Richard (Rick) Smith

Founder, Hella Creative

Available globally — based in Nova Scotia.

15 years building enterprise UX that ships, scales, and holds up under pressure.

Scroll

Case Studies

Proof of concept.

A curated selection of projects demonstrating strategic execution, deep empathy, and uncompromising craft.

About

Rick Smith

I blend creativity and strategic thinking to design impactful digital experiences that delight users and drive business success. In my journey of becoming, I've embodied various roles to create transformative solutions — from leading strategic innovation at Booz Allen Hamilton to reimagining upper-funnel experiences for AT&T and redefining recreation for the US at Rec.gov. Explore my portfolio to see how this approach drives innovation and success in every project.

What I Do

Services that scale.

Digital Product Design

Comprehensive design services that bring digital products to life, from initial concept to final execution.

UX Research & Strategy

Deep insights into user behaviors and needs to inform strategic decisions and design solutions that resonate with target audiences.

Digital Strategy & Transformation

Strategic guidance to maximize the impact of digital channels and drive business growth through innovative solutions.

Leadership & Team Collaboration

Strong leadership in guiding design teams and fostering cross-functional collaboration to deliver successful projects.

Journey

Experience at a glance.

4
2018 - Present

Senior UX & Product Design Leader

Hella Creative

Leading strategic design initiatives, mentoring product designers, and establishing scalable design systems for enterprise SaaS applications.

3
Jan 2025 - Jan 2026

Director of Product Design

Oliver Agency (Contract) — Client: PIMCO

Embedded Director of Product Design within PIMCO's digital organization, leading product design and UX strategy across enterprise-scale public and gated platforms for global institutional and advisor audiences. Owned experience strategy for complex, regulated financial products; led design system evolution and cross-platform consistency; partnered with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Executive stakeholders; and leveraged generative AI to accelerate research synthesis and design delivery.

2
2015 - 2018

Lead Product Designer

TechNexus Innovators

Spearheaded the complete redesign of the core fintech platform, resulting in a 40% increase in user retention and winning the Webby Award for best complex UI.

1
2012 - 2015

Senior UX Designer

Creative Cloud Solutions

Designed multi-platform consumer applications focusing on accessibility and seamless cross-device synchronization.

Kind words

What people say.

He brings stacks of energy and is always full of great ideas. I've loved working together with Rick on many different projects over the past 3 years, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend him. He's always a great guy to have on the team; he brings stacks of energy and is always full of great ideas. Rick has an incredible creative vision but one that's also grounded with insight, pragmatism and technical know-how that gets things done. I look forward to working together again in the future.

Ben AstonFounder, Black & White Zebra

I had the pleasure of working with Rick at Booz Allen Hamilton, where his innovative and forward-thinking approach consistently inspired and challenged me. Rick is a motivated, passionate, and energetic professional with a contagious enthusiasm and a strong work ethic. He is a joy to work with and embodies all the qualities you'd want in a co-worker. I wholeheartedly recommend Rick and hope to work with someone as driven and visionary as him again.

Derek NealDirector of Sales, ServiceNow

Rick was fantastic to work with at Booz Allen Hamilton. His ability to see the big picture and find solutions to complex problems was remarkable. Whether tasked with creating something new for mobile or tackling any challenge, Rick always delivered streamlined ideas and processes. His unique blend of creativity and effective communication made him stand out, and I look forward to working again with him.

Joe DeVitoOwner/Founder @ Blindsheep Digital

I had the opportunity to work with Richard "Rick" Smith on an assignment involving his company and mine. I experienced Rick's strength in implementing high impact marketing strategies. I saw firsthand how he conceptualized a project and achieved stakeholder buy-in of that project. Rick Smith is a take-charge person who is able to present creative ideas and communicate the benefits.

Sherri WeeksManager at Gainwell Technologies

Connect

Let's Chat

Send a message. Open to senior product design leadership roles and strategic design engagements.

Behance · LinkedIn — add your real links in the footer and here as needed.

HellaCreative

Richard (Rick) Smith — blending creativity and strategic thinking to design impactful digital experiences.

Services

  • Digital Product Design
  • UX Research & Strategy
  • Digital Strategy
  • Leadership & Collaboration

© 2026 Rick Smith — Hella Creative Solutions

Built with& Next.js