This year marks a significant milestone for Visual Hackers as we celebrate 8 years of transforming ideas into amazing presentations that bring results for our clients. Since 2016, we've grown into a trusted partner for businesses and professionals seeking to make an impactful impression through their presentations and designs.
We take immense pride in the relationships we've built with our clients, the stories we've helped tell, and the successes we've been a part of. As we reflect on our achievements and look forward to the future, we remain committed to delivering top-notch design solutions that not only meet but exceed our client's expectations. Here's to celebrating our past, embracing the present, and eagerly anticipating the future of Visual Hackers.
Let’s have a little chat with Mihai Zamfir, the Founder and Senior Designer!
What is the origin story of Visual Hackers?
It all started a couple of years after I finished college. I was looking for a way to make some extra money to buy a new laptop. At that time, the whole gig economy concept was starting to become more and more popular, with freelancing platforms like Odesk and Elance on the rise. So I signed up on these platforms and was browsing the different categories for project gigs and one category caught my attention in the creative section: presentation design.
Ever since college, I have developed a passion for making better, engaging presentations, fueled by countless boring college classes where professors would be in front of the classroom and just read off a text-filled presentation with horrible visuals. So I saw this category of presentation design as a potential opportunity to explore.
What started out slow (I got my first project after a month of applications and rejections), eventually grew more and more to the point that one year later I couldn’t handle all the projects I was receiving and then it was when I decided to start a boutique creative agency specializing mainly in presentation, and thus VH was born.
What were the biggest challenges you faced as the founder and the challenges VH faced as an agency?
The biggest challenges over the years have been similar to what other first-time founders and small businesses faced. As a founder, it’s been a lot about understanding what’s needed to actually run a business, besides the core creative skill that enables the delivery of our service and developing other skills needed (sales, marketing, strategic thinking & planning, financial management, team management etc.).
As an agency, it’s been about understanding more and more who are our ideal customers and how we can best help them, so we can deliver the highest value through our deliverables. Then of course, the challenges that came with the pandemic and economic conditions over the last few years have also impacted us quite a lot.
What were the top projects we had throughout the year?
Our 8th year of activity was marked by our ability to work on higher, more impactful projects as we started offering a more comprehensive pitch deck service that included strategy, story & content development, and design. Thus, we managed to work with quite a few important deep tech and climate tech startups, such as
What would Mihai from the beginning of VH think about Miahi now?
I think past Mihai would be quite proud and satisfied with where things have ended up and would feel more confident that the road he's starting to pursue will lead to pretty cool things down the line. One of the reasons I started on this journey was to find exciting ideas and meet people and startups that want to change the world and have an impact. I can say that's definitely happened 🙂
What are the 3 biggest learnings from your presentation agency experience?
- Understand the true value we provide - when I first started I thought it was one thing, delivering good design, but the truth is that's just one piece of the puzzle and different clients value different things besides just good design (that's something they're expecting anyway)
- Timing is crucial - a lot of opportunities didn't happen because I didn't capitalize on them at the right time and when I turned back to them, it was too late.
- Foresee risks and start taking countermeasures and implement strategies before the uncertain times actually come
But since we are a team of 5 core members, let’s hear it from the others too.
Bogdan, senior designer
What would Bogdan from the beginning of VH think about Bogdan now?
I think… I? He? We?... would be astonished about how far we’ve made it as a person and designer. I guess we would be surprised to learn our career path led us in a different direction from industrial design, but hey, being adaptable kept us going this/ that far. Lastly, I believe we would be proud of ourselves to see how much we’ve grown.
What are the 3 biggest learnings from your presentation agency experience?
- Trust and listen to your instincts. It has never failed you.
- Even if the future looks grim and dark, keep going. The reward for finding the way is greater than backing away.
- Resist the temptation to say yes to every opportunity. Set a goal and measure whether the offer is aligned with your vision.
Our success is a reflection of the trust and support of our clients, the dedication of our talented team, and the collaborative spirit that drives us every day.
We have helped more than 300 clients around the world to express their vision in graphic way, with 1050+ successfully completed projects, and $1,5Bn+ in business value generated through design.
As we move forward, we are eager to explore new opportunities, embrace emerging trends, and help even more businesses communicate their stories effectively.
Join Us on Our Journey
Whether you need a stunning presentation, want to elevate your brand’s visual storytelling, or are curious about how we can help you make a lasting impression, we're here for you.