How to Hire a Hyvä Theme Developer — Finding an Ideal Expert!

Yes, the Hyvä theme is more than just a theme and you need a special developer to implement it on your website. And we all know the hiring process – So Confusing, So Tiring!

But… What if a lack of knowledge in hiring leads you to select the wrong developer?

Well, with this blog, we’ve left no chance for any confusion or wrong choices. When it comes to hiring a Hyvä developer, this detailed guide will help you gain insights and strategies that are highly necessary to make a well-informed decision.

But wait, before we step inside the hiring process, you must determine if you need “Freelancers” or “Agencies”. I’m helping you decide the same, so don’t skip the first section.

Freelancers Vs. Agencies: What Are You Looking For?

It’s not a small decision. Take your time and determine it.

To make a perfect choice between them, you need to consider all the aspects that may impact your Hyvä project. Wait… Let me help you better with a comparison table.

Aspects	Freelance Hyvä Theme Developers	Hyvä Theme Development Agencies
Skills & Expertise	Varying levels of expertise, depending on individual developers	Extensive expertise in Magento and Hyvä theme operations
Range of Services	Varying levels of expertise, depending on individual developers	Comprehensive range of services, including development, design, SEO, and more.
Timelines	Unpredictable	Consistent workflows
Cost-effective Solutions	Competitive rates	Higher cost, higher quality
Communication	May vary	Established communication channels
Client References & Testimonials	Limited to past client references and reviews	Portfolio of successful projects, client testimonials, case studies, and more
Project Size	Better fit for small tweaks in your theme	Can work perfectly for all your Hyvä theme requirements

You can consider your project requirements and determine if you require a freelance Hyvä theme developer or a Hyvä theme agency. Meanwhile, let’s move to the next section, which will answer your further questions about where to hire your Hyvä expert.

Where to Find a Hyvä Theme Developer?

Finding an ideal Hyvä theme expert can be time-consuming if you don’t know where to look. However, there are many helpful tricks to locate and hire experts for freelancers and agencies. Let’s check.

1. Hiring Hyvä Theme Experts from Agencies

Expert Type — Agency

Agencies that already work with Magento often have expertise in the Hyvä theme. Therefore, the best place to hire a Hyvä theme developer is from a Magento development agency.

You can inquire with the Magento agencies you are aware of. If you don’t have any particular agency in mind, you can always use Google to find one. Using relevant keywords will help you locate the best agencies for your Hyvä theme development needs.

Here’s an example of the same.

(Google search results on Magento 2 Hyvä theme development services)

2. Hiring Hyvä Theme Experts from Freelance Platforms

Expert Type — Freelancer & Agency

Freelance platforms are another reliable place to hire Hyvä experts. If you ask me to suggest a great freelance platform, I might sound a little biased towards Upwork.

This is because Upwork helps find both freelancers and agencies. On top of that, Upwork has the easiest hiring process and is highly secure.

All you have to do is visit their website, write down the kind of talent you wish to hire, and you will get a list of service providers in the same niche. Here, I’ve attached a screenshot showing how you can find a reliable Hyvä theme developer on Upwork.

Moreover, Upwork also allows you to create your personalized job vacancy.

This is where Hyvä experts come to you to discuss your project requirements. It’s full of convenience, as you only need to create a job post with specifications on what you need, and interested candidates will approach you to help you with your job.

Here’s an example of how you can build your job post to hire a Hyvä theme developer.

3. Hiring from Hyvä’s Official Technology Partners

Expert Type — Agency

Hyvä maintains a list of its official technology partners, agencies and companies, that play a key role in growing the Hyvä as a product and an ecosystem. You can review the list of official technology partners provided on the website.

These partners are categorized based on their expertise and geographical location.

4. Hiring from Hyvä’s Slack Community

Expert Type — Freelancer & Agency

If you’ve conducted lengthy research on the Hyvä theme, you might be aware of its Slack community. Once you’ve purchased a Hyvä theme license, you get access to their Slack community consisting of Hyav developers, designers, and merchants who are always discussing their doubts about growing together as a community.

If you’ve already purchased the Hyvä theme license, you can reach out to community members, they’ll suggest you the best Hyvä theme developers to put your faith in.

5. Hiring Hyvä Theme Experts from Job Boards

Expert Type — Freelancer & Agency

By job boards, I mean, either LinkedIn or similar platforms with professional communities.

To find the best Hyvä theme developers on LinkedIn, you can simply use the search box and type in the keyword “Hyvä Theme.” This will lead you to a list of professionals discussing the theme.

