HubSpot has acquired Starter Story, a popular YouTube-first brand focused on entrepreneurship, as part of its growing media strategy. The deal was completed through HubSpot Media, the company’s in-house media division. Financial details were not shared.
Starter Story was founded in 2017 by software engineer Pat Walls. Over the years, it has built a strong following among entrepreneurs by sharing real business case studies, revenue breakdowns and practical growth advice.
The brand now has more than 800,000 YouTube subscribers, a newsletter audience of 275,000 readers and a total reach of around 1.6 million people across platforms. As part of the acquisition, Pat Walls, COO Sam Walls and producer Gus Tiffer will join HubSpot Media.
With this addition, HubSpot’s media portfolio continues to expand. It already includes The Hustle, a business and technology newsletter acquired in 2021; the My First Million podcast; and Trends, a research and insights community for entrepreneurs.
After adding Starter Story, HubSpot’s combined YouTube network will reach nearly 2.9 million subscribers, giving it a larger presence than some well-known business media brands and even major software competitors.
For HubSpot, this move is not just about content. The company believes that owning media platforms can help attract potential customers directly into its software ecosystem. Instead of relying only on paid advertising, HubSpot is investing in content that draws in founders, startup teams and growth-focused leaders early in their journey.
Starter Story’s audience closely matches HubSpot’s core small and mid-sized business customer base.
The strategy is straightforward: build trust by sharing useful stories and insights, then introduce tools that help businesses grow. This approach also reflects a wider trend in the media industry, where video creators and podcasts are gaining more influence, and traditional websites are no longer the only way to reach audiences.
The acquisition highlights a larger shift in B2B marketing. The line between a media company and a software company is becoming less clear. Companies that can build a loyal audience through helpful content are no longer just buying demand through ads; they are creating it themselves.
