Dear Digital Nomad: You’re a Project Manager—Now Lead Like One

Giana Lawrence-Primus
Aug 23, 2025
4 min read

Updated: Aug 28, 2025

A male sitting on steps of cabin with laptop and dog. — Digital Nomad

At the end of May, I had the opportunity to train 55 virtual assistants, freelancers, and digital nomads inside the Digital Nomad Kit – Virtual Excellence Academy, founded by the visionary Hannah Dixon. My session focused on a topic I teach often, but that landed differently with this group: “Project Delivery Success”.

My audience weren’t traditional corporate professionals. They were remote workers—managing global clients, juggling deliverables, navigating time zones, and holding space for the messy middle of execution. And by the end of the training, one thing was clear:

They are already project managers.
They just haven’t always been given the title.

The 3-Step Project Delivery Success Framework

During the training, I introduced my Project Delivery Success Framework, a model designed to bring clarity, structure, and strategy to every project—no matter your title or industry. I designed the Project Delivery Success Framework when I worked in public sector and found myself in a situation where I needed a better way to onboard myself on projects.

Early in my journey as a senior project manager, I learned a tough but important lesson: I won’t always be fully aligned with every project I’m assigned to. One of the most valuable takeaways was realizing that onboarding myself as the project lead is just as critical as getting up to speed on the project’s technical details.

After that important lesson, I created a system and process in which I onboarded myself to projects. Project after project I refined my systems and processes. My systems and processes needed to be repeatable, applicable and it removed the guess work on how I would structure and lead myself on each project.

The Project Delivery Success Framework is a three phase system that breaks down both my personal preparation and the technical work into three distinct but connected phases:

1. Discovery

This is the phase where you ask questions, gather information, and clarify outcomes. Even if your client doesn’t know exactly what they need—you help them figure it out.

Where are we going?
What’s the goal?
What’s the scope?

2. Planning

This is where your process kicks in. You build a timeline, structure the work, assign responsibilities (even if it's all on you), and map out what needs to happen when.

3. Execution

You deliver. You manage changes. You follow through. You flag issues early. You communicate constantly. You course-correct in real time.

Execution is where strategy meets adaptability.

Meet the Digital Professional Behind the Scenes

Let’s talk about who you really are:

You’re not “just” a VA. Not “just” a digital nomad or freelancer.You are the strategic support

Person with pink hair in a white jacket sits in a camper doorway using a laptop. Background shows a beige camper interior. Relaxed mood. — Digital Nomad Van Life

system your client leans on when they’re launching, scaling, or stabilizing their business.

You manage tasks—but you also manage expectations.You communicate with clarity—but also read between the lines.You support delivery—but also lead it.

And if you’ve ever found yourself:

Navigating scope creep when a client asks for “just one more thing”
Feeling frustrated by vague direction or unclear expectations
Struggling to guide a chaotic client meeting that lacked structure
Delivering excellent work, but still feeling overwhelmed and underpaid

Then you already know what it feels like to be deep in project delivery—without the systems, language, or confidence to own that role.

You’re a Project Manager—Now Lead Like One

Case Study: Scope Creep in Action

Take this example: A virtual assistant is hired to manage logistics for the opening of a new store location for a boutique merchandiser. The scope was clear: timeline coordination, vendor communication, and promotional scheduling.

But halfway through the project, the client starts asking the VA to create and send three additional email campaigns—for an entirely different branch of the business.

This is a classic example of scope creep: The work requested is outside of the original agreement, but the request is made casually—without acknowledgment of its impact on time, boundaries, or pricing.

How to Handle It:

Refer to the Original Scope “I’d love to support you here. Just to confirm—this falls outside the original scope we discussed for the store launch. Would you like me to add this to a new work order or project brief?”
Offer a Structured Option “If you’d like to explore a package for ongoing email support across business branches, I’d be happy to put something together that reflects your expanded needs.”

Project Delivery Success isn’t about saying no—it’s about saying yes with structure.

Transformation: From Burnout to Boundaries. From Chaos to Clarity.

You didn’t choose the remote path to feel scattered, overextended, or underpaid. You chose this path to lead your life—and your work—with intention.

To design a life of location freedom, financial freedom, and the ability to own your time—not just react to everyone else’s.

But talent and passion alone aren’t enough. To truly lead your projects—and your business—you need more than good intentions. You need a system.

A system that helps you:

Anchor every project in clarity from day one
Manage scope creep before it drains your time and energy
Set expectations and communicate boundaries with confidence
Navigate client work with structure, strategy, and ease
Lead delivery and charge your worth—without second guessing your value

That’s what the Project Delivery Success Framework delivers.

It’s not just a strategy. It’s a mindset shift. It’s a way to own your leadership, design your days with purpose, and deliver with confidence—even if you’ve never called yourself a project manager before.

Because when your systems match your skill? You don’t just keep up—you rise above and you do it on your terms.

Ready for Clarity and Confidence in How You Deliver?

If you've been leading client work without a defined process—or you’re considering stepping more fully into project leadership—let’s explore how to make that shift strategic and intentional.