Based on the details in their posts, you can determine their expertise level and choose the one that perfectly fits your requirements. Look, here’s how you analyze it. 👀

Yes, it’s that easy!

6. Hiring Dedicated Developers from Web Development Agencies

Expert Type — An individual from an agency

Many times, freelancers don’t seem like a fit, and the agency price tag seems scary.

In this situation, where do you find a Hyvä theme developer who is reliable and still affordable?

Answer – a dedicated Hyvä theme expert from an agency!

This is where you pick a single (or 2-3) developer from an agency to work on your project. This approach reduces the cost of hiring an entire team while maintaining the reliability factor.

You can find an agency that provides Magento development services.

Many of them will have developer profiles listed, allowing you to choose a dedicated expert based on your preferred skillset. Here’s an example of the same.

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After this discussion, the “Where to Find a Hyvä Expert” confusion seems to be blown away, right?

However, the hiring process seems daunting and we are not yet sure how to find the RIGHT EXPERT out of all the Hyvä developers you come across. Let’s discuss that. 😀

How to Evaluate Hyvä Theme Developers to Hire the Right One?

Okay, with the help of the previous section, you’ve compiled a list of Hyvä theme developers.

Now what? How are you looking to narrow down the best experts? I know, it’s confusing to have a list of things to do while not knowing the most worthy ones — ofc, the secrets are scary.

But this section is here with help.

Here, we’ll follow an in-depth process to finalize the best Hyvä theme developer. To start with the process, you can list down your chosen freelancers and agencies (that seem like your choice) with the criteria (you’d like to compare) in a spreadsheet template just like below.

(Template to evaluate Hyvä theme experts)

Here, I’m only considering agencies, however, you can follow similar methods for freelancers as well. Some of the criteria may differ when evaluating freelancers, so check the possibilities before you list them.

To make your process easier, I’ll follow the steps along with you. Let’s get started.

Note: The evaluation process will include approximate ratings.

Step #1 — Check Their Local Presence

Many times, when hiring we consider hiring from a specific location for multiple reasons.

Especially when;

• You prefer the same time zone for better communication and collaboration.
• You think a developer from a specific location can grasp your business culture well.
• You target overseas developers for potential cost savings via currency exchange.

If you’re going ahead with an agency, just type their name into the Google search box, and a single glance at their GMB listing will reveal their location.

Moreover, if you choose to evaluate a freelancer, the hiring platform you find them on will have their location listed.

Here’s how you can add ratings.

• Rate 0 — If your chosen agency/freelancer does not belong to your preferred location.
• Rate from 2 to 5 — If they are at least nearby or in the specific location you prefer.

Here’s how I added the ratings.

(Assuming a need to hire from India to save on development expenses over currency exchange rates.)

Step #2 — Take a Deeper Look at Their Past Projects

One of the best ways to evaluate their work is by analyzing their past projects.

Here are 4 ways to analyze their previous projects.

1. Portfolio Size
2. Case Study Result Numbers
3. Website Traffic
4. Website Speed

Let’s understand how you analyze these areas and rate them on your evaluation sheet.

1 – Portfolio Size

Agencies often have an entire page dedicated to their previous work, so look for it on their website. In the portfolio, you may find multiple projects they’ve worked on, try to filter out the ones for the Hyvä theme and you can start analyzing them.

To get a clear picture of their capabilities, you can explore the websites from your portfolio as a regular user would. Doing this will help you notice the quality of design and functionality, the ease of navigation, and the overall goodness of a website developed by them.

For freelancers, you’ll find this information on the platform where you found them.

Here’s how you can add ratings.

• Rate 0 — If you don’t find any portfolio website or case study for the Hyvä theme.
• Rate from 3 to 5 — Depending on the amount of Hyvä theme projects in their portfolio.

I’ve added equal ratings for all the agencies.

2 – Case Study Result Numbers

Another thing you should do is go through the numbers they showcase in case studies.

However, there are chances that these numbers are inaccurate, they will at least give you an idea of the work quality that you can expect from that freelancer or an agency.

Here’s an example of how you find them.

Based on impressive figures you can add your ratings.

I’ve added equal ratings for all the agencies.

3 – Website Traffic

If you want to identify the popularity of websites presented in the portfolio, their traffic count will be the most effective to look at. For that, you can also use Ahrefs Website Traffic Checker tool, which is free to use and helps check traffic on client websites from their portfolio.

