Scribble Talk: Recent Episodes

Baskar Sundaram and Ashley Kayes

At Baachu Scribble, our mission is to DEMOCRATISE THE BIDDING KNOWLEDGE, sharing best free bid and proposal content in the known universe. One way we will be accomplishing this goal is through our NEW Podcast - Scribble TALK. Scribble Talk is a weekly show produced by Baachu Scribble and hosted by Ashley Kayes and myself, Baskar Sundaram. Every week, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry. https://baachuscribble.com/scribbletalkpodcast/

Support the show

Welcome, eager minds, to an extraordinary edition of AI Unveiled! 🚀 Do you recall our thrilling "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session last October, where we explored the vast universe of AI tools and technologies? Brace yourselves, because we've refined and prepared a mesmerizing auditory adventure just for you!

Embark with us on a compelling journey as we decode the marvels of Microsoft Co-Pilot and ChatGPT Enterprise, two giants reshaping the AI landscape.

Dive into the brilliance of Microsoft Co-Pilot, a revolutionary creation that has taken the software development world by storm. Discover how Co-Pilot accelerates the coding process, generating intricate code snippets and offering intelligent suggestions, thereby redefining the way developers collaborate and innovate. Learn about real-world applications where Co-Pilot has streamlined complex coding tasks and amplified the efficiency of development teams.

Then, immerse yourselves in the sophistication of ChatGPT Enterprise, a pinnacle of conversational AI developed by OpenAI. Explore its versatility in transforming customer support, sales, and marketing endeavors. Delve into the realm of personalized customer interactions, as ChatGPT Enterprise seamlessly engages users, enhances customer satisfaction, and propels businesses toward unprecedented success.

But our exploration doesn't end there. Engage with us as we dissect the nuances of these cutting-edge technologies. Delve into the ethical considerations surrounding their usage, ponder the challenges faced by businesses in their implementation, and contemplate the boundless future possibilities they unlock.

Hold your breath as we unravel intriguing insights and tackle thought-provoking questions live. Participate in our exclusive "AI Empowered Writer 1 Day Workshop" giveaway, where you can immerse yourself in the art of crafting AI-driven narratives.

Are you ready for the most comprehensive, insightful, and exhilarating AI odyssey of the season? Let's embark on this thrilling journey into the heart of Microsoft Co-Pilot and ChatGPT Enterprise together! 🎧

Support the show

Welcome, future AI pioneers, to a SEPTEMBER edition of Scribble Talk Teaching! 🌐

Support the show

In this captivating episode, we have the privilege of hosting a truly exceptional figure, Jane Elliott. She's not just a globally recognized educator, lecturer, and diversity trainer; she's a unique voice with profound insights that seem to have sprung from a prejudice-free vacuum.

Honored with the prestigious National Mental Health Association Award for Excellence in Education, Jane Elliott has dedicated her life to shedding light on the baselessness of prejudice and bigotry. Her journey, marked by fearless determination, has left an indelible mark on the world.

Jane Elliott's story unfolds in response to the tragic event of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968, when she conceived the groundbreaking "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Exercise." This transformative experiment, now celebrated worldwide, assigns individuals as inferior or superior based solely on their eye color, immersing them in the profound experience of marginalization. Through lectures, workshops, and videos, Jane Elliott's teachings continue to impact all who encounter them.

Listening to Jane Elliott is like entering a world where insightful opinions flow effortlessly, as if she were born in a prejudice-free vacuum. With unwavering determination, she dismantles defenses, prompting profound introspection and stirring uncomfortable emotions. We cannot shy away from the discomfort and unease she invokes as she fearlessly challenges, exposes, and confronts. In the midst of these stark moments, Jane Elliott emerges as a beacon of inspiration, motivating us all to confront our biases and embrace the transformative power of change. Join us as we delve into her extraordinary insights and the enduring legacy of her work.

Support the show

Welcome, future AI pioneers, to a special edition of Scribble Talk Teaching! 🌐 Remember our high-octane "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) webinar in August, where we dived deep into AI tools, tricks, and trends? Now, it's been revamped, enriched, and ready for your ears!

"Journey with us as we decode the prowess of Perplexity AI, a formidable counterpart to ChatGPT, now reimagined for precise web searches, equipped with citations for every query.

Discover the mystique of Claude v2.0 and immerse yourself in Quora’s cutting-edge Platform for Open Exploration (POE). Stay updated with the latest in AI news, and dissect McKinsey's piercing insights into Generative AI's ripple effect on our workforce.

But the marvels don't end there. Step into the contentious ground where not a single foundational American model meets the rigorous EU AI Act rules. Hungry for more? Unravel the distinctions between GPT-5 and its predecessor, GPT-4, and understand the monumental rise of advanced conversational AI.

Meet Pi, boasting the most refined EQ amongst chatbots, and familiarize yourself with Hireguide, the game-changing AI-driven platform revolutionizing interviews and enhancing candidate experiences.

Hold tight as we tackle 25 burning AI-themed questions live, offering you an exclusive gateway to our "AI Empowered Writer 1 Day Workshop". Share, win, and delve deep with us into the intriguing 'Psychology of Money'. Ready for the most authoritative, comprehensive, and exhilarating AI odyssey of August? Let's dive in together! 🎧"

Support the show

"Gear up for an AI rollercoaster this July! 🌟 Kickstart with heartening stories of 20+ AI victories that redefine success. Stay abreast with the top 10+ AI tools and groundbreaking news shaking the AI realm. Delve deep into the intricacies of the NIST AI Risk Framework and explore the novel twist in PMP's Project Management Certification that now embraces AI.

For the ChatGPT enthusiasts, we've got a treat! Master the art of fusing ChatGPT with Google search through three game-changing plugins. And as a cherry on top, get acquainted with the futuristic vibes of Perplexity AI and the revamped wonders of Claude v2.0.

Plug in for a whirlwind of AI insights, revelations, and hands-on guides. Let's ride the AI wave together! 🎧"

Dive into a captivating exploration of AI’s grip on our world! 🌐 This isn't just a podcast; it’s your golden ticket 🎫. We're rolling out 35 fresh, AI-driven sessions spanning the globe from North America to APAC. Whether you're in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, India, Africa, the Middle East, or the APAC region, we've got you covered. Take this chance to amplify your bidding and proposal prowess with next-gen AI strategies.

Why settle for ordinary when you can be extraordinary? Elevate above
the crowd, sharpen your bidding game, and watch your business or career
trajectory skyrocket. 🌌 Check out our live
workshops at https://baachuscribble.com/live%20workshops/?

And that’s not where it ends! Our commitment to you goes beyond
a one-off session. Our course materials get a monthly makeover, ensuring you're
always a step ahead. As part of our elite alumni, get exclusive quarterly
invites to refresher courses. Stay sharp, stay updated, stay unbeatable.

Plug in, power up, and let Baachu AI guide you to the future of
bidding and proposals. Register TODAY and harness the AI revolution! 🎧"

Support the show

Welcome, future AI pioneers, to a special edition of Scribble Talk Teaching! 🌐 Remember our high-octane "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) webinar in June, where we dived deep into AI tools, tricks, and trends? Now, it's been revamped, enriched, and ready for your ears!

Prepare to be spellbound as we unravel June's most electrifying AI revelations! 🌐 First off, imagine ChatGPT, but supercharged with Bing, delivering unparalleled real-time answers right from the web's vast expanse. Got it? That's what's coming your way!

But the marvels don't stop there. Dive deep into the mystique of Google's Bard Workspace: from the magic of instant 'Googling' to generating three immersive drafts at the snap of your fingers and even beaming Bard responses directly to Gmail or Docs. It's pure sorcery!

And there’s more brewing on the horizon. Ever heard of ForeFront AI and Ora AI? We’re about to take you on a tantalizing tour! For all the sales enthusiasts out there, gear up for a masterclass on cutting-edge presentation tools, showcasing the might of Remini, VennGage, Designs AI, Slides.AI, Decktopus, and Tome.

And if you're seeking to be at the forefront of AI advancements, look no further! The UK is setting the stage this autumn for a groundbreaking global summit on AI safety. 🌍

To top it all, if you're hungry to supercharge your AI journey, get the inside scoop on 45 freshly minted AI bootcamps and workshops ready to catapult you to new heights spanning the globe from North America to APAC. Whether you're in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, India, Africa, the Middle East, or the APAC region, we've got you covered. Take this chance to amplify your bidding and proposal prowess with next-gen AI strategies.

