We create intelligent, living systems for people to experience.

We believe in building systems that are useful, usable, and desirable.

Hello is a digital creative agency.

Stakeholders!

Stakeholder?

The stakeholder concept was first used in a 1963 internal memorandum at

the Stanford Research Institute. It defined stakeholders as “those groups

without whose support the organization would cease to exist.”

10 Ways to Solving the Puzzle

Choose wisely.

Finding the right clients that value design is key to starting off on the right

foot. Don’t take every client that knocks on the door and don’t go knocking

on those you don’t want opened. It’s important to make sure the chemistry

and the opportunity are a good fit from day one.

01

Do your homework.

Read as much as you can. Buy books, check out all the links, and dive deep

into the Internet. There is so much information it can be overwhelming so take

notes. Be a sponge and soak up as much as you can. Have a constant pulse

on culture and what’s happening around you.

02

Listen carefully.

Start off by asking the right questions. Be curious. Really listen and

understand the client’s challenges from their perspective. Understand what is

important—the business goals and objectives—before getting into the tactics.

Ask what success will look like as it is often different for everyone. Make sure

you agree. Never assume, know.

03

Ideas matter.

Make sure you answer the why before you talk about the what or how. Focus

on the strategy before execution. Your value is in your thinking. Ideas are your

currency. Most people are reasonable if you show them how you arrived at an

answer with logic and reason. It’s not easy to make connections that no one

else sees, that is why they call it opportunity.

04

Do good work.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the work. It’s as simple as that—

do good work. If you want to gain the trust and respect of your clients, stop

telling them and start showing them.  

05

Meet in person.

Always present your work face-to-face, whether they are down the street or

across the country. Make the effort to go the distance as there is nothing that

replaces being in front of another person. You can’t see how someone feels

over a phone call.

06

Always over deliver.

Set clear expectations and communicate often. Choose to go above and

beyond. Be an extension of the team by not thinking about whether

something is in or out of scope but rather if it’s right for the project. Be three

steps ahead and anticipate the need before it is asked of you. Be willing to do

what others will not.

07

Know who matters.

It’s important to know who is the key decision maker. Don’t work your way

from the bottom up, go straight to the top. Seek out the visionary and let them

convince everyone else. Build consensus by letting them be part of your

process from day one. 

08

Step back.

Be objective and try to take the emotion out of the equation. Question your

own work and be ready to start over again if necessary. At the end of the day,

you are trying to get to ideal. It doesn’t matter how you get there. Be willing to

let go as often one destination is simply a stop before the next.

09

Lose the battle, but win the war.

Pick and choose which battles are truly worth fighting for. There is a balance

between being a yes man and a prima donna. Don’t be either. Bring a point of

view to the table and don’t be afraid to challenge. If you don’t believe in your

work, no one else will. If you can anticipate the worst case and accept it, then

it’s pretty easy.

10

Thank you, questions?

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