When you analyze traffic, ensure they have their traffic numbers increasing year by year. It indicates that during the service period of that agency/freelancer, their website experienced growth.

I’ve added equal ratings for all the agencies.

4 – Website Speed

It’s incomplete to rate agencies or freelancers without understanding their capability of improving website speed and performance. Most times, you’ll get the speed and performance insights after going through their case studies.

However, you can also copy the URL of their client projects and conduct a speed test for it. Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool comes in handy for that.

Here’s how you can add scores for performance criteria.

• Rate 1 to 3 — If mobile performance is <50, and desktop performance is between 50-60
• Rate 4 — If mobile performance is >50, and desktop performance is between 60-80
• Rate 5 — If mobile performance is >50, and desktop performance is more than 80

I’ve added equal ratings for all the agencies.

Step #3 — Analyze Patterns In Their Testimonials

Moving further in the evaluation process, now, it’s time to understand their testimonials.

When checking testimonials, don’t be swayed by their quantity; focus on their quality. Many websites can generate fake testimonials quickly. Here’s an example of how easy it can be.

(Example of a fake testimonial generator)

Yes, a mention of the agency’s name and a click to generate, is enough to gain a dummy testimonial.

I’m not stating that all the testimonials provided by agencies or freelancers are fake or fabricated. However, it is essential to verify their authenticity by cross-checking the LinkedIn profiles of the reviewers.

Let me share an example:

First, choose a testimonial that includes specific details about a client, such as their name and brand.

Afterward, check their LinkedIn profile.

If you find a genuine profile of the person on LinkedIn, it verifies that the testimonials presented by the agency are authentic. Additionally, you can message the client to further confirm the testimonial’s authenticity.

I checked the authenticity of reviews for each agency, and as they were genuine I’m sharing full scores for all of them.

Step #4 — Check Online Reviews

Website testimonials can be added by the agencies themselves. However, platforms like Google and Clutch share authentic customer reviews that cannot be modified by the agencies.

And that seems like a better place to evaluate their skills, right?

Okay, so, go through their GMB business listings and Clutch profile, analyze what their previous clients have to say about them, and add ratings based on that.

I analyzed reviews for all the mentioned agencies and below I’ve added the ratings and reviews that I found for them on Clutch.

Agency Name	Ratings ⭐
Aureate Labs	4.9 ratings from 25 reviews
Inchoo	4.8 ratings from 14 reviews
Scandiweb	4.7 ratings from 34 reviews
Aware Digital	0 ratings from 0 reviews
Magebit	4.7 ratings from 25 reviews

Based on their clutch reviews, I’ve added my ratings as well. Here, you can see the fresh score.

Step #5 — Find Out More About Their Work Culture

When you’re looking to hire a Hyvä theme development agency, you should look for a work partner, instead of hiring a decent service provider. This is because they’ll be working with you for a long time, and your work styles should align for better collaboration.

I’m not suggesting you match every detail, but the work ethic should be compatible. So, try to find out more about the team members you’re going to work with, start with their LinkedIn profiles.

Furthermore, you can learn more about the company’s working atmosphere and how team members are treated. This is because the mental stress of the developers can ultimately affect the outcome of your project. So, instead of only focusing on positive client reviews, try to find the satisfaction of the employees.

You can do this by checking their LinkedIn and Instagram profiles to spot happy and engaged team members.

(Surreal Work Culture in Magento Agency)

You can research for your agencies, and rate them as you see happy faces.

Once more, most of the companies I’m considering seem to have a great atmosphere, so, I’m adding the full scores for each.

Step #6 — Figure Out the Additional Services They Offer

We need experts for various other website tasks.

If you’re hiring an agency for Hyvä theme implementation, you might also require their services for support and maintenance after your store is developed.

While you can hire different agencies for different tasks, choosing an agency/freelancer offering 360-degree solutions for the Hyvä theme is recommended. This ensures compatibility between various aspects of your website and can significantly improve the overall quality of the work when all operations are managed under one roof.

Do check various services provided by agencies you’re considering and add ratings depending on the services you prefer. Here’s how you can add scores for performance criteria.

• Rate 0 — If you don’t find a service page specific to the Hyvä theme.
• Rate 2 to 4 — If you don’t find a listing of additional services on the Hyvä theme development page.
• Rate a perfect 5 —  If you see all the necessary services listed.

Here’s how I added ratings.

