Straight Outta Pantelej: Marko's Work Hard/Rest Hard Story

Marko is the Head of Webflow Development at Flow Ninja. He was among the first people to join Uroš and build Flow Ninja from the ground up. 

He claims to be a local patriot, in love with Niš, his hometown, where Flow Ninja’s main hub is located. "My hood is Pantelej. It’s where my heart’s at."

Vuki, as his colleagues call him (Vukić is his last name), was off to a bumpy start. 

Everything worked out for him in the end.

"I admit it: I am a college dropout. I started studying at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering, University of Niš. I passed all relevant computer science exams but never bothered studying for electricity-related ones. I just couldn’t bear the thought of being electrocuted." 

Marko and Flow Ninja: Going Way Back

"I actually met Uroš at an elementary school tech ed knowledge competition. Later, we went to the same high school, where we became good friends."

Uroš and Marko were real go-getters back in the day. Their bond grew stronger when they started organizing high-school parties in clubs in Niš.

"I remember Uroš telling me about Webflow. Naturally, I started learning more about it. I even landed some clients along the way." Vuki’s revealed his early solopreneur business model: "I was basically telling people I knew more than I did and then picked up everything I needed along the way. It was fake it ‘till you make it, baby!"

Marko freelanced for two years and became proficient at Webflow development.

"When my college started, I already initiated talks with Uroš about joining the team. Of course, I was eager to apply my skills to bigger and more profitable projects, and that’s how I became a Flow Ninja."

At first, he developed Webflow themes. Shortly after, he started working on bigger projects. In no time, Vuki’s focus became top-tier enterprises, Upwork being one of them.

How’s It Going at Flow Ninja, Marko?

Marko claims his primary motivation is… well, money. "I am a simple man. I work, and I get paid for it," argues he. "I could have told a more socially acceptable reason, but I wouldn’t be sincere." 

However, he stated that’s not the only reason. 

"I like the fact that we’re all like family here. We really don’t take pride in the ‘we’re a big happy family’ mumbo-jumbo. Instead, we just act like that. When someone has a bad day, the others are there for them. It’s that simple, and I love it. After all, we’re all humans and not robots."

Marko recalled his favorite memory with Flow Ninja — the 2023 New Year celebration event, where all employees, associates, and more. 

"More than 50 people attended the party. Apart from live music, we also had a chance to watch professional performers and artists throughout the evening. It was magnificent! The day after, I recalled how we started in a tiny co-working space with leaky roofs and made it this far."

"I felt proud!"

A Round of Rapid-Fire Questions for Marko

Marko was eager to share his thoughts.

What’s your favorite remote work location?

I like working from the office, especially when many people are working remotely, and there are just a couple of us goofing around. 

If I had to choose a remote location, I wouldn’t pick any exotic seaside location. Ideally, I would prefer a remote village. In fact, I have a specific location in mind — Petrlaš. It’s on the border of Bulgaria, with only a few people living there. It doesn’t get more peaceful than that… and more remote.

‍Which activity should everyone try?

Snowboarding. When I saw others from the firm doing it, I couldn’t believe the distance they were ready to go just to slide down a slope. Once I tried it, my perspective completely changed. Now, I love it.

Anything else you want to recommend?

I recommend rest. Work’s work, and rest’s rest. It’s important to know when to stop, as one can easily get carried away, which results in burnout.