Operations · Q3 2026 · Elite operator model

Five initiatives.
One operating system.

We are not a collection of people completing tasks. We are a team of elite operators who investigate, make decisions, solve for outcomes, and leave the system stronger.

Explore the portfolio See how we operate
05Major initiatives
01Shared operator standard
07Performance domains
Q3Portfolio horizon

The portfolio

Where we are
building capacity

Each initiative solves a different constraint, but they work as one system. Sales growth, support, fulfillment, expansion, and training must move together.

01Activate

Amish sales process

Build a respectful, phone-first path from community demand to active accounts, reliable orders, and payouts.

Revenue enablement →
02Transform

Salesforce Service Cloud

Move from reactive support to an AI-enabled service operation with shared ownership and better knowledge.

Operating infrastructure →
03Simplify

Fulfillment + logistics

Replace workarounds and stalled queues with visible inventory, clear rules, and reliable handoffs.

Operational reliability →
04Control

Australia market + fulfillment expansion

Launch with transparent communication, verifiable readiness, and clear operational governance.

Market readiness →
05Centralize

Affiliate training

Create one trusted, accessible destination for onboarding, training, and approved resources.

Partner capability →

The team standard

From task-doers
to elite operators

The July PM call established a clear shift: our value is not measured by how many assigned items we complete. It is measured by how well we understand the system, exercise judgment, solve the real problem, and build capacity for the whole team.

01 · Investigate

Start with context

Check the system, documentation, prior decisions, customer evidence, and downstream impact before asking someone else to solve it.

02 · Frame

Name the real problem

Separate the symptom from the constraint. Make the stakes, assumptions, dependencies, and decision required visible.

03 · Recommend

Bring a point of view

Offer credible options, the tradeoffs, and a recommended path. Ask for a decision or support—not a fresh assignment.

04 · Strengthen

Own and improve

Carry the outcome through verification, then turn the learning into a clearer rule, reusable knowledge, or a stronger system.

The operating shift

Individual ownership.
Collective intelligence.

Task mode

Wait for direction

→

Seek context and define the next decision

Operator mode
Task mode

Escalate the raw issue

→

Bring evidence, options, and a recommendation

Operator mode
Task mode

Close the assigned item

→

Verify the outcome and strengthen the system

Operator mode

Elite does not mean operating alone. It means arriving prepared, using the team's collective context, challenging ideas constructively, and making what we learn available to the next operator.

PMBOK-aligned portfolio model

Govern for value.
Control the change.

This portfolio uses a tailored hybrid approach. Every initiative must connect work to an intended outcome, make decision rights visible, verify quality at gates, and adapt controls to risk.

01 · Value

Start with the outcome

Track both dimensions of success: whether the initiative creates worthwhile business value and whether delivery remains controlled across scope, schedule, finance, and quality.

  • Outcome and benefit hypothesis
  • Leading and lagging measures
  • Acceptance criteria and transition owner
02 · Accountability

Make decisions traceable

Each initiative needs an accountable lead, sponsor or change authority, escalation thresholds, and a named approver for the next gate. Unconfirmed roles remain TBC.

  • Decision and assumption log
  • Primary, backup, and governance coverage
  • Escalation route and tolerance
03 · Integrated control

Assess the whole system

Changes are evaluated across all seven performance domains before scope, dates, funding, staffing, or acceptance baselines are changed.

  • Risk, issue, dependency, and change register
  • Cross-initiative impact review
  • Rebaseline or reprioritize after approval
04 · Learning

Inspect and adapt

Weekly reviews use evidence, stakeholder feedback, and quality signals to adjust the delivery approach—not just report activity or percent complete.

  • Weekly portfolio health review
  • Gate review and retrospective
  • Lessons captured into SOPs and training

Seven connected performance domains

GovernanceScopeScheduleFinanceStakeholdersResourcesRisk
Confirmed

Supported by an explicit decision or operating record.