Why settle for ordinary when you can be extraordinary? Elevate above
the crowd, sharpen your bidding game, and watch your business or career
trajectory skyrocket. 🌌 Check out our live
workshops at https://baachuscribble.com/live%20workshops/?

And that’s not where it ends! Our commitment to you goes beyond
a one-off session. Our course materials get a monthly makeover, ensuring you're
always a step ahead. As part of our elite alumni, get exclusive quarterly
invites to refresher courses. Stay sharp, stay updated, stay unbeatable.

Plug in, power up, and let Baachu AI guide you to the future of
bidding and proposals. Register TODAY and harness the AI revolution! 🎧"

So, buckle up, tune in, and embark on this exhilarating AI expedition with us! 🎧"*

Support the show

Welcome, future AI pioneers, to a special edition of Scribble Talk Teaching! 🌐 Remember our high-octane "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) webinar in May, where we dived deep into AI tools, tricks, and trends? Now, it's been revamped, enriched, and ready for your ears!Step into the dazzling world of AI breakthroughs and mysteries!

🌐 This episode is your passport to the hidden alleyways of OpenAI's ChatGPT privacy features. Ever paused to marvel at the magic behind AI Detectors, especially the awe-striking GPT Zero? Well, lean in, because we're spilling the beans! 🕵️

Now, imagine supercharging your tasks – be it content creation, presentations, videos, or writing – with top-tier, budget-friendly AI tools. Sound too good to be true? It’s reality, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way! 🚀

Stay ahead of the curve with the latest scoop on AI regulations sweeping from the bustling streets of the UK 🇬🇧, across the vast landscapes of the US 🇺🇸, to the rich cultures of Europe 🇪🇺. As we dig deep, witness the mastery behind securing a staggering $61m through 12 bids in just 10 exhilarating weeks, all thanks to our trusty sidekick, ChatGPT.

But wait, there’s a twist! 🌀 Navigate the art and science of AI-powered bidding and proposals through our exclusive three-phase blueprint. And here's a golden nugget: avoid the pitfalls of misleading AI chatter and stay alert when diving into sponsored industry events. They may not always be what they seem! 🕶️

By the grand finale of this episode, a special announcement awaits! So, grab your headphones, amp up the volume, and join us on this whirlwind AI adventure. Ready, set, explore! 🎧"*

Dive into a captivating exploration of AI’s grip on our world! 🌐 This isn't just a podcast; it’s your golden ticket 🎫. We're rolling out 35 fresh, AI-driven sessions spanning the globe from North America to APAC. Whether you're in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, India, Africa, the Middle East, or the APAC region, we've got you covered. Take this chance to amplify your bidding and proposal prowess with next-gen AI strategies.

Why settle for ordinary when you can be extraordinary? Elevate above
the crowd, sharpen your bidding game, and watch your business or career
trajectory skyrocket. 🌌 Check out our live
workshops at https://baachuscribble.com/live%20workshops/?

And that’s not where it ends! Our commitment to you goes beyond
a one-off session. Our course materials get a monthly makeover, ensuring you're
always a step ahead. As part of our elite alumni, get exclusive quarterly
invites to refresher courses. Stay sharp, stay updated, stay unbeatable.

Plug in, power up, and let Baachu AI guide you to the future of
bidding and proposals. Register TODAY and harness the AI revolution! 🎧"

Support the show

Welcome, future AI pioneers, to a special edition of Scribble Talk Teaching! 🌐 Remember our high-octane "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) webinar in April, where we dived deep into AI tools, tricks, and trends? Now, it's been revamped, enriched, and ready for your ears!

With Baachu AI, we're reinventing the learning curve. It’s more
than just keeping pace - it's about blazing the trail. Ever felt the past held
you back? Wave it goodbye! 🚀

In this episode, we dissect the seismic shift AI promises to our
job landscape, especially those at high risk. Ever wondered why there are no
more lost bidders at the beach? 🏖️ We’ve got you covered.

Unlock the boundless potential of merging AI with tasks in
capture, proposal, and marketing – it's no longer the future; it’s NOW. 🚀 Stay updated with the latest in AI with our comprehensive news
update. Plus, we’ve taken a magnifying glass to the grand release of over 1000
ChatGPT AI Plugin tools this past April, spotlighting 20 of the most
transformative tools just for you.

But that’s not all! Navigate the intricate web of AI regulations
spanning from the UK 🇬🇧 to the US 🇺🇸 to Europe 🇪🇺, and join us as we
finally lay to rest the age-old debate of machines versus humans. In the new
world order, it's AI + Human. It's coexistence, it’s collaboration, and it’s
revolutionary. 🤖💡

End your journey with a reflective dive into the strengths and weaknesses
of ChatGPT. By the episode’s end, you'll be nothing short of an AI aficionado!
So, plug in, power up, and let’s embark on this AI odyssey together! 🎧"*

Dive into a captivating exploration of AI’s grip on our world! 🌐 This isn't just a podcast; it’s your golden ticket 🎫. We're rolling out 35 fresh, AI-driven sessions spanning the globe from North America to APAC. Whether you're in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, India, Africa, the Middle East, or the APAC region, we've got you covered. Take this chance to amplify your bidding and proposal prowess with next-gen AI strategies.

Why settle for ordinary when you can be extraordinary? Elevate above
the crowd, sharpen your bidding game, and watch your business or career
trajectory skyrocket. 🌌 Check out our live
workshops at https://baachuscribble.com/live%20workshops/?

And that’s not where it ends! Our commitment to you goes beyond
a one-off session. Our course materials get a monthly makeover, ensuring you're
always a step ahead. As part of our elite alumni, get exclusive quarterly
invites to refresher courses. Stay sharp, stay updated, stay unbeatable.

Plug in, power up, and let Baachu AI guide you to the future of
bidding and proposals. Register TODAY and harness the AI revolution! 🎧"

Support the show

Introducing Beena J Pallical, a catalyst for change in marginalized communities and a dedicated advocate for gender equality. With unwavering determination, she has ignited policy shifts within both Central and State governments, advocating for the inclusion of Dalit women in policy formulation. Beena J Pallical is an Intersectional Feminist and Dalit women Leader and currently General Secretary, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR)-DAAA. After about a 10-year stint in the corporate sector in marketing, she decided to move to the social sector because of her interest in human rights and taking up social causes. Over the last thirteen years she has been with the NCDHR working on Dalit Economic Rights. Her focal point remains Economic Justice, meticulously addressing Gender Equity, targeted budgets, fiscal accountability, and governance.

For the past five years, her energy has been channeled into enabling youth to access education, yielding scholarships for over 1 lac students across 10 states. She also holds the helm of the Asia Dalit Rights Forum, ensuring Dalit concerns reverberate on both regional and global platforms. A member of the board at Victims Advocate International, Beena champions intersectionality as the bedrock for women's economic freedom and gender equality.

Her impact resonates globally, notably through her work with UN mechanisms like OHCHR in Geneva and the High Level Political Forum in New York. As a pioneering Dalit woman, she has been a frontrunner in the sustainable development goals, emphasizing marginalized voices and equitable financial management for their attainment. With fervent dedication, she embodies the ethos of change through capacity building, representation, and a gender-focused lens.

Her journey amplifies Dalit and Adivasi voices through international seminars, cultivating stronger policies for effective implementation and forging a brighter future.

Support the show

Welcome back, dear listeners, to episode 36 of our podcast! This is your host Baskar Sundaram, and today, we're diving into a deeply personal and meaningful topic close to my heart - the majestic Sun, its spiritual symbolism in Buddhism, and its deep-rooted resonance in Tamil culture and my personal journey.

You may know that my name, Baskar, translates to 'the Sun' in Tamil. The sun, a life-giving force, is the ever-glowing source of all light, warmth, and energy. It's an emblem of enlightenment and growth that resonates deeply in various philosophies and cultures, including Buddhism and my own Tamil heritage.

In the realm of Buddhism, the sun symbolizes enlightenment and the illumination of the mind, lighting the path to Nirvana, liberating us from the cycle of existence. Buddha once said, "Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life." Isn't the sun that very fire, that spiritual life that fuels our existence?

Allow me to share a compelling story about Buddha and an angry man who spat on his face. Unfazed, Buddha wiped it off without anger, asking, “What next? What do you want to say now?” The man was left speechless. Buddha's response was like the Sun - unaffected and resilient. The angry man's actions only reflected back on him, much like when you spit towards the Sun. This powerful tale of resilience aligns perfectly with a Tamil proverb about the sun, translating to "If a man tries to cover the sun, he would only stand in his own shadow." It's a profound reminder that truth and light will always find their way to shine through, just like the sun.

