Client Project Management

Brown zipper pouch with 'Archer & Olive' branding, featuring a patterned interior and a vintage phone charm zipper pull.
Brown leather purse with a flap closure on a gray surface, decorated with three green potted plants in the background.
Brown leather tote bag with scalloped edges, featuring two attached tags, displayed against a white background.

Vegan Leather Goods


New Product Category Launch Operations

Category: Client Project Management - Managing operational expansion into new product categories while maintaining brand standards

The Challenge

Operations required expanding into an entirely new product category (vegan leather goods) while maintaining established quality standards and customer expectations. The project demanded coordinating new vendor relationships, material sourcing, and production processes for unfamiliar product types within existing operational frameworks.

My Role

I managed end-to-end operations for launching a new product category, coordinating vendor identification, material specification, and quality control processes. I led cross-functional operations between design, production, and quality assurance teams to ensure successful market entry while maintaining existing operational excellence standards.

Strategy & Process

  • Executed comprehensive vendor evaluation and sourcing for specialized materials and manufacturing capabilities

  • Established new quality control protocols specific to leather goods production while maintaining existing brand standards

  • Coordinated cross-functional operations between design, production, and quality teams for seamless category expansion

  • Implemented cost management and pricing strategies that balanced premium materials with profitability requirements

  • Managed timeline coordination and production oversight to ensure successful market launch

Outcome

  • Successfully launched new vegan leather product category with minimal operational disruption to existing operations

  • Achieved strong customer response with minimal returns, validating operational quality standards

  • Established scalable operational framework for future product category expansions

  • Positioned company for continued operational diversification while maintaining core operational excellence

What I Learned

Successful operational expansion requires adapting existing systems to new requirements while maintaining established quality standards. Trust in operations comes from consistency across all product categories.