I've been going to this conference since 2012. Thirteen years straight. Back when it was called INBOUND, back when Gary Vaynerchuk lit the room on fire, and I walked out a different person. I've spoken on the main stage, done late-night shows, led debates, and shaken more hands than I can count.
So yeah, I've got opinions about how to make the most of it.
STOP! Want the full UNBOUND Survival Guide? Get it right here...
Okay, now back to this UNbelievable article... See what I did there?
This year, HubSpot's flagship event has a new name. INBOUND is now UNBOUND, and it's back in Boston, September 16 to 18, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The rebrand makes sense. HubSpot isn't just an "inbound marketing" company anymore. It's a CRM, an AI engine, a RevOps backbone. The event needed a name that could hold everything it's become.
But here's what hasn't changed: the magic of showing up. The conversations. The energy. The moments you can't plan for.
Whether this is your first time or your tenth, I want to help you walk in prepared and walk out transformed. These are the seven things I wish someone had told me back in 2012. And if you want the full playbook (all 47 tips), grab the free survival guide at the bottom.
Let's go.
1. Leave Room for the Hallway Magic
This is the tip I'm most passionate about, and I lead with it for a reason.
Here's what I've learned after thirteen years: the sessions are incredible, but the hallway is where the real magic happens. I've given myself an hour break here, a 30-minute break there, just to go plop down somewhere that humans are walking by. Just sitting. Being available.
And those moments? They've been some of the most important of my career.
One year, I was sitting in a random common area, not rushing to anything, not checking my phone. And all of a sudden, Remington Begg, Brian Halligan, and a couple other folks are right there. We're just sitting, chilling, and talking. No agenda. No scheduled meeting. Just real conversation between real humans.
Those are moments you can't schedule. You can't put "Run into Brian Halligan" on your calendar. But you can create the conditions for it.
My rule: buffer 30 to 40 percent of your schedule. I know that sounds aggressive. You'll look at the session catalog and want to fill every single slot. Resist that urge. Leave white space. Wander. Sit in the common areas. Say yes to the random conversation with the person next to you in line for coffee.
The sessions are recorded. The hallway moments aren't.
2. Comfortable Shoes Are Non-Negotiable
I say this every single year. On the podcast, in prep conversations, in every piece of content I create before UNBOUND. Comfortable shoes. Period.
BCEC is massive. We're talking about a convention center that'll have you walking 15,000 steps before lunch. Your feet will be screaming by day two if you show up in dress shoes or new sneakers you haven't broken in.
Here's my actual packing checklist for UNBOUND:
- Two pairs of broken-in, comfortable walking shoes (rotate daily)
- At least two backup phone chargers (portable battery packs, not just cables)
- A light jacket or hoodie (convention centers run cold)
- A small notebook or your favorite notes app ready to go
- Business cards if you still carry them (I prefer just swapping phone numbers, but you do you)
The charger thing is real. You'll be taking photos, recording voice memos, swapping contact info, checking the event app, and posting on social all day. Your phone will die by 2 PM if you're not prepared.
Take care of your body so your brain can focus on what matters: the humans and the content.
3. Go to Sessions Outside Your Wheelhouse
This one changed how I approach the entire conference.
Don't just go to sessions you're already great at. I know it's tempting. If you're a marketer, you want to go to all the marketing sessions. If you're in sales, you want the sales track. That makes sense on paper, but it's not how you grow.
Think about the idea of a T-shaped marketer. You've got your deep expertise (that's the vertical bar of the T), but the most valuable humans in any organization are the ones who also understand what's happening across the horizontal. What are some sessions that'll pull you into other areas? RevOps when you're in marketing. Service when you're in sales. AI and automation when you're in operations.
And here's the question I ask myself every year: what is the one session, or two, that has nothing to do with business but might change my life forever?
Every year, UNBOUND brings in speakers who aren't from the HubSpot world. Authors, athletes, researchers, leaders from completely different industries. Those sessions will stretch your thinking in ways that a "Five Tips for Better Email Open Rates" breakout never will.
Go wide. Your career will thank you.
4. Divide and Conquer with Your Team
If you're going with a team, and I hope you are, do not walk around in a pack the entire time.
I've made this mistake, and I've watched other teams make it too. You bring four humans from your company, and all four of you attend the exact same sessions for three days straight. That's not a strategy. That's a buddy system.
Here's what works: divide and conquer. Sit down before the event and split up the sessions. Make sure you're covering different tracks so you can bring the notes back to the team. One person hits AI and automation. Another covers RevOps. Someone goes deep on the product announcements. Someone else focuses on the sessions that align with your biggest current challenge.
Then, block time at the end of each day (dinner works great for this) to debrief and share what you learned.
As a leader, choose times to be with your team and choose times not to be with your team. There are things that make sense for the group. The main stage keynotes, the team dinner, the big networking events. But there are also moments where you need to go solo, have your own hallway conversations, and bring back insights that nobody else on your team would have found.
The goal is to come home with four times the knowledge, not four copies of the same notes.
5. Give Yourself Permission to Skip Sessions
This one might sound contradictory after I just told you to plan your sessions carefully. Stick with me.
There are times where I was supposed to be at a session, had it on my calendar, was already walking toward the room. And then I ran into someone. Maybe it was an old friend. Maybe it was a total stranger who said something that grabbed my attention. And in that moment, I had to make a choice.
