From a Snowboarder to a Designer: The Origin Story of Janne Koivistoinen

Graphic designers such as Janne Koivistoinen prove that following your passions is the key to a perfect life. Emphasis on “passions”. Plural.

You don’t have to give up on one path to follow the other. It is the art of fusing the paths that counts, no matter how irreconcilable they can seem to an outsider.

Don’t try to limit the “chaos” of countless interests. Draw on it instead. Make it work for you. After all, it is the organized chaos of your own passions that makes for a fulfilled life.

But, don’t take it from me. Take it from Janne, a designer who is so much more!

A Jack of All… Sports?

We all dream of what we want to become when we grow up. Astronauts, movie stars, famous singers… Those dreams have the tendency of being unrealistic.

Janne had dreams too. He was only 4 years old when he discovered his first passion. Football.

As life would have it, he didn’t become a goalkeeper, as he planned in those early years. Then again, plans change.

Nevertheless, he did not give up on sports. His summers were reserved for football, and his winters for snowboarding – another passion of his that lives on today.

In his early life, Janne was definitely a jack of all sports. Today, he is that and much more. But, let us not get ahead of ourselves.

A Sport That Is Not

Perhaps not thought of as a sport back then, breakdancing was an activity Janne also fell in love with. Today, it is an official Olympic sport.

If this designer took a different path in life, he could have won an Olympic medal.

Although, when you take a look at his life, you’ll see that this is still a possibility. His drive to achieve and his determination to pursue his interests can take him anywhere. Even to the Olympic stand.

Just imagine it. A graphic designer perked up on the Olympic stand, recognized for his breakdancing skills. A medal in one hand and a design deadline in the other.

A man can dream. And, by the looks of it, Janne Koivistoinen is a man that makes his dreams come true! So, don’t be surprised if you see him in Paris this year!

Janne Koivistoinen Discovering the Wonders of Technology

While his sports ambitions have never been stifled, they soon gained competition. Technology.

Janne was only 6 years old when he first discovered the wonders of technology. Finally, a year later, he got his first computer. And, that led to the birth of a whole new set of passions.

Playing video games, downloading hip hop music, exploring MS-DOS in depth… His life was beginning to take a different shape.

In fact, he built his first website in 2023. Simple, but effective. A playful glimpse at what he was going to become.

From a Teenage Rebel…

If you asked Janne Koivistoinen for the formula of success, he would say it’s rebellion.

As a teenager, he discovered the wonders of graffiti. And, he became a pretty good graffiti artist, reveling in the process of developing his unique style. A style that would later come quite in handy in his design career.

Anyway, having decided that Photoshop was too complex, this designer made his first creations through PaintShop Pro 7. As a matter of fact, he created graffiti-inspired art. And he posted it on DeviantArt and similar online galleries.

Who would have known at the time that he would grow up to be the one inspiring other designers?

Eventually, he shifted his focus towards Photoshop and web development, learning both how to code and how to design websites.

… to Janne Koivistoinen, a Successful Designer

Evidently, it was that shift that turned him into what he is today. A lead designer at Sharetribe Ltd and a freelancer that values the independence and freedom stemming from his calling.

With a project like World Vision France, the largest international children’s charity, Janne shows he cares. He redesigned their website to, primarily, make the sponsorship funnel easier. Only a week after the new design was launched, French citizens started supporting children in developing countries more than ever.

Next, the Microsoft Finland’s App Awards 2014 edition project is where his graffiti skills really paid off. Janne designed a street-art inspired logo that stood out and that sent a strong message.

Furthermore, he worked on a number of sites, across a number of industries. From the Huoneistoketju real estate agency to Ringo Expeditions featuring Safari tours, Janne has done it all! And, he believes that his best adventures are still ahead of him.

Janne Koivistoinen and .ME

This successful designer has been with .ME for a long time. He built his personal website, janne.me, with the power of visual branding in mind.

A .MEer that knows what he’s doing, Janne continues to amaze us with his projects, showcasing them on his site. Moreover, he uses his .ME website to share his lifestyle, inspiring other designers to create the life they want.

Using .ME as his online home, this designer emphasizes the significance of creativity and uniqueness in personal branding.

The Past, The Present and the Future of a Superhero

Janne Koivistoinen is a sort of a superhero in the design world. And, all superheroes have their own origin stories. Clearly, Janne’s was an interesting one. Turning him from a jack of all sports into a jack of all design things.

Besides, a lot of superheroes excel in more things than one. Take Superman as an example. He can fly, but he is also good at math.

Janne has taken that a step further. Today, he is a snowboarder, a surfer, and a successful designer that still draws on his graffiti skills. On top of that, he is a freelancer that uses the freedom of the lifestyle to travel the world.

A man of many passions. And of many skills. Who knows what kinds of exciting adventures the future holds for him?

A Blend of Passions Coming Together, Forming a Perfect Life

Looking for a living proof that you don’t have to give up on one path to follow the other? You’ve found it. Janne Koivistoinen shows that it is a blend of passions coming together that ultimately leads to the perfect life.

He didn’t try to limit the chaos of his countless interests. Instead, he made them all work for him.

Well done, Janne. You keep doing you!

Looking forward to seeing you on that Olympic stand!