As the sun doesn't cease to shine even when veiled by clouds, individuals of strong character continue to uphold their principles amid adversity. They remain resilient, their inner light illuminating the path for others. I strongly believe that some people radiate positivity, optimism, and strength just like the Sun - undeterred even in the face of adversities.

And much like the Sun nurtures life on Earth, we, as individuals, should consider it our duty to nurture, guide, and support those around us, sharing our light and warmth with the world.

In the spirit of Buddha, let's strive to be like the Sun - a beacon of light guiding others, remaining resilient in adversity, and always pursuing enlightenment. Remember, "Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."

My beloved grandmother, a beacon of wisdom in our family and community, predicted that I would carry the energy of the Sun, bringing light and warmth to the world. My parents, deeply moved by her words, named me Baskar. They hoped that I would embody the sun's resilience, warmth, and illumination, becoming a source of light in the lives of those around me.

In Tamil tradition, the sun is more than a celestial body. It symbolizes life, illumination, endurance, and hope - the tireless spirit that rises even after the darkest night.

Thank you for embarking on this illuminating journey with me today. Remember, embody the Sun's spirit, share your warmth and light, and continue to shine bright, irrespective of the clouds in your path. And for anyone attempting to obscure the light of the Sun, remember the Tamil proverb - you only stand in your own shadow.

Stay tuned for our next episode. Until then, let's keep shining like the sun.

Support the show

Welcome to a new episode of Scribble Talk where we take a thrilling ride into the heart of Tamil culture and bravery, featuring the ancient sport of Jallikattu - a testament to the resilience, courage, and the Tamil spirit.

In episode 34, our host Baskar Sundaram, drawing from his rich Tamil heritage, offers an engaging narrative about the vibrant festival of Pongal - a Tamil Thanksgiving celebrating the harvest season, the bonds of community, and symbols of bravery. This episode takes a unique turn as Baskar finds himself at the intersection of Tamil traditions and his professional challenges, finding strength and inspiration in an ancient sport - Jallikattu.

Dive deep into the electrifying world of Jallikattu, an ancient bull-taming sport rooted deeply in Tamil culture, celebrated during Pongal. It's not just a sport; it's a symbolic demonstration of human endurance against the raw power of nature, embodied in a bull. This adrenaline-charged tradition serves as a metaphor, reminding us that we are equipped with the determination and inner strength to face our challenges head-on and emerge victorious.

Experience the cultural wealth of Tamil Nadu as Baskar shares insights into the role of Jallikattu in preserving native cattle breeds, its significance as a rite of passage for many young men, and the lessons of bravery it holds for us all. Listen to Baskar as he brings to life the vibrant atmosphere of Pongal and the riveting sport of Jallikattu, weaving together threads of culture, tradition, and personal experiences.

In the midst of professional challenges, Baskar reflects on the Tamil spirit of bravery - an unwavering commitment to justice, fairness, and the courage to face adversities. Inspired by a popular Tamil saying that acknowledges the emotional strength of motherhood, Baskar highlights that true bravery isn't just about physical strength; it's also about resilience and moral courage.

From the legendary Chola Empire's maritime prowess to the enduring vibrancy of the Tamil language, this episode takes listeners on a historical tour, celebrating the tenacity and resilience of the Tamil people. Explore everyday acts of courage in Tamil culture, and be inspired by the words of renowned Tamil poet, Bharathiyar - "Fear not, fear not, there is no room for fear."

Join us on this inspiring journey of Scribble Talk as we delve into Tamil traditions, engage with captivating stories, and explore the spirit of bravery through the lens of Tamil culture. Celebrate Pongal with us, embrace the courage of Jallikattu, and share in the resilience of the Tamil spirit in the face of adversity. Get ready for an episode that is as enriching as it is exhilarating.

Support the show

Hello, dear listeners! Welcome back to another riveting episode of Scribble Talk. I'm your host, Baskar Sundaram, and today we're unravelling the mystery of what has been dubbed as the "most depressing day of the year"—Blue Monday.

You may be asking, "What's Blue Monday?" Traditionally falling on the third Monday of January, it's reputed to be the gloomiest day of the year. But, hold onto your hats, folks, because I'm about to debunk that myth! Blue Monday, in reality, is nothing more than an invention, a whimsical concept with absolutely zero scientific backing.

This idea sprouted from a supposed calculation incorporating elements such as dreary weather, lingering post-holiday debts, the disappointment of abandoned New Year's resolutions, and that dreaded Monday morning alarm signaling the end of holiday relaxation. Despite its popularity, remember, this theory isn't grounded in scientific fact.

We all have off days, times when we feel down or sad, and that's perfectly normal. Human emotions don't follow a linear path. But it's critical to differentiate between a run-of-the-mill bad day and a genuine mental health issue, which can significantly impact our daily lives.

"Why bring up Blue Monday at all then?" you might wonder. Maybe the real purpose behind Blue Monday is to remind us all that mental health is real, vital, and something we should nurture and protect every day.

Let's embark on this enlightening journey together and explore some daily steps we can take to bolster our mental health:

Commune with nature: There's a certain serenity that green spaces imbue. So take a stroll in the park, do a bit of gardening, or simply sit in a leafy area to alleviate stress and anxiety.
Embrace your emotions: Acknowledge your feelings, understand their roots, and learn effective management strategies. Mindfulness and meditation can be handy tools in this respect.
Reach out for support: A heartfelt chat with a trusted friend or family member can work wonders.
Prioritize sleep: A good night's rest is vital for mental health. Aim for a regular sleep routine in a peaceful, relaxing environment.
Seek professional help: If you're battling debts, addiction, or any distressing issues, don't hesitate to reach out for professional guidance.
Keep active: Exercise not only boosts physical health but also lifts your mental spirits.
Maintain a balanced diet: Nutritious food fuels a healthy mind.
Stay curious: Keep your brain engaged and stimulated by learning new things and embracing challenges.

And lastly, remember, every problem has a solution. Instead of getting bogged down, visualize a different path, focus your attention, and act on it. Distractions will come and go, but it's crucial where we choose to focus our energy and thoughts.

In the grand scheme of things, dedicating one day to mental health doesn't cut it. Let's endeavour to make mental wellbeing a priority each and every day of the year. Until next time, folks, take care of yourselves and each other.

Support the show

Join your host, Baskar Sundaram, as we commemorate Armistice Day with a riveting dive into the unexplored history of Indian soldiers in the First World War. This single episode weaves a three-act narrative, transporting you from the battlefields of the Western Front to the homecoming of these unsung heroes, and finally, contemplating the lasting legacy they left behind.

In the first act, we journey back to the early 20th century, when over 1.5 million soldiers from Undivided India were dispatched to fight on foreign soils. Discover how they bravely navigated new cultures, languages, and landscapes, their courage resonating in every bullet fired, every trench dug.

The second act focuses on the aftermath of the war, the hero's journey home laden with unseen scars of battle. Feel the palpable struggle as they wrestle for recognition and rights amidst a society grappling with its own transformation.

Finally, in the third act, we reflect on their sacrifices and draw lessons for our time. We ask essential questions about why they fought, what they gained, and what these stories teach us about our shared humanity, even in times of conflict.

This Armistice Day, let's honor those who fought for our freedom, remember their sacrifices, and learn from their stories. With every tale spun, every lesson learned, we shape a better future. Tune in to Scribble Talk for this extraordinary journey into our shared past.

Support the show

Hello, it's Baskar Sundaram here, inviting you to join me in a truly intriguing episode. Today, I'm going to share the incredible journey I embarked on to Luxembourg, a captivating land rich in history, adorned with picturesque villages, majestic cathedrals, and enchanting castles.

Come, let me take you through my adventures of hiking the magical Mullerthal Trail, fondly known as Luxembourg's Little Switzerland. It was a trek that stirred up echoes of my earlier expeditions in the majestic Himalayas.

During this journey, I had the fortune to spend time with a dear friend of mine, an NLP trained primary school teacher. She ushered me onto a path of self-discovery, nudging me to confront challenges and open myself up to life-altering perspectives.

Together, we dived into "The Big Five For Life" by John Strelecky, a profound exploration of the question: What are the five things you most want to do, see, or experience while you're on this wonderful planet? This exploration led me to a profound contemplation about my life and desires.

In this episode, I grapple with the sobering reality of our finite time on Earth and share how this revelation imbued me with a newfound urgency - an urgency to live each day to its fullest. Together, we'll delve into the world of self-discovery, personal change, and growth.

This episode is all about shifting our perspective, focusing on the myriad opportunities that encircle us, and leveraging them to unleash our full potential. It's about cherishing and measuring our days not merely by their count but by the rich experiences, personal growth, and fulfillment they bestow upon us.

