Freedom to Succeed: Custom Graphix Signworks

Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mladen Mirkovic was forced to flee the war there as a child.  His family eventually emigrated to Phoenix, Arizona.  In 2002, his passion for printing and advertising, along with a strong dose of entrepreneurship, led him to open Custom Graphix Signworks, LLC.

Initially equipped with a plotter, Mirkovic soon realized he wanted to expand his product offerings.  He saved his earnings and bought a Roland DG VersaCAMM SP-540V printer/cutter, which allowed him to offer banners, window and vehicle graphics, decals and magnetic signs. “That year my sales went way up,” said Mirkovic. 

“Roland DG really opened the door for me. With these machines, I can be as creative as I want to be.”

Two years later, he added a Roland DG SOLJET and brought in his family to help him run his growing business.

Powerful Production

Today Mirkovic’s 2,000-square-feet shop is located on a busy main street in Phoenix.  Although they specialize in banners, they also produce window, vehicle and tradeshow graphics, indoor and outdoor signage, directional and wayfinding signage, and apparel graphics. 

His clients include national companies like Nike and Grubstak Restaurants along with car dealerships, trucking companies, hospitals, construction companies, specialty retailers, churches, food festivals, music festivals, trade shows and auto shows. 

“The Roland DG printers are very fast, and the colors and images are just gorgeous. Maintenance is extremely low.  Even my 10-year-old printer runs like it’s brand new,” he said.  

“The number one issue in our industry is that customers wait until the last minute to order signage,” Mirkovic pointed out. “We are fast, thanks to our Roland DG equipment.  Often, our customers have a timing problem, but we don’t – we can turn jobs around very quickly.” 

Winning the Discover Roland/Explore Africa Contest

In 2019, Mirkovic was the winner of the grand prize in Roland DG’s global Discover Roland/Explore Africa Contest – an all-expenses paid, luxury African sightseeing safari for two.  He remembers watching National Geographic as a child with his father and dreaming of taking him on an African safari one day. 

“Roland DG really opened the door for me,” said Mirkovic. “With these machines, I can be as creative as I want to be.”