Say hi to the most athletic brand and visual designer you will ever meet, Nikola Matošević at Barrage

Take your chance to get to know Nikola Matošević, a brand and visual designer at Barrage. Nikola is one of the reasons why creativity in the company has gained a new aspect and expanded its horizons. As a highly approachable, collegial, and positive person, Nikola is a great example of what kind of company culture we have and promote.

How did you first learn about Barrage?

Barrage approached me on Behance at the beginning of 2018 regarding the visual identity for Barrage. Feđa (CEO) and I worked for about a month and built a good working relationship. Eventually, the Barrage team picked another visual identity, but we continued working together on other projects.

If you could pick one theme for Barrage to turn into a book about the company, what would it be?

Without any doubt, that would be a book about outstanding leadership. Following up on my previous answer, one of the main reasons I decided to move to Croatia to work for Barrage was the working relationship Ivan and Feđa, the founders, have with all employees. This is directly reflected in the awesome company culture.

I don't think I’m exaggerating when I say that the team is like a big family.

What are three words to describe Barrage?

Courage - every idea is celebrated. We can't know if something is going to work or not if we don't try, so we just give everything that sounds promising a try. This takes us to the second word:

Trust - at Barrage, we trust each other. If someone, for example, shows interest in learning something new or completing a task he or she hasn't done before, we trust this person and believe that he or she will finish the job and with good results. That's how I was motivated to dig deeper into motion graphics.

Relaxed - even when deadlines are approaching, and we're all under pressure, I can't remember that the atmosphere at the company and within the team has ever been tense. I like that we all stay positive, calm, and I believe that this positive energy and staying focused are the reason we manage to finish everything.

It's just a pleasure to work in a comfortable place surrounded by relaxed teammates.

Nikola's imagination meets reality at our office, Osijek

What do you find the most challenging at Barrage?

Working from home. When the situation with COVID-19 started, we worked from home more often, and it was nice within the first few days, but after a short period, it became a challenge to stay focused, not to have a snack every ten minutes, to have an actual working day. Fortunately, we are working from our office again, and all my work-from-home challenges are now behind me.

How do you spend your time outside of the office?

Working on a computer means sitting for long periods of time. Hence, I try to stay as active as possible outside the office. This involves working out either at a fitness center or doing calisthenics outside when the weather allows. I’ve recently also started mountain biking.

I love doing street photography because it teaches us patience and looks at the world differently. And last but not least, I spend most of my free time learning new skills and reading books.

Nikola shredding downhill roads over the weekend

What is the next life milestone you want to achieve?

To step into industrial design. It was always something I highly admired but found challenging since it is vastly different to work with physical products compared to digital ones I currently work with.

Favorite book?

I'm torn between two books, but I think I can say my favorite is Understanding Human Nature by Alfred Adler.

The book's purpose is to show how an individual's unreasonable behavior can affect our society’s harmony. The individual can be anyone, even you or me. Then it teaches us to recognize our own mistakes and to understand why some people act as they act.

I can't help but not mention the other book. It's certainly not the best-written book I've read so far, but the book’s idea itself is revolutionary. The book is The Five Second Rule by Mel Robbins. It contains everything she ever said on YouTube and social media, but the idea that we can change our lives within a five-second time window is mind-blowing.

When are you the happiest?

When I'm with my dog Oggy, I can't find the words to describe the joy, but I believe that every dog owner—and especially a pug owner—can understand this. One thing we both like doing together is taking long walks in a nearby forest.

Nikola on a walk in the woods with his pug friend

If given a chance, who would you like to be for a day?

The people I can not understand. When looking at the world from their perspective, it would help me to understand them and why they think how they think.

What is one thing you cannot resist?

To include motion graphics in any project. The world needs more motion (graphics).

Who is your role model?

I profoundly believe in the power of visualization. It's being said that if we can dream it, we can achieve it, and as unusual as it may sound to many people—it works. Without getting into much detail about what or how I visualize myself in the future, I can say that my role model is my future self.

If you were to write a self-help book, what would the topic be?

This is a difficult one as I never really thought about writing a book. It would probably be directed towards young people, helping them to start pursuing what they find meaningful and not to listen to everyone else’s opinions. It's sad how many people never achieve their full potential just because friends and family tell them to follow the safe route—get good grades, finish college, find a nine-to-five job, get married, and live like that for the rest of their life. And all that just because they never dared to say “No” to others, and just say “Yes” to themselves.

Get to know Nikola and the rest of the team.

We’re extremely proud to have Nikola as a part of our team as he is a true example of the personalities we attract to our company. If you’d like to know more about Nikola on his duties as a brand and visual designer, get in touch with us!