So tune in, embark on this exciting journey with me, and perhaps, you too will find the inspiration to uncover and pursue your own "Big Five." Let's start making each day count, together.

Support the show

Step into a time machine with Baskar Sundaram on Scribble Talk as he embarks on a nostalgic journey back to his school and university days (1995-2003) in Coimbatore, India. Discover a special place he visited daily at 7 am, the Arulmigu Mundhi Vinayagar Temple in Puliyakulam, and meet his old friend - the deity Vinayagar.

Constructed in 1993, the temple houses the largest Vinayagar, or Pillayar idol, crafted from a single monolithic stone. Marvel at the awe-inspiring idol standing about 20 feet tall, over 11 feet wide, and weighing a colossal 190 tonnes. Explore how this monumental sculpture was carved over six years by the skilled hands of 21 sculptors.

Baskar also shares an intriguing custom practiced in Pillayar temples - Thoppu Karanam or Superbrain Yoga. Laugh along with his school memories of this ritual-turned-punishment that has roots in ancient wisdom. Discover the science behind this seemingly simple exercise of holding earlobes and performing squats - a brain-boosting ritual believed to enhance alertness and consciousness.

As Vinayaka Chaturthi, the festival honoring Vinayagar, approaches, Baskar extends his heartfelt wishes for a joyful, colorful, and harmonious celebration. He invites you to spread the message of peace, kindness, and unity in your community.

Join him this October, as he plans to revisit the temple and rekindle his connection with Vinayagar, and shares a slice of his past that continues to influence his present.

Support the show

Hello everyone, Baskar Sundaram here. In this deeply personal and emotional episode, I take you through two significant journeys of my life - the battle my beloved father waged against Myeloma, and the path of gratitude I tread every Thanksgiving.

Join me as I share the intimate details of my father's struggle with Myeloma and the effects it had on me, both as a son helplessly watching a loved one suffer and as a father striving to shield my own children. I vividly recount the tribulations of taking up my first interim role while battling chicken pox and the life-altering impact it had on me.

I dive into the depths of my memories, sharing moments from my father's final years - heartrending, poignant deathbed scenes that have since become engraved in my heart. Through his dedicated efforts to educate his children using his savings, my father taught me lessons that went beyond academia, lessons of sacrifice, love, and resilience. This episode serves as my tribute to him.

In the latter half of this emotional journey, I shift gears to something more uplifting - Thanksgiving Day. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to my family, friends, and every individual who's made a difference in my life. I delve into the essence of the old saying, "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is 'Thank You', it will be enough", underlining the immense power of gratitude. I encourage you to find your points of gratitude, even amidst the challenges, and truly embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving.

So, bring your tissues and tune in for a journey filled with profound emotions, lessons, gratitude, and a deeper appreciation for the ties that bind us.

ngs.

Support the show

Hello again, dear friends. It's Baskar Sundaram here, but this time, we're not going to delve into our usual business growth strategies. Instead, I want to invite you into a more personal space, a cherished slice of my life.

I'm sure many of you can relate to the whirlwind of emotions that come with parenthood. It's a rollercoaster ride, isn't it? The pride, the concern, the hopes, the fears. And every now and then, there comes a moment that just, well, it takes your breath away.

For me, one such moment happened recently when my 11-year-old son, Kai, lifted the U13 2023 Surrey Cedar Cup for his rugby team. Rugby, for those unfamiliar, it's not a sport that pulls any punches, literally and metaphorically. It's a game of physical strength, resilience, and a fighting spirit. And my Kai, he has that in spades.

You see, despite his smaller stature, Kai has a heart that's larger than life. Over the past four years, I've watched him take hit after hit, each time bouncing back stronger, that infectious smile never leaving his face.

And it's not just about the sport. I've seen a leader being forged in him. The kind of character, determination and team spirit he's been showing - it's truly heartwarming.

This whole journey got me thinking about my own childhood. You know, my father left us when I was seven to work in the Middle East. He was away for most of my formative years, sacrificing his time with us to provide for our family. It was hard, I won't lie. But I understood why he did what he did.

Now, as a father myself, I have the privilege to be a part of my son's journey. To cheer him on, to support him, to witness his growth first hand. And believe me when I say, it's an absolute honor.

So, this is not just a father boasting about his son. No, this is a tribute. A tribute to every parent out there making sacrifices, fighting their own battles to pave a better future for their children. I see you, I salute you.

In the end, it's about creating a legacy, isn't it? To pass on the love, dedication, and opportunities for our children. It's a journey, a beautiful, often challenging journey. But together, let's make it count. After all, our children are the future. Their dreams, their successes are the testament of our love.

Let's create a future filled with love, sacrifice, and boundless possibilities for generations to come.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for sharing this moment with me. Until next time, dear friends, take care."

Support the show

Join Baskar Sundaram on a deeply personal journey, as he unfolds his wife's ongoing battle with Adenomyosis - a relatively unknown, yet prevalent condition that touches millions of women globally. In this five-part series, Baskar lends his voice to shed light on the silent struggles, exploring various aspects of living with Adenomyosis, and sharing valuable insights into potential treatments, coping strategies, and the power of empathy. His personal story and the lessons learnt aim to start essential conversations and bring this overshadowed condition into the forefront.

Support the show

Today I have the honor of hosting an exceptional guest, Dr. Terrell Lamont Strayhorn. Known as a monumental figure in the realm of education and psychology, Dr. Strayhorn has dedicated his life to deepening our understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, or as we know it, DEIB. His insights have earned him a spot among the country's 'Top Diversity Scholars' by Diverse Issues in Higher Education, and he's widely recognized as a 'Bridge-Builder' between academic and student affairs.

Dr. Strayhorn's contributions to the field are both extensive and profound. He has authored 12 books, including the award-winning 'College Students' Sense of Belonging', and over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles and academic publications. His ground-breaking research has not only garnered over $10 million in support from premiere agencies like the Lumina Foundation and National Science Foundation but has also found its way into numerous respected publications such as The Washington Post and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

In addition to his scholarly work, Dr. Strayhorn wears multiple hats. He's the President and CEO of Do Good Work Consulting Group, where he partners with a multitude of institutions to bolster their culture and inclusivity. He's also a professor of Education and Psychology and the Director of the Center for the Study of HBCUs at Virginia Union University, leading their 'Belonging Lab'.

His influence extends to being a Diversity Scholar-in-Residence at Harrisburg Area Community College, a Fellow of AGB's Institute for Leadership & Governance, and an active member of several non-profit boards. Notably, he's a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.

Dr. Strayhorn, we're truly thrilled to have you with us today."

One of his core passions is translating research-to-practice in ways that improve the material conditions and lived experiences of our most vulnerable populations.

Tune in to the episode and get deep dive insights on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and be inspired by Dr. Terrell Strayhorn's personal experiences

Connect with Terrell

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrell_Lamont_Strayhorn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrell-strayhorn-phd/
https://terrellstrayhorn.com/

Support the show

In this heartfelt episode, join me, Baskar Sundaram, as we pay tribute to the unyielding love and strength of mothers. I delve into my personal journey, reflecting on the steadfast support my own mother offered while single-handedly raising my sister and me.

In the spirit of Mother's Day, we honor all mothers - birth mothers, adoptive mothers, stepmothers, foster mothers, guardians, spiritual mothers, single mothers, co-parents, and anyone who's stepped into the role of a mother figure. We acknowledge the resilience they embody, the burdens they carry, and the immeasurable impact they have on us and the world.

This episode is a celebration of the power of motherhood and the profound influence of a mother's love. We'll discuss how to honor the mothers and mother figures in our lives, ensuring their sacrifices and love shape our lives meaningfully.

So tune in, as we take a moment to appreciate the extraordinary mothers across the globe. Their boundless love continues to light our paths and inspire us. Let's make this Mother's Day special by recognizing and cherishing the crucial role they play in our lives.

Support the show

In this inspiring episode, Baskar Sundaram commemorates the birth anniversary of the extraordinary Mahatma Gandhi, a man who left a profound impact on the world with his principles of peace, truth, and non-violence. Dive into the journey of this ordinary man who, with unyielding self-belief, became the "Father of the Nation". Hear some of Baskar's favourite Gandhi quotes that deeply resonate with him and embody timeless wisdom. Let's remember and celebrate this man who shook the world in a gentle way.

