Mimi Tran was born in Nha Trang, Vietnam and came to the USA in 1982. She soon started working in the electronics industry in Silicon Valley. After a devastating car crash in 1989, Mimi found herself disabled and unable to continue working in her field. Despite the fact that she didn't play poker, she started going with a friend to the casino and found herself losing money steadily. While waiting for a table one day she met Barry Greenstein who offered to mentor her in poker in exchange for her teaching him her native tongue which would afford him a better opportunity to communicate with the Vietnamese players at his table.

Before entering tournament play, Mimi focused primarily on side games, like her mentor and close friend Barry Greenstein. He urged her to challenge herself at tournaments and her first dozen or so games she did extraordinarily well against very stiff competition. Mimi's success in high-stakes cash games and tournament play is an excellent testimony to her study of the game. Tran has a number of money finishes in multiple WSOP tournaments, two of which were second place. She especially enjoys Limit Texas Hold'em and Seven Card Stud. Mimi appeared at the 2004 World Poker Tour's Legends of Poker Limit Hold'em and Seven Card Stud final table where she finished fourth and the WPT World Poker Finals at Foxwoods Resort Casino. This earned her a place at the coveted WPT Ladies Night tournament in 2007 where she finished fourth.

Her close relationship with Barry Greenstein is evidenced by his regular appearances at her tournaments, rooting for her, and occasionally guiding her, from the sidelines. Mimi has expressed gratitude for their relationship saying, "He turned me into the person I am right now - a great poker player." With woman players becoming more and more an equalizing force in the game of poker, an experienced woman pro like Mimi helps to lead the charge. Tran has two children and lives in Los Angeles, California.