George B. Thomas

## Professional Headline George B. Thomas has 35+ HubSpot certifications—almost every certification HubSpot offers. He's spoken at events with thousands of attendees. He's trained corporations who have gone on to earn millions of dollars. He's created thousands of marketing and sales videos. And he's a high school dropout. This isn't a humble brag. It's the evidence that human potential thrives when artificial barriers are removed. George's entire career demonstrates what happens when you stop judging people by credentials and start enabling them through genuine support, authentic connection, and tools that serve rather than constrain. As creator of the Superhuman Framework and co-host of Value-First Humans, George proves that human-centered business frameworks sound beautiful—but fail spectacularly when implemented in organizations still running on industrial-age structures. The problem isn't the frameworks. It's the compensation plans, KPIs, and systems that make human-centered decisions impossible. --- ## Professional Background ### From High School Dropout to HubSpot Authority George's career arc isn't just impressive—it's instructive. Over 30+ years in sales and marketing and 12+ years specializing in HubSpot, he's built a reputation not just for technical knowledge but for his ability to inspire organizational transformation. His progression shows deliberate evolution: from individual contributor doing hands-on work, to educator teaching others, to content creator reaching thousands daily, to professional speaker influencing entire organizations, to agency founder creating systematic transformation. Each transition demonstrated his ability to scale impact—from helping individual teams to helping thousands through daily content to influencing entire organizations through his Superhuman Framework. ### The Breakthrough Recognition George's breakthrough came when he realized the most valuable work wasn't tactical HubSpot help—it was teaching people to think differently about how technology should serve humans, not vice versa. This insight led to his Superhuman Framework (four cornerstones: Love, Purpose, Passion, Persistence + 10 H-pillars) and his evolution toward Value-First thinking. But implementing his framework across organizations revealed a harder truth: **most organizations can't actually implement human-centered frameworks because their compensation plans, KPIs, and systems prevent the very decisions those frameworks require.** This recognition became the foundation for Value-First Humans—exploring not just what human-centered business should look like, but why it fails in industrial-age structures and what must change for it to succeed. ### Sidekick Strategies: A New Generation of HubSpot Partner In April 2024, George founded Sidekick Strategies with positioning as "A New Generation of HubSpot Partner Agency." The name itself signals the philosophy: sidekick, not hero. The agency exists to enable client capability, not create vendor dependency. Sidekick Strategies combines George's unmatched HubSpot expertise with his human-centered transformation approach—proving that technical excellence and authentic care for client success aren't competing priorities. --- ## Areas of Expertise **HubSpot Platform Mastery** Unmatched depth across all hubs and capabilities with 35+ certifications covering Inbound Marketing, Inbound Sales, Contextual Marketing, CMS Implementation, Email Marketing, Content Marketing, and many others **Superhuman Framework** Four-pillar approach (Love, Purpose, Passion, Persistence + 10 H-pillars) for human-centered business growth **Inbound Marketing Strategy** How to attract, engage, and delight audiences authentically rather than through interruption and extraction **Modern Sales Process Excellence** Sales approaches based on trust and relationship building rather than manipulation and pressure **Content Strategy & Creation** Teaching-focused content, video production, written content, podcast format across multiple platforms **AI-Human Partnership** Using AI to augment human capability without replacement—AI handles mechanical tasks so humans can focus on creativity, judgment, and connection **Leadership & Organizational Development** Helping leaders create cultures where human potential flourishes and innovation emerges naturally **Business Growth Strategy** Scaling organizations while maintaining human values and authentic relationships **Video Marketing Strategy** Harnessing video for storytelling and trust-building in educational contexts **Community Building** Creating engaged audiences and facilitating meaningful connections that compound over time --- ## Recognition-First Positioning: What George Sees That Others Miss ### The Tool/Culture Gap Your organization blames HubSpot for adoption failures when the real problem is organizational culture and leadership behavior. George recognizes the uncomfortable truth: **"If leaders don't live in it, no one else will either."** The tool works fine. Your leadership team just isn't modeling the behavior they expect from everyone else. ### Adoption Is a Leadership Issue, Not a Training Issue You can't train your way to adoption. You have to lead your way there. George recognizes what kills implementations: **Adoption fails when leaders don't model the behavior they expect.** Every time a VP asks for an Excel export instead of opening HubSpot, they signal that the CRM doesn't matter. Training can't overcome that signal. ### Frameworks Don't Survive Industrial-Age Structures His Superhuman Framework is brilliant in theory, but George recognizes the implementation barrier: **Most organizations can't implement it because their compensation plans, KPIs, and systems prevent the human-centered decisions it requires.** This is why transformation initiatives fail—not because people don't understand the framework, but because the structure makes it impossible to act on. ### AI Amplifies Existing Approaches AI won't save teams with extractive cultures. George recognizes what most miss: **AI will just make them more efficient at extraction instead of value creation.