Support the show

Embark on an emotional journey with Baskar Sundaram in this reflective episode of Baachu's Story. As he prepares to celebrate Diwali with his mother after years of separation, Baskar invites us to reflect on the profound influence our parents have on our lives. Stirred by the profound words of Abraham Lincoln - "All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother" - Baskar contemplates his own path from India to the UK, acknowledging the strong, guiding force of his mother's unwavering faith and support.

In this special episode, Baskar proposes a heartwarming request to listeners who've been part of his journey - a story, a moment, or a memory that they've shared. These narratives will form an invaluable gift for his mother, a testament to her son's influence and achievements inspired by her love and sacrifices.

Join Baskar in this personal episode, as he pays homage to the unwavering spirit of motherhood and the priceless impact it has had on his life. Don't miss this celebration of familial love, personal growth, and the bonds that truly make life worth living.

Support the show

Come along with me, Baskar Sundaram, as I journey back in time to the place where it all started for me - Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. I invite you to walk with me through the familiar campus of my undergraduate years, now globally renowned as one of the top 50 engineering institutions. As I meet my esteemed professors and peers from the past, now distinguished professionals, I am flooded with memories of the formative years I spent studying Electronics and Communications Engineering here.

In this episode, I reflect on the timeless wisdom I gleaned from my experiences, the essential lessons about personal happiness, making the most of our time, and the importance of continuous learning. I found myself chuckling when some of today's students mistook me for a lecturer, and it reminded me of the truth we often forget: we should always be students in life, constantly learning and growing.

Join me for this heartening, nostalgia-filled episode, where I share the insights that have shaped me and the lessons that continue to guide me. So, let's embark on this journey together and perhaps, you too may stumble upon your own passport to happiness!"

Support the show

Welcome back everyone, Baskar Sundaram here. Today is a special day. Today, we celebrate the birthday of my late father, Mr. Sundaram.

Every morning, I light a candle in front of his photo and for one minute, I recite a pair of phrases in Tamil.

எல்லாரும் நல்லா இருக்கணும்
எல்லாருக்கும் எல்லாம் கிடைக்கணும்

This translates to "Everyone should be well. Everyone should get everything."

These are the very words that my father would utter each morning when he woke up, and each night before he went to bed.

When I asked him about it, he told me, "If you develop a habit of praying for others, you will never need to pray for yourself." His wisdom echoed his selflessness.

As for the second line, he explained, "The universe is not fair and it is never going to be fair. Fools, cowards, liars, and the selfish often hide in high places. You have to remind yourself every day to stand up for some things in this world to ensure everyone gets everything."

Yesterday, during my son Kai's parent-teacher meeting, his teacher, Mr. Davies, mentioned something that filled me with immense pride. He said, "Kai is always kind and very curious. He likes questioning maths, science, religious studies - why is it done or said this way?"

Mr. Davies also told me about a school rugby final earlier this week. When high tackles injured Kai's team, he, as the captain, pointed out the unfairness to the referee. Kai received the fair play award, and his team won the finals.

As I stepped out of the school, looking up at the sky, I knew my father was smiling too.

Remember, one of the kindest things you can do for anyone is pray for them. And sometimes, you have to stand up and be counted. If you stand for nothing, you will find nobody against you and nobody for you.

The world changes with each generation, usually because of a few brave and kind individuals who dare to make a difference. So, I encourage you: stay kind, do not fear unpopularity, and dare to make that difference.

HappyBirthday Appa. Your teachings have kept me standing even when people tried to push me down. You did not drag me up; you brought me up. #ThankYou Appa!

Support the show

Three years ago, we lost a great mentor and friend, Howard Nutt. Howard was a true inspiration to many in the business development community including myself. He was a Fellow of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and Executive Director of the Business Development Institute International.

Today, I find myself reflecting on the profound impact one person has had on my life, and so, this episode is devoted entirely to him. It's a tribute to a mentor, a friend, and an unwavering beacon of strength and wisdom - Howard Nutt.

When we speak of individuals who've made a significant impact on our lives, Howard's name comes to mind immediately. His unexpected departure has left a void that's hard to fill. But instead of dwelling on the loss, I want to use this time to celebrate Howard's life, the wisdom he imparted, and the incredible legacy he left behind.

Howard taught me many invaluable lessons, but three key values he embodied have continued to guide my life and career: Resilience, Generosity, and Joy.

Resilience: Howard had an innate ability to face any challenge with unyielding strength. He instilled in me the belief that setbacks are not failures, but learning experiences that help us grow and become resilient leaders.

Generosity: Howard's generosity was boundless. It was not about giving material things, but about sharing wisdom, time, and experiences. He believed that by imparting knowledge, we enrich not only others' lives but also our own understanding and perspective.

Joy: Above all, Howard was a beacon of joy. Despite any challenges he faced, his infectious smile never faded. He reminded us that life isn't solely about achieving success, but about relishing the journey and finding joy in every moment.

Howard's passing has left a void, but instead of perceiving this void as a pit of loss, I see it as a space filled with potential - potential for each one of us to continue his legacy. Today's episode will take a deeper dive into how we can ensure that Howard's legacy lives on.

If there's one thing Howard always emphasized, it was the importance of education. He was not just a teacher but a lifelong learner, continuously striving to acquire knowledge and, more importantly, share it with those around him.

In honoring Howard today, I want to assure that his guiding light is not extinguished. His wisdom, love, and the values he cherished will continue to guide our path. As we remember Howard, we commit to continuing the journey he inspired us to embark upon, embodying the same resilience, generosity, and joy he demonstrated throughout his life.

Howard Nutt's legacy is not just in the past, it's a living, evolving entity that exists in our actions, our values, and the journey we continue to navigate. It's in the resilience we demonstrate, the wisdom we share, and the joy we cultivate.

In today's fast-paced world, where success is often measured by material wealth, Howard's joyful spirit was a breath of fresh air. He demonstrated that finding joy in the journey, not just the destination, is what truly enriches our lives.

As we journey forward, it's my personal commitment to continue Howard's path. To educate, to learn, to share, and to live the values he embodied. It's not a task that can be accomplished alone, but a collective effort. We all have a role in ensuring that Howard's legacy lives on.

We'll continue to honor Howard's legacy in our future episodes, exploring his teachings, learning from his experiences, and celebrating his unwavering spirit. Remember, Howard's life may have ended, but his legacy lives on in each one of us. Let us honor him by nurturing this legacy, by keeping his flame of passion, resilience, and joy burning bright.

Support the show

In this powerful episode, Baskar Sundaram, founder of Baachu, addresses the escalating drama with the APMP Board. Drawing parallels to a suspenseful crime novel, he delves into the intricate legal allegations and the imaginative purging of Baachu's training materials by the APMP Board. The episode unfolds as Baskar narrates the plot, not as an underdog being pushed around, but as a resilient contender standing firm against the Board's accusations.

Baskar unapologetically confronts the Board's scheme, best summarized as, 'Isolate him, ensure our allies aren't losing to Baachu, confident that they have our back.' But in this twisted tale, Baskar reveals the tables are turned; it's the APMP Board that stands alone.

The narrative then shifts to Baachu's commitment to their mission, their growing unity and strength in the face of adversity. Baskar calls out the APMP Board's misplaced pride and challenges their version of 'Proud to be APMP' that seems to be more self-serving than community-building.

Moving forward, Baskar highlights the stark contrast between APMP's reliance on collective resources and Baachu's own resolve, strength, and resources. The episode concludes with a bold statement; no matter what the APMP Board throws their way, Baachu will not back down.

This episode is a powerful statement of Baachu's resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment to their principles. It's a must-listen for those who believe in standing up for justice, fairness, and integrity. Stay tuned for this gripping chapter of Baachu's journey.

Support the show

Vaibhav Sumant holds a hands-on Pre-Sales professional with 20+ years of track record in handling Presales and Customer facing responsibilities at various positions. He is a tech enthusiast at heart & love to be abreast with multiple industry trends, technology landscape in Cloud and Data analytics. As a strong leader with successful track record of setting up presales function from scratch, Vaibhav has built and mentored and is now leading team of presales consultants supporting all the Business units in his current role as the Director (Presales) at Xoriant Corporation since 2014. He has worked closely with sales leaders in their GTM strategies in US, Europe, and APAC and is currently supporting business worth 250+ million.

Support the show

Julia Doczi is a Certified Bid/Proposal Manager (APMP Practitioner), APMP 40 under 40 winner 2022, APMP Nordic Chapter Board Member, Prince2 certified, multilingual. She has 10+ years Bid/proposal management experience from multinational companies, including Fortune 500 companies.
She leads large bid projects with complex multi-tower solutions for large enterprise customers at Verizon Business Group. Besides her day job, she is a board member of the APMP Nordic Chapter and are working on spreading awareness and elevating the bid/proposal management profession in the Nordic region.

