diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 578cd9a..f8d3e8b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ commands:
   run:
     cmd: ./manage.py runserver
   test:
+    description: run unit tests for both backend and frontend
     cmd:
     - ./manage.py test
     - yarn test
diff --git a/plz.yaml b/plz.yaml
index 6500db9..2a5232f 100644
--- a/plz.yaml
+++ b/plz.yaml
@@ -1,24 +1,13 @@
 commands:
-  publish:
-    cmd:
-    # Confirm we're on the master branch
-    - bash -c "git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD | xargs -I {} bash -c '[ {} == master ] || (echo Please checkout master branch for publishing && exit 1)'"
-    # Confirm we're up to date with remote origin
-    - bash -c "git fetch origin; [ `git rev-list HEAD...origin/master --count` = 0 ] || (echo Please fetch latest commits from origin && exit 1)"
-    # Confirm there aren not any local, uncommitted changes
-    - bash -c "git diff-index --name-status --exit-code HEAD || (echo Please revert or PR local changes to origin && exit 1)"
-    # Confirm all tests are passing
-    - bash -c "plz test || (echo Please fix the tests and try again && exit 1)"
-    - poetry publish --build
-    # Create tag and push to remote origin
-    - bash -c "poetry version | awk '{print $2}' | xargs -I {} bash -c 'git tag -a {} -m {} && git push origin {}'"
-
   test:
+    description: run unit tests
     cmd:
     - poetry run python -m pytest
   setup:
+    description: set up local development
     cmd:
     - poetry install
     - poetry run pre-commit install
   lint:
+    description: lint all files in the repo
     cmd: poetry run pre-commit run --all-files
diff --git a/plz/main.py b/plz/main.py
index fd63935..ae0978c 100644
--- a/plz/main.py
+++ b/plz/main.py
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ def execute_from_config(cmd, args):
 
     data = config["commands"].get(cmd, None)
     if data:
-        if "cmd" in data.keys():
-            if "dir" in data.keys():
+        if data.get("cmd"):
+            if data.get("dir"):
                 cwd = os.path.join(cwd or "", data["dir"])
             kwargs = {
                 "cwd": cwd,
@@ -52,9 +52,11 @@ def execute_from_config(cmd, args):
             )
             if env:
                 kwargs["env"] = env
+            if data.get("description"):
+                print_info("\n<{}> {}".format(cmd, data["description"]))
             rc = gather_and_run_commands(data["cmd"], **kwargs)
             sys.exit(rc)
-    if cmd and cmd.lower() == "help":
+    elif cmd and cmd.lower() == "help":
         if len(args) == 1:
             data = config["commands"].get(args[0], None)
             if data:
diff --git a/plz/schema/v2.py b/plz/schema/v2.py
index 2056c66..070b633 100644
--- a/plz/schema/v2.py
+++ b/plz/schema/v2.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 single_word_regex = "^[A-Za-z0-9_-]+$"
 
-env_variable_dict = {
+env_variables = {
     "type": "object",
     "patternProperties": {single_word_regex: {"type": "string"}},
     "additionalProperties": False,
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@
                 {"type": "array", "items": {"type": "string"}},
             ]
         },
-        "env": env_variable_dict,
+        "env": env_variables,
+        "description": {"type": "string"},
     },
     "required": ["cmd"],
     "additionalProperties": False,
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@
             "patternProperties": {single_word_regex: command_schema},
             "additionalProperties": False,
         },
-        "global_env": env_variable_dict,
+        "global_env": env_variables,
     },
     "additionalProperties": False,
 }
diff --git a/tests/main_test.py b/tests/main_test.py
index 9cbfa40..5b14454 100644
--- a/tests/main_test.py
+++ b/tests/main_test.py
@@ -272,6 +272,68 @@ def test_execute_from_config_with_invalid_cmd_calls_list_options(
     mock_list.assert_called_with(mock_plz_config.return_value[0])
 
 
+@patch("sys.exit")
+@patch("plz.main.plz_config")
+def test_execute_from_config_prints_info_to_stdout(mock_plz_config, mock_exit, capfd):
+    # Arrange
+    config = {"commands": {"foo": {"cmd": "echo bar"}}}
+    mock_plz_config.return_value = (config, None)
+
+    # Act
+    main.execute_from_config("foo", [])
+    out, err = capfd.readouterr()
+
+    # Assert
+    assert (
+        out
+        == textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+        \x1b[36m\x1b[2m
+        ===============================================================================
+        Running command: echo bar
+        ===============================================================================
+        \x1b[0m
+        bar
+
+        \x1b[36m\x1b[2m[INFO] Process complete\x1b[0m
+        """
+        ).lstrip()
+    )
+
+
+@patch("sys.exit")
+@patch("plz.main.plz_config")
+def test_execute_from_config_prints_description_if_defined(
+    mock_plz_config, mock_exit, capfd
+):
+    # Arrange
+    config = {"commands": {"foo": {"cmd": "echo bar", "description": "a description"}}}
+    mock_plz_config.return_value = (config, None)
+
+    # Act
+    main.execute_from_config("foo", [])
+    out, err = capfd.readouterr()
+
+    # Assert
+    assert (
+        out
+        == textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+        \x1b[36m
+        <foo> a description\x1b[0m
+        \x1b[36m\x1b[2m
+        ===============================================================================
+        Running command: echo bar
+        ===============================================================================
+        \x1b[0m
+        bar
+
+        \x1b[36m\x1b[2m[INFO] Process complete\x1b[0m
+        """
+        ).lstrip()
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "os_environ,global_env,cmd_env,expected_result",
     [
diff --git a/tests/schema_test.py b/tests/schema_test.py
index fdcd00e..2b0cfb4 100644
--- a/tests/schema_test.py
+++ b/tests/schema_test.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ def get_sample_config():
         "commands": {
             "test": {
                 "cmd": "poetry run python -m pytest",
+                "description": "run unit tests",
             },
             "setup": {
                 "cmd": "poetry install",