Background

Zach’s journey began with a philosophy degree from the University of Chicago, before moving back to Atlanta to pursue his master’s and Ph.D. from Georgia Tech. Formerly, his professional life was spent in digital agencies and innovation consulting. Then, he decided to branch off and create Helpfully, specializing in UX research and digital product design/development.

As a naturally curious person, Zach views himself as an anthropologist who enjoys studying the relationship between humans and technology.

Helpfully

While we often perceive our purchases as rational and careful decisions, much of our consumer behavior is driven by personal identity. In his work, understanding the complexities and identities of individuals is crucial to recognizing friction between consumers and products, clients and services, users and apps, or employees and tools. That is how the Helpfully team provides the insight their clients need to improve their offerings through comprehensive research sprints and usability tests. Zach explains,

“We jump in and answer, why do some customers buy this and some don’t? Why doesn’t our product work in the marketplace? Where are people getting stuck? This is where Helpfully comes in. We are looking screen by screen or button by button to find where users are hitting roadblocks and how to fix them.”

Teams & Projects

Depending on the project Helpfully prioritizes collaboration with world-leading experts and specialists in areas like strategic design or medical anthropology. Although most projects involve contractors, full-time staff, including a head of operations, project managers, and researchers, comprise the heart of their team. They enjoy working on the ground and focusing on real-world problem-solving by immersing themselves in environments such as construction sites, schools, hospitals, large companies, and enterprises to observe their culture.

For example, Helpfully recently collaborated with CVS Health and Aetna, refining numerous apps, products, and retail services. They also worked with the Johns Hopkins University Center for Bioethics to develop an app for parents of children in the NICU. This app aids parents in collecting essential information through audio, benefiting individuals with cultural differences who may face challenges communicating with doctors.

Zach candidly shares that it can be thrilling and challenging when Helpfully works on a project because of the need to master various subjects and working methods. Projects can last weeks to months based on expert requirements or market conditions. Bringing teams together within slim timelines requires clarity and leveraging each member's strengths while surrounding them with the necessary support.

Entrepreneurial Highlights

Zach often reflects on how lucky he is to work on the things he loves and believes in, and as an entrepreneur, he advocates for a collaborative approach to building connections. He has learned how to establish a strong company culture that prioritizes and amplifies unique points of view sharing,

“Diversity brings perspectives that, to be frank, bald white guys just don’t have. This creates more solutions to problems that not everyone deals with.”

Collaboration

Whether it’s over a cup of coffee, tea, or beer during happy hour, Zach is open to discussions with entrepreneurs seeking guidance and who are eager to explore visions for their companies. He invites specialists, experts, and contractors to reach out to him as well. He thinks,

“Atlanta is such a great place for entrepreneurs, and I would recommend to everybody reading this to be open to meeting someone new at your Industrious location and across the city.”