business Development, setting the right Commercial strategies, Pricing and Managing Projects?

Imagine that your B2B sales, clients and teams could be handled the right way, business development going well, using proper communication, team spirit and having fun?

➡️ With my years of experience I exactly know how to be a Connector between a Company and Clients. 

My focus is on B2B Sales, Leading Top Performing Teams, Business Development, Preparing Commercial Strategies, Pricing and Managing Various Projects. 

I am Multilingual (Spanish is my favourite 😉). 

Always a team player - grew up playing basketball.

I enjoy riding my bike to work to get morning boost of energy and stay active. 


🔥 I also share my knowledge, experience and my way of dealing with daily work & personal challenges.
I have done tons of research and tested many principles, I've put in the work so you don't have to
My content and newsletters are for FREE 
+I have created some paid products for your personal & professional growth

1. Subscribe for my Next Level Zone Newsletter to get weekly actionable advice on aleszehelj.substack.com

2. My new E-book High Performing Business Lifestyle Program E-Book launching in May
Preorders available on www.aleszehelj.com/ebook 


I have created 4 products in Slovene language which you can get on https://aleszehelj.com

1. Top Performance Newsletter with 5 minute actionable tips (sign up for FREE)
2. E-Book Poslovni Lajfstajl Program - all the tips and hacks in one place (in pdf)
3. Simple Mobility Exercises which you can do anytime and anywhere (video content)
4. Package of E-Book and Mobility exercises - great combo to put your performance on the next level (video + pdf)



Sounds interesting?

Feel free to DM me or send a connect request 😎

And see you in the feed

Aleš Žehelj

My key message to all for 2026:
Surround yourself with supportive people 

These people really make the difference if we progress or we stay stuck in life, career & business

1. Alone we can get far but together we get further

2. Invest your time, energy and budget in this support.
- This is the investment with NO RISK.
- The investment with the highest ROI.

3. Since my teenage years I had besides me (and behind me) sports coaches, which were guiding, supporting, motivating and give me focus. 
- These people really shaped me in the way I am today and helped me facing all the challenges (and avoid troubles while beeing a teenager 🤪)

4. I still have supportive people around me:
- Mentors, coaches, business network, inspirative, experienced and open-minded people.
- They push me forward and kick me out of the comfort zone so I progress and easier face the hardest challenges

5. I will also be giving support to everyone who needs it on personal, career and business journey. 
- That's why I started with mentorship and consulting program in 2025.
- My experience, knowledge, mindset and fails in Sales, Business Development, Leading Teams, Communication, Client management, have compunded over the years.
- I have also established structure, systems, focus and effective approaches which help me reach great results, avoid burnout and have more time & energy for myself.
- So it's time to give back to the community and help others progresss.

6. I would be glad to connect you with other supportive people too.
- Sharing is caring

p.s. Who gave you the biggest support in 2025?

B2B Sales & Team lead | 1:1 Consulting for Sales Growth, Career Progression & Sustainable Performance - Without Burning Out | Author Next Level Zone Newsletter

Newsletters for me are a great source of knowledge and insights
In 2025 I was regularly learning from 5 newsletters 

All these authors are sharing unique approaches, methods, value, insights and many years of experience in the different fields.

1. The Modern Leader by Gregor Kosi
It's about true leadership without micromanaging 
What I like - honest, straight to the point and no bulls*t approaches.
See here: https://lnkd.in/dd3ZWCZ4

2. The Silent Influencer by Damjan Blagojevic
It's about building a personal brand with claritiy over noise.
What I like - practical, honest and sustainable advice and approaches.
See here: https://lnkd.in/dMSnYF8a

3. The Saturday Solopreneur by Justin Welsh
It's about enterpreneurship, personal branding and solo business development.
What I like - sharing all the steps and approaches he's doing while building his business.
See here: https://lnkd.in/dyh4PM8f

4. Engineering Leadership by Gregor Ojstersek
It's about leadership and career growth in the IT industry.
What I like - Many collaboration articles with professionals sharing perspectives. Huge bonus are infographics (as I am more visual type of person).
P.s. I have provided 2 articles for this newsletter
See here: https://lnkd.in/dfEtNiQv

5. Next Level Zone Newsletter by me 😉 
I write about improving personal and business performance
What I like - Sharing actionable steps so everyone can progress. 
Plus writing a newsletter and getting deep into some topics is actually learning from the research and other perspectives.
See here: https://lnkd.in/eYpbmbDQ

What are your newsletter recommendations?

Let me know in the comments.
I like to read valuable content.

One of my goals for 2026 is to protect my energy, time and focus

And dedicate it to what matters the most:

1. Myself, my well-being, development & progress, flow and good times
2. The most valuable (and profitable) tasks & projects
3. The people who deserve it the most

I will try not to give it too much to:

- Disturbing factors
- Low valuable tasks and projects
- People who are just draining my time, energy & flow

What is your biggest 2026 personal or business resolution?  

p.s. I will share my journey of protecting my time, energy and focus 😉

Top 3 articles of my Next Level Zone Newsletter in 2025:

1. 8 Simple Shifts to Stop Burnout Before It Kicks In - https://lnkd.in/eaTrH8cV

2. 15 Productivity Hacks Every Engineer & Manager Should Know 
(collaboration with Gregor Ojstersek) - https://lnkd.in/gG3ZqaKg

3. Deep Work, Big Results: Why 90 Minutes of Focus Beats 9 Hours of Hustle - https://lnkd.in/dm7D_pc2


I write about improving personal & business performance.
Approaches, mindset, experience, scientifically prooven methods and fails.


Get 5 minute actionable tips straight to your inbox: https://lnkd.in/eYpbmbDQ


I promise you lots of valuable insights and actionable tips in 2026 🙌

p.s. What was your biggest personal or business related challenge you had in 2025?

What I’d do differently if I were rebuilding my career today

For a long time, I believed career growth was simple:
Work harder → Get better → Move up → More satisfaction.

I did exactly that.
Long hours. High standards. Consistent results.
And yet, at several points in my career, I still felt… stuck.

Looking back, if I were starting again today, I’d do a few things very differently:

1️⃣ I’d act before I felt ready.
Clarity comes from action, not overthinking the next move.

2️⃣ I’d focus on impact and value, not just effort.
Being busy isn’t enough — do the work that drives results.

3️⃣ I’d invest earlier in skills that compound.
Communication, sales, leadership, decision-making, networking.

4️⃣ I’d build systems and structure instead of relying on motivation.
Structure and habits outperform willpower long term.

5️⃣ I’d protect my energy as much as my time.
Sustainable careers and business don’t run on exhaustion.

Career and business growth isn’t just about moving up faster.
It’s about building something that lasts — without burning yourself out along the way.

If you’re ambitious, performing well, but quietly questioning your next step…
you’re not behind.
You might just need a clearer system, not more effort.

If this resonates, let's chat.

p.s. What would you change in your career or business approaches if you could rebuild them again?

taplio

The Battle

Klemen Hrovat

Aleš Žehelj

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Performance ScoreAleš Žehelj's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Klemen Hrovat

Aleš Žehelj

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Klemen Hrovat's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreAleš Žehelj's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreKlemen Hrovat's LinkedIn Performance