Melanie Johnsson

Melanie has been freelancing for over 10 years now, first as a graphic designer and then as an illustrator - her true passion is image-making. She transitioned around 5 years ago to solely focus on illustration work, but she still uses graphic design daily. She’s now worked with awesome brands such as Lucy & Yak, Adobe, Vans, Flow magazine and more… She has always believed in the power of community and knows there is enough space for everyone to thrive in the creative industry - there is no need for unhealthy competition when we can all help each other succeed and be happy on our creative journey.

Melanie loves freelance life but also knows it comes with its dark sides - especially loneliness, comparison, work/life balance and self-doubt. She’s always cared deeply about mental health issues - anxiety and depression especially - and knows how important it is to care for your mind as a freelancer in a creative world. That’s why she wrote her online course “How to be a successful illustrator without losing your mind” back in 2020 which focused on finding the right balance between work and personal life. She founded Mimi in 2022 to further develop her passion for helping other creatives thrive, succeed and feel good in a sometimes cut-throat industry.

She is so happy to now officially be a coach, having spent the last five years helping other creatives in the shadows - always answering anxious emails, DMs and having private video calls with people who needed support. She knows creating Mimi will make it easier for creatives to ask for help and get it when they need it. She hopes Mimi will make a difference and bring back a sense of joy, a sense of community and a sense of wellness to an otherwise hectic freelance life for all!