CEO Relationship Building — Serendipitous Meeting
Overview
On the weekend before the Sprint 10 planning meeting (circa April 5, 2026), Mark Hope had an unplanned encounter with Riley Didion, CEO of Didion, at a local coffee shop. Riley had a Didion sticker on his laptop, which prompted Mark to introduce himself. The conversation was warm and productive, opening a door to a potential site visit and deeper client engagement.
This was notable because Mark had previously been trying to arrange a formal meeting with Riley — the coffee shop encounter accomplished that organically.
"It's what he gets for having a Didion sticker on his laptop." — Mark Hope
Key Details
- Who: Mark Hope (Asymmetric) and Riley Didion (CEO, Didion)
- When: Weekend prior to 2026-04-05
- Where: Local coffee shop (Mark was there with Gavin)
- Context: Unplanned — Mark spotted the Didion laptop sticker and introduced himself
What Was Discussed
- Riley expressed that he had heard good things about the team's work
- He specifically mentioned satisfaction with Diana and the work she had been doing with Asymmetric
- Mark expressed interest in visiting Didion's facility to see their operation firsthand
- Riley was receptive to a site visit and gave Mark his card, inviting him to call and schedule something
Relationship Status After Meeting
- Riley Didion is aware of and satisfied with Asymmetric's work
- A site visit has been verbally agreed to in principle
- Diana (Didion's primary contact on the client side) was on vacation the week of 2026-04-05 — scheduling should wait until she returns
Opportunity
This encounter represents an opening for:
- Deeper executive-level relationship with the client beyond the day-to-day contact (Diana)
- Site visit that could surface new project opportunities or expand scope
- Potential new work — Melissa noted "get more work for them" as a natural next step
Next Steps
- [ ] Mark to follow up with Riley Didion directly to schedule a site visit (after Diana returns from vacation)
- [ ] Coordinate with Diana before reaching out to ensure alignment
Related
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