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# Up Close and Personal: Getting to Know Chris Hull, Founder and Creative Lead at HeliumStudio
- URL: https://capitolcommunicator.com/up-close-and-personal-getting-to-know-chris-hull-founder-and-creative-lead-at-heliumstudio/
- Published: 2019-05-17T17:48:32.000Z
- Updated: 2020-03-24T00:45:36.000Z
- Author: Capitol Communicator
- Tags: Profiles, Richmond News, Up Close and Personal, #wp-upper-left-sponsored, #Import 2026-10-08 18:50

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/50/16/5016dd29-aeff-4565-a68b-cdbb78bc58e6/content/images/2026/10/Chris_Hull_01615.jpg)

**Capitol Communicator is running “Up Close and Personal” profiles** of communicators in the mid-Atlantic. In this profile we feature **Chris Hull**. Photography for the series is by award-winning [Cade Martin](https://cademartin.com/?ref=capitolcommunicator.com), wardrobe styling by Pascale Lemaire and Sybil Street for THE Artist Agency; and hair and makeup by Patti D Nelson, Janice Kinigopoulos and Lori Pressman for THE Artist Agency.

**Chris, please provide us a short bio.**  
I’m founder and creative lead at HeliumStudio, a web development firm in Richmond. I graduated from VCU and began my career working as an editorial designer at Style Weekly. In the mid-nineties, my curiosity for this new thing called “the Internet” led me down the path of being a web designer. I worked for several large development firms, before starting Helium in 2005.

**Are you involved in any other organizations?**  
I don’t get out to professional functions nearly as much as I would like, but I’ve been a fringe member of the Richmond Ad Club over the years.

**What are you most proud of?**  
I’m very proud of my family. Raising two boys has been the greatest challenge and joy of my life. I learn so much about myself from interacting with them. I’m also very proud of the work we do at Helium and our ability to work with so many great clients.

**Who are your personal role models?**  
Luke Skywalker was my personal hero growing up. His character was adventurous, smart, brave, and compassionate. I admired his friendships, integrity and his ability to outplay the Galactic Empire.

**Did you ever receive professional advice that helped you in your career?**  
A great bit of advice I got when I started was that if you do great work, more work will come. I’ve used that as inspiration for pushing myself forward if I’m not 100% happy with what I’ve designed and I’ve found that the next pass is always better. I’ve also always loved Chuck Close’s quote ”Inspiration is for amateurs – the rest of us just show up and get to work.” As a designer, sometimes it’s hard to do something new. If you point your eyes at the screen and grind it out – you’ll eventually get there.

**What professional advice do you have for others?**  
Being responsive is extremely important in working with clients. When there are issues, there is no such thing as over-communication.

**What’s on your Spotify and Pandora playlists?**  
It depends on my mood, but lately I’ve been listing to The Police, J. Roddy & the Business, Courtney Barnett, and old-school REM.

**What’s your favorite restaurant?**  
Richmond has so many great places that it’s hard to pick one, but Lunch/Supper is definitely near the top of my list. I love the quirky, cozy atmosphere and the short ribs are amazing.

**Is there anything else you would like us to know about you?**  
I started running a few years ago to help a friend train for a half marathon. When I started, I was really slow and it was hard. I really didn’t think I would stick with it, but I found it incredibly addictive and now I run a few times a week. Running has become a way for me to spark creativity or work out an issue. Try it!