In Julia's free time, she tries to improve her language skills. She likes to be outside in nature and her new hobby is knitting.

Support the show

Kat Wyon is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading bid and proposal management professionals, with a strong commitment to APMP underlying her approach and was made an APMP fellow in 2015 due to her experience and commitment to Bid & Proposal management.

Kat is enterprising and energetic with excellent management, communication and organisational skills. Highly regarded across the bid management industry she is recognised for her passion for proposals, championing proposal management best practice. In her senior management roles in Sales & Marketing, Professional Services, commercialisation and Bid management she has successfully defined and implemented best practice processes and recruitment, management and motivation of staff within the team. She has driven the transformation of teams with the ability to create a mission statement for the team and strategically deliver against that mission.

She has an exceptional ability to create a broad collaborative working ethic with sales, marketing, commercial and technical divisions coupled with a calm ability to multitask in many demanding situations, whilst delivering thoroughness and reliability.

As Bid Centre Manager for Fujitsu Siemens Computers (2003-2007), she increased bid volume by 60%, increasing success rate by over 30% and raising the profile of bidding as a professional discipline within the company. Leading a pan-European team, she delivered a 500% Return on Investment.

Specifically headhunted in 2007 to be Head of Bid & Commercial for Colt Telecoms, she increased bid volume, improved the win rate and increased revenues year on year. Her biggest win, a £100m deal, was strategic to the entire business. She created a robust framework for bid and proposal management execution, and her remit was extended to all of Europe, managing a remote European-wide team and executing on all the challenges that a multi-lingual and non co-located team included.

At Lloyds Bank she built the bid management function and discipline from the ground up, starting with a team of two and increasing it to a team of twelve. Kat aligned processes to best practice to improve bid quality, efficiency and output, building an environment complete with a comprehensive toolset to support sales and to focus on delivering compelling, client focused propositions.

Kathryn has been a strong advocate of the role that APMP can play in improving the profile and effectiveness of bid and proposal management. Over the course of her career, she has lobbied for, supported and been the named sponsor for multiple new APMP members, and has sponsored 22 direct reports to attain Foundation certifications and 10 to attain their Practitioner status. In the legacy she has left at organisations, APMP practices and accreditation have been perpetuated. All of her processes, user manuals, guidance and standards are built on the principles advocated by Strategic Proposals.

Kat has a particular interest in benchmarking and research. She helps clients to enhance their proposal capabilities by providing input and recommendations to advance.

Life outside work

Kat lives in rural Kent with her husband and their two girls. Kat had a life changing Stroke in 2017 that few would have survived. Fortunately she awoke from her coma but is partially sighted and left with residual stroke disabilities. She is however cognitively sound and as optimistic, head strong and intelligent as she always was!

She continues to be highly respected as a thought leader in the proposal profession and has a track record of outstandingly successful achievement in winning business.

Support the show

Dr. Robin DiAngelo is an Affiliate Associate Professor of Education at the University of Washington. In addition, she holds two Honorary Doctorates. She is a two-time winner of the Student’s Choice Award for Educator of the Year at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work. She is the co-author of the award-winning textbook: Is Everyone Really Equal: An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education. In 2011 she coined the term White Fragility in an academic article which has influenced the international dialogue on race. Her book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism was released in June of 2018 and debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List, where it remained for over three years and has been translated into 12 languages. It has now been adapted for young adults. Her follow-up book, released in June of 2021, is: Nice Racism: How Progressive White People Perpetuate Racial Harm. Her latest book is The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups: Strategies For Leading White People in an Anti-Racist Practice. Her work or interviews have been featured in the New York Times, The Guardian, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NPR, PBS, and The BBC, among many other forums. In addition to her academic work, Dr. DiAngelo has been a consultant, educator and facilitator for over 20 years on issues of racial and social justice.

Support the show

Bärí A. Williams is an attorney and startup advisor and cofounder of The Runda Lab. She currently serves as an advisor to Vera, and fractional GC for Career Karma. Her primary practice areas include emerging technology transactions, privacy and data protection, IP licensing, and terms of service. She is also a published author with bylines in the New York Times, WIRED, Fortune, and Fast Company. She is the former Head of Business Operations Management for North America at StubHub, where she was responsible for business planning and operations to manage and oversee technical internal and external metrics, product innovation, and partnerships and drive P&L results across the company. Prior to StubHub, she served as Lead Counsel at Facebook doing legal work supporting Connectivity Labs to build drones, lasers, and satellites. During her Facebook tenure, she also built the company's Supplier Diversity Program.

She has served as an advisor to startups in the enterprise and e-commerce space, including Blavity (and AfroTech), Bandwagon, Owl (acquired by CallPass), and Telepath. She recently gave congressional testimony on bias in AI in financial services in Feb. 2020. Her book, Diversity in the Workplace: Eye-Opening Interviews to Jumpstart Conversations About Identity, Privilege, and Bias, was released on March 31, 2020, and she is awaiting her second book to be published, detailing her experience as a Black woman from Oakland working in tech in the heart of the Valley.

Support the show

Welcome to Baachu Talk: Equity Matters, the podcast that boldly champions diversity, equity, and inclusion through the power of human stories. Join host Baskar Sundaram, a seasoned entrepreneur and leader, as he guides you through thought-provoking conversations with inspiring advocates who dare to challenge the status quo, smash barriers, and ignite positive change in every corner of our world.

In each episode, you'll hear heart-stirring narratives, frank discussions, and unshakable truths from those leading the charge towards a more equitable future. We shine a spotlight on the voices of social activists and human rights advocates, who have dedicated their lives to promoting equality and justice.

Baskar draws from his extensive knowledge and personal experience to offer invaluable insights and practical tips for fostering positive change in the workplace and the wider world. Through powerful stories and raw emotions, we forge a path towards a diverse, equitable, and inclusive future.

At Baachu, JEDI lies at the heart of everything we do, driving our commitment to excellence and positive impact. We stand firm against all forms of oppression, including racism, transphobia, classism, sexism, and xenophobia. We are continuously learning about injustice and are committed to dismantling discriminatory systems, policies, practices, and ideologies within ourselves and our networks.

Join us on this journey towards a more equitable and inclusive workplace. The Equity Matters Workplace Series offers informative, empowering, and inspiring insights and actionable tips that can help you drive positive change in your own organization. Whether you are a leader, manager, or employee, this podcast is for you.

So, fasten your seatbelts, and let's dive into the DEI universe, right here on Baachu Talk: Equity Matters! Stand up, speak out, and transform the world with us.

Support the show

Kat Wyon is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading bid and proposal management professionals, with a strong commitment to APMP underlying her approach and was made an APMP fellow in 2015 due to her experience and commitment to Bid & Proposal management.

Kat is enterprising and energetic with excellent management, communication and organisational skills. Highly regarded across the bid management industry she is recognised for her passion for proposals, championing proposal management best practice. In her senior management roles in Sales & Marketing, Professional Services, commercialisation and Bid management she has successfully defined and implemented best practice processes and recruitment, management and motivation of staff within the team. She has driven the transformation of teams with the ability to create a mission statement for the team and strategically deliver against that mission.

She has an exceptional ability to create a broad collaborative working ethic with sales, marketing, commercial and technical divisions coupled with a calm ability to multitask in many demanding situations, whilst delivering thoroughness and reliability.

As Bid Centre Manager for Fujitsu Siemens Computers (2003-2007), she increased bid volume by 60%, increasing success rate by over 30% and raising the profile of bidding as a professional discipline within the company. Leading a pan-European team, she delivered a 500% Return on Investment.

Specifically headhunted in 2007 to be Head of Bid & Commercial for Colt Telecoms, she increased bid volume, improved the win rate and increased revenues year on year. Her biggest win, a £100m deal, was strategic to the entire business. She created a robust framework for bid and proposal management execution, and her remit was extended to all of Europe, managing a remote European-wide team and executing on all the challenges that a multi-lingual and non co-located team included.

At Lloyds Bank she built the bid management function and discipline from the ground up, starting with a team of two and increasing it to a team of twelve. Kat aligned processes to best practice to improve bid quality, efficiency and output, building an environment complete with a comprehensive toolset to support sales and to focus on delivering compelling, client focused propositions.