Step #7 — Dig Into Their Certification

All agencies working with the Hyvä theme are approved by Hyvä itself, where they partner with them for having specific expertise and achievements with the theme. Hyvä theme categorizes these partnerships into four levels:

1. Platinum Partners
2. Gold Partners
3. Silver Partner
4. Bronze Partners

Choosing an agency that is a Hyvä theme Partner ensures you are working with a team that has recognized proficiency and experience with the Hyvä theme.

So, figure out if your chosen agency is a Hyvä theme partner, and move forward to rate them based on their partnership level. I’ve added my marks for all of them.

Step #8 — Determine Their Experience

When you hire an agency, it’s necessary to validate their experience level as it showcases their ability to deliver quality work. You can find out their experience level on their Clutch profile.

You can check for all the agencies and rate them based on it. I did my research, and here’s the fresh scoreboard.

Step #9 — Get them on call

After doing this lengthy research on agencies and freelancers, it’s time you click that CONTACT US button and schedule a meeting with them. There is a list of common questions you can discuss with them on call. Here I’ve listed a few.

• What’s the estimated project duration?
• What pricing model is most suitable for the project?
• What will be the estimated cost?
• Do you have experience in my specific industry? If not, how do you conduct research?
• Will I be part of the team meetings?

Discussion on this question will help you learn more about them and their approach to your project. Once the meetings are done, you can identify some areas and understand the patterns. For example:

• How did the meeting go?
• Was the Magento/Hyvä expert transparent about all the questions you asked?
• Did they ask any questions to try to understand your project better?

The key to a good partnership is the transparency they maintain in communication. Check how transparent they are when answering these questions. Once you evaluate these areas, you can assign scores to each of the agencies based on your experience in meeting with them.

I feel all the agencies I’ve considered are great with their clients, so I’ve assigned equal ratings to them.

Step #10 — Ask For a Sample Test

I suggest that store owners should always ask for sample work before hiring any agency or freelancer for their project requirements. If the developer’s work ethic or expertise level doesn’t match what your project requires, it can be difficult to get out of contracts.

So, during the meetings, ask if they are willing to work on short-term or sample projects initially. Most agencies and freelancers will agree to this. You can deduct points for agencies and freelancers who insist on a long-term commitment without agreeing to work on sample projects.

I’ve added equal ratings for all the agencies, you can do your research and rate them accordingly.

Step #11 — Look for Post-launch Support

Post-development customer service is a big thing to ask from any agency or freelancer.

This is because the code is uncertain. A piece of code that works entirely fine on the day of project delivery or during launch can turn out to be buggy within days or weeks. That’s why, it’s always a good idea to check with your agency if they offer help when something unexpectedly pops up after the paid service.

Once you confirm it with them, you can add your scores. All the agencies that I’m comparing do provide post-development support for a few months after development. So, I’ve added scores that way.

Step #12 — Reach Out to Their Clients Directly

The final step is finally here!

After all your research, if you still have your doubts humming up, you can shoot an email to their clients and gather their feedback on working with any specific agencies or freelancers.

This may seem a little strange to do so, but only their clients truly know their skills and flaws.

Their experience can help you evaluate the service providers. And to establish a long-term relationship with Magento/Hyvä experts, you need to verify perfection from all angles — So, consider it a highly necessary step.

Start with visiting clients from their portfolio.

Find their contact details and write them a warm email to ask for their feedback.

Here are some words you can use in your mail.

“Hello Kalki Fashion, I’ve been a regular visitor for quite some time, and I must say, your website performance, aesthetics, and products are impressive. Currently, I’m in talks with your Magento agency for a similar project. I’d love to hear about your experience working with them and your overall thoughts. Your insights will help me as I’m for them to work on my Hyvä theme implementation project. Also, once my store is up and running, feel free to claim a backlink to your website.”

Instead of using approximate amounts, I’ve assigned full scores for each agency in my sheet. You can check it here.

And here the process ends, so, shall we check the winners? Here we go.

Who Are the Winners? 👑

Here, we finally figured out a way to evaluate a Hyvä theme development agency or a freelancer. You can follow this same process for:

• As many criteria as you wish to add.
• And evaluate as many agencies or freelancers as you want.

Just because you want to start early, don’t rush into things. Follow this method, take your time, and then make a wise choice on hiring a Hyvä theme developer.

Once you finalize an agency or a freelancer for your Hyvä theme implementation and customization, you’ll need to follow a hiring process that helps with easy onboarding. And the next section will help you the best for that.

How to Onboard Hyvä Theme Developers Effortlessly?