Proposed

A recommended control or target awaiting approval.

TBC

A material owner, date, budget, or decision not yet evidenced.

July 27 planning refresh

Align first.
Then baseline.

The PM follow-up converted the portfolio from a strategic overview into a working planning cycle: agree the scope, owner, OKRs, milestones, dependencies, and decisions in Slack Canvas, then translate the approved plan into ClickUp sprints.

Confirmed

Initiative scoping leads

Amish sales process
Leo
Service Cloud
Chanelle
Fulfillment + logistics
Luan
Australia expansion
Heinrich
Affiliate training
Sebastiaan

Heinrich partners with Luan on manufacturing automation and fulfillment knowledge transfer. Full delivery authority and backup coverage still require confirmation.

Confirmed

Planning sequence

  1. Scope visiblyBreak each initiative into projects, decisions, dependencies, and realistic milestones.
  2. Build consensusRefine proposed OKRs asynchronously in the PM Slack Canvas.
  3. Baseline executionMove approved work into ClickUp sprints with owners and acceptance evidence.
Working cadence

Internal portfolio milestones

End of July

Make work visible: confirm scoping leads, OKRs, milestone logic, dependencies, and first sprint candidates.

August

Activate systems and pilots: advance Service Cloud, launch the Amish pilot, centralize training, and test fulfillment changes.

September

Inspect, optimize, automate proven workflows, cross-train critical work, and convert learning into operating standards.

Draft for approval The OKRs below are measurable working proposals derived from the July 27 call and existing operating evidence. They become commitments only after the initiative leads and decision authority approve them.

Initiative 01

Amish sales
process

Design the channel around how the community buys: human support, paper-ready resources, compliant payments, and visible internal workflow.

01

Move demand into repeatable revenue.

Launch a controlled pilot that reduces manual work per affiliate while improving activation, first-order accuracy, and payout readiness.

Projects

Core workstreams

  • Salesforce intake and account workflow
  • I-Payout Merchant Managed onboarding
  • Paper-first forms and order packet
  • Phone and liaison support model
Next moves

Decisions to unblock

  • Close legal and underwriting gates
  • Confirm payout limits, fees, and cadence
  • Finalize call coverage and Zoom access
  • Name sprint owners and pilot cohort
Guardrails

Protect trust

  • Salesforce owns status—not protected bank data
  • Use provider-approved identity pathways
  • Do not advance incomplete records
Success signals

Measure activation

  • Application-to-account cycle time
  • First-order accuracy and conversion
  • Payout-ready affiliates
  • Repeat orders and support load
Delivery approachHybrid

Formal compliance and payout gates; adaptive pilot learning.

Next gatePilot authorization

Legal, underwriting, payout terms, owner, and cohort confirmed.

Acceptance evidenceReady to activate

Approved packet, eligible records, payout pathway, and metric baseline.

Initiative ownerLeo

Backup operator, sponsor, and change authority still require confirmation.

Proposed OKR

Turn the pilot into a repeatable channel.

Initiative owner: Leo

Key results
  • 100% of pilot records pass the approved eligibility, consent, packet-completeness, and payout-readiness gate.
  • Zero protected bank or identity data is stored in Salesforce; every sensitive step uses a provider-approved pathway.
  • Baseline cycle time, first-order accuracy, payout readiness, repeat orders, and support load before launch; approve improvement targets before the first cohort closes.
Internal milestones
  1. Confirm Leo's ownership and name the backup operator, cohort, and decision authority.
  2. Close legal, underwriting, payout, and cancellation-language decisions.
  3. Approve the paper packet, intake workflow, call coverage, and exception path.
  4. Run readiness review and authorize the controlled pilot.
  5. Inspect the first cohort and rebaseline the channel playbook.

Initiative 02

Salesforce
Service Cloud

This is more than a platform migration. It combines service design, backlog recovery, knowledge management, cross-training, data migration, and AI-enabled support.

02

Build a service system that scales beyond managers.

