How to Adopt Project Management for Your Business #13

spk_0:   0:03
Welcome to the my Amazon guy podcast. Today we're gonna be talking about project management. All those things you have to get done for Amazon and everything that's involved. So now I'm joined by dust and fencing. Dustin is a project manager at my Amazon guy. Welcome.

spk_1:   0:20
Hey, Stephen. Glad to be with you.

spk_0:   0:22
So, you know, we're gonna be talking to Dustin today about what it's like to manage all of the ongoing projects that Amazon and get kind of crazy with the ring that adds up. So, first question for you, Dustin is project management, in your opinion, different at Amazon as compared to, say, another business model?

spk_1:   0:42
It is. It is a lot of things that you can predict four and other business models can't be predicted full on Amazon you are on Amazon's ballgame is what they want to do. A lot of times, you can think that you have something under control. You can create a case with Amazon that can give you a completely different answer than what you were expecting. So it's always something new, and you just have to learn to adjust and go with the flow and the gestural project managing accordingly.

spk_0:   1:15
So sometimes you know I'm saying, Hey, Dustin, can we wrap this up? And that's not always possible because we're waiting on a ticket. We're waiting for Amazon or waiting on the client for something. So how do you How do you keep up with that agility?

spk_1:   1:31
It's something that I've always had. Personally, I have a good long term memory, so I can kind of pull just from what I remember or know doing. I can pull from that and go from there and know exactly where I'm at, but sometimes it can get overwhelming, and sometimes you have to have some kind of notes. So that's where we start to use some tools as well. And I use some tools, help me keep track of. So

spk_0:   2:02
what kind of what kind of tools they're using right now.

spk_1:   2:05
I use Google sheets. Google sheets has always been a lifesaver for me. Uh, sheets help me keep track of everything when it comes to project management from tactical items such as listing new products or keeping track of keywords to using a sauna to keep track of the most important tool. Oh, the most important projects that have to be remembered, and I don't want to just rely on my memory for

spk_0:   2:35
So let's talk about ghouls sheets For a moment. I feel like one of the most important things that we do for our clients at my Amazon guy, ah, is to create a product data sheet. And as companies scale, they have to load their products and not only multiple platforms, but they may load it. Amazon and all of a sudden, boom detail, page removal or boom. Somebody deletes the catalog where Amazon deletes the catalog. So So if you project manage that in a way where you've got a single source of data for your products, you're gonna have that good backup. So I think Google Sheets is a really good one. Let's talk about a sauna because this is probably the really big, most important tool on the list. Um, and by the way, a lot of those who are listening to this who haven't used a project management tool before the free version of Asana is absolutely worth testing out. And so let's talk a little bit about that. What do you like about Asano? What do you not like about a sauna?

spk_1:   3:34
I do like a bass sauna is its ease of use. Could easily create tasks or anything that you need to do, and you can make it either as a one time pass or repetitive past. So a lot of as you know, a lot about reporting stuff that has to be done on a weekly basis. It'll pop up without having to go back and remember to re add that has, well, another. Another thing I like about it is some clients like to be in on the action, as Sun allows them to do that. They allow it, allows them to see where we are really time.

spk_0:   4:11
Yeah, and I like that, too. So all you know, as an agency owner, I'm constantly stacking the queue, if you will, for employees. And so by the time I put the task into asana, I've already forgotten about it, right? And so when that task it's done, I automatically get notified that the task is done, and if there's any comments or challenges, they could be added to that task. And then let's say let's say we've got some task that are taking two plus weeks and we got other task that takes 24 hours and turn around. Well, you don't have to. You know what? The worry about all that you said a due date and say deadline for this is here, and then you can go lick. Okay, here, all the tasks that are supposed to do today, Here's what's coming up. Should we re prioritize anything? And you could also look at it and say, Ah, hey, this task. We've had a lot of back and forth on a creative project, A lot of feedback. Well, instead of us having to put this all into a giant email would put all that once that information in one location. So that task can be tracked over time instead of trying to be juggling some email threats. That's one of my favorite things about it, too. All right, So any anything else on a sauna?

