Role: Founder & Editor

Project Purpose / Background

• Mind Travelers was conceived as a regional digital platform to amplify diverse voices in creativity and storytelling.

• Initiated as a self-directed project to develop hands-on project management skills and apply them to a real-world initiative.

• Provided an opportunity to manage a full project lifecycle, from concept and branding to content strategy and launch, while collaborating with multiple stakeholders.

Objectives

• Build a professional yet approachable brand identity that resonated with creatives and community members.

• Establish a consistent content pipeline with a diverse set of contributors.

• Grow readership, engagement, and community participation.

Scope & Deliverables

• Branding & Website Setup: Developed blog brand, style guide, and WordPress website.

• Content Pipeline & Contributor Management: Recruited and coordinated a team of writers, editors, and artists; managed editorial calendar and submission workflow.

• SEO & Analytics: Implemented Yoast SEO, keyphrase strategy, and content tracking to optimize discoverability.

• Tools & Methodologies: WordPress, Yoast SEO, Canva, content calendar, Kanban boards for task tracking.

• Stakeholders: Local writers, artists, small business owners, readers, and the regional creative community.

• Timeline: Project planning began March 2020; active publication continued through June 2021.

Actions / Role Responsibilities

• Defined project goals, scope, and milestones; created a Kanban workflow for task management.

• Developed and enforced editorial guidelines to ensure consistency and quality across contributors.

• Maintained communication with stakeholders to align content strategy with community needs and expectations.

• Oversaw website development, including design, layout, and SEO optimization.

• Monitored project progress, resolved bottlenecks, and adapted strategy based on feedback and analytics.

Outcomes / Results

• Successfully launched the blog with consistent monthly content, attracting an initial readership and fostering community engagement.

• Managed 11 contributors, producing a reliable schedule of stories, features, and creative content for a year.

• Created scalable systems for contributor onboarding, content planning, and SEO that laid the foundation for ongoing growth.

• Demonstrated practical application of project management skills, including scope definition, stakeholder coordination, workflow optimization, and digital project delivery.

Lessons Learned / Skills Demonstrated

• Clear communication, structured workflows, and consistent timelines are critical when coordinating multiple contributors remotely.

• Hands-on projects accelerate learning of project management tools and methodologies far beyond theoretical study.

• Balancing creative flexibility with process discipline ensures both quality and productivity.

• Digital project management, content strategy, branding, SEO, and stakeholder engagement skills were all strengthened through the project.