Shift from manual triage and rigid specialization to shared queues, structured investigation, stronger knowledge, and clear escalation rules.

Platform

Migration scope

  • Complete functional-analysis decisions
  • Configure case data, SLAs, surveys, and WhatsApp
  • Reconcile 12-month migration vs. all-time counts
  • Preserve ownership and escalation logic
Operating model

Chanel's blueprint

  • Automated shared views and unassigned pulls
  • Tier 2 investigation before management
  • Weekly Support Trend Report and Audit
  • Cross-training pods with 2–3-deep coverage
Knowledge

Make answers reusable

  • Audit outdated help-center content
  • Trigger micro-updates after system changes
  • Rewrite legacy navigation before launch
  • Use onboarding to assess independent work
Immediate controls

Protect the cutover

  • Resolve access and license gaps
  • Keep the Zendesk integration token active
  • Stabilize Loop/Salesforce subscription data
  • Assign the active cancellation queue
Delivery approachHybrid

Controlled data migration and cutover with iterative service redesign.

Next gateDesign sign-off

Resolve scope, ownership, access, WhatsApp, SLA, and data-count conflicts.

Acceptance evidenceProduction verified

Access, attachments, routing, ownership, and SLA behavior work as approved.

Decision authorityTBC

Leadership must adopt the operating blueprint and name change authority.

Proposed OKR

Scale full-issue ownership without scaling manager dependency.

Scoping lead: Chanelle

Key results
  • Close 100% of launch-blocking scope, ownership, access, WhatsApp, SLA, and migration-count decisions before design sign-off.
  • Pass 100% of critical cutover tests for access, attachments, routing, ownership, escalation, and SLA behavior.
  • Establish at least two trained operators for each critical service workflow and require Tier 2 evidence plus a recommendation before management escalation.
  • Baseline queue age, unassigned rate, SLA breaches, reopened cases, and management escalations; approve post-launch improvement targets.
Internal milestones
  1. Chanelle publishes the initiative scope, target outcomes, and operating-model recommendation.
  2. Leadership resolves design conflicts and adopts or revises the Service Cloud blueprint.
  3. Complete configuration, migration rehearsal, shared-view setup, and knowledge updates.
  4. Run user acceptance, cutover-readiness, and backup-coverage reviews.
  5. Cut over, stabilize the queue, and inspect outcomes at the first weekly health review.
50+

Complex tickets should not live with one manager.

Chanel's report identifies management ticket holding as a critical SLA and continuity risk. The replacement is structured investigation, documented recommendations, peer support, and resilient coverage.

Initiative 03

Fulfillment +
logistics

Reliable fulfillment requires more than moving product. It requires visible inventory, approved exception rules, clean system handoffs, and packaging decisions that can scale.

03

Replace stalled queues with clear rules.

Reduce manual tracking, improve forecasting, and give support and warehouse teams one reliable way to act on exceptions.

Projects

Core workstreams

  • ShipStation and ShipBob standardization
  • Inventory and working-capital visibility
  • Canada and Mexico batch stabilization
  • Manufacturing workflow rebuild in ClickUp
Next moves

Remove friction

  • Approve the unverified-address rule
  • Define unreachable-customer handling
  • Train order interception and escalation
  • Finalize pack and physical-count dependencies
Decisions

Operating rules

  • Shipping validation stays warn-only
  • Stop fulfillment before refund and cancellation
  • Protect cancellation-processing windows
Success signals

Measure reliability

  • Address exceptions and queue age
  • Inventory accuracy and forecast quality
  • Order cycle time and rework
  • First-shipment reliability
Delivery approachHybrid

Standard operating rules with iterative exception reduction.

Next gateRule approval

Approve address, unreachable-customer, interception, and escalation rules.

Acceptance evidenceTraceable handoffs

Each exception has an owner, next action, threshold, and system record.

Scoping leadLuan

Heinrich supports manufacturing automation and knowledge transfer; change authority remains TBC.

