Material Security

Backed by Andreessen Horowitz , Material Security is a multi-layered detection and response toolkit for Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, combining email security, data governance and posture management in a single platform.

Behind the scenes, the customer engineering team plays a vital role in maintaining a high level of trust. Their job is to help customers succeed with Material Security’s products—answering questions, tracking progress, and ensuring smooth renewals. It’s a big task for a small team, and Kelsey, one of Material’s customer engineers, knew they needed a better way to stay organized.

Building the right tool for the job

When Kelsey joined Material Security, the team was juggling several tools: HubSpot for CRM, Notion for internal workflows, and a patchwork of spreadsheets. Each tool had strengths, but they didn’t work together the way the team needed.

HubSpot was a solid CRM for managing customer information, but it lacked flexibility for creating custom fields or quick one-off tracking needs. On the other hand, Notion allowed the team to create tailored workflows, but keeping the data synced between the two tools was a challenge. They needed something that could bridge the gap between the two systems—a way to connect HubSpot’s structure with Notion’s flexibility.

That’s when Kelsey found Whalesync.

Turning Notion into a success tool

Whalesync became the missing link. By syncing values between HubSpot and Notion, it allowed Kelsey to create a custom success tool that worked exactly how her team needed it to.

Here’s how it works:

• HubSpot remains the team’s source of truth for customer data.
• Notion is used for flexible tracking and workflows. The customer success team can easily add custom fields, set up views for specific use cases, and track progress on initiatives.
• Whalesync ensures the two tools stay in sync. Data flows seamlessly between HubSpot and Notion, so updates in one system show up in the other.

This setup gives the team the best of both worlds: the power of HubSpot and the adaptability of Notion. “With Whalesync, I can set up exactly what we need without jumping through hoops,” Kelsey said. “For example, if I want to track the latest customer success note, I can build that in Notion in minutes.”

“Whalesync is set it and forget it. It’s very straightforward, easy to manage, and does everything we need it to.”

Total control at a fraction of the cost

Kelsey’s custom tooling has transformed how her team works. They now have a system tailored specifically to their needs—without the complexity or cost of traditional customer success platforms.

“We looked at tools that cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, and they just didn’t work for us,” Kelsey shared. “Whalesync is significantly more affordable, and it connects the tools we already use. It’s simple, flexible, and easy to manage.”

“We looked at tools that cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, and they just didn’t work for us. Whalesync is significantly more affordable, and it connects the tools we already use.”

The flexibility of the system is what sets it apart. If the team needs to track a new initiative, like product demos or deployment phases, they can create new fields and views in Notion without having to change their CRM schema. This agility has been crucial for keeping up with customer needs.

Kelsey’s setup also saves time. “Once I configure something in Whalesync, I barely have to touch it,” she said. “It just works. I spend maybe five minutes a week making adjustments, and that’s only if we decide to track something new.”

Building a system that scales

Material Security’s small but mighty customer engineering team now has a custom system that’s flexible enough to adapt to their needs and robust enough to handle their growing customer base. And the best part? It’s built entirely with tools they already had—plus Whalesync to connect them.

For Kelsey, Whalesync isn’t just a syncing tool. It’s what enabled her to build a system that works for her team, without the high cost or rigidity of other platforms. “I don’t think there’s anything I’d change about Whalesync,” she said. “It’s affordable, easy to use, and does exactly what we need.”