Private equity firms increasingly rely on CRM data to validate revenue, assess go-to-market maturity, and uncover post-close value creation opportunities. Yet during technology due diligence, one of the most common blind spots is the actual health of the CRM, especially when that system is HubSpot.
On the surface, HubSpot dashboards may look polished. Pipelines appear full. Reports show growth. But without a structured HubSpot due diligence process, PE firms risk inheriting data issues, broken automation, and unreliable attribution that can materially impact valuation models and 100-day plans.
This HubSpot due diligence checklist is designed to help PE firms conduct a thorough CRM risk assessment, uncover hidden issues, and confidently evaluate whether HubSpot is an asset, or a liability, inside a portfolio company.
During CRM due diligence for private equity, HubSpot is often treated as a reporting layer rather than a core system of record. That’s a mistake.
HubSpot touches nearly every revenue-critical workflow:
If any of these systems are misconfigured or poorly maintained, the downstream impact can include:
A proper HubSpot audit checklist ensures PE firms are evaluating not just what the data says, but whether the data can be trusted.
Below is a practical framework for HubSpot due diligence that can be applied during pre-close evaluation or early post-close assessment.
Data quality is the foundation of CRM evaluation in PE. Poor data hygiene undermines every report and forecast.
Key areas to review:
Ask critical questions:
A HubSpot data audit often reveals that reported growth is driven by inconsistent definitions rather than real performance.
Lifecycle stages should reflect how revenue actually moves through the business—not how someone set it up years ago.
Checklist items:
Common red flag: Contacts marked as “Sales Qualified Lead” without any recorded sales activity.
This is a critical component of CRM risk assessment for PE firms because lifecycle confusion directly impacts conversion metrics used in valuation models.
Pipeline hygiene is one of the most overlooked areas of CRM due diligence in private equity.
Evaluate:
Ask:
A clean pipeline is essential for accurate forecasting and post-acquisition revenue planning.
HubSpot automation can either scale revenue—or silently break it.
During a HubSpot audit checklist review, assess:
Automation risk is a major factor in technology due diligence for CRM systems. Poorly documented workflows can create unpredictable outcomes after ownership transitions.
Attribution accuracy is often assumed but rarely validated.
Review:
If attribution cannot be trusted, CAC, channel performance, and growth efficiency metrics used during diligence may be fundamentally flawed.
Finally, evaluate whether HubSpot is architected for scale.
Checklist considerations:
This step helps PE firms assess whether HubSpot will support post-close growth—or require immediate remediation.
A thorough HubSpot due diligence process does more than identify risk. It creates a roadmap for:
For PE firms, HubSpot should be treated as a core operating system, not just a marketing tool.
CRM due diligence in private equity requires more than a quick dashboard review. A structured HubSpot due diligence checklist gives PE firms visibility into data quality, operational risk, and growth readiness before and after close.
When done correctly, HubSpot due diligence transforms CRM from a black box into a predictable, scalable revenue engine, unlocking real value across the portfolio.