Watching the NYSE Closing Bell: A Unique Experience

As HubSpot went public, many people were eager to watch us ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). It was a significant milestone in our company's history, and I was honored to be part of it. But what made this experience even more memorable was the unexpected challenge we faced - finding suitable pants.

As my co-founder Brian Halligan is not the CEO or CFO, his life hasn't changed much since the IPO. Similarly, my role as an employee hasn't undergone any significant changes either. In fact, I could have worn pajamas to the ceremony and nobody would have known the difference. But, we did wear pants, thanks to our COO JD Sherman's intervention.

The experience was quite amusing, though. As we were getting ready for the roadshow meetings, Brian realized that he had left his trousers behind. Similarly, I had not brought any trousers or slacks with me, as I usually wear jeans every day. It wasn't until later that we discovered the NYSE required participants to wear pants for the ceremonies.

At first, I was a bit taken aback when someone told us about this requirement. But, in hindsight, it's understandable. After all, one doesn't typically associate bell-ringing with casual attire. Our media team even sent an email reminding us of this rule, which added to the excitement and humor of the situation.

In the end, we managed to find suitable pants and successfully rang the NYSE closing bell. It was a proud moment for HubSpot, and I'm grateful to have been part of it. And who knows, maybe next time we'll wear our jeans and shorts again - but only if the NYSE allows us to!

Watch nyse closing bell