Project Management Case Study:
Launching a Productized Service in 12 Weeks
Project Overview
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Organization: Kay + Co. Studio
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My Role:
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Founder
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Project Manager
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Marketing Lead
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Timeline:
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​January - March 2021 (8 weeks build + 4 week launch)
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Team:
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​Copywriter
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Brand Photographer
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Website Designer
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Social Media Designer
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​Tools:
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ClickUp
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Google Drive, Google Docs,
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Canva
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Showit
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Zoom
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ChatGPT
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Project Type:
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Internal product launch - multi-channel marketing campaign with cross-functional team coordination
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Business Context & Objectives
By late 2020, I had validated my CRM systems setup service through a beta phase with six clients over three months, charging $799 per project. The process worked, clients were thrilled, the results were measurable, and I had refined my six-week VIP Weekend methodology. But I was operating without a polished brand presence, clear positioning, or professional marketing assets. I looked like someone testing an idea, not an expert commanding premium pricing.
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I had just completed my branding, commissioned brand photography, and built a new website. The infrastructure was ready. Now I needed to launch officially, position this service as essential for creative entrepreneurs, and prove the business could work at scale. This wasn't just about launching a service. It was about launching my business in its first full year with personal financial stakes: pay off debt, contribute to household bills, and prove this model was sustainable.
Project Constraints:
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Time: 12 weeks total (8 weeks to build all assets + 4 weeks to execute launch)
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Budget: Self-funded with strict contractor hour management to stay within budget
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Scope: Compressed timeline meant condensing 6 weeks of content into 4 weeks of launch execution
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Scale: Solo founder wearing multiple hats while coordinating 5 specialized contractors
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Goals & Success Metrics:
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Primary goal: Book 3 clients at $2,000 each ($6,000 in revenue)
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Secondary goal: Grow email list by 100 subscribers
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Positioning goal: Establish VIP Weekend as the go-to solution for creative entrepreneurs needing CRM automation
The challenge: this was an evergreen offer with no built-in scarcity, so I needed to create momentum through education and value-building rather than urgency tactics.
Scope, Approach & Execution
Project Scope: What Was Included
At the beginning of our project, our team leader gathered the stakeholders to quickly fill out the lean canvas to look at the many different perspectives around GPS tracking in mobile devices. The Lean Canvas provided the initial alignment for the Ameigo app.
Marketing & Sales Assets:
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Challenge signup page, webinar registration page, and service sales page
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Website copy for all three pages
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Educational Content:
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Challenge workbook for participant engagement
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Webinar presentation graphics
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Client Deliverable Templates (branded):
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Service guide, proposal, welcome guide, and goodbye guide templates
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All templates designed in Kay + Co. branding for client use
Email Marketing (segmented sequences):
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Challenge signup series, participant emails vs. non-participant emails
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Webinar promotion, registrant emails vs. non-registrant emails
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Post-webinar attendee sales emails vs. no-show emails
Social Media Content (multi-format):
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Reels, carousel posts, static posts, stories, and polls
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Content tailored for challenge, webinar, and service promotion phases
Launch Calendar & Gantt Chart
Delivery Model: Phased Approach
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Phase 1: Strategic Planning (Week 1)
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I had completed a 12-week launch planning program in 2020 and repurposed those frameworks to build a comprehensive timeline and Gantt chart. I translated this into ClickUp with project folders for each launch phase (challenge push, webinar promotion, open cart), assigned tasks to contractors with deadlines, and held a kickoff meeting to align on responsibilities and timelines.​
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Phase 2: Content Creation (Weeks 2-6)
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I had completed a 12-week launch planning program in 2020 and repurposed those frameworks to build a comprehensive timeline and Gantt chart. I translated this into ClickUp with project folders for each launch phase (challenge push, webinar promotion, open cart), assigned tasks to contractors with deadlines, and held a kickoff meeting to align on responsibilities and timelines.
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Phase 3: Design & Finalization (Weeks 7-8)
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Designers finalized all graphics, branded templates, and website pages once copy was approved. I provided feedback through Google Doc comments, PDF markups, and Loom videos. We adjusted dates around holidays and contractor availability to prevent burnout.
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Phase 4: Launch Execution (Weeks 9-12)
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Four-week compressed launch sequence working backward from open cart date:
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Week 1: General knowledge and awareness-building content
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Week 2: Challenge to engage and educate audience
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Week 3: Webinar to demonstrate expertise and value
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Week 4: Open cart with direct sales emails and social content
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Tools & Systems
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ClickUp: Central project management hub with folders by launch phase, tasks assigned to contractors with deadlines
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Google Drive: File sharing and deliverable organization
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Zoom: Weekly check-in calls, recorded with AI-generated transcripts for action item tracking
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ChatGPT: Early adoption for formatting action items from meeting transcripts
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Canva, Showit, Google Docs: Design and content creation tools
Workflow Management: How Work Moved Forward
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Dependency Management: Copy had to be approved before design could finalize, but I allowed parallel work on wireframes and formatting to prevent bottlenecks. I served as the central communication hub between contractors rather than allowing direct cross-communication, which maintained control over dependencies and prevented friction from different work styles.
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Feedback Loops: Team members provided feedback in recorded calls with transcripts posted in ClickUp. I gave feedback through direct document comments, Loom recordings, or check-in discussions. All issues were documented in ClickUp even when resolved verbally.
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Quality Control: I maintained final review authority on all client-facing deliverables before they went live during the launch.
