C’est La Vie, Sara: From French Bi-Lingual Student to Product Designer

If Sara’s life was a movie. The first scene would look something like this:

In the soft glow of her bedroom, a young teenager delicately etches her thoughts onto the pages of her diary. The air is filled with a sense of quiet introspection as she wields her pen with grace.

As the camera moves closer, the diary unveils itself as a masterpiece of teenage expression. Yet, it's not just the words that captivate; the margins come to life with a myriad of illustrations.

“Now, don’t let my sophisticated designer persona fool you! Back in the day, my diaries were basically a soap opera starring my school crushes and me, the dramatic protagonist. It was full of masterpiece-level illustrations that accompanied these heart-wrenching tales,” Sara chuckles.

Fast forward a couple of years: a young adult waves au revoir to her high school with words: “je pense, donc je suis”, a nod to Rene Descartes, the philosophical mastermind she had been meticulously studying in her senior year. 

“Au revoir, mes chers élèves,” says the French professor to Sara’s class, all of whom have successfully completed a four-year French bi-lingual high-school program.

“As much as I’ve always had an artsy side, I kept it on the down-low for most of my upbringing. In high school, I decided to spice things up and divert my attention to mastering the French language. And yes, I tackled the world of chemistry and physics in French too. Because why not make things extra challenging? Haha”

The next scene is a bird's-eye view of Paris. We can hear Sara narrating: “I dreamed about moving to Paris and continuing my studies there. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”

Cut.

New scene: Sara’s mom enters her room, as Sara is nervously writing something in her book, not being able to make up her mind about her career. Mom puts her hand on her shoulder and notices: “You’ve always been exceptional at drawing and painting.”

This simple observation becomes a catalyst, unlocking a cascade of memories in Sara's mind. It made her think about the days she used to spend sketching in her diary. 

Now, we see Sara entering a building where she aims to major in graphic design. The camera follows her through the bustling corridors of the institution. The walls seem to breathe with artistic energy, setting the stage for the next chapter of Sara's life.

As the camera follows her first day, Sara narrates: “I knew that I didn’t want to be a traditional painter or a sculptor. Instead, I researched some of the most popular graphic designers and figured that this type of applied art could be a great career.”

Sara and Flow Ninja: A Fruitful Internship

Sara was one of the first interns at Flow Ninja. She joined the other two designers and became a full-time Webflow designer after her internship ended.

She took one step at a time, which eventually led her to become a Product Designer. At the moment, she is successfully leading several internal product-oriented projects, such as Data Goat, in addition to client work.

How’s It Going at Flow Ninja, Sara?

Sara doesn’t hide the fact that Flow Ninja is all about the team.

“I really enjoy the people here at Flow Ninja. Everyone is so ambitious, and that makes me ambitious. The best feeling there is: to come to the office and see all the hard-working colleagues doing their best for every project. Most importantly, we get on so well with each other and have become really good friends.”

Sara remembered her favorite memory:

”I recall my first days at Flow Ninja when I was still an intern. I was sitting squished between the other two designers. Still, I had a good overview of everything they do, which was super helpful.”

Sara’s shift from a web designer to a product designer turned out to be a great experience for her, as she now lists internal product-related projects as her favorite.

Sara is also an office-dweller. She doesn’t have a favorite remote work location, as she believes that the office is the best environment to concentrate. The impromptu brainstorming sessions, the exchange of ideas, and the camaraderie create vital energy that propels Sara forward in her professional journey.

A Round of Rapid-Fire Questions for Sara

Can you recommend a book?

Philosophy was my favorite subject in high school, and I read Brothers Karamazov back then as it’s also a deeply thought-provoking work of fiction. It remained my favourite book to-date.

Can you recommend a film or a TV show?

I absolutely love Poirot, and all the other televised works by Agatha Christie. The show staring David Suchet is my all-time favorite. 

What’s your favorite travel destination?

I visited Santorini last year, and that’s my #1 for now.

Can you recommend an activity?

I actually trained shooting professionally for six years, so I enjoy going to a shooting range from time to time. 

Sara’s journey into the world of visual expression started when her diaries became a playground for doodles and tales of school crush sagas. Those early days of mixing teenage emotions with whimsical illustrations set the stage for what would become a life-long love affair with art and graphic design.