We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful José Carreon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with José below.

José, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I still have to pinch myself typing this, but I now earn a full-time living through my creative work as a Creative Director at KERA, but my journey was anything but linear. Here’s how it all unfolded:

I didn’t grow up with a clear career path. In high school, I had a 2.4 GPA, no extracurriculars, and no real idea of what I wanted to do. When my senior-year counselor asked about college applications, I realized I hadn’t even taken the SAT.

With few options, I enrolled at El Centro College (now Dallas College) because they had automatic admission and a free pass for the Dallas transportation system. I had to start with developmental courses, but something changed in me—I was engaged, motivated, and for the first time, excelling academically.

During this time, I got involved in student government, where I stumbled into video production. When our vice president was nominated for a statewide award, I wanted to showcase her impact in a more compelling way than a PowerPoint. So, with zero experience, I opened iMovie, gathered testimonials, plopped Beyoncé’s Halo, and created my first video. It worked—she won the award. That’s when I realized how powerful video could be.

After that first project, I kept making videos—for student organizations, campus departments, and even friends and family. And then, something unexpected happened—I started getting paid. Professors and mentors encouraged me to pursue media professionally, and I set my sights on UT Austin, the best film school in Texas.

I applied only to UT Austin, fully convinced it was my path. In 2015, I got accepted, and I couldn’t believe it. As a transfer student, into one of their most competitive programs, it was unheard of, let alone for a little boy from the Grove.

UT Austin was a transformative experience, but not in the way I expected. While I was studying film, the 2016 election and political climate shifted my focus. Instead of going straight into film, I took detours—working in political marketing, advocacy, and legislative affairs.

For three years, I worked for a nonprofit in Dallas, a Texas state representative, and even dabbled in marketing and social media at Dallas College. While I gained incredible experience, I started to feel the itch to return to my creative roots.

Around this time, I co-founded C3 Latino Young Professionals and got involved in young professional groups focused on community impact. I realized I wanted to merge my creative skills with my passion for community building and storytelling.

The pandemic and an 8-month sabbatical forced a moment of reflection, and I knew it was time to elevate my creative career. I leaned back into video, design, and storytelling—finding ways to integrate all my skills into one.

Eventually, this path led me to creativity beyond screens, it was creativity in my life, and my everyday workings. It eventually led me to KERA, where I now work as a Creative Director—combining video, graphics, storytelling, and project leadership to serve the North Texas community that raised me. It still feels surreal that I get to do this full-time.

Looking Back: Could I Have Sped Up the Process?
Maybe. If I had been exposed to creative careers earlier or had stronger mentorship, I might have taken a more direct route. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Every detour, setback, and unexpected turn shaped the creative I am today.

At 30, I’ve never felt more fulfilled, and I feel incredibly grateful for where I am today, and very excited for what’s to come.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a Creative Director, visual storyteller, and strategist with a deep passion for elevating brands, organizations, and communities through video, design, and creative direction. My journey into this world wasn’t planned—I found it by accident while navigating college and quickly realized the power of storytelling. Over the years, I’ve worked across higher education, nonprofits, the arts, politics, and media, shaping narratives and intentional campaigns that inspire, inform, and connect people. Today, I serve as Creative Director at KERA, where I get to do just that for the North Texas community.

I help the brands, organizations, and leaders I work with translate their vision into compelling stories through video, design, branding, events, and creative strategy. What sets me apart is my ability to see the bigger picture and being curious—not just making things look good but ensuring they have meaning, strategy, and cultural relevance. I bring together my background in media, politics, and community engagement to create work that resonates and drives impact. I like to take my time with things, sit with them, and see how we can connect the most dots for a fulfilling experience that will truly resonate with the audience we aim to reach.

Projects I’m Most Proud Of:
– Uncle Joe’s Campus Cookout | Dallas College – Led creative direction for a campus-wide event bringing faculty, employees, students and community together in a post-pandemic morally tired world.

– Co-Founding C3 Latino Young Professionals – Built a space for Latino young professionals to grow, connect, and lead in North Texas, fostering mentorship and career development. I learned so much about leadership and creativity.

– Helping Lead the Latino Center for Leadership Development Academy – Helped prepare Latino leaders to run for office in North Texas, shaping the next generation of policymakers and advocates. Where the North Texas political landscaped changed because of this organization.

– Rebranding DCCCD to Dallas College – Played a key role in unifying the seven-college system into a single Dallas College brand, ensuring a seamless and impactful branding transition.

– Helping Launch Mercado369 – Assisted in launching this cultural hub in Dallas, which became a platform for cultural events, Latino art, and community engagement, bringing voices and traditions to the forefront.

