In this episode, Taylor Baker sits down with Dan Linn, founder and CEO of Hello World, to talk about building a development-first agency, leading with values as a certified B Corp, and using AI to increase efficiency without sacrificing quality or accountability.
What You’ll Learn
- Why a development-focused model can create smoother projects and better outcomes than treating development as an afterthought
- How having the developer who will deliver the work create the estimate builds ownership, accuracy, and trust
- What it looks like to lead with authenticity and strong communication instead of being an “input-output” service provider
- A practical way to think about AI in delivery: embrace speed gains, but keep humans responsible for verification and context
- How longer sales cycles are creating new operational bottlenecks and what leaders can do to manage the uncertainty
- What Dan learned about the difference between being generous and being “charitable” as a business owner, and where healthy boundaries matter
- How automation can be applied internally (from code review support to turning emails into JIRA tickets and proposed solutions) to reduce friction and improve execution
- Why defining anti-values alongside core values can clarify culture expectations and make tough people decisions more straightforward
Throughout the conversation, Dan highlights that sustainable growth comes from pairing strong technical execution with disciplined leadership: clear values, honest communication, responsible use of AI, and systems that help teams move faster while staying accountable. The result is a business built to deliver high-quality work, support people well, and adapt confidently as technology and expectations evolve.
To learn more about Dan Linn and their work.