Monica Cavanagh
Supered's Matt Bolian recently featured Orange Marketing CEO Rebecca Gonzalez on Supered Fast and Tierious for a candid look at Orange Marketing’s nine-year journey.
The conversation covered decisions that worked, ones Rebecca wishes she had made sooner, and the turning point that forced a rethink of how they generated business. From choosing HubSpot on day one to building referral relationships and learning why relying heavily on a single business source is a serious vulnerability, Rebecca shared plenty of lessons.
Here are the top takeaways.
HubSpot Partner Tips
Focus Can Be a Competitive Advantage
Orange Marketing began as a HubSpot practice from day one. Though Rebecca and her co-founder had experience with other platforms, they made a conscious decision not to support them. They wouldn't even edit a WordPress site unless it was part of a HubSpot integration or migration.
Why narrow the field so dramatically? Rebecca knew Orange Marketing would remain a relatively small agency, so expertise mattered. Specializing in HubSpot allowed the team to build deeper proficiency, helping the agency rise quickly to Diamond tier and establish a clear position in the ecosystem.
Build the Assets That Keep Working for You
One decision Rebecca is especially glad she made early on was consistently asking clients for reviews. Orange Marketing has 158 five-star reviews. At first, those reviews were primarily valuable as social proof. Today, they also provide the third-party information that AI-powered search engines use to evaluate companies.
Rebecca pointed to reviews and case studies as two areas where they invested early, but she identified one channel she wishes she took seriously sooner: LinkedIn. Her advice for good writers experimenting with AI-generated content was straightforward: don't let technology replace your point of view. Value still comes from having something worth saying.
Don't Depend on One Source of Business
The biggest lesson came from a period when Orange Marketing was doing exceptionally well. The agency had built a strong niche serving B2B SaaS companies in Orange County, an active market for venture-backed startups at the time. Business was coming in, clients were spending, and HubSpot's commission program provided a significant revenue stream.
Then the environment shifted. HubSpot changed its commission structure, and the venture-backed startup market cooled. Looking back, Rebecca realized the agency had become dangerously concentrated: one vertical, one geography, and effectively one primary source of referrals. When those conditions changed, Orange Marketing had to rebuild its approach from the ground up.
The lesson stuck with her: never put all your eggs in one basket. Rather than replacing the lost business with a single fix, Rebecca began employing tactics the agency hadn't needed when business was easier:
- Becoming more active on LinkedIn and sharing a stronger point of view.
- Adjusting pricing to what the market would support, then gradually raising it for larger engagements.
- Understanding HubSpot’s priorities. It wasn't just about meeting reps; it meant understanding what HubSpot itself was trying to accomplish. To succeed in an ecosystem, Rebecca noted, you have to learn how to "play the game."
Relationships Aren't a One-Time Lead Generation Tactic
Rebecca's explanation of how Orange Marketing stays visible with HubSpot reps and other partners proved highly practical. There isn't a secret campaign; the strategy consists of small, consistent actions:
- Staying active in Slack and sharing useful information.
- Tracking deals involving HubSpot reps.
- Sending holiday gifts to stay top of mind.
- Attending events, following up, and creating in-person touchpoints at Unbound,
Rebecca was candid that this approach isn't a finished playbook. Because Orange Marketing still relies on founder-led sales, she would ideally like to develop a more systematic one-to-one outreach program rather than managing it ad hoc by herself.
However, their smaller size is also their edge. Rebecca said Orange Marketing can win work against larger elite partners because it has less overhead, can price flexibly, and can turn around a strong proposal overnight.
The same relationship-building philosophy applies beyond HubSpot. Rebecca discussed connecting with complementary companies, including ZeroBounce, Supered, AI Trust Signals, and Arrows, to create a stronger network around the agency.
Next Up: Let's Talk B2B Email With ZeroBounce
On August 27, we're bringing in ZeroBounce, an email validation and deliverability company, to share its expertise with the Orange Marketing audience. Join Rebecca for Inbox Denied: What's Really Blocking Your B2B Email and How to Fix It, a live Q&A.
We'll discuss the email issues B2B marketers are facing right now, what's keeping messages from reaching the inbox, and what you can do about it. If email is part of how your company builds and maintains relationships, deliverability has to be part of the strategy.
Join us August 27 at 10 AM PT | 1 PM ET for the live Q&A with ZeroBounce.