** If your current approach treats humans as resources to optimize, AI will help you optimize that exploitation faster. The technology amplifies your philosophy—it doesn't change it. ### Questions Unlock Collective Intelligence The biggest missed opportunity in most organizations is that leadership provides answers instead of asking powerful questions. George recognizes the leverage point: **Questions unlock human intelligence and creativity. Answers shut them down.** When leaders spend more time telling than asking, they waste the collective intelligence of their entire team. ### Voice Matters in the AI Era As voice becomes the primary interface with AI, the ability to communicate clearly, ask good questions, and engage in dialogue becomes more valuable than ever. George recognizes the shift: **Organizations that develop voice communication capability will thrive. Those that don't will struggle.** --- ## The Superhuman Framework ### Framework Vision George developed the Superhuman Framework to help organizations create environments where humans thrive and technology serves human flourishing. ### Four Cornerstones **1. Love** Genuine care for customer and team—not as marketing rhetoric, but as operational reality **2. Purpose** Clear mission beyond profit—understanding why the organization exists and who it serves **3. Passion** Energy and commitment to excellence—bringing full self to work rather than manufactured professionalism **4. Persistence** Long-term thinking and resilience—building for sustainable success rather than quarterly extraction ### 10 H-Pillars Specific practices supporting the cornerstones (content, communication, education, systems, culture, leadership approaches) ### The Hard Truth The framework is brilliant in theory. But most organizations can't implement it because their compensation plans, KPIs, and systems prevent the human-centered decisions it requires. **This is the real barrier to transformation—not lack of good frameworks, but organizational structures that make those frameworks impossible.** --- ## Value-First Humans Show **Show Focus:** Exploring why human-centered frameworks fail in industrial-age organizations and what transformation actually requires **Co-Host:** Chris Carolan **Launch:** October 2025 **Episode Highlights:** - **Episode 1: "The Superhuman Foundation"** - Origin story of Superhuman Framework and why organizational structures prevent its implementation **Why This Show Matters:** The business world is full of human-centered frameworks: servant leadership, conscious capitalism, people-first cultures, stakeholder value. They all sound beautiful. And they all fail in most organizations. Not because the frameworks are wrong. Because organizations implement them inside structures designed for industrial-age extraction, control, and measurement. You can't build human-centered businesses with industrial-age blueprints. VF Humans explores the **seven Value-First Humans commitments** that address specific barriers to human-centered transformation: 1. Addressing industrial-age structures that make human-centered decisions impossible 2. Moving from KPI-driven extraction to relationship-driven value creation 3. Replacing command-and-control management with curiosity and empowerment 4. Designing systems that enable rather than constrain human potential 5. Measuring success through human flourishing, not just financial metrics 6. Building cultures where questions unlock collective intelligence 7. Using AI to amplify human capability, not replace human judgment **The Mission:** Show why so many human-centered frameworks fail—and what must change for transformation to actually work. --- ## Teaching Philosophy George is known for exceptional ability to inspire and educate simultaneously: **High-Energy Presenter** Electrifying presence that leaves audiences energized and motivated, not just informed **Accessible Expert** Makes complex HubSpot concepts understandable without dumbing them down—respects audience intelligence **Story-Based Teaching** Uses narratives and examples rather than abstract concepts—shows rather than tells **Servant-Leader Approach** Genuinely focused on audience benefit, not personal promotion—"I don't just show up to talk—I show up to inspire action, ignite growth, and equip your audience with the tools they need to create lasting change" **Practical & Inspirational Balance** Both "here's the tactical approach" AND "here's why this matters for humanity" **Authentic Personality** Brings genuine self to all interactions—not manufactured persona or corporate polish **Continuous Learner** Models ongoing growth and evolution of thinking—demonstrates that mastery includes admitting what you don't know **Makes Complex Simple** Philosophy that "if you come from a content creation place of 'it's all about the humans,' you quickly realize that simplifying the complex, writing to be understood, and leaving the jargon at the door are all superpowers" --- ## HubSpot Helper & Content Creator Access ### Subscription Model Innovation George pioneered a subscription model for HubSpot expertise: **HubSpot Helper** ($25/month) On-demand access to George's expertise without agency retainer costs **Content Creator Access Group** Subscription model for teams needing ongoing HubSpot education and guidance ### Why This Matters The subscription approach demonstrates George's commitment to removing barriers to expertise. Not every organization can afford $10K/month agency retainers, but they still need expert guidance. The Helper model makes George's 35+ certifications and 12+ years of experience accessible to teams at every stage. ### Delphi AI Integration George uses AI to maintain his teaching voice across high-volume content (HubSpot daily updates, educational materials). This isn't AI replacing George—it's AI amplifying his ability to serve more people while maintaining authentic voice and genuine care. --- ## Notable Insights & Quotes **On Leadership:** "If leaders don't live in it, no one else will either." **On