What is Project Management?
Every project needs a certain level of management. This is especially true in an agency setting, where team members have multiple clients and internal affairs of which to keep track. In our latest episode of the Marketing Roundtable podcast, we dive into the discipline of project management with BrainDo’s very own Jason Nederveld.
Let’s jump in!
A California native, Jason received a humanities degree at the University of Berkeley before joining the restaurant industry. The bustle of a busy kitchen was his first brush with the importance of project management. Every day can be uniquely different in a kitchen; the same could be said for an agency.
After relocating to Philadelphia, his passion for small businesses and technology grew. He was managing a Philly co-working space when he met Brian Cosgrove and Jenny Du, who were still getting BrainDo off the ground. When they left to strike out on their own, Jason joined their ranks and hasn’t looked back.
According to Jason, project management has a strong focus on customer service:
“Consulting, in general, is very customer service driven,” Jason explained. “Clients come to us with problems. A lot of this is interpreting what our clients want and what will be the best solution for them.”
When overseeing a project, a project manager will assess the client’s objectives, consider potential opportunities and challenges, and then translate for their team. This entails estimating timelines, carefully considering budget, and strategizing the most effective approach for the team to begin tackling their work.
But for new clients, developing trust in your project manager’s abilities can take time. Read on to learn more about Jason’s approach.
Building and maintaining a strong relationship with your client is another pillar of project success. Jason identified two key elements in cultivating this trust: confidence and honesty.
While our teams may possess confidence in their respective specialties, that alone does not guarantee a happy and trusting client. Jason emphasized that honesty is paramount to fostering successful relationships:
“I’ve never been a fake-it-till-you-make-it kind of person,” Jason declared. “I want to be upfront. This is something we’ll be figuring out together, but you’re in good hands … and we’re going to get you to where you want to go.”
This commitment to transparency builds a sense of assurance and togetherness. However, any number of things can change or evolve once work begins—from brand acquisitions to unexpected budget cuts to schedule accommodations for parental leave. Any project manager working agency-side for long enough has certainly had to navigate their fair share of twists.
To learn more about how to manage a project once you’re in the thick of it, you’ll have to watch or listen to the full episode!
This brief glimpse offers a taste of our comprehensive discussion on project management. To gain more insight on navigating feedback and revisions, scoping hours against a budget, choosing the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and more, we encourage you to listen to the full episode!
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