Like many of his classmates, Dominic Chambrone had an affinity for Air Jordan sneakers; however, the California native wasn't content with blending in with the crowd, so he decided to customize his pair with an airbrush.

"Shoes were just a vehicle to express myself without really having to say anything," he told Complex News. 

More than a decade later, Chambrone has built a wildly successful career under The Shoe Surgeon alias, customizing kicks for everyone from Drake to Justin Bieber to LeBron James. He's even began teaching his own footwear customization classes, where he intends to pass on the craft to up-and-coming creatives.

"It took me 15 plus years to really hone my craft. I had to learn things from a shoe repair shop. I had to learn things from reading a book. I had to learn things from a traditional shoemaker. I wanted to really hand-make a high quality sneaker, which no one really had the answers for, so I had to piece those all together. And that's why I teach now, so I can give them all of my knowledge. I can pass it on, and continue to push the craft forward. It's not just about me; it's about other people who want to be inspired again."

We sat down with Chambrone to talk about his incredible journey to success. You can check out the interview above.