How to Beat Dunbar’s Number with Hubspot-Style Networking

Modern relationship-building platforms like Hubspot show that you can manage more meaningful connections than ever before, if you follow a clear, human-centered networking strategy. Inspired by Chris Brogan’s classic guidance on scalable relationship management, this guide walks you through practical steps to grow and maintain a strong professional network without losing the personal touch.

What Dunbar’s Number Means for Hubspot Users

Dunbar’s Number is the idea that humans can only maintain about 150 stable social relationships. For professionals using tools like Hubspot, this can feel limiting when you want to engage with hundreds or thousands of contacts.

Instead of trying to remember everyone equally, the goal is to structure your network so you can:

• Spot your most important relationships quickly
• Stay in regular contact with core connections
• Offer value to a broader community without burning out

The original source for this framework comes from Chris Brogan’s article on beating Dunbar’s Number, published on the HubSpot Blog. You can read it here: Tips from Chris Brogan on How to Beat Dunbar’s Number.

Step 1: Build Small, High-Value Hubs in Hubspot-Style Networks

The first principle is to think in terms of hubs: small groups of closely connected people you stay in touch with regularly. This mirrors how you might segment contacts inside Hubspot for focused nurturing campaigns.

Design Your Core Relationship Circles in Hubspot Terms

Create three simple tiers:

1. Inner Circle (5–10 people)
   These are your closest professional allies: business partners, key collaborators, mentors, or top clients.
2. Support Circle (25–50 people)
   People you know well and actively support: peers, regular collaborators, or warm prospects.
3. Community Circle (100–150+ people)
   People who follow your work, engage occasionally, or share similar interests.

This tiered model is easy to map into lists, tags, or custom properties in a system like Hubspot, but you can also manage it manually with simple spreadsheets or a notebook.

Practical Actions to Create Your Hubs

• List your current contacts and sort them into the three circles.
• Identify who should move up a tier based on mutual value.
• Limit each tier to realistic numbers you can genuinely support.

Step 2: Use Hubspot-Inspired Routines to Stay in Touch

Once your hubs are defined, you need consistent routines to maintain them. Think of this like setting up simple, human-centric workflows instead of automated funnels inside Hubspot.

Weekly Habits for Your Inner Circle

Give your Inner Circle the highest touch:

• Send at least one personal update or check-in each week.
• Share a resource tailored to their current challenges.
• Look for chances to introduce them to others in your network.

Biweekly or Monthly Habits for Your Support Circle

For your Support Circle, aim for lighter, but still personal touchpoints:

• Comment thoughtfully on their posts or newsletters.
• Send a short email asking, “Anything I can help you with this month?”
• Invite them to small group calls, masterminds, or coworking sessions.

Monthly Habits for Your Community Circle

Your Community Circle can be engaged through scalable actions just like large email segments inside Hubspot:

• Publish helpful articles, videos, or posts that answer common questions.
• Host periodic live sessions where many people can join at once.
• Encourage replies, comments, and questions so you can identify rising relationships.

Step 3: Create Value-First Content Like Hubspot Does

The original HubSpot Blog article by Chris Brogan emphasizes generosity: people remember those who consistently create value. Instead of chasing numbers, focus on being useful to the hubs you serve.

Ideas for High-Value Content

• Guides and checklists that solve recurring problems in your niche.
• Short how-to videos walking through specific tasks.
• Case studies showing how you or your clients solved a known challenge.
• Curated resource lists that save people time researching.

Publish in the channels where your hubs are most active, and keep the tone straightforward and practical, just like the Hubspot educational style.

Step 4: Blend Automation and Humanity, Hubspot Style

Tools like Hubspot are powerful because they manage data and reminders, not because they replace relationships. To beat Dunbar’s Number, use tools to free up your time for deeper human connection.

What to Automate

• Reminders to reconnect with key contacts at set intervals.
• Basic onboarding sequences that share your best resources.
• Simple forms that collect context before a call or meeting.

What to Keep Personal

• One-to-one emails to your Inner and Support Circles.
• Direct messages that reference specific details or past conversations.
• Custom introductions between two people who should meet.

The balance Chris Brogan recommends—supported by the Hubspot ecosystem—is to let software handle logistics while you focus on empathy, listening, and insight.

Step 5: Track Signals and Promote People Within Your Hubspot Network

Over time, some Community members will engage more, share your work, or collaborate on projects. Just as you might use engagement metrics in Hubspot, you can watch for signals that someone should move into a higher tier.

Signals to Watch For

• They reply frequently or share thoughtful comments.
• They introduce you to others without being asked.
• They consistently act on your advice or resources.

When you see these patterns, consciously promote them into your Support Circle, then your Inner Circle if the mutual fit is strong.

Step 6: Protect Your Energy While Scaling Like Hubspot

One key insight from the HubSpot Blog article is that beating Dunbar’s Number is not about endless hustle. It’s about designing a system that you can sustain.

Boundaries That Support Long-Term Growth

• Set clear limits on how many calls or meetings you take per week.
• Batch communication time so you are not always “on.”
• Use templates for common replies while customizing the opening and closing lines.

These boundaries ensure that your hubs stay healthy and that your efforts compound, instead of burning you out.

Applying Hubspot Principles Beyond the Platform

You do not need to be a paid user of any specific system to apply these ideas. What matters is the Hubspot-inspired mindset: segment intelligently, show up consistently, and focus on value-first relationships.

If you want professional help setting up structured relationship systems, you can explore strategic consulting services at Consultevo.

By building small, intentional hubs, supporting them with light automation, and showing up generously, you can effectively beat Dunbar’s Number—and grow a thriving, human network modeled on the best of the Hubspot relationship philosophy.

Need Help With Hubspot?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your Hubspot , work with ConsultEvo, a team who has a decade of Hubspot experience.

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