A Designer with a Poet’s Soul: Insights into Mimi’s Artistic Modus Operandi

Imagine a rider on an unsaddled black stallion, with a breeze in his hair, shepherding a flock of sheep. There’s a somewhat delirious look in his eyes — as if the ultimate goal of life and the key to freedom is currently achieved. A smirk raises the side of his Tom Selleck-style mustache, confirming the one thought he has in mind: “I got this.”

Milan, nicknamed Mimi, is a Visual and Web Designer at Flow Ninja, and above is a description of what his ideal life looks like. Although he’s not there just yet, he’s taking big steps towards his dream. The mustache is already there.

Mimi’s been afraid of one thing above all: maths, which is why he decided to enroll in medical high school. 

But it seems his heart was somewhere else. 

With an unwavering urge to express himself through art and movement, he applied for a design competition and made it to the top 10 — an event that changed his professional life. In his college days, he decided to go all-in on graphic design, a decision that eventually brought him to Flow Ninja.

“As a kid, I drew a lot and really enjoyed watching cartoons and reading comic books. I’d always recreate my vision of my childhood heroes through illustrations. Those were my first steps in the world of digital design. This led me to where I am today.”

But his artistic tendencies didn’t keep him tied to design alone, although it was his primary focus of interest. Mimi also attended music school, where he played accordion for eight years. Later in life, he switched to guitar and piano.

The way he expresses this art is also through movement. When he’s not playing instruments or designing, you can see him riding a bike or hiking.

Mimi and Flow Ninja: A Lifeline for Success 

Mimi’s early professional development was interrupted by a sudden opportunity: to experience and work in the US. With the insatiable wanderlust that has been part of his character from an early age, he decided to give it a try. This undertaking turned out to be crucial in his story.

“I landed my first official job as a Busser at Lakefront Millenium Hotel Anchorage. I also worked in the local gift shop.”

The US excursion was successful, but he decided it was time to return to his true vocation. He returned to Serbia and found a job at a marketing agency as a designer.

“In this agency, I gained invaluable experience and wonderful friends. After a year, I decided that a more challenging job suited me better. I immediately knew where I would look for it.”

Milan did the math and quit his job, counting on his savings while searching for the opportunity he wanted. Since he was afraid of math as a kid, the figures didn’t add up as he planned. 

“I wanted to live on my savings for six months, but that didn’t turn out that well. Just as my financial situation had become close to desperate, Flow Ninja published a job opening. I immediately applied and got the job!”

How’s It Going at Flow Ninja, Mimi?

Mimi started honing his craft at Flow Ninja, working on several important projects. His favorite assignment was Superglue, his first big project, where he had to make a lot of custom animations. He also enjoyed working with Re:Coded and Scayler.

“It was an exceptional pleasure and honor to work on the project for Re:Coded. I felt wonderful to be a part of their beautiful mission. As for Scayler, this project resulted from doing great work for Superglue, as Superglue's founder recommended us. Once again, I had an opportunity to work on the visual representation of the brand and create a lot of custom illustrations.”

His favorite memory was a teambuilding event in a villa in Vojvodina. “I felt like a school kid at an excursion,” he remembers.

He also listed the Awwwards conference, which he visited with several other Flow Ninja members, as a dream come true.

But what does Mimi like the most about working in Flow Ninja? Well, his answer is quite straightforward: “Above all, my colleagues.”

“No project can be too demanding when you have a great team like ours. My teammates are a daily reminder of how much I can still learn about design and my job. What motivates me to work and progress is that graphic design is my vocation. So, every day, I strive to be a better version of myself, both professionally and personally.”

A Round of Rapid-Fire Questions for Mimi

We asked Mimi a couple of questions.

What’s your favorite remote week location?

A remote mountain cottage or a village. As far away from the hustle and bustle of the city as possible. Working on such locations feels like taking a break.

Could you recommend a book? 

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini.

What about a movie?

The Intouchables.

What’s your favorite travel destination?

So far, Amsterdam.