Leadership, Risk & Decision-Making
My Role & Responsibilities
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Strategic Planning: Developed comprehensive timelines, Gantt charts, and launch sequence
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Team Coordination: Managed 5 contractors across copywriting, design, photography, and web development
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Budget Management: Tracked contractor hours and deliverables to stay within self-funded budget
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Marketing Execution: Personally scheduled and posted all social media and emails, engaged with audience daily
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Quality Assurance: Final review on all deliverables before launch
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Decision Authority: Made all strategic calls on timeline adjustments, scope, and contractor management
Example Posts from Week 4
VIP Weekend Sales Page
Key Challenges & Solutions
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Challenge 1: Compressed Timeline Creating Constant Pressure
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Risk: Condensing 6 weeks of content into 4 weeks meant we almost started the launch late due to delays in final email designs and social media copy.
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Decision: I approved Week 4 designs during Week 1 of the launch, working in real-time to finalize deliverables while simultaneously executing earlier stages. When delays threatened the timeline, I personally designed and scheduled the final stage of emails myself to ensure we stayed on track.
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Tradeoff: This increased my personal workload significantly but protected the launch timeline and client experience. Lesson learned: next time, build in 6 weeks of launch time with proper buffer.
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Challenge 2: Brand Consistency Issues with Contractors
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Risk: Designers weren't consistently using proper font and color combinations according to brand guidelines. Copywriters struggled to nail the brand voice and target audience tone.
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Decision: I scheduled individual one-on-one conversations with each contractor during the first three weeks to course-correct, rather than addressing issues in group settings.
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Tradeoff: This took more of my time than group feedback would have, but it preserved team morale and allowed for targeted coaching that resolved issues quickly.
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Challenge 3: Managing Complex Segmented Audiences
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Risk: With multiple email sequences running simultaneously (challenge participants vs. non-participants, webinar attendees vs. no-shows), it was difficult to track what content was going to which segment and when.
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Decision: I created detailed ClickUp task lists organized by audience segment and week, with clear naming conventions and status tracking.
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Impact: This allowed me to see at a glance what had been sent, what was scheduled, and what still needed approval, preventing errors in audience segmentation.
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Scope & Timeline Protection
I protected project scope and timeline through:
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Clear contractor agreements defining deliverables and revision rounds
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Timeline adjustments negotiated collaboratively around holidays and contractor availability
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Budget tracking to prevent contractor hour overruns
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Personal intervention when deadlines were at risk—I stepped in to execute work myself rather than delay the launch
Outcomes & Impact
Quantitative Results​
12
clients booked (400% of goal)
14
VIP Weekends completed in Q2 2021
Peak efficiency:
2 VIP Weekends executed simultaneously
While I only booked 3 clients during the official "open cart" week, the launch created sustained momentum. Over the following quarter, I booked 12 total clients and completed 14 VIP Weekends—some weekends my team executed two client projects simultaneously.
Testimonails from Launch clients
Qualitative Outcomes
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Validated productized service model: Proved the VIP Weekend could generate sustained pipeline, not just one-time spikes
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Demonstrated team scalability: Confirmed contractors could handle increased volume with proper systems
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Established expert positioning: Successfully transitioned from "testing an idea" to "commanding premium pricing"
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Created reusable marketing infrastructure: Assets built for this launch supported ongoing client acquisition
Comparison to Original Goals
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Goal: Book 3 clients at $2,000 each ($6,000 revenue)
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Result: Booked 12 clients in Q2 2021, significantly exceeding revenue target
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Goal: Grow email list by 100 subscribers
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Result: Email list growth achieved through challenge and webinar signups
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Goal: Position VIP Weekend as go-to solution for creative entrepreneurs
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Result: Successfully established market positioning, leading to word-of-mouth referrals and sustained bookings beyond the launch period
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Key Takeaways & PM Skills Demonstrated
Project Management Competencies Applied
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Multi-Phase Project Planning: Developed comprehensive timelines and Gantt charts translating strategic frameworks into executable ClickUp workflows
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Cross-Functional Team Coordination: Managed 5 contractors across copywriting, design, photography, and web development with clear dependency management
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Budget Management: Tracked contractor hours and deliverables to stay within self-funded budget constraints
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Risk Mitigation: Identified timeline risks early and made tradeoff decisions (personal workload increase) to protect launch dates
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Quality Assurance: Implemented multi-tier feedback systems and maintained final review authority
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Stakeholder Communication: Balanced contractor coaching with timeline enforcement through individual feedback sessions
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Agile Problem-Solving: Adapted in real-time to delays by personally stepping in to execute critical work
What I Learned & Improved
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Timeline Buffer Importance: The compressed 4-week launch timeline worked but created unnecessary pressure. I learned that 6 weeks with proper buffer time would reduce last-minute scrambling while maintaining momentum.
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Central Hub Value: Serving as the sole communication point between contractors increased my workload but gave me complete visibility and control over the critical path. This prevented dependency bottlenecks and maintained quality standards.
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Personal Intervention Strategy: Being willing to step in and execute work myself when timeline was at risk proved essential. This flexibility, knowing when to delegate and when to do it yourself—is a critical PM skill for small team environments.
How This Informed Future Projects
This launch validated that I could manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects under tight timelines while maintaining quality standards. The 400% goal achievement proved the productized service model and marketing infrastructure were sound. Most importantly, it demonstrated that the systems I built, ClickUp workflows, contractor coordination processes, quality checkpoints, could scale beyond single client projects to support business growth.
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The experience directly informed how I structured the 44+ client implementations that followed, particularly around timeline management, contractor communication, and quality control systems.