We had the good fortune of connecting with Mislav Mironovic and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mislav, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
From an early age, somehow I’ve been lucky enough to know exactly what I love and I am passionate about. I followed that and ended up from riding my bike like every other kid to becoming a professional MTB freeride athlete. I didn’t even know, but that was my business even though it seemed like a hobby to me. After 15+ years of being your own boss and employee, I just continued that, but changed the toys. Back in a day, it was being creative on my bike, now it’s being creative with cameras, products, and projects.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I was just creating what I wanted to see, and others started calling it “art”. That is my own and best guideline, and I have to trust my judgment, I create what I want to see, and that is what makes it special and apart from others because what I love is very specific, and that gives it a unique style. Besides all that, all my work is mine from an idea to production, animation, postproduction, and editing. One-man band.

I always decide to push the limits of my own skills and get out of my comfort zone, I guess that came from doing action sports all my life. I take the hardest thing and the most painful way to make something and challenge myself, which gets me excited, but also gives me a lot of stress, after I succeed, I am proud. Sometimes. hahaha

If you ask me how I ended up as a creative director, after being a professional athlete I would say that I was a creative director while I was riding my bike, I was creatively directing myself, my riding, and the way I was presenting myself. Later on, I realized that my creative part and animations were better than my backflips ever were.

And yes, it wasn’t easy, but I found the struggle that I enjoy. Well, that maybe make it easy, hmm, let me think about that 🙂

The biggest lesson I learned is that you can’t fool yourself, so the only way is to be authentic, follow that and everything will be as it should be. Don’t bend, and be proactive! Just start!

Everything I create has a soul, at least thats what I think, you be the judge!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, that depends on where am I, there are three cities where I love to spend most of my time, that’s Los Angeles, New York, and my birth city Zagreb in Croatia. Let’s start with LA, just being there and seeing that light, it’s a different white balance, and since I am a very visual person that is very important to me. It would start with hikes, and attempts of surfing, and end with bike rides, skateboarding and sunsets, concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, and exploring architecture and sushi restaurants. I would stay the whole week in LA and just enjoy it! Same for NYC, that vibe is unmatching, and the whole city is a great place to eat, drink and hang out. When it comes to Zagreb, even though is the city where I grew up, I think I would take you to the seacoast and on the sailing boat, show you all the 1000+ islands of Croatia.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Well, I wouldn’t be where I am without the people who helped me in one or the other way, some helped with kind words when I needed them, and others with selfless acts, some of them were there when I needed them the most, others gave me priceless advice. Firstly my parents, Mum and Dad, Visnja and Tomislav. Secondly all the others: Daniel Lacko, Kresimir Kristo, Zeljko Petric, Nikola Nedeljkovic, Jurica Barac, Don Hampton, Damir Ciglar, Drazen Matosec, Peter Stance Smith, Kyle Ebbet, Aaron Chase, Scott Rexing, Julien Pons, Daniele Kucera, Casey Neistat, Richard Gray, Josh Kendrick, Becky Mendoza, Tomislav Siptar, Zdravko Sarcevic, Zdravko Bukarica, Marin Dajak, Austin Horse, Dr. Robert Bray, Garrett Bray, Dr. Rozankovic, Alica Fabijanic,… I apologize if I forgot someone, and thank you!

Website: www.mislavmironovic.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mislavmironovic/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mislav-mironovic-62978892/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MislavMironovic/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIcfHSWce_4qQ0MTTx-JJ0g

Image Credits
Mislav Mironovic Tomislav Moze

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