Welcome to The Common Thread. While Spade Design is where I build brands, this space is where I explore the life that fuels them.
My name is Matthew Martin. You might know me as a Business Consultant or a Creative Director, but those titles are just the result of a lifetime of obsession.
The Common Thread is my personal journal where I deconstruct the hobbies and experiences that shape how I see the world—and how I work.
I believe the best work doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens when we bring our full selves—our raw experiences, our obsessions, and our failures—to the design table. This is my search for the universal patterns that link a well-executed race to a perfectly finished seam, and how those lessons build resilient brands.
