Hayley Zorzi didn’t set out to be a graphic designer and entrepreneur. At college at the University of Florida in Gainesville in her home state, she studied telecommunications. “I wanted to be on the Food Network or the Weather Channel,” she says. “But I’m not a very cutthroat type of person; I realized it was not the industry for me.”
Like so many of us, Hayley spent some time after college trying out different jobs, figuring out what path felt right for her. She nannied. She landed a position in product marketing for a tech startup. The job brought her to Atlanta, where she lives now with her family.
“I learned a lot about marketing, and I got to use my degree with product videos,” Hayley remembers. Her job was to create marketing materials. “I would always make my own graphics, and I would get in trouble because they had a design team.” It turned out to be a good kind of trouble, as it brought Hayley to her passion: “I realized I would rather be designing.”
In 2016, she found a job as a hybrid product manager and graphic designer. As she dug into designing presentations, marketing materials, and digital assets, she discovered a sweet spot. “I found joy in making things look better,” Hayley says. “And I was good at it.”
Hayley had a dream she was going to marry a photographer. When she came across a cute photographer as a friend recommendation on Facebook with several mutual friends in common, she thought, “it doesn’t hurt to reach out.”
Taylor Zorzi flew from his then home in Colorado to Atlanta to take Hayley on their first date. “He moved back to Atlanta, and we got engaged and married 2016,” says Hayley.
Taylor had worked as a freelance photographer for his whole career, partnering with clients like Delta and Coca-Cola. Hayley always thought they would make a great work team. “It made so much sense, photography, art, and design go hand and hand,” explained Hayley.
Still, it took her a while to feel ready to leave the security of a full-time job for the rollercoaster of owning a small business. Taylor had connections with big corporations and Hayley started planning, networking, and strategizing. Zorzi Creative was officially born, with Hayley at the helm as the Chief Creative Officer. Their first big job was for BMW, and Hayley jumped in with a philosophy that’s served her well: “Just say yes, and you’ll figure it out.”
Working with her partner is not without its challenges, but overall, it’s been an enormously successful and joyful endeavor. Zorzi Creative has thrived. “We both have our niche, so we don’t step on each other’s toes,” says Hayley. “We’re always looking out for opportunities for each other.” Zorzi Creative has worked with brands like Chick-fil-A, MINI, Toyota, Coca-Cola, and Kids2, creating marketing stories through their beautiful, powerful visuals.
In the summer of 2020, Hayley and Taylor welcomed their daughter Sloan to the world.
That year, Zorzi Creative started on their first project with Kids2. In 2021, Hayley met the ParentCo. team and began designing for the brand (if you follow us on Insta or subscribe to our newsletter, you can peep her gorgeous work).
Juggling parenting and running your own business is not for the faint of heart. “I became better at getting more done in a small amount of time” since becoming a mom, says Zorzi. “I have to be done at 4:30, even if I’m not done. If I have to work after Sloan goes to bed, I do.”
“Growing our business while also maintaining our family and our marriage is a tango,” Hayley says. “We cannot give 100% to all. But we do give our best, and practice being content with each one.”
Hayley sees her roles as mom, wife, designer, and business owner as enhancing each other. “I want our child to see us work hard and know that we’re working to be successful for ourselves and also for her – I want her to see that we can work hard and also be present parents.” Hayley doesn’t want all of Sloan’s memories of her mom working, so she practices spending quality time with her daughter, without her phone, whenever she can. Both work and parenting are sources of inspiration and meaning.
When it comes to owning her own business, “there are times of feast and famine,” Hayley explains. “What does it look like when we don’t have our next client and Sloan is home sick? When you own your own business, it’s all so intertwined.”
This sometimes-impossible juggle has inspired Hayley to prioritize taking care of herself. When she’s not working or parenting, you might find her reading (“any kind of fiction, the break from my own world is a moment of reprieve”), heading out for a walk outside, or taking a barre class (“my favorite way to move my body).” She’s also started going to therapy. Hayley knows, “If I’m not my best mentally – I’m not going to show up my best in any place.”
Therapy has helped Hayley embrace the power of holding multiple truths: “I can be worried about school shootings yet know that I’m doing the best thing by sending my daughter to school. I can feel overwhelmed yet also feel joy.”
The overwhelm can be real, but so is the joy. We’re proud to have Hayley as an integral part of the ParentCo. team. As an amazing entrepreneur, designer, mom, and human, Hayley inspires us every day.
As a family law attorney, I know that the families who thrive post-divorce are the ones that make compromises and think creatively about solving problems.
Hannah Howard
Author