Kathryn has been a strong advocate of the role that APMP can play in improving the profile and effectiveness of bid and proposal management. Over the course of her career, she has lobbied for, supported and been the named sponsor for multiple new APMP members, and has sponsored 22 direct reports to attain Foundation certifications and 10 to attain their Practitioner status. In the legacy she has left at organisations, APMP practices and accreditation have been perpetuated. All of her processes, user manuals, guidance and standards are built on the principles advocated by Strategic Proposals.

Kat has a particular interest in benchmarking and research. She helps clients to enhance their proposal capabilities by providing input and recommendations to advance.

Life outside work

Kat lives in rural Kent with her husband and their two girls. Kat had a life changing Stroke in 2017 that few would have survived. Fortunately she awoke from her coma but is partially sighted and left with residual stroke disabilities. She is however cognitively sound and as optimistic, head strong and intelligent as she always was!

She continues to be highly respected as a thought leader in the proposal profession and has a track record of outstandingly successful achievement in winning business.

Support the show

Yasmin is a proposal manager with 18+ years of experience in the proposal world. Over the years, she’s managed proposals in various industries in the US, as well as the Middle East and Africa. She’s dealt many diverse teams, sometimes spanning multiple cultures at the same time!

Proposal management is universal. The underlying tools and techniques may be common; however, proposal management involves a lot of people management. How can you manage proposal teams from diverse cultures?

Support the show

Kyle Racki is the CEO and co-founder of Proposify, software that helps thousands of businesses remove the bottleneck of proposals and get more visibility into the close. Based in Halifax, Canada, Kyle and Proposify have won multiple awards over the years, including the EY Tech Entrepreneur of the Year for Atlantic Canada and Deloitte Fast 50. In addition to running Proposify, Kyle also works with other companies and startups as an investor and strategic coach, and sits on the board of Bright and MarsVR. He co-hosts a weekly business podcast, The Racki Symes Podcast.

Support the show

The Truth Revealed - An Appeal to APMP Members for Fair Hearing and Supporting Justice for Baachu"

This podcast episode concludes the Baachu and APMP Showdown by highlighting the lack of verifiable evidence supporting the allegations made by APMP against Baachu. It urges APMP members and the wider community to critically evaluate the situation and ask tough questions about transparency, accountability, and fairness. The episode implores listeners to support Baachu in its fight for a fair and impartial hearing by signing the fair hearing petition, which will hold the APMP Board accountable for its actions and encourage open communication in addressing disputes. The ultimate goal is to create a stronger and more prosperous proposal management industry for all by ensuring that all players in the industry are treated fairly and equitably.

https://baachuscribble.com/baachu-response-separating-fact-from-fiction-in-response-to-apmp-statement/

Support the show

In the final episode of the Baachu and APMP Showdown, the team urges the new APMP Board to work with them to find a mutually beneficial solution to any concerns that have been raised. The lack of communication and dialogue between Baachu and APMP has contributed to the revocation of Baachu's ATO status in June 2022, and they feel that the APMP Board did not take the time to familiarize themselves with their efforts before revoking their status.

Baachu believes that revoking their ATO status does not serve the best interest of APMP members or the proposal management industry as a whole. They express a willingness to work with the new Board to address any concerns and engage in constructive dialogue. They also believe that legal action should be a last resort, and that all ATOs and non-ATOs providing APMP training should be treated fairly and equitably, and any claims of copyright infringement should be based on legitimate grounds.

Baachu urges the new APMP Board to engage in open communication and dialogue with them to find a mutually beneficial solution that serves the interests of all parties involved and the bid and proposal profession as a whole. They remain committed to open communication, transparency, and fairness, and they look forward to finding a way to move forward together.

In conclusion, the team hopes that the new APMP Board will take this opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue with Baachu and work towards a solution that benefits everyone involved. The importance of open communication and transparency in resolving disputes is emphasized, and Baachu believes that this is the best way to find a mutually beneficial solution that serves the interests of all parties involved and the bid and proposal profession as a whole.

https://baachuscribble.com/baachu-response-separating-fact-from-fiction-in-response-to-apmp-statement/

Support the show

In this episode, we delve into the ongoing copyright dispute between Baachu and APMP. Specifically, we discuss the second copyright claim made against Baachu regarding its APMP Foundation Study Guide, which was published online in January 2020. Baachu strongly rejects this claim, stating that the study guide was developed by its team and does not infringe on any existing intellectual property rights. We examine the backstory of Baachu's mission and the comprehensive APMP Foundation Study Course it created to serve the unique needs of its self-study students, and how Baachu generated approximately $575,000 for APMP. We also question the fairness and transparency of APMP's decision to revoke Baachu's ATO status based on allegations from March 2019 and January 2020, which were not raised until more than two years later. Ultimately, Baachu remains committed to providing equal opportunities for professional development to individuals in under-served geographies, and stands by the quality and integrity of its study materials.

https://baachuscribble.com/baachu-response-separating-fact-from-fiction-in-response-to-apmp-statement/

Support the show

In this episode, we highlight the fact that Baachu has always been transparent about its business model and offerings. The organization offers a paid learning academy membership model that provides comprehensive and well-rounded training to individuals and organizations. However, this membership model does not include access to APMP certification courses, and the learning academy has never included any APMP copyrighted materials.

We also discuss the diversity of approach among ATOs, which allows individuals to choose the solution that best fits their needs and learning style. Baachu's self-paced learning experience through its paid membership model is unique, but other ATOs provide hands-on consulting and training services.

Finally, we address the failure of APMP to produce any verifiable evidence to support their claim that Baachu marketed APMP members to join Baachu bid and proposal community for a cost. We emphasize the importance of having a clear understanding of the facts when evaluating any allegations made against organizations or individuals.

In conclusion, we reject the baseless claims made by the APMP Board and are proud of the hard work and dedication that we have put into building our business. Baachu's fee-based proposal management community may not be for everyone, but it certainly is not a competitor to APMP.

https://baachuscribble.com/baachu-response-separating-fact-from-fiction-in-response-to-apmp-statement/

Support the show

In this episode, we dive into the ongoing showdown between Baachu and APMP, specifically the copyright and IP infringement claims made against Baachu, and their response to these allegations. Baachu received its first copyright claim in March 2019, relating to their Proposal Specialist Guide. However, Baachu quickly responded to the claim and removed the guide from Amazon. The recent revocation of Baachu's ATO status by APMP was purportedly based on Baachu promoting its own fee-based proposal management community as a cheaper alternative to APMP's offerings, as well as Baachu setting up its own fee-based proposal management community. However, the recent introduction of a copyright claim in APMP's statement seems to contradict these original reasons for the revocation, raising serious concerns about the validity and accuracy of APMP's allegations against Baachu. Overall, it is important to handle copyright claims with professionalism and efficiency, and to consider the backstory and intentions behind any such claims.

https://baachuscribble.com/baachu-response-separating-fact-from-fiction-in-response-to-apmp-statement/

Support the show

In this episode of the Baachu and APMP showdown, we debunk APMP's claim that Baachu has been promoting its own certification as a cheaper alternative to APMP's certifications. We highlight Baachu's commitment to promoting and supporting APMP certifications in under-served geographies and the low-cost training options introduced to make APMP certification more accessible. We also provide evidence of Baachu's success in enabling students to achieve APMP certifications and the limited promotion of its own certification. The claim made by APMP is inconsistent and unfounded, and Baachu categorically denies it.

https://baachuscribble.com/baachu-response-separating-fact-from-fiction-in-response-to-apmp-statement/

Support the show

This podcast explores the conflicting allegations made by the APMP against Baachu in June 2022 and Feb 2023 and the questions they raise about the fairness and transparency of the revocation process.

https://baachuscribble.com/baachu-response-separating-fact-from-fiction-in-response-to-apmp-statement/

Support the show

The Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) revoked Baachu Scribble's Approved Training Organization (ATO) status in June 2022, alleging that Baachu had sent out advertising to APMP members and the proposal and bid management community, urging members to consider Baachu's certifications as a “cheaper alternative” to APMP's certifications. Additionally, APMP claimed that Baachu had set up its own fee-based proposal management community, which acts as a competitor/alternative to APMP.

In February 2023, APMP released a new statement, alleging repeated copyright and intellectual property infringement by Baachu and further competition with APMP.

Baachu responded in detail with facts to each of the claims over 15 pages, while the accuser APMP has failed to provide any verifiable evidence to support their allegations. In this article, we will provide an unambiguous, objective analysis of the APMP statements and the ongoing issue between APMP and Baachu.

The controversy between APMP and Baachu began in June 2022 when APMP revoked Baachu's Approved Training Organization (ATO) status. APMP alleged that Baachu had sent advertising to APMP members and the proposal and bid management community, encouraging them to consider Baachu's certifications as a cheaper alternative to APMP's, and had set up a fee-based proposal management community that acted as a competitor/alternative to APMP.