I've learned to give myself the grace to say, "Screw it. The session's recorded. This conversation isn't."
That's a hard thing for high achievers. We want to maximize every minute. We want to check every box. But the most important things at UNBOUND don't come with a session code and a room number. They come from being present, being open, and being willing to throw the plan out the window when something better shows up.
I'm not saying skip everything. I'm saying hold your schedule loosely. If you're mid-conversation with someone who's solving the exact problem your company is wrestling with, don't cut it short to go hear a talk you can watch on-demand next week.
Be disciplined about your priorities, but flexible about your plan.
6. Find Your Sandwich Quest
Okay, this is my favorite tip, and it's one most "conference prep" articles won't give you.
When I was prepping for UNBOUND 2025 in San Francisco, I found a TikTok of a food reviewer who had been all over the city reviewing the best spots. And I literally wrote myself a calendar invite: "Go find that sandwich shop."
Because here's what I believe with my whole chest: you're going to be in a city you might not visit again for a while. Don't spend every single minute inside the convention center. Carve out time to do fun stuff.
For Boston in 2026? Come on. You've got options.
- Lobster rolls (this is non-negotiable in Boston)
- Mike's Pastries in the North End (get the cannoli, trust me)
- The entire North End Italian food scene
- Walk the Freedom Trail if you're a history nerd
- Get a Dunkin' coffee and just sit on the harbor
Remember, you're a whole human being, not just a conference badge. The best ideas I've ever had didn't come from a breakout session. They came from walking around a city, eating great food, and letting my brain breathe.
Give yourself at least one evening and one lunch break to explore Boston. You'll come back to the sessions refreshed, energized, and probably with a great story to tell.
7. Show Up as a Human, Not a Badge
I saved this one for last because it's the most important.
When you walk into UNBOUND, you'll get a badge with your name and company on it. And there's a temptation to let that badge do all the talking. To lead every conversation with your title, your company, your pitch. To treat every interaction like a networking opportunity instead of a human connection.
Don't do that.
UNBOUND isn't just about business. It's about community. It's built by humans, for humans. Not customers, not prospects, not "leads." Humans. And your humanity will be influenced, if you're open to it.
Here's what I do: fist bumps, high fives, real conversations. I ask people where they're from, what they're excited about, what's keeping them up at night. Not "What's your tech stack?" or "How many seats do you have?" Real questions. Human questions.
The humans I've built the deepest relationships with at this conference, the ones who became friends, partners, collaborators, and in some cases family, those connections didn't start with a business card exchange. They started with, "Hey, how's your day going?"
You'll have three days in Boston with thousands of humans who care about the same things you do. That's rare. Don't waste it by hiding behind your job title.
Show up as you. The real you. That's who people will remember.
Want All 47 Tips? Download the Full Survival Guide
These seven tips are just the start. I've compiled everything I've learned from thirteen years of attending this conference into a complete survival guide. We're talking packing checklists, session planning templates, networking conversation starters, Boston restaurant recommendations, a day-by-day schedule framework, and a post-conference implementation plan so your learnings don't die on the flight home. Download the Free UNBOUND 2026 Survival Guide
Whether you're a first-timer or a veteran like me, this guide will help you walk in prepared and walk out transformed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Is UNBOUND 2026?
UNBOUND 2026 runs September 16 to 18, 2026. The main conference spans three full days, with VIP events starting on the evening of September 15. Plan to arrive by September 15 at the latest, and consider staying through September 19 to explore Boston and decompress.
Where Is UNBOUND 2026?
UNBOUND 2026 is at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) in Boston, Massachusetts. This is a return to Boston after the 2025 event was held in San Francisco. BCEC is located in the Seaport District, easily accessible from Boston Logan International Airport. The venue is massive, so comfortable shoes are (as I mentioned) non-negotiable.
How Much Are UNBOUND 2026 Tickets?
General Admission tickets start at $1,199 (Tier 1) and increase as tiers sell out, going up to $1,599 at Tier 3. VIP passes start at $1,699 and go up to $1,999. Presale tickets at $799 are already sold out. Groups of 10 or more save 15% off the current General Admission price. Budget for hotel (3 to 4 nights in Boston), flights, and daily meals on top of the ticket price.
Is UNBOUND Worth Attending?
After thirteen years of attending, my answer is absolutely yes, if you're willing to do the work. UNBOUND is worth it if you use HubSpot and plan to implement new features, need a growth plan with clear next steps, want to build relationships with other HubSpot practitioners, or can commit to acting on what you learn within 30 days. It's not worth it if you're looking for passive inspiration without execution. The humans who get the most out of this conference are the ones who show up with intention and leave with a plan.
What Is the Difference Between INBOUND and UNBOUND?
INBOUND was HubSpot's flagship conference from 2012 to 2024, named after the inbound marketing methodology that put HubSpot on the map. In 2025, HubSpot rebranded the event to UNBOUND to reflect the platform's evolution beyond inbound marketing into a full CRM, AI, and RevOps ecosystem. The rebrand signals that growth isn't bound by a single methodology anymore. Same community, same energy, same magic. Bigger vision. I wrote the full story of the rebrand and what it means if you want the deeper take.
