How it all began
Just six years after moving out of their hometown in Puerto Rico, Ceci and Cristi Jayo had built successful careers in branding and design in top agencies in New York City. Cristi worked at FCB Worldwide, designing for many corporate, consumer, and healthcare brands including Busch Gardens, Jamaica Tourism Board, Plan-B, Opdivo, and Amtrak.
Meanwhile, Ceci worked at CBX creating branding and packaging designs for Fortune 500 companies including Snapple, 7up, Orville Popcorn, Rite Aid (and its private label brands Big Win, Dreamhouse, B4Y, and Daylogic), U by Kotex, Terra Chips, Mars Chocolate, Big Heart Pet Brands, and more. They loved (and still love!) the big apple and the work they were producing, but the corporate world was limiting their creativity. Being stuck in the same desk everyday and dealing with the bureaucratic corporate system seemed inefficient, uninspiring and outdated.
The same corporate structures that were crushing their creativity were also clearly limiting the clients' profit opportunities.
It was a lose-lose situation.
In an effort to "fix this broken system" Ceci and Cristi decided to team up and form HIYO DESIGN. This allowed them to work more efficiently and provide a truly cost-effective solution for their clients. On top of that, they were now able to work remotely, travel the world, and get the inspiration they were seeking.
They also discovered that many of their new clients found their direct, personal and strategic work-ethic to be refreshing and innovative. By allowing the creative mind some freedom, they were able to generate more original ideas and maximize their focus, productivity and problem-solving skills.
They spent over 6 months globe-trotting through Europe & Asia, in constant awe of the beautiful nature, culture, innovation and design inspiration they encountered.
Now, they've inspired a group of like-minded and talented individuals to join them on their journey.
Honeysuckle Magazine gave us a shoutout! Check out our Press Page to see where else we’ve been featured.
Cristi (based in Hamburg, Germany) and Ceci (based in San Diego, CA), lead a team of creative digital nomads that all align on the same goals of providing the best quality work for our clients with a global perspective in mind.
Together, they ensure quality is kept to the high HIYO DESIGN standard - where every visual decision is driven by a clear strategic foundation.
Staying true to the nomadic roots of the company, the HIYO founders and their network of talented creatives can often be found designing from anywhere in the world. Some main hubs include: New York, Puerto Rico, Florida, California, and Germany.
Read more about our team's travels here.
What makes us different?
+ AN ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACH.
We know the process of creating, launching & maintaining a successful brand can be overwhelming, time-consuming, and requires a ton of different skillsets. We remove the stress and guesswork by delivering comprehensive design services from a team that offers both an artistic touch AND the fast-paced NYC business-savvy mindset.
+ WOMEN-OWNED, LGBT & MULTICULTURAL.
We’re proud to be a latinx, LGBTQIA & women-owned business (MWOB) that is multicultural, multi-lingual and open to all.
+ WE WANT TO INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE.
Our team is full of yogis and nature lovers, which makes us a perfect fit for wellness design and working with brands that are making efforts to improve our world.
Sound like you?
Our network of nomads
Our network of driven digital nomads seems to be growing larger every day, allowing us to adapt to any strategic design need. With people working on different locations and sometimes even different time zones, our international network allows for quick turn-arounds and a global perspective on design.
CECI JAYO
CO-FOUNDER & STRATEGIC WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR
Specialty in Graphic Design, Packaging & Web Design
CRISTI JAYO
CO-FOUNDER & STRATEGIC BRANDING DIRECTOR
Specialty in Corporate Branding & Strategic Marketing
OUR NETWORK OF CREATIVE NOMADS
Strategic Design & Branding
Web Design & Development
Copywriting, Social Media & Digital Marketing
Photography & Video Production
We value the creative process and encourage our community to have the flexibility to travel and work at the same time as a way to promote fresh, new ideas that no static agency could ever provide. Our team of highly skilled creatives shares the vision of making great, meaningful work, while enjoying life and gathering daily inspiration.
Got what it takes?
Do you picture yourself working with us? Let us know!
How we got our name
“Hi” & "Yo" can be the start of a conversation, and that’s what we offer to our clients. Through enticing visuals and thoughtful copywriting, we help brands develop a voice that accurately communicates their brand story, values and goals.
Fun fact: The name also is a phonetic play on “Jayo” the last name of our founders (it’s a Spanish name, so the “J” sounds like an “H”.. it’s actually Basque if you want to go down that rabbit hole)