spk_1:   5:22
U s and the original question? Is there anything I disliked about it? Um, I'm not used extra saunas. Only actual project management suffer that I've used consistently on the only thing I dislike about it is the way that it sends e mails. It sent so many emails to May that I had to filter it out. So it's not something that constantly reminds me. And especially when I first started, I actually missed a couple of pass because I didn't remember to go back to a sauna and because I have a notification for it. So that's something that I didn't like about it. Ah, way that I've kind of gotten around. That, though, is I had the app on my phone that pops up, so that really helps me remember. But for an email perspective, I don't like it.

spk_0:   6:12
So so Sana. Anytime a common is attitude, a task can generate an email. And, of course, if there's hundreds of task flying around, it can get a little overwhelming. Um, so So, yeah, there's definitely a few different ways that could be managed, either walking into asana and looking at the task, the due dates there and anything that's got new comments or or a tracking it by email to know. Hey, I need to go check out this task later and and and keep with it, um, one of the other things I like about Osama's. It does integrate with some other platforms. Um, I do not like a saunas integration into Gmail. Ah, I felt like that one was pretty awful. There's there's, like a 22nd delay if you're trying to create a task out of Gmail to generate into a sound. So we tested that one out and kind of Nick's down pretty quick. Um, the other integration, though I really like those. Harvest and harvest for those that don't know is the time management tool. This particular thing is probably not one that most, um, product based businesses or corporations they're gonna want to adopt. Nobody likes tracking their time, but for agencies or somebody, anyone with virtual employees is a fantastic tool. So you contract by project and by task how long each item is taking, which makes it really easy to bill accordingly. If you're an agency and also helps you understand your burn rates if you're just, um you know ah, regular corporation that is doing work for yourself. So if you're if you're wondering how long that report takes every Monday to generate to send that to the CEO Boom, there you go. It took three hours, or whatever it might be. Maybe that's not a good use of time. Maybe we should spend two and 1/2 of those hours going back and actually getting some stuff done to move the needle on. Move the numbers and maybe that roll up to the CEO should be five bullet points instead of five paragraphs. So that's the kind of thing that harvest I feel like. I can be helpful for project management, running burn rates and all that good stuff. All right, so let's let's go to the next question. So, Dustin, do you feel like project management is a cultural issue?

spk_1:   8:23
It can be. It definitely can be, Ah, project management. Every company has a different culture, some cultures, more way back. Some are very strict and stringent on project management goes a lot. Along with that, I really think that project management should be done something that should be done on the top of in the organization's structure, first focusing on where the organization wants to go and what kind projects the

spk_0:   8:57
So let's talk a little bit about that. When you say top, What you really mean is from the owners and the CEO and the manager's pushing project management as as a philosophy down into the culture down to the every single employee, right? That's that's kind of what you're getting at when you say top, right? Yes. All right, so So I didn't interrupt, but I wanted to make sure I kind of stress that because if if Project Management's not adopted by the CEO of the owner, the founder, whatever can well really work,

spk_1:   9:31
it really won't I. I'm a firm believer of if you want your employees or people under you to adopt something and to do it that the CEO of the owner of the person making the decisions has to do it themselves. I've seen several good articles and means on leadership, and the Wieder always has to be working alongside the employees of the workers. So that's something that can also apply for project management.

