We recently connected with Tyler Brewer and have shared our conversation below.
Tyler, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I think my resilience comes from a mix of family influence and an inner drive that’s always pushed me to keep moving forward. I grew up around entrepreneurs, my dad ran a plumbing company, my mom owned a chain of bridal shops, and my grandpa was an auctioneer. So from an early age, I saw firsthand what it meant to work hard, take risks, and adapt when things didn’t go as planned.
That mindset stuck with me. In sixth grade, I started burning CDs and selling them at school. In high school, I mowed lawns, fixed bikes, gave people rides, you know whatever I could do to earn a buck. In college, I co-founded a screen printing company that grew into a real business that helped support me for over a decade. After selling that, I pivoted again, this time leaning into building guitars mostly as a hobby and something I’d only tried once in high school woodshop. With some help from YouTube and the mentorship of Allan Corona, I kept learning, building, and improving.
For me, resilience is tied to curiosity and hunger. I always want more, not in a material way, but in terms of growth and challenge. If something doesn’t work out, I don’t dwell on it, I look for what’s next. That mindset has kept me going through every phase of my life.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’ve always loved creating, whether it’s a flower bed or a custom-painted bass guitar, I’m all in. I don’t like to box myself into one category of creation because the possibilities are endless. If you can buy it at the store, I promise I can make something more rad or unique in my shop. I also thrive on collaborating with other artists, whether it’s working directly with them as a consumer or teaming up for a project they’ll sell or showcase to their audience.
One of my recent ventures has been making custom challenge coins for artists. It came from my personal love of concert posters. Over the years, I’ve collected a ton, but I ran out of wall space and now I’ve got poster tubes stuffed with cool art I never get to see. That’s when I thought, what if bands had something smaller, more portable, and easier to display at home? So I made a few prototypes, and when the band loved them, I knew I had something special. Since then, several other bands have reached out, either to sell them at shows or give them away as part of an album release.
When it comes to guitar projects, I like to keep things personal. I only take on one or two customers at a time so I can fully dedicate myself to their vision. We collaborate on every detail, making sure it’s exactly what they want. I set up a private Google photo album for each project, uploading progress pics and videos, and I’m always in touch, either through texts or calls so they’re part of the process every step of the way. This personal connection is what I think sets me apart from a lot of other builders. It’s not just about creating a custom guitar; it’s about making something that’s truly theirs, while building a relationship along the way.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, the three qualities that had the most impact on my journey were a willingness to ask for help, the ability to embrace failure, and a commitment to constant improvement.
From a young age, I enjoyed working with my hands. My first major project was restoring a 1963 Chevy Bel Air that became my first car at 16 with my dad. This hands-on experience taught me not only technical skills but also the value of perseverance and learning from mistakes. During summers, I worked construction jobs alongside him, gaining experience with just about every tool you can imagine.
One of the biggest lessons I learned was not to fear failure; I see it as simply delayed success. Failure is inevitable, but it’s also one of the best teachers if you’re willing to seek advice and learn from those who have more experience. Even the people we look up to most had to overcome their share of setbacks.
Another key to growth is setting high standards for yourself and sticking to them. It’s easy to cut corners, but maintaining personal integrity and pushing yourself to meet your own expectations is what leads to real progress over time.
For anyone early in their journey, my advice would be simple:
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Don’t be afraid to fail.
Always keep working to improve.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I love collaborating with other artists. Over the past few years, I’ve had the chance to work on a few projects for the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche, which were a lot of fun even though they didn’t always get seen by a wide audience.
My favorite projects, though, are the ones I do for musicians, whether they’re professionals or home hobbyists. Right now, I’m in the early stages of making a custom bass for a guy in a pop-punk cover band, Jimmy Eat Brisket out of Austin, TX, it’s going to be banana-themed, with custom artwork drawn by his daughter. That’s the kind of project that really gets me excited!
When it comes to collaboration, I’m open to working with just about anyone who brings passion and creativity to the table. The best way to get in touch with me is on Instagram at @TBC_Custom. I do my best to respond quickly and love connecting with people there.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @tbc_custom
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TBC_Custom
Image Credits
The yellow bass photo was taken by John D’Angelo. The rest are mine
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
