From Flywheel to Loop

From Flywheel to Loop: Making Sense of HubSpot’s
New Growth Model

Introduction: Why HubSpot Updated Its Framework

For years, HubSpot’s Flywheel framework has been a popular way to think about business growth. It replaced the traditional funnel, showing that happy customers fuel future growth by creating momentum.

Now, HubSpot has introduced a new model: the Loop Framework. This update reflects today’s more complex, AI-driven marketplace, where buyers interact with brands across fragmented channels and expect personalized, evolving experiences.

At GrowthPad, we believe this change is more than just a new visual. The Loop framework highlights how businesses must operate in an era of constant change. In this article, we will explain what the Loop is, how it differs from the Flywheel, and most importantly, how businesses can use HubSpot (with the right setup and support) to put it into action.

The Flywheel: A Quick Recap

Before we jump into the Loop, it is helpful to revisit the Flywheel.

The Flywheel represented growth as a cycle powered by three key forces: Attract, Engage, Delight. When businesses invested in creating positive customer experiences, the wheel spun faster, creating momentum.

The Flywheel was a step forward from the linear funnel because it emphasized customers as growth drivers rather than endpoints. But in recent years, buyer behavior has changed again. The Flywheel did not fully account for new factors like:

• AI shaping how customers discover and consume content
• “Zero-click” searches and fragmented digital channels
• Rising expectations for personalization across every interaction
• The need for continuous adaptation rather than static campaigns

That is where the Loop comes in.

Introducing HubSpot’s Loop Framework

The Loop is HubSpot’s new playbook for growth in the AI era. It emphasizes that growth is not about spinning momentum in one direction but about constantly cycling through key actions that adapt to changing buyer behavior.

The Loop has four stages: Express, Tailor, Amplify, Evolve.

1. Express

Your brand must communicate its voice, values, and perspective clearly. This is how you stand out in a crowded marketplace.

• In practice: defining your positioning, crafting messaging, and ensuring your brand identity is consistent across channels.
• In HubSpot: GrowthPad helps ensure assets like landing pages, forms, email templates, and blogs are configured to express your brand consistently and capture valuable first-party data.

2. Tailor

One-size-fits-all marketing no longer works. Tailor means personalizing the experience for each prospect or customer using data and automation.

• In practice: segmenting audiences, customizing outreach, and delivering messages that reflect unique needs.
• In HubSpot: GrowthPad sets up lead scoring, list segmentation, and automated workflows so personalization is seamless and scalable.

3. Amplify

Great experiences need to reach more people. Amplify is about distributing your content and campaigns across the right channels, both organic and paid.

• In practice: using social media, ads, partnerships, and SEO to grow reach.
• In HubSpot: GrowthPad integrates HubSpot with other tools, ensures tracking is accurate, and automates campaign processes so you can amplify without adding manual work.

4. Evolve

Markets shift constantly. Evolve means measuring results, analyzing data, and making continuous improvements.

• In practice: running experiments, testing new channels, and refining your approach.
• In HubSpot: GrowthPad builds dashboards, reporting structures, and auditing processes so leadership teams always know what is working and what to adjust.

The Loop is not a one-time cycle. It is designed to be repeated, with each stage feeding into the next, ensuring businesses grow smarter and adapt faster.

Why HubSpot Made the Change

HubSpot’s shift from the Flywheel to the Loop reflects three big realities:

1. Buyer behavior has fragmented. People discover brands in dozens of places — search engines, social platforms, AI tools, communities, and more. Businesses need a framework flexible enough to keep up.
2. AI is reshaping the landscape. With generative AI answering questions directly in search results and powering new discovery methods, traditional customer journeys are less linear than ever.
3. Personalization is no longer optional. Buyers expect experiences that are relevant to their needs, not generic campaigns. The Loop emphasizes tailoring and evolving as central to growth.

Flywheel vs. Loop: Key Differences

It is worth noting that the Loop does not erase the Flywheel. Instead, it builds on it.

• Flywheel focus: Customers drive momentum through Attract, Engage, Delight.
• Loop focus: Growth requires constant iteration across Express, Tailor, Amplify, and Evolve.

Where the Flywheel was about momentum, the Loop is about adaptability. It highlights that to grow in today’s environment, you cannot set a strategy once and coast. You need systems and processes that let you keep evolving.

How Businesses Can Apply the Loop in HubSpot

For businesses already on HubSpot, the good news is that the platform is designed to support the Loop. The challenge is ensuring it is set up correctly. That is where GrowthPad comes in.

Here is how we help clients bring the Loop to life:

• Express: We configure brand assets inside HubSpot — from CMS templates to landing pages — so they align with your positioning and capture first-party data effectively.
• Tailor: We build automated workflows, lead scoring, and segmentation to ensure every interaction feels personalized and relevant.
• Amplify: We integrate HubSpot with other tools in your stack, ensuring campaigns are tracked across channels and amplification is measurable.
• Evolve: We create dashboards, custom reports, and audit processes that show what is working and where to refine.

Without this type of setup, many businesses fall into common pitfalls: content that does not generate leads, leads that are not followed up on, or reports that fail to guide strategy. The Loop only works if the underlying systems are configured to support it.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

As companies shift to the Loop, a few mistakes are common:

• Treating it like just a diagram. The Loop is not a buzzword. It requires operational changes.
• Neglecting data hygiene. Personalization (Tailor) only works if data in HubSpot is clean and reliable.
• Forgetting the “Evolve” stage. Many teams launch campaigns but do not set up dashboards to learn from results.
• Overcomplicating the stack. Adding tools without integration creates silos that break the Loop.

GrowthPad helps prevent these issues by focusing on clean data, seamless automation, and reporting structures that keep the Loop in motion.

Getting Started with the Loop

For businesses curious about applying the Loop, here is a simple roadmap:

1. Audit your current HubSpot setup.
2. Map your customer journey against the Loop stages.
3. Identify gaps in personalization, amplification, or reporting.
4. Start small — implement one tailored workflow or one new dashboard.
5. Build a rhythm of auditing and evolving over time.

The key is progress, not perfection. Even small changes create momentum when systems are designed to adapt.

Conclusion: Making the Loop Work for Your Business

The Loop framework reflects the reality of growth today: fast-changing markets, rising expectations, and the need for adaptability. It does not replace everything the Flywheel stood for, but it expands the playbook so businesses can thrive in an AI-driven, fragmented world.

At GrowthPad, we specialize in making frameworks like the Loop actionable. By ensuring your HubSpot setup is clean, connected, and optimized, we give your team the foundation to express your brand, tailor experiences, amplify reach, and evolve continuously.

Book a free HubSpot Growth Assessment today and let’s explore how the Loop can drive smarter growth for your business.