Jeizzon Viana Mendes
Product Design & Innovation
Product Design & Innovation
Pronounced ‘Jay-zon.’
I am a product designer and leader, currently living in New York. Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I have over 13 years of experience spanning a wide range of industries in the U.S. and LATAM. My work encompasses developing products for category leaders in technology, creating interactive experiences for leading brands, and providing art direction for high-profile fashion shows.
I have a keen eye for inventive solutions and a leadership style that effectively cuts through the noise. I champion a fast-paced approach, focused on stripping away the unnecessary to cultivate environments where creativity and collaboration can thrive. I'm well versed in both taking products from zero to one and evolving established platforms, and also get in the trenches of design work when needed.
My contributions have aided the growth and acquisition of tech companies such as BetterUp (early design hire) and Edmodo (sole designer 1yr+). My creative approach has garnered recognition from leading figures in the field of organizational psychology in their recent book.
My professional experience boils down to two passions I've had since I was a child: a deep curiosity about how things work and a passion for all things visual. I was always fascinated with computers and learned to code my own games as soon as my parents could afford a computer. In parallel, I doodled on every surface I could find.
I went to college for marketing and advertising but soon realized it didn't quite scratch my itch. I quickly shifted to design, exploring a range of disciplines. I worked on massive interactive installations for big brands, designed architectural booths, and even spent some time as a fashion designer. The one constant throughout these experiences was the need to learn quickly and apply it effectively, a skill I still carry with me.
Over the years, I rekindled my passion for technology and ended up working for a few startups in Brazil. This led me to co-found a startup in 2012 with two of my best friends. Starting modestly, I was able to grow with the company, learning the fundamentals of product strategy and team leadership. After five years, we ended up shutting down the company, which unexpectedly opened the opportunity for me to move to the U.S. as an individual contributor. It was a significant change from what I was doing, but I took the chance, driven by the dream of working in Silicon Valley. It's been an incredible journey so far, and I have decided to call the U.S. my new home.
Since then, I've increasingly taken on lead and management roles, drawing on my prior experience in team management and continuous learning from others.
Early design hire during the company's Series A, now a $4.7B business. Currently leading an innovation team focused on new products and AI.
Previous roles: Product Design Manager, Interactive Lead, Product Designer
I joined the company as they were rebuilding their design practice – for nearly a year, I was the sole designer for a product with over 100 million users.
As a co-founder, my role was to lead Product and Design teams, where I interfaced directly with customers, outlined the roadmap in collaboration with other leaders, managed multiple initiatives across our business and consumer surface areas, and set a high bar for product quality.
I worked with the founder to take the product from zero to one on a brand new concept around creating a "Farmville in real life", where users could chip in to help grow and manage actual farms, reducing food costs.
Previous role: Product Designer
I worked mostly on their technology projects, ranging from websites to interactive installations for events. Their clients included some of the biggest consumer brands in Brazil, such as Ambev (subsidiary of AB Inbev), Itaú (one of LATAM's biggest banks), and Pepsi.
I was a design generalist and participated in several projects across graphic, industrial, and fashion, including the art direction and pattern design for their 2011 F/W collection, with the theme around what it means to be a person of color in Brazil.
