In 2017, as a junior at the University of Notre Dame, I was at a crossroads. I’d discovered the medium of photography — it was an instant, deep love. I spent nights and weekends in the studio, quickly becoming the go-to photographer on campus. I was asked to shoot my photography professor’s wedding, considered an internship at a commercial studio that I'd been recommended to by the Art Department Chair, and had my work selected to hang on the walls of Notre Dame buildings. Visual arts had always been a passion even before college — I was the youngest artist ever to have work chosen for exhibition at my hometown gallery in North Carolina.
While still considering that internship at the commercial studio, I met a couple of classmates who were working on a project aiming to disrupt the audio industry. Another instant love. I chose to break out of my comfort zone, accepted the role of leading marketing and design — and for 6 years, 2 in college, 1 in Silicon Valley, the rest in Chicago, we put everything we had into building that project into a venture-backed tech startup named Resonado Labs. We succeeded in recruiting a super talented team of engineers to develop a suite of innovative technologies for manufacturers and for the US Department of Defense.
In the summer of 2023, I moved on — and took a step back onto the path I’d previously walked away from.
I began working on Misfits Labs, an independent creative studio in Chicago dedicated to exploring and enriching the human condition through visual art and design. A vehicle through which I could pursue my dreams.
The name Misfits Labs was chosen because my entire life, I’ve felt like an outsider. I’ve been called different. Odd. Eccentric. A black sheep. These labels used to weigh on me — until I discovered others like me: founders and creatives. Then, my story shifted from one of struggling to fit in to one of working to stay free and helping others do the same.
The studio was launched and announced in the spring of 2024, laser focused on one simple daily mission: to create great images at a profit, if we can. At a loss, if we must. But always great images. Today, I continue to work towards executing this mission for artists, brands, and businesses.
Don’t let the world define you — craft your own story, with Images by Misfits.
— Erikc Perez-Perez, Founder & Director of Misfits Labs