How to be a project manager and run your business like a pro

You didn’t mean to become a project manager. And yet, here you are, not just running an agency, but managing the people who manage the projects.

Your team handles the tasks. They build timelines, deliver work, and move things forward. But the bigger your agency gets, the more your role shifts. You’re not deep in the weeds: you’re the one making sure nothing gets stuck in them.

You’re managing capacity, unblocking roadblocks, and trying to make sure no one’s burning out or duplicating work. You’re not chasing tasks, you’re ultimately chasing clarity.

Becoming a project manager at this level isn’t about assigning to-dos. It’s about leading with visibility. Keeping everyone aligned. And giving your team the structure they need to do their best work, without micromanaging every detail.

If you’ve ever found yourself googling “how to be a project manager” just to make sense of the chaos you accidentally inherited, you’re not alone.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need a certification or to start saying “scrum” in casual conversation to run your business like a pro.

With smoother handoffs, a few smart automations, and one place where everything actually lives, your team can run with it.

Because when your team’s got the projects handled, you get to do what you’re really here for: lead the business, exercise your creativity, without having to chase updates.

And here’s how you can get started.

1. Reduce your tech stack

You know the drill: one of your team’s tasks lives in an inbox, another in Slack, three reminders are scribbled in a notebook, and that one client just sent a request via Instagram DM (why?!). It’s a mess, and trying to run your business like that? Exhausting.

That’s why step one is giving your team’s work a single home. Somewhere to keep track of your team’s clients, projects, and all the little details in between — without bouncing between six tools just to figure out what’s going on.

This is where investing in a client and project management system can help: one, like Copper.

Copper isn’t your average CRM. It’s a client and project management platform, which means you get the full picture. Instead of relying on memory (or digging through your inbox), use Copper to track every interaction, detail, and decision. You can:

• Log call notes and meeting recaps directly in the contact’s profile

• Track task history and email conversations

• Add custom fields to capture things like project stages, campaign names, or client preferences

And if your team already uses tools like Google Calendar, Slack, or Docs to get things done, there’s no need to change your whole setup. A solid system should work with what you’ve already got — not make you rebuild it from scratch.

Running your business gets way easier when everything, and everyone, is on the same page.

Not only does this help you feel more on top of things, it also improves client relationships. You’ll remember what matters to them — and they’ll notice.

2. Break things down into actual tasks

One of the easiest ways to stall a project is with vague to-dos. If your team’s task lists include things like “Work on website” or “Send something to client,” you’re basically setting your future self up to play project detective.

Project managers are great at breaking big goals into manageable, action-oriented steps. And even if you’re not one, you can absolutely do the same.

Let’s say your team just signed a new retainer client. Great news. Now the onboarding begins — and that means coordinating design, strategy, and account teams to get aligned from day one. Instead of winging it every time, you and your team can create a dedicated onboarding pipeline in Copper or launch a new project using a saved onboarding template.

From there, you and your team can assign out clear tasks like:

• Schedule kickoff call

• Create welcome package

• Set up shared folders

• Assign first set of deliverables

• Send onboarding email

This kind of breakdown makes it easier to track who’s doing what, spot potential blockers, and move the project forward without anyone asking, “Wait—was I supposed to do that?”

3. Make project scope clear and visible

You might not use the term “scope creep,” but if you’ve ever had a project snowball beyond what was originally agreed on, you know exactly what it is. A logo design turns into a full rebrand. A one-time strategy session becomes six months of ongoing support—with no added fee.

The fix? Clarity upfront.

Even if you’re not writing out full statements of work, you and your team should define:

• What the client is getting

• What timelines you’re working with

• What happens if priorities shift

It’s not about being rigid. It’s about protecting your time and keeping clients aligned.

4. Communicate proactively (and on schedule)

You don’t need weekly stand-ups or hour-long check-ins to keep things running smoothly. What you do need is a consistent rhythm for communication: something predictable that keeps your team aligned and your clients in the loop.

Start by thinking about what each person actually needs to know and when. Then commit to a simple cadence. That might look like:

• Monday check-ins to review priorities for the week

• Mid-week client updates via email on project status

• End-of-week internal reviews on progress and blockers

This doesn’t have to be overly formal, but it does need to be consistent. The more reliable your updates, the less your clients will feel the need to nudge you.

A good CRM can be a huge help here. With Copper, you can log internal notes, attach files, and view the full communication history for each contact or company, all in one place. No more digging through inboxes or scrolling back through Slack to remember what was said.

Better yet, when you can see when you last touched base with a client, you're less likely to let too much time pass between updates. That means fewer “just circling back” emails and more confident, timely communication that builds trust and keeps things moving forward.