Here’s exactly how I use Notion to run projects and content for Mangrove Bay Design—without drowning in tabs, emails, and sticky notes. As many have heard me say “Communication is key” .
At the heart is a simple “Operator” dashboard with five master databases: Projects, Social Content, Purchasing, Operating Systems, and CRM. Every page you see—client hubs, finish schedules, editorial calendars—is just a filtered view of those same living databases. That means one source of truth, many custom views.
For projects, each client gets a clean hub with a timeline, task board, and deliverables list. Properties I rely on: Stage (Concept → DD → CDs → Procurement → Install), Priority, Owner, Due Date, and “Waiting On” (client, vendor, engineer). A “Today/This Week” board keeps the team focused, while a Timeline view shows sequencing across active jobs. I also link a Materials & Finishes database that tracks vendors, SKUs, costs, lead times, and install notes, related to Rooms (Kitchen, Primary Bath, etc.). Want fast clarity? Saved filters like “Late,” “Needs Client Approval,” and “Ready to Order” surface what matters in seconds.
Client communication lives here too. Each hub stores agendas, decisions, and Loom walkthroughs so nothing gets lost in email. I keep meeting pages templatized with “Decisions, Risks, Next Steps,” and a status property that auto-feeds a weekly update view. When we send an update, we paste the Notion link so clients can self-serve anytime.
Social Content runs on the same backbone. Our editorial calendar moves ideas from Brainstorm → Draft → Design → Review → Publish → Repurpose. Each post record stores the hook, SEO keywords, design assets, and platform-specific captions. I maintain a Reuse field to track how a blog becomes social posts, email snippets, and a short video. A Gallery view shows thumbnails of approved images; a Board view shows status by platform (Blog, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest). Because the Content database relates to Projects and Services, we align posts with what we’re actively building—no random content, only strategic content.
Automations keep the wheels turning. New tasks assigned to a team member auto-populate their personal “My Week” view. Due dates sync to Google Calendar, and our scheduling tool blocks focused work windows. Intake forms push straight into Notion, auto-creating a project shell with checklists for onboarding, file requests, and approvals. For repeatable workflows, I use template buttons: “New Client Kickoff,” “Lighting Package,” “Procurement Run,” and “Weekly Site Report.” Each template drops in SOP checklists, sub-tasks, and QA steps so quality is consistent, even on busy weeks.
Documentation is where Notion shines. Our SOP library sits beside real work: screen-recorded Looms, step-by-step checklists, and vendor cheat sheets. When something changes (hello, lead times), we update the SOP once and every template inherits it. That’s how we scale without chaos.
The result? A calm command center. One place to plan, track, decide, and deliver—across design, documentation, and content. If you’re ready to build a system like this for your team, let’s talk.
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