Show Overview

Designer, dad, and creative director Chris Conley shares his unconventional journey from Apple retail to co-founding Thread, a multi-disciplinary creative studio in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This conversation explores the reality of creative career pivots, the challenges of transitioning from maker to manager, and building sustainable creative businesses rooted in authentic relationships.

Key Takeaways

Career transitions are rarely linear: Chris's path from Apple retail to music production to design school to agency work to co-founding Thread demonstrates how creative careers often evolve through unexpected opportunities and relationships

Education as confidence building: Design school provided Chris not just technical skills, but the confidence and critical thinking needed to defend creative work and build client relationships

Partnership dynamics matter: The complementary skills and personalities between Chris (extroverted, relationship-focused) and co-founder Zach (introverted, operations-focused) create a balanced leadership foundation

Small studio realities: Creative directors at small studios wear multiple hats daily - from account management to sales to actual creative work

Work-life ballast vs. balance: Rather than seeking perfect work-life balance, embracing seasonal intensity allows for both focused work periods and genuine rest

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

[7:30] First paid creative project: $100 logo and website for sister-in-law's wedding photography business

[12:45] Moving from Knoxville to Lancaster, PA for family - and accidentally falling in love with the city

[18:30] Going back to design school at 27 with a newborn - the reality of 100-hour weeks

[28:15] Why Chris chose local community college over prestigious design schools

[34:30] The transition from freelancing to joining Thread as co-founder

[41:15] Honest take on the "creative director" title and wearing multiple hats in small business

[49:30] Thread's profit-sharing model and why equity "means nothing and everything"

Guest Information

Chris Conley Co-Founder & Creative Director, Thread

Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Website: madebythread.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/madebyconley

Show Notes

What if I told you that one of the most talented designers I know has a pre-presentation ritual that involves brushing his teeth?

Not for hygiene reasons (well, not only for hygiene). But as a way to feel prepared, present, and ready to unveil work he's poured himself into.

Meet Jose Ocando—a staff brand designer at Webflow who calls himself a "failed copywriter." After working with him for nearly five years, I can tell you he's anything but failed. He's the kind of designer who'll spend five hours perfecting a single button interaction, not because he's obsessive, but because he understands that luxury lives in the details people feel but can't name.

Jose was my first guest on Final Final, and our conversation revealed the beautifully neurotic world of creative work—the weird habits, unexpected inspirations, and honest truths about what it takes to make something great.

Highlights

* Literature as Design Foundation: How Jose's English degree and love of storytelling inform his approach to visual design through metaphor and narrative

* Data as Collaborator: Why treating analytics as a team member rather than a manager leads to better creative decisions

* Expressive Minimalism: Jose's evolved design philosophy that balances restraint with personality

* The Award Paradox: Honest insights about seeking recognition in the design industry and what drives creative excellence

* Neurotic Habits That Work: The surprising rituals that help creatives perform their best work

* Agency vs In-House: How moving from agency to in-house design changes collaboration, process, and creative approach

Meet Jose

Jose Ocando is a staff brand designer at Webflow with 12 years of experience in the design industry. Previously, he worked at Whiteboard creative agency and Aspect, where he led award-winning projects including the Webby-nominated Whiteboard website and the award-winning Aura site. Jose brings a unique perspective to design through his background in literature and his philosophy of "expressive minimalism."

Timestamps

* 00:45 - Jose's background and the "failed copywriter" origin story

* 01:58 - How literature informs design through metaphor and narrative

* 03:06 - Finding inspiration from other makers and craftspeople

* 05:12 - The difference between early career input needs vs. senior motivation

* 07:24 - Looking back at award-winning work with fresh perspective

* 10:44 - The honest truth about seeking awards in design

* 14:43 - Agency vs in-house: How the creative process changes

* 18:31 - Data as collaborator: The tab component revelation

* 22:44 - Long-haul team collaboration strategies

* 24:22 - Neurotic habits: The teeth-brushing pre-presentation ritual

* 26:23 - Creative flow state techniques and rituals

* 30:00 - The five-hour button: Investing in micro-interactions

* 31:16 - The bedtime screenshot review habit

* 32:40 - Putting design intuition into words

* 35:51 - Future fears and excitement about design leadership

Resources Mentioned

* "The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Varghese - Book that inspired Jose's creative energy

* My Mechanics YouTube Channel - Restoration videos that inspire craftsmanship approach

* Radiohead - Specific songs for development focus sessions

* Chris Do/The Futur - Teaching philosophy about articulating design decisions

* RISD - Referenced in context of design education and critique

Final Final is presented by Whiteboard, the leading creative partner for visionary leaders and brands.