Training vs. Culture:** "You can't train your way to adoption. You have to lead your way there." **On Framework Implementation:** "Superhuman Framework is brilliant in theory, but most organizations can't implement it because their structures prevent the human-centered decisions it requires." **On AI:** "AI won't save teams with bad cultures. It will just make them more efficient at extracting value instead of creating it." **On Intelligence:** "Questions unlock collective intelligence. Answers shut it down." **On Content Creation:** "If you come from a content creation place of 'it's all about the humans,' you quickly realize that simplifying the complex, writing to be understood, and leaving the jargon at the door are all superpowers." **On His Journey:** "I've spoken at events with thousands of attendees. I've trained corporations who have gone on to earn millions of dollars. I have 30+ HubSpot Certifications. And I'm a high school dropout." --- ## Professional Contributions **Sidekick Strategies** (Owner, April 2024-Present) "A New Generation of HubSpot Partner Agency" focused on enabling client capability through human-centered transformation and technical excellence **Value-First Humans Show** (Co-Host, October 2025-Present) Exploring why human-centered frameworks fail in industrial-age organizations with Chris Carolan **HubHeroes Podcast** (Creator) Long-running podcast exploring critical human-centered topics in business transformation **Superhuman Framework** (Creator) Comprehensive methodology for creating organizations where humans thrive and technology serves human flourishing **HubSpot Helper** (Founder, April 2024) $25/month subscription providing on-demand access to expert HubSpot guidance **Content Creator Access Group** (Founder) Subscription model for teams needing ongoing HubSpot education **Professional Speaking** Regular keynotes and workshops at industry events (sales, marketing, leadership conferences) **HubSpot Academy** 35+ certifications demonstrating unmatched platform mastery **Daily Content Creation** LinkedIn Live shows, blogs, videos, and educational content reaching thousands **30+ Years Sales & Marketing Experience** Including 12+ years specializing in HubSpot implementation and strategy --- ## Who Benefits from George's Expertise **HubSpot Users Seeking Platform Mastery** Teams wanting to move beyond basic usage to strategic implementation and adoption **Marketing and Sales Leaders Undergoing Transformation** Organizations recognizing that technical tools require cultural transformation to succeed **Teams Struggling with Tool Adoption and Change Management** Companies where HubSpot implementation failed not because of the tool but because of leadership and culture **Leaders Frustrated with Command-and-Control Management** Executives recognizing that industrial-age management approaches prevent innovation and growth **B2B Organizations Prioritizing Relationship Building** Companies seeking to move from extraction-based to value-creation-based approaches **Organizations Wanting Human-Centered Business Culture** Teams committed to creating environments where human potential flourishes --- ## Collaboration & Contact **Professional Presence:** - LinkedIn: [linkedin.com/in/george-b-thomas](https://linkedin.com/in/george-b-thomas) - Website: [georgebthomas.com](https://georgebthomas.com) - Sidekick Strategies: [sidekickstrategies.com](https://sidekickstrategies.com) - YouTube: Various channels and appearances - Podcasts: HubHeroes, Women of HubSpot, multiple guest appearances **Value-First Shows:** - **VF Humans** (Co-host with Chris Carolan) - Exploring barriers to human-centered transformation **Sidekick Strategies:** A New Generation of HubSpot Partner Agency enabling client capability through technical excellence and human-centered transformation **HubSpot Helper:** $25/month subscription for on-demand HubSpot expertise **Collaboration Interests:** - Expanding human-centered business thinking across industries - Bridging gap between transformation frameworks and organizational implementation - Creating conditions for human potential to flourish in business contexts - Teaching organizations to use AI for human augmentation, not replacement - Building cultures where questions unlock collective intelligence - Demonstrating that technical excellence and authentic care aren't competing priorities --- ## Why George Contributes to Value-First George's Superhuman Framework already embodied human-centered transformation principles. But implementing it across organizations revealed the deeper challenge: **frameworks fail when organizational structures prevent the decisions those frameworks require.** When he encountered the Value-First methodology, he recognized it as addressing the structural barriers his framework couldn't overcome alone. Value-First doesn't just describe what human-centered business should look like—it confronts why industrial-age structures make it impossible. Through Sidekick Strategies, his co-hosting of VF Humans, and his HubSpot Helper model, George demonstrates that transformation requires both excellent frameworks AND structural changes that enable those frameworks to work. His participation in the Data Summit and ongoing Value-First work proves his commitment to not just teaching human-centered business—but creating the conditions where it can actually succeed. His high school dropout story isn't inspirational rhetoric. It's evidence that when you remove artificial barriers and provide genuine support, human potential flourishes. That's not just George's career story. That's the Value-First principle in action. --- **Value-First Humans with George B. Thomas & Chris Carolan** Exploring why human-centered frameworks fail in industrial-age structures—and what transformation actually requires **Sidekick Strategies** A New Generation of HubSpot Partner Agency: Technical excellence meets human-centered transformation **The High School Dropout with 35+ HubSpot Certifications** Evidence that human potential thrives when artificial barriers are removed