For many store owners, onboarding a service provider can be overwhelming due to uncertainty about the appropriate hiring process. So, let’s see the step-by-step process that will help you onboard experts efficiently and smoothly.

1. Define Project Requirements and Scope

It’s always recommended to have your project scope clearly defined.

Start by figuring out all the requirements that you wish the Hyvä developer to work on. Once that is done, reach out to your chosen agency, and convey your requirements in-depth. This will help them provide you with a clear timeline, budget, and results.

To do so, grab a pen and paper and write down each of your requirements:

• What are you trying to achieve?
• Are there specific features and functions you want?
• Any particular customizations you need?
• Do you have specific design preferences? 
• What are your expectations?

Additionally, jot down references from online stores that you admire and would like to have on your store. This will help the Hyvä expert better understand your project.

Once you have everything documented, you can move on to the next step of the onboarding process.

2. Determine the Budget and Project Duration

After your wishlist is ready, it’s time to set the timeline and your budget.

Don’t rush into things; just try to figure out:

• How much can you afford to spend on your project?
• And how early does it need to be delivered?

It’s not about pinpointing exact numbers for the budget and delivery timing. Just note down approximates, as this helps experts convey the feasibility of delivering the project within that budget and timeline.

Once it’s done, get ready for interviews.

3. Interview the Hyvä Experts

In the previous section, we evaluated agencies and freelancers to find out the best ones. So, by now, you must have a few of the candidates that fit your criteria. And yes, it’s time to schedule calls or in-person meetings with each of them.

We also shared the kinds of questions you can discuss in the meeting to explain and understand the project well. Once you’ve discussed the details and requirements, you must have identified the one that fits your needs. So, it’s time to discuss how you will settle the payment with them.

4. Negotiate the Payment Terms

Most times, the budget and the developer’s expectations do not match. And that’s where negotiation comes in. So, discuss your budget with the service provider, and try to negotiate till both parties agree on a single price.

Moreover, various hiring models allow you to hire developers with different price tags, and here I’ve listed them:

• Hiring on an hourly basis
• Hiring on fixed project pricing
• Purchasing a service package
• Hiring a dedicated developer

Once you finalize project cost and payment terms, you can move to determine communication modes with the expert.

5. Finalize the Communication Channels

Effective communication is crucial for a successful project. However, many store owners overlook this step, leading to frustration and chaos later on.

Using multiple communication methods can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and a lack of clarity in project updates. To avoid these pitfalls, establish clear communication channels with your chosen developer from the start.

If you’re confused about communication channels that experts highly prefer, let me list down some.

• For project-related information: Jira, Trello, or Asana
• For informal communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, and more

Once you’re done deciding on the channels to communicate and have followed all the steps we discussed above, move on to make an official deal.

6. Prepare and Sign the Contract

Once you have finalized the Hyvä theme expert and discussed each project detail with them, it’s time to take the final step — signing a contract!

Ensure your contract includes the project scope, timelines, payment terms, confidentiality agreements, and any other relevant terms and conditions. This protects the interests of both parties and helps ensure a smooth relationship with your service provider.

And congratulations! You have successfully onboarded a Hyvä theme expert to work on your project requirements.

Final Words

Our guide on how to hire a Hyvä theme expert ends here!

Finding a perfect match for your Magento store is a big mountain to climb. However, I hope this guide has made it easier for you to hire the right person to do your job, in the right way.

As you start with the evaluation process, remember that hiring a Hyvä theme expert is about looking for a reliable service provider that helps your Magento store grow. So, don’t settle down for anyone less than the right person.

Moreover, Hyvä theme experts from aureate labs can be your go-to choice. Let’s conclude this guide by understanding the exceptional benefits they come with.

Hiring Hyvä Theme Experts from Aureate Lab!

Let’s do an introduction first.

We Aureate Labs, are the leading Magento development company that are experts in the Hyvä theme. We are a Hyvä silver partner, and until now, we have helped 15 Magento stores successfully transition to Hyvä themes.

Whether your project is development, customization, store setup, designing, or maintenance; we have experienced professionals for all your Hyvä theme needs.

And here I’ve listed some of the benefits you can avail when you choose us.

• 10 hours free trial
• 10+ years of experience in Magento
• Free post-development support services
• Option to rollover service hours
• Cost-effective rates, as we’re an Asia-based Magento agency
• A joyous team of developers
• And a great client to work on your Magento requirements

For more information, you can visit our Hyvä theme services. And, what’s holding you back from discussing your queries? Contact us today.