What I Want People to Know About My Work
Creativity isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about making an impact. Whether it’s helping an organization refine its brand, producing a video that moves people, or crafting a campaign that sparks real change, my goal is to create work that is strategic, intentional, and meaningful. No matter how long it takes. Attention to detail matters, and it’s not always through a nice graphic or a cool website, it’s through serious intention.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

I wouldn’t say my side hustle has turned into my full-time career, but it has definitely become a significant revenue stream and an unexpected creative outlet.

Last year, after my sister Leslie moved out of the townhome we shared for five years, I spent three months debating what to do with the extra space. The idea of hosting strangers in my home felt intimidating at first—after all, I was used to Leslie’s presence, her mannerisms, and the comfort of familiarity. But I knew this could be an opportunity to not just make extra income, but to design an experience.

I went all in—curating the aesthetic, upgrading the space to be more traveler-friendly, handpicking artwork, crafting a thoughtful photo strategy, and storytelling through the listing itself. I wanted guests to feel a vibe, not just book a place to stay.

Within days of launching, I was fully booked for two months straight. It was a reminder that sometimes, the best opportunities come from stepping into the unknown.

What surprised me the most was how much I loved the process. This wasn’t just about making money—it became a way to flex my creativity in a physical space. I started thinking about design, hospitality, and guest experience in a new way. How do I create a space that feels welcoming? How do I maximize comfort without overspending? How do I tell a story through a room?

Now, my Airbnb not only supplements my lifestyle but has sparked a new curiosity for me—one that I never saw coming. I’ve started thinking about brick-and-mortar businesses, maybe even a coffee shop (or a few) that create a whole experience, a whole vibe. I don’t measure success by chasing millions—wealth to me is about love, community, good food, and creating meaningful experiences. So, finding revenue streams that align with that—like sharing my home in an intentional way—feels right.

I’m meticulous (hello, Virgo energy), so I take my time studying, observing, and planning before jumping into action. But this Airbnb journey has opened a whole new world of possibilities. Who knows? Maybe this is just the beginning.

If you’re curious, here’s my Airbnb listing 😊: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/27344071?viralityEntryPoint=1&unique_share_id=276CA7D8-35CC-4C3B-A23B-A6282887A453&slcid=877bf6fa874549d9aba271b063583e2b&s=76&feature=share&adults=1&channel=native&slug=RAnIExJM&source_impression_id=p3_1739730669_P3n-R2aqvQ4awTgK

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

What advice do you have for managing a team and maintaining high morale?
Honestly, I always feel a little icky answering questions about leadership because I’ve never fully resonated with the word “leader.” I believe we’re all leaders in our own way, and sometimes that label can create unnecessary hierarchy, especially within teams. That said, I understand the need for structure in professional spaces—to ensure accountability, productivity, and alignment.

From my experience—whether it was managing interns in the Leadership Academy, directing campaigns with cross-functional teams at Dallas College, or co-leading with my partner Kaysie at KERA—I’ve learned that leadership, at its core, is about love. Or, if we’re using corporate lingo—empathy and compassion.

We are complex, whole beings. No one walks into work as just their job title. We bring our experiences, struggles, and emotions with us. There is no real way to separate personal and professional lives—because we’re not robots. That’s why my approach to leadership is to meet people where they are and work from there.

If you can only give 50% today because you’re struggling at home, I’ll take it. Instead of forcing productivity, I ask, How can we support you? If morale is low due to a company shift, overwhelming workloads, or tight deadlines, I ask what we can adjust. How do we lead together instead of dictating from the top down?

The idea that a leader should make all the decisions alone is ridiculous. A great team moves as a collective, not as a dictatorship.

At KERA, I’m still learning the best path forward—understanding team needs and what drives them. But what I do know is that empowering personal growth (whether it’s addressing imposter syndrome, making content more resonant, or fostering creative confidence) matters just as much as hitting goals.

I want my team to feel like they had a say in where we’re going—even if that means slowing down sometimes. Because getting there together makes the work stronger, the product better, and the team more connected. And that’s what truly builds morale. And of course, keeping an infinite pulse on the people that you work with, even after you no longer work together. Relationships are so important in getting any work or project done.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: josecarreonn – Happy to have people follow me and follow back.
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josecarreonn

Image Credits

Images by La Bell, Radio Host at KERA
Images by Maia Tharp, Photographer
Images Jake Wagner, Photographer and Author
Images by Chucho, Photographer
Images by Luis Y. Tiliano, Photographer