spk_0:   10:03
So whatever is not inspected probably won't get done on that. That's a typical project thing, but but, ah, so I'm a big believer in project management myself. Obviously, that's why we've adopted some of these tools. But when we were first starting out before we, you know, used a sauna, we were tracking every task in one giant ah Google sheet to try and manage it. Um, we kept time in one Google sheet, and then we kept each employee would have task for their own. Ah, their own, um uh, brands or companies that they were working with clients, if you will. And And so the challenge with that, though, is as the organization grew, we had specialists that started again involved. So no longer was a single person working the entire brand of the entire account. We now hired a designer we now hired. Ah, an ad manager and and then a tactical person who went in and pulled reports. So without ah Project management tool as the organization scales and specialists get involved, it's gonna be hard for the person who is, Let's say, the account manager and to know what's the status on that design bill? What's the status on? Hey, Hey. Is advertising been checked in the last 72 hours? Well, yes, it is. Yes, it has. I can see clearly here because it's been checked off. 00 And by the way, one of the other things I really like about project tools, like a saunas, you consent recurring tasks. Not only can you set the task bye do this every Monday. You could set it do this every seven days or do this every three days. Um and so that's a really good one that I like and and you can you know, there's probably other tools like Gant charts. I don't think that's necessarily needed. Um, I think that's one. Maybe one level deeper. You know, if you're trying to figure out, um, you know, if that oil rig could be made in three months and you need to know Hey, I can't start this task until these other 13 tasks are done. That's when I would go Gant charted up. But I think, um, I think you know, regular e commerce business probably only needs to do something like a sauna. Thio move forward. So I know it's a little bit of tangent off culture, but you jog my memory a little bit on some of the things that I recently was appreciating. All right, so let's go back to culture then, so it can be really tricky for me, as as a manager or a boss to tow this line between micromanaging projects and and and assigning them with no follow up and wondering where the rat. So how do you feel Like we can tow that line delicately?

spk_1:   12:49
That's something that has to be done. Him readjusted i daily basis. Um, I think, I think obviously every organization can have improvements hours. There's no exception to that, but I think we do a relatively good job at it. I think as project or as a manager, you have to go. You have to release on weekly basis. Go into the projects yourselves, especially ones that you know are important and or for bigger clients. And you have to go in and just nudge will follow up on those. Another great thing to do is to have a daily or weekly sink as we d'oh as an organization with a group and then also with individuals as well. You just kind of see where they are asked where stress points are and see if there's anything that can be done for the client. Always think it's better toe act proactively before the client questions something and to address in the issues internally before you have to address or solve issues externally,

spk_0:   14:02
yeah, and so when the you know the project has a deadline coming up. And if it's missed or not hit, then of course, you know, the questions start getting asked. And so I think it's a great way to manage those expectations and say, Hey, we're gonna be delayed on this two days instead of getting the question Hey, where's my stuff? This could also be applied at at At At a non agency corporation. Um, where you're waiting on that design team to get that photo for you or you're waiting on ah, the warehouse to ship that pallet, all kinds of things that can need some accountability. And and so one of the things that you also might want to do as a product based business is Hey, am I Do I have all my inventory checked in? Is all my inventory? Ah, live. Just have a 60 day supply it Amazon Well, Phew. Create some task to go analyze. Okay. Hey, I need to have ah shipment. Go out at least once or twice a week and hear the Scuse I really want to focus on. It can definitely be helpful. All right, so let's go the next question. So how do you take your current project management process? you know that we kind of outline on today's podcast and continuously improve it without interfering and, you know, without interfering with the actual work, if you know what I mean.

spk_1:   15:22
Uh huh. That's a good question. I don't let me think about that for a second.

spk_0:   15:29
So So what I want when we ask this question And the reason I ask is because when an organization is already overloaded, let's say you're a person shy on the team and you don't have, ah, enough personnel to get it done. And you're like, Hey, Monday morning, we're going to start implementing Project Management and this is like this great thing that everybody loves to adopt. They don't, um, and And so how do you How do you without interrupting the work, go in there and say we're gonna start using this tool? Or maybe you already use the tool and and we're gonna use it a little bit differently, and we're gonna tweet that process. So So do you feel like you feel like there's a wayto massage that project management improvement into the culture into the system? If you think

spk_1:   16:11
for me personally, I think the best way to do this is to just do it. I don't having meetings or talking about. It's great, but I think the best thing to do is just kind of give a brief outline to whoever you're doing the project management work with held them what needs to be done, give explanation how to do it and then implement it and go from there. If there's any issues or problems with the new process of protocols and those can kind of be brought up as you're within the workflow, kind of like when you're running a new board game, always form a personally, I rather just jump in there and start playing the game without spending us whole man of time reading the rules before doing it. I

spk_0:   16:57
think I think it's a great metaphor. Ah, but okay, so what? Let's talk about board games for just a brief moment. My probably my favorite ticket to ride and sellers a good tan. What are your favorites? Dustin

spk_1:   17:08
could The ride is I love that game. I've never played so Scott Tan by here's good another. I have always enjoyed risk, and, uh, Monopoly is also a favorite of mine.

