USS is a Founding Contributor to Value-First Team methodology
What is The Value Path?
An 8-stage framework describing how humans naturally progress through value discovery and creation with an organization.
It replaces artificial funnel thinking (MQL → SQL → Customer) with recognition of how people actually move through relationships—honoring their readiness rather than forcing them through manufactured stages.
The Core Insight
People move through stages based on their own readiness, not because marketing automation pushed them there.
We recognize signals of progression rather than manufacture advancement.
The Two Phases
The shift from TO to OF occurs at the moment of purchase or commitment.
Path TO Value
Stages 1-4
Discovery and evaluation. People recognize possibility, research options, signal readiness, and make purchasing decisions.
Earliest moments of possibility recognition. Casual exploration without pressure. Building general awareness through content consumption.
Active investigation and evidence gathering. Comparing approaches. Building comprehensive understanding through focused exploration.
Explicit signal of readiness for expert guidance. Questions requiring human answers. Authentic interest after sufficient independent research.
Actively making purchasing decisions. Building internal conviction. Coordinating stakeholders. Navigating organizational dynamics.
Path OF Value
Stages 5-8
Creation and multiplication. People implement, realize value, share success, and become strategic partners.
Active implementation with pressure to prove decision wisdom. Building new capability. Navigating organizational change.
Genuine value realization and validation. Using new capabilities. Proving success. Optimizing usage and deepening integration.
Natural sharing within authentic influence spheres. Telling peers about success—internally first, then externally. Organic referral generation.
Industry leadership and methodology co-creation. Building communities of practice. Strategic partnership and mutual value multiplication.
How This Differs from Traditional Funnels
✗ Traditional Funnel Thinking
- — People are "leads" to be processed
- — Stages are gates we control
- — Progression is manufactured through automation
- — Success = conversion velocity
- — Post-sale is "customer success" (separate team)
- — Goal: move people through faster
✓ Value Path Thinking
- — People are humans in relationship with us
- — Stages are states we recognize
- — Progression emerges from genuine readiness
- — Success = relationship health
- — Post-sale is continued Value Path progression
- — Goal: support people appropriately at each stage
Understanding the framework is step one. Making it operational in HubSpot is where USS comes in.
See What We BuildKey Principles
Bidirectional Movement Is Normal
People can move backward. A Champion facing budget cuts might return to Researcher. An Adopter encountering problems might need Value Creator support again. The Value Path honors actual human experience—it's not a forced-forward funnel.
Natural Triggers Enable Movement
Progression emerges from genuine readiness signals—increased confidence, environmental changes, peer influence, milestone achievements—rather than arbitrary marketing touches or sales activities.
Different Levels Experience Differently
Executives approach with strategic responsibility. Managers navigate with operational accountability. Individual contributors experience through daily work improvement. Each requires tailored support.
Technology Enables, Not Controls
Systems should support natural progression rather than force predetermined sequences. AI surfaces context that reveals which stage someone is actually in—not which stage our scoring model assigned them.
We Make Value Path Operational
Understanding the Value Path is one thing. Making it work in HubSpot is another.
USS implements HubSpot architectures designed around the 8 Value Path stages—with custom objects, properties, and automation that support natural progression rather than force predetermined sequences.
- Stage-aligned pipeline architecture
- Signal recognition over lead scoring
- Relationship health tracking
Ready to Implement Value Path Architecture?
Let's discuss how to make the Value Path operational in your HubSpot.