Proposed OKR

Move exceptions quickly through one reliable operating system.

Scoping lead: Luan

Key results
  • 100% of unverified-address exceptions follow an approved contact, verification, ship-or-cancel, and remediation policy with a visible owner and timestamp.
  • Automate every agreed manufacturing-status handoff from Sin7 to ClickUp and measure the reduction in manual updates during the pilot.
  • Luan can run and teach the Australia and Mexico fulfillment workflows from a documented SOP; backup coverage passes a tabletop handoff.
  • Reduce the oldest fulfillment-exception backlog to an approved threshold; target and baseline remain TBC.
Internal milestones
  1. Map current ShipStation, ShipBob, Sin7, ClickUp, Australia, and Mexico handoffs.
  2. Approve the unverified-address and unreachable-customer policy.
  3. Demonstrate automated Sin7-to-ClickUp status updates.
  4. Document the workflow and validate Luan's operating and teaching coverage.
  5. Pilot the policy and automation, then review queue age, rework, and exception ownership.

Initiative 04

Australia market +
fulfillment expansion

Expansion succeeds when communication, inventory, compliance, tracking, and decision rights are visible before volume arrives.

04

Make readiness visible and govern exceptions.

Clear the inherited backlog while building launch controls that prevent the same problems from repeating.

Projects

Core workstreams

  • Australia Direct Fulfillment
  • Historical backlog reconciliation
  • Warehouse communication governance
  • Compliance and market-readiness controls
Next moves

Close the backlog

  • Validate held-order addresses
  • Complete tracking and shipping costs
  • Reconcile operational workbooks
  • Resolve customs valuation
Governance

Shared visibility

  • Keep Nick–Joe communications visible
  • Use tailored rules without hidden exceptions
  • Preserve primary, backup, and governance roles
Success signals

Prove readiness

  • Tracking completeness
  • Backlog age and closure rate
  • Launch-gate completion
  • First-order reliability
Delivery approachHybrid

Predictive compliance and launch gates with iterative backlog recovery.

August 1 gateMarket unlocked

The Australia website accepts orders and automatically logs and tracks them; this is not local-warehouse go-live.

Acceptance evidenceControls proven

Direct orders reconcile to the workbook and exceptions remain visible.

Scoping leadHeinrich

Existing operations: Ulaisha is primary, Chanelle backup, and Leo governance owner.

Proposed OKR

Unlock Australia through staged, evidence-led expansion.

Scoping lead: Heinrich

Key results
  • Confirmed: by August 1, the Australia website accepts orders and automatically logs and tracks them while fulfillment can continue from the US.
  • Approve a 3PL-versus-internal-warehouse decision using cost, location, volume, carrier, staffing, compliance, and readiness evidence before commitment.
  • Make no internal-warehouse capital commitment above the discussed $50,000 level until proof-of-market criteria and decision authority are approved.
  • Pass local-fulfillment readiness with a named on-ground operator, backup coverage, compliant inventory, test shipment, tracking, and reconciliation.
Internal milestones
  1. Unlock Australia order intake and automated tracking by August 1.
  2. Confirm Nick's role, warehouse assumptions, location risk, and Max's decision involvement.
  3. Compare suitable 3PLs with the internal-warehouse option and present a recommendation.
  4. Approve the fulfillment model, staffing route, capital gate, and launch criteria.
  5. Run controlled local shipments, inspect proof of market, and decide when owned infrastructure is justified.

Initiative 05

Affiliate training
centralization

Partners should not have to guess where approved training lives. One trusted destination reduces confusion, shortens onboarding, and prevents avoidable support demand.

05

Create one trusted path to capability.

Bring onboarding, videos, approved resources, and regional content into a governed, easy-to-share experience.