spk_0:   17:19
Yes, So if you're gonna bring a new person in to play that board game and let's go a ticket to ride. I want you to explain Ticket to ride in 2 to 3 sentences. Ready? Go.

spk_1:   17:32
Uh, the game. The game is a broad platform. The idea is to build your own train track and to build Joan Train track across the United States, just like your builder back in the 18 hundreds. So

spk_0:   17:48
so stop there. Now that is the that is enough information to start playing, and and that's exactly how we look at project Management. So we are the owner of a railroad, and we need to go from Point A to point B. That and the reason why we're going to use the project management tools because we don't know how to get from New York to Tallahassee, Florida And so that's the purpose of a product management tool. Is the help us connect that Say's that says Hey, by the way, guys, did you know we actually had to go through Driggs, Idaho, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and then through Houston, Texas, to get the Tallahassee Florida and and the team is gonna look and you'd be like that doesn't make any sense. Why would we want to go halfway across the country to the west to go down to the South? Well, hey, by the way, when we were actually outlining this project management and we saw that there was another railroad company or another two competitors who had blocked everything off between Maryland and South Carolina and we can't go through there, we can't go that direction now. Now, in this particular metaphor that we, by the way, we didn't plan this. We just came up with it on the fly here. Um, Amazon could be that competitors Who's in the way. Or, uh, let's say you got a deficiency in a particular area, and so I think I think that's another great going

spk_1:   19:07
product gets shut down for. We've seen that with some clients. Product

spk_0:   19:14
product detail. Page removals are really bad right now. Really bad Amazons. Very touchy. And so, but I have to be proactive and go through your listings and look for any new possible policy violations. For example, if you have anything that talks about the FDA, um, or have their logo on on your listings, we've seen detail page rubles for that. That's kind of the newest when we saw in the last week

spk_1:   19:39
or Corona virus,

spk_0:   19:40
Yeah, coded 19

spk_1:   19:42
to wish things taken off line for that on the UK side. So

spk_0:   19:47
and and they're being very touchy about claims right now, you absolutely have to back up your claims and make sure that you, um don't don't say something that your product can't substantiate or immediately proved. All right, So let's go back to our our non metaphor project management discussion. So what kind of feedback do you feel like you typically get from from clients who see that we manage their projects? Well,

spk_1:   20:17
generally clients that, um, if you measure projects well, the happy. But as long as those projects equate to better sales and better revenue, that's always a catch there. But to answer your question directly, if you're pro actively getting the project's done, if you're coming up with new adding value and coming up with new ideas and new things that they haven't thought of themselves. If you're making their wish, things better optimizing it. They see there a costs is decreasing for the advertising campaigns. They see the sales increasing, then they're going to only keep us as an agency, but also potentially refer us out someone else. So it's always good to have good project management.

spk_0:   21:10
Well, I appreciate you coming on the podcast today, Dust. And I I definitely would summarize a lot of we talked about that. You know, basically, project managers increases output. A lot of people thinks it might slow it down. You gotta do more documentation, but but in reality, it really does increase output, and it allows for more focus. And focus is a big topic because, um as companies have so many things competing for prioritization and whatnot, it allows you to sit down and say, Hey, here's what we're actually gonna focus on and and my recommendation to my listeners is used project management to help you focus and make project management your focus for a solid month as you try and on board it before you move off of that focus. And if you do all those things, dozens right, you're gonna have an increase in in an output which leads to an increase in sales, traffic conversion and and overall better business growth. So thanks for coming on today, Dustin

spk_1:   22:07
Thank you, Steve.

spk_0:   22:08
All right, so that's the My Amazon guy podcast. We appreciate you listening today. Please refer our podcast out to three other people so we can spread the word. And if you liked it today, leave a review on Apple podcast Google or or I Heart radio and all the other platforms that we can be found on. Thank you very much.