First, I created a brand-focused content calendar from scratch, suggesting specific pillars around leadership, personal development, and the “higher state” ethos that defines Vertical Development. We agreed that video would be the best medium to showcase the founders’ personalities and engage viewers on a deeper level.

By structuring themes and schedules upfront, we reduced guesswork and empowered the team to post with confidence.

We used simple collaborative tools to plan content, since budget constraints ruled out more advanced publishing software. Although we briefly tested different formats (A/B testing), we had to scale back due to limited resources. Another challenge was efficient internal management, so I proposed finalizing posts well in advance, allowing the social media manager to work more autonomously once stakeholders approved the broader strategy.

The new content calendar gave Vertical Development a solid foundation for consistent, on-brand posting. Over time, their social media presence became more cohesive and began attracting increased engagement, ultimately leading to a rise in workshop inquiries and client conversions.

Their audience recognized a clearer, more professional online persona — boosting credibility and positioning Vertical Development as a trusted partner in leadership training.

From my perspective, this project underscored the importance of standing firm on strategic processes, even when working with hierarchical teams. The experience also refined my approach to building content calendars in real-world settings, ensuring they remain flexible yet structured for long-term success.