Projects

Core workstreams

  • Go Central resource repository
  • Canva-based training hub
  • Interim YouTube library
  • Affiliate Support Center Alpha
Next moves

Consolidate

  • Confirm the permanent source of truth
  • Complete folders, access, and approvals
  • Finish Spanish training assets
  • Retire temporary storage when ready
Governance

Keep content current

  • Name content and approval owners
  • Create a recurring update cadence
  • Separate affiliate and agent training ownership
Success signals

Measure adoption

  • Content readiness and freshness
  • Training completion and reuse
  • Productive partner activation
  • Reduced preventable tickets
Delivery approachAdaptive

Release useful content in increments while governance protects accuracy.

Next gateSource-of-truth approval

Confirm the platform model, owners, access, and publishing workflow.

Acceptance evidenceCurrent and usable

Approved assets, Spanish verification, working links, and obsolete versions archived.

Scoping leadSebastiaan

Name content, translation, brand, approval, and transition authorities.

Proposed OKR

Create one trusted, current path to affiliate capability.

Scoping lead: Sebastiaan

Key results
  • Inventory 100% of launch-priority assets with a content owner, approval state, locale, destination, and freshness status.
  • Approve one governed source of truth and ensure Canva, YouTube, Salesforce, and the support center point back to it without conflicting versions.
  • Pass content, translation, brand, access, and link quality checks for all launch-critical English and Spanish materials.
  • Baseline completion, repeat usage, time to productive activation, search success, and preventable training tickets; approve improvement targets after launch.
Internal milestones
  1. Sebastiaan publishes the initiative scope, audience, priority journeys, and content inventory.
  2. Approve the platform model, source of truth, roles, access, and publishing workflow.
  3. Migrate priority assets and complete English, Spanish, brand, and link review.
  4. Soft-launch the centralized experience and close critical feedback.
  5. Review adoption and support impact, then archive obsolete interim versions.

Q3 delivery waves

Map. Activate.
Standardize.

These are delivery waves, not rigid process phases. Initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing continue wherever each initiative needs them.

JULY · MAP + DECIDE

Make the work visible

  • Break initiatives into ClickUp sprints
  • Assign outcomes, owners, dates, and dependencies
  • Close policy and access decisions
  • Stabilize urgent queues and backlogs

Gate: Are the decisions unblocked?

AUGUST · MIGRATE + ACTIVATE

Put systems into use

  • Advance Service Cloud implementation
  • Launch the controlled Amish pilot
  • Centralize affiliate resources
  • Pilot fulfillment and support changes

Gate: Are the systems adopted?

SEPTEMBER · AUTOMATE + STANDARDIZE

Turn learning into capacity

  • Automate proven recurring workflows
  • Document modular SOPs
  • Cross-train critical operations
  • Review impact and set Q4 actions

Gate: What becomes standard?

Continuous focusInitiate

Purpose, authority, value case

Continuous focusPlan

Scope, backlog, baselines, risks

Continuous focusExecute

Coordinate people and delivery

Continuous focusMonitor + control

Compare evidence and govern change

Continuous focusClose

Accept, transition, learn, stop

How elite operators lead

Six portfolio
principles

These PMBOK guideposts turn the operator mindset into consistent decisions across all five initiatives. The controls stay lightweight, but the expected behaviors do not.

01

See the whole system

Assess downstream effects across customers, operations, platforms, partners, and strategy.

02

Lead with value

Prioritize outcomes and benefits over activity volume, artifacts, or percent-complete reporting.

03

Build quality in

Define acceptance early, verify at each gate, and correct the process that creates rework.

04

Own the decision

Bring evidence, options, a recommendation, the accountable owner, and the escalation route.

05

Design to last

Consider long-term operating cost, resilience, maintainability, and responsible resource use.

06

Empower the team

Place decisions close to the work, cross-train critical capabilities, and turn learning into knowledge.

The outcome

Elite operators do more
than finish the work.
They leave the system stronger.

Five initiatives. One connected operating system. Individual ownership, collective intelligence, and a team built to solve what comes next.