What Mike Michelini is up to Now – July 17 – 23, 2022
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Semi on the edge of my seat refreshing email. Awaiting news from the Thai company if I am hirable. Ironic. No matter the outcome – the beautiful thing is our work here can be done anywhere (so long as you have internet and electricity – not always so easy if you can believe it) .
This week:
* Weekly launch calendar, and product launch workflow – really exciting to work with our great team on this standard process. Once running, believe will further reduce my personal stress.
* HR – may have another ecommerce CS rep join us, perfect timing as we do more launch processes. Also a few HR cases
* Payroll and finance – for blimp method, and for the Shadstone team payroll workflow + It flow.
* Software and workflows for product launch – we have so many tools, but still need to SOP and video train the team on using them.
For those who want to hear the full week plan for Shadstone Limited, Mike’s company (removing sensitive info) – here it is:
Week Plan – July 17 – 23, 2022 Shadstone Limited
Tons going on, as always. But we keep learning and improving. One iniative I’m most excited about is we are planning more in advance (being more pro-active rather than re-active). I know these week plans are short sighted just for th week ahead ,and I realize each Monday we (at least I) are scrambling to make sure we do certain announcements for the week ahead.
Hopefully this new “company wide” Launch Calendar can help us –
(Internal company SOP link removed)
It felt good outlining this on Saturday morning – looking 1 – 2 months out for a week by week “focus” on what product or service we will be focusing on “launching” or promoting. Still a first version and open to all feedback and suggestions.
Some highlights from last week:
The EB brand was in focus:
* The first amazon listing for Excalibur Brothers has been live a full week the wine polishing cloth (https://excaliburbrothers.com/wine-polishing-cloth/ ), inventory checked in, sales coming, connected to various softwares for Blimp Method, and reviews coming.
* Deployed new brand site for Excalibur Brothers – tons of work from the team to get the new https://excaliburbrothers.com/ website online, beautiful.
* Still a bunch to do on the Round Table inner pages, the Discord organizing. Luciano is meeting w/ me this afternoon (Sunday) to dive into more ideas and the EB NFT collection will be further defined.
* Tons more on ambassador program, landing pages, and more launch strategies to do.
Akitai brand:
* Nice to see the SMM team organizing, Walter coordinating with Ariane on the graphics and content schedule. Christian overseeing as PM. Let’s support the growing team members and future leaders of these departments.
* Discussing new products with Luciano’s help, as well as packaging and post sale procedures.
Esatto brand:
Since summer 2020 this has been in the queue, and seems a 40 foot ocean container will “set sail” finally from Bangkok to LA to launch 40+ products at the same time.
NowShenzhen:
* David working hard to get weekly community events (wow, weekly!)
* Kombucha drink David is getting new accounts onboard, also with Echo’s support (our sales agent at NowSZ)
* Working on adding video recap for the weekender round up of events.
GFA / Blimp Method
* Had a blimp + GFAVIP mastermind (combined) last week.
* Pushing hard to get the next 2 franchisees to prepare shipping plans so we can get the flash and leather glasses case live on Amazon.
* Aubrey working hard to get the sales page and package ready for cohort 2 (check launch calendar for dates)
* Martha and Ching working hard to settle all the financials for blimp method so we know the costs of the program.
GFA Kids
* Adding more specialized teachers such as music, science, business to the roster.
* Wendy wants a Chinese website, believe it was translated and hope the team can duplicate thee English one to make a Chinese version (I like this as we dont want all in wechat only!)
* GFA Kids team seems to be smoothening out the processes and workflows.
* Re-organizing a bit and hope Lori can help on teacher recruiting and still able to do her own studies.
SkyInclude / Handshake
* Had a 2 hour Twitter space last week, (with IT issue in the middle)
* Working on next monthly auction for end of July (check launch calendar)
* Closer to adding more domain extensions (.mastermind , .upsy) to our SkyInclude domain registrar, as well as allow other Handshake TLD owners to submit (but working on process)
* Indigitus have something new cooking.
BeckyAI Crowdfunding campaign
* Don gave us a complete service training video to review.
* Samples should arrive to Don to make video this week, and photos.
* Need to start email outreach, to start to get PR and review ready.
More Client Work
* A factory in Dongguan is really pushing to work with us on their website and brand. We may do so, but need to limit my personal involvement as I am about to have my brain explode. So lets see if we can service them without my involvement.
* A Shenzhen Amazon seller after 6 months of talk is working on a long term collaboration. David did amazing on negotiating that and basically “Saving the deal”. He’ll help make a new proposal that is 95% likely to be accepted (a 3 month, 6 month, and long term collaboration idea).
HR and Internal Tools and Processes
* SEO team and “e-comm support” – we want to better integrate our online marketing team with the growing portfolio of Amazon brands to leverage our websites and blogs. Been coordinating with our SEO team on Friday calls.
* Payroll process – we should be announcing soon a new cut off for payroll, as well as a new technology solution. Believe Manly will be working on the IT side this week.
* Lead generation and influencer outreach – hope to further define and execute on this and develop a core team to support on it.
* Potentially a new customer service rep joining – I was introduced an experienced Amazon FBA CS rep who worked with my friend’s brand for 4 years who moved on (after selling the brand). We do need help in this department and plan to interview her this week.
And so much more. Sorry if I am not mentioning your name or the projects you are working on. Honestly it will be harder and harder and these week plans may get longer and longer.
But this is the dream and vision of Shadstone since inception in 2007. In 2004 we started selling online, under a different company, but in 2007 setup Shadstone as an “engine” company in the back (shadow) as the “foundation (stone) the brands and businesses we build can rely on.
Let’s keep making amazing things happen. And I really hope we can always give opportunities and reward those who are willing to work hard, keep an open mind, learn new things, and grow. This is the culture and team we want – and with that – the sky is truly the limit.
If you think we are doing big things already- this is nothing compared to what is in the long term vision.
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