From Ops to Chief Vibes Officer

Chino’s path to workplace leadership wasn’t exactly traditional. He joined Ironclad in 2021 on the recruiting operations team, before transitioning to the workplace team in April 2023, just in time for a major office move.

“One of our first big projects was moving offices here in San Francisco,” Chino recalls. “And my manager, whom I love to death, said, ‘This is a good opportunity for us to grow up,’ because our snack program was basically somebody on the workplace team putting in an order. It arrives with Instacart, and we put it on the shelves and manage everything ourselves.”

That moment of change led Chino to Crafty, thanks to a referral from another company in their building. “We asked how they handled snacks, and they said, ‘We use Crafty.’ So we had the conversation, and here we are.”

Crafting the Culture (Pun Intended)

True to his unofficial title of "Chief Vibes Officer," Chino takes his responsibility seriously. “Vibe is a very important word for me,” he says. “Coffee and sparkling water are non-negotiables. This is tech, and if you don’t have those, people will riot.”

But his work goes beyond just stocking the essentials. When Ironclad moved into their new space, Chino and his team took a thoughtful approach to pantry planning, especially when it came to allergens.

“Some people are really allergic to peanuts and nuts in general,” Chino explains. “So we worked with the team to try and craft, pun intended, the workplace to allow folks to feel safe when they get their snacks. One floor is mainly with the nuts, like your KIND bars, peanut butter pretzels, and chocolate-covered peanuts, and the other one is nut-free. So it’s basically a lot of candy, vanilla protein bars, things like that.”

Chino credits his partnership with Crafty, shouting out Alejandra and Natalie as well as the entire Crafty Support team, for helping bring that vision to life. “We couldn’t have done it without them,” he says.

A Shared Proactive Approach

Before Crafty’s collaborative ordering feature rolled out, Chino was the king of email updates. “I felt like I was constantly asking for order changes, such as more LaCroix, more chips, adjusting quantities. I was worried the team would get tired of seeing my name in their inbox.”

But those edits weren’t just busywork. They were part of his proactive approach to keeping the office running smoothly. “A big part of my job is remaining observant and trying to get ahead of a problem before it actually becomes a problem,” says Chino.

Ironclad uses Crafty’s Delivery PLUS service, which is a shared pantry management model where Crafty provides onsite support during scheduled delivery days, and Chino and his team handle the space the rest of the week. That setup makes Chino the eyes and ears on the ground. “Folks aren’t gonna see what’s currently on the ground when they aren't here, so I let them know when we’re going to need more LaCroix, more Lay’s chips, etc.”

When Crafty invited Chino to beta test collaborative ordering, he jumped at the chance. “I’d never been asked to test a product feature before. I barely even knew what a product feature meant, but I felt honored.”

A Scorpio sun and rising (according to his friends), Chino was ready to bring his full, honest self to the feedback process. “I don’t hold back," says Chino. "And the Crafty team really listened. I saw my feedback reflected in the product, which made me feel valued and heard.”

Collaboration in Action

That new collaborative ordering tool came in clutch during a recent multi-day event at Ironclad’s office. “A couple of weeks ago, there was an event where we were lowballed on the headcount," says Chino. "I drastically needed to make changes concerning the amount of snacks getting put onto the next order.”

Because of Crafty’s flexible platform, Chino was able to go in and adjust quantities in real time. When he wasn’t near a computer, he reached out to his Crafty team Alejandra, who jumped in to help, and Chino was able to see her updates as well, giving him that extra peace of mind.

“It was a true team effort,” Chino said. “And it worked out really, really well.”.

Leading with Empathy and Energy

Whether he’s curating snack lineups, coordinating team events, or managing day-to-day logistics, Chino’s north star remains the same: making the Ironclad office a place where everyone feels like they belong.

“Whether it’s a fully stocked kitchen, comfy seating areas, or fun team events, everything we do is about creating an environment where people feel comfortable, engaged, and excited to be here.”

It’s an approach rooted in thoughtfulness — recognizing that small details, like the right snack mix or a welcoming lounge space, aren’t just perks. They’re essential building blocks of a workplace culture where people feel connected, supported, and inspired to do their best work.

Want to create an office experience employees love?

Crafty helps workplace teams like Chino’s transform their pantry programs with smarter tools, seamless service, and unmatched support. Learn more about Crafty