When Misc. Goods Co. founder Tyler Deeb was a 20-year old barista, he received a surprise visit from a designer friend who sparked a change in his own career path, and he witnessed firsthand how art can be put to work.

“I always had a knack for art, but growing up I had this frivolous idea that making art for art’s sake was not a way to build a career,” says Deeb. “Granted, now I appreciate art for art’s sake. That moment watching my friend design merchandise for a band and then get paid simply allowed me to see art serving as a function. He provided a service for a client with a direct and clear motive. I was intrigued by that.”

Feeling inspired, he purchased a laptop and over the next five years in his free-time, taught himself Adobe illustrator and began working as a freelance designer. Eventually, he landed a job as part of a creative team at a local college where he stuck around for two years as his partner had a baby and the benefits were too great to pass up. Once things mellowed out, he returned to the freelance grind.