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Project Management: An Important Factor in Your Company’s Success

Who says you can’t integrate new elements into an existing organization? “Of course you can!” says Andreas Popescu, Program Manager at MailStore. Andreas holds a doctorate in history, so he’s used to working in a scientific, methodical way. With project management at MailStore, he is doing his part to keep the company on its course for growth.

six phases of a project
These phases should be followed at your own risk.

Let’s start small: What is a project, anyway? When we talk about projects in the context of a company, we’re usually talking about a new, unique, complex, and fixed-term undertaking that requires intensive planning and extensive work to implement. Project management comes into play when the project criteria for a planned project are met. Project management comprises the planning, execution, and wrap-up of a project, ensuring that a structured approach is taken right from the start. The right kind of project management can reduce risks that might disrupt a project and help a company seize opportunities and achieve qualitative project objectives. In that sense, project management can have a positive impact on the success of a project, making an important contribution to the company’s overall success, as well.

But how does project management work at SMEs?

The opportunities to utilize project management at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are frequently underestimated. And yet, the success or failure of a project can often have even more significant consequences for SMEs than for larger companies. To get an idea of the functions of project management at an SME, we can take a look at the work that our Program Manager, Andreas Popescu, handles. For a company like MailStore, a constantly growing number of customers also means a constantly growing number of projects. It’s important not to lose sight of the big picture here, and the big picture is the core of Andreas’s work: He plans, coordinates, and manages projects. At the beginning of a project, cross-departmental teams are usually established and project roles with corresponding tasks are assigned. As the project progresses, he helps employees concentrate on their role within the team, placing the focus on tackling their specific tasks. While the team works on the content, Andreas provides methodological and organizational support for the project. He makes sure that the general parameters are observed, including making decisions about workflows or communication with stakeholders, as well as handling administrative issues such as knowledge documentation or organizing appointments. It’s important to him to think and plan as far ahead as possible and to spot any potential risks at an early stage. That’s how Andreas minimizes disruptions that could impact the team during their project work, and how he helps guide the project to a successful conclusion.

What are the best methods for a medium-sized company?

Program Manager Andreas at work
Andreas puts the focus on the team’s needs.

There are no perfect ‘method templates’ that would work for every company; project management is a process of continuous development that has to be tailored to each company’s specific needs and requirements. Or, in other words, the perfect concept for each company has to be developed individually. One of these individual aspects is the way in which projects are carried out at MailStore. Andreas has adopted the philosophy of ‘servant leadership,’ which, in a nutshell, puts the focus on the team’s needs. According to Andreas, this empathetic leadership style is a much better fit for MailStore’s company culture than a hierarchical style would be.

In the next blog post, Andreas will reveal which projects he’s currently pursuing and what other aspects of project management he believes are important. We hope you’ll read along!



Jonathan Clerk
21/12/2018, 08:01

This blog really inspires me very well for writing project management.

Damian Roberts
29/08/2021, 15:01

Hi Wendy, I enjoyed reading through the article. I’m planning to apply for a project manager position, but I lack the basics to get started. Transitioning from customer service to project management is quite challenging, so this was helpful in my situation, and I gained a lot from this. I’ll be looking forward to your next blog.

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