Cockpit interview with Lars-Erik Hion from Rethink
That’s how our collaboration with Rethink, a digital agency from Tallinn, began. Their founder, Lars-Erik Hion, captures it perfectly:
“Complexity happens naturally. Simplicity is something you have to fight for every day.”
What started as a spontaneous conversation grew into a journey where Rethink, through our DNA Discovery approach, sharpened its unique identity — and became our very first client outside the Benelux.
Who is Rethink?
Founded six years ago in Estonia, Rethink has become one of the leading service design agencies in the Baltic region. Their expertise? Guiding organisations through the design phase of better digital services — long before the first line of code is written.
“We try to shine in the preparation phase of a software development project. Anything with a digital touchpoint — that’s what we do on a daily basis.”
What truly sets them apart is not just what they do, but how they do it: human-focused, crystal-clear, and with a near-obsessive focus on simplicity.
“We try to make technology as human as possible.”
Simplicity as DNA — and as daily discipline
Rethink’s DNA statement impact through simplicity might sound light, but it’s anything but superficial. In a world where digital complexity keeps growing, simplicity is not an aesthetic preference — it’s a conscious, daily choice.
“It’s a constant reminder of what we need to be.”
During the DNA Discovery sessions, we uncovered what was already there — but had never been named. Not as a slogan, but as an anchor for how they work, communicate, and grow.
The click in Helsinki
I’ll admit it: I arrived at the Nordic Business Forum with sweaty palms. It was our first time there with Companyonwise, and I couldn’t help wondering: Do we even belong here?
Then, during one of the speed-date sessions, I found myself across from Lars-Erik. That one conversation changed everything. No sales pitch. No bravado. Just a shared sense of curiosity, clarity, and trust. Two entrepreneurs with a love for simplicity, for the people behind the organisation, and for clarity that goes deeper than any tagline.
“Everything is about human connection,” Lars said later. “We met the Companyonwise team and immediately felt something. You brought experience and empathy — and that’s rare.”
For me, it was the turning point. Yes, we belonged there. Not to prove ourselves — but to truly connect.
From boardroom to shared story
The power of the process lay in the dynamic. Hierarchies dissolved. Titles disappeared. Everyone spoke as a person, not a position.
“It put management and the rest of the team on the same level. We got rid of the usual roles — founder, new joiners, owner — and simply listened to each other.”
It gave the process oxygen, created openness, and built shared ownership. And it helped Rethink realise that impact through simplicity wasn’t external advice — it was an internal truth.
DNA before strategy
For Rethink, DNA is not a strategic document. It’s the foundation everything else rests on.
“The DNA should come even before strategy, mission, or vision. When we hire, a DNA match is more important than alignment with our mission.”
DNA became their touchstone for decisions, dialogue, recruitment, and collaboration. Because simplicity only becomes powerful when you name it — and protect it.
Exporting Baltic simplicity
Estonia is a digital frontrunner. What’s still a future goal elsewhere is already reality there. But for an agency like Rethink, the local market has its limits.
“Estonia has been punching above its weight. But for a company our size, the local market becomes small quickly.”
That’s why they’re deliberately looking beyond their borders. Their mission: to export Baltic simplicity. Not as a visual style, but as a way of thinking. And their DNA became the anchor for that ambition.
What stuck?
The sessions with Companyonwise weren’t about branding or positioning — they were about reconnecting with who they had always been.
“It helped us rethink ourselves a little — and that was valuable.”
No glossy language. Just an open process that proved once again: simplicity doesn’t happen by accident. But once you name it together, it lives on — in every detail.
From Helsinki to the Baltics
What began with one conversation in Helsinki became our first DNA Discovery project outside the Benelux. Rethink became our pioneer in the Baltics. And it confirmed what I felt in that first meeting: simplicity works. Connection works. And even when the work is serious, it should still be fun.