In February 2023, APMP released a statement outlining four reasons why Baachu's ATO status was revoked. The reasons include allegations of copyright and intellectual property infringement, as well as allegations that Baachu marketed against APMP and set up a fee-based proposal management community that acted as a competitor to APMP.

While the allegations against Baachu are serious and merit a thorough investigation, there are several concerns with APMP's handling of the situation.

APMP has failed to provide any evidence to support its claims that Baachu sent advertising to APMP members and the proposal and bid management community, urging them to consider Baachu's certifications as a cheaper alternative to APMP's.
APMP has also failed to provide any evidence to support its claim that Baachu's fee-based proposal management community acts as a competitor/alternative to APMP.
Baachu has responded to each of APMP's allegations in detail with facts over 15 pages for each of these allegations. In contrast, APMP has not shared any evidence to substantiate its allegations against Baachu. Baachu's response to APMP's allegations raises further concerns about the validity and accuracy of APMP's claims.
Furthermore, there is a discrepancy between the reasons provided by APMP in June 2022 for revoking Baachu's ATO status and the allegations of copyright infringement in APMP's statement released on February 12th, 2023. Such a contradiction raises serious concerns about the validity and accuracy of APMP's allegations against Baachu.
Despite Baachu's response, the allegations of copyright and intellectual property infringement have raised further concerns about the situation between APMP and Baachu. Some have questioned why APMP did not raise these concerns earlier in June 2022 and whether the new allegations are simply an attempt to justify the revocation of Baachu's ATO status.
APMP's handling of the revocation process also raises concerns about due process and fairness. Baachu was not given the opportunity to review and challenge the facts presented in APMP's staff report, while APMP had the opportunity to review Baachu's materials before the hearing.
Baachu's CEO was given only 7 minutes to respond to the allegations and 45 minutes of questioning during the Professional Ethics Committee hearing which should have been conducted by independent jurors but was conducted by APMP Executive Committe

Support the show

In the 10th episode of Rising Above: The Baachu Story, we delve into the tumultuous events that took place in the final months of 2022. The episode takes us on a journey from India to Dubai to the UK, as Baachu reflects on his struggles with mental health, physical health, and career. He visits his hometown in India, where he is faced with the reality of his declining health and the weight of his struggles. Despite the love and support from friends and family, he finds himself consumed by guilt, self-doubt, and the fear of losing everything he holds dear.

The episode also sheds light on the professional challenges that Baachu faced, as the APMP legal letter affirming the decision to revoke Baachu's ATO status added to his stress and strain. He was forced to cancel his business and the future of his team was in jeopardy. However, with the unwavering support of his team and loved ones, He embarks on a journey of self-care . Baachu found the strength to fight back and stand up against discrimination and mistreatment

The episode ends with a call to action, as Baachu invites listeners to join him in his fight against discrimination and mistreatment. He asks for support in signing the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu and spreading the word about the importance of impartial decision-making in professional organizations. Join Baachu in his fight for justice and let's rise above adversity together.

Unite for Justice: Stand with Baachu and Against Discrimination

Rising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story

At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause.

Support the show

Listen to the next episode of Rising Above: The Baachu Story to find out how Baachu's journey continues as he navigates through the turmoil and heartache of Sep and Oct 2022. Despite finding moments of hope through his passion for teaching Tamil and coaching rugby, attending US APMP Chapter conferences, Baachu is still struggling to find peace within himself. Despite being surrounded by friends and loved ones, he felt an emptiness and struggled to feel truly present in his interactions.

As Baachu continues on his journey to find healing and peace, he discovers that his struggles with mental health are far from over. Join us on Rising Above: The Baachu Story as we uncover the devastating effects of discrimination on one man's mental health and how he rises above it all. Don't miss out on this emotional and inspiring episode where Baachu's story takes an unexpected turn and the true extent of his struggles are revealed. Stay tuned!

Unite for Justice: Stand with Baachu and Against Discrimination

Rising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story

At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause.

Support the show

The journey of Baachu was filled with excitement, hope, and dedication to the proposal management community. But in June 2022, everything changed when Baachu received the revocation of their ATO status. The sudden decision left Baachu and their 62 students in turmoil and raised questions about the integrity and motives of the board.

Baachu struggled to come to terms with the discrimination and the impact it had on their students and business. Despite their efforts to continue supporting their students through weekly webinars and podcasts, Baachu's mental and physical health was severely affected by the stress of their personal struggles.

What did Baachu do next to overcome this difficult and painful time? How did they find a way to continue supporting their students and the industry? Tune in to the 8th episode of "Rising Above: The Baachu Story" to find out.

Unite for Justice: Stand with Baachu and Against Discrimination

Rising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story

At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause.

Support the show

Rising Above: The Baachu Story - Episode 7: My Mental Health Struggle

In this 3 part episode of "Rising Above: The Baachu Story – Mental Health Struggle ," Join us as we explore Baachu's journey through the dark days of mental health, and how he found the courage to rise above and continue to fight for what he believes in.

Welcome to this emotional and raw 3 part podcast episode, where Baachu shares his personal journey through one of the most challenging times of his life.

From June to December of 2022, he was faced with a situation that left him feeling hurt, betrayed, and overwhelmed. he was constantly battling with my inner demons, and it seemed like every day was a struggle just to get out of bed.

But despite the overwhelming pain, he found the strength to share his story in hopes of helping others who may be going through a similar experience. In this podcast, we delve into the depths of my mental health struggle, the impact it had on every aspect of my life, and how he was eventually able to rise above it all. This is a story of resilience, strength, and the power of the human spirit. We delve into one of the most personal and vulnerable aspects of Baachu's journey - his struggle with mental health. Mental health is a topic that affects us all, but often goes unspoken. Baachu shares his story of how he battled with inner demons and the toll it took on his daily life. He reflects on the moments when he felt alone and isolated, and how he eventually found the strength to reach out for help. This episode is a reminder that we are not alone in our struggles and that it is okay to ask for help.

So sit back, listen, and be prepared to be moved by my journey through one of the toughest times of my life.

Unite for Justice: Stand with Baachu and Against Discrimination

Rising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story

At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause.

Support the show

In the 3 part episodes emotional and raw episode, Baachu opened up about his personal struggles with mental health and the impact it had on his relationships with friends, family, team and business.

Today’s episode, is about This is a heartfelt message of gratitude, apology, and hope for anyone who has ever struggled with their mental health and felt like they were drowning in their own thoughts. Join us for this powerful and inspiring episode, where Baachu demonstrates the importance of being open and asking for help, and the transformative power of love and support from those around us

Unite for Justice: Stand with Baachu and Against Discrimination

Rising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story

At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause.

Support the show

Have you been wondering if Baachu was really a victim of discrimination? In this episode, we delve into the complexities of discrimination and explore the various forms it can take. With a closer look at the laws in the US and UK, we invite you to come to your own conclusion and find out if Baachu's story is really one of discrimination. Don't miss this revealing episode as we uncover the truth behind the Baachu story.

Find more information here : https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-blogs/apmp-discrimination/

Unite for Justice: Stand with Baachu and Against Discrimination

Rising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story

At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause.

Support the show

Unite for Justice: Stand with Baachu and Against DiscriminationRising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story

At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause.

Support the show

Listen in to Baachu's journey, as he shares his personal story of growing up in a small village in India. From his father's passion for education to the sacrifices of his siblings, Baachu's story sheds light on the struggles and triumphs of those who strive to access education in a world where it is not always a given. Discover how the privilege of education has evolved over time and be inspired by Baachu's unwavering commitment to excellence and his belief in the power of education. This story is a testament to the human spirit and a reminder of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of knowledge and a better future.

The Campaign
At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause.

Support the show

Unite for Justice: Stand with Baachu and Against DiscriminationRising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story

Happy Valentine's Day from Baachu! Today, as we continue on Day 2 of our 14-day "Rising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story" campaign, let us remember that love is strength and choose to spread love and kindness.

On this day, we have a special Valentine's gift for you - a whole collection of Baachu merchandise, including the Justice for Baachu T-Shirt available in multiple colors and sizes. Show your support and love for the cause by purchasing and wearing this t-shirt. Not only will you be expressing your support, but you will also be spreading awareness and making a powerful statement against discrimination and bias.

Join us in spreading love, kindness, and strength in our fight for justice with Baachu! By purchasing and wearing the Justice for Baachu T-Shirt, you'll not only be expressing your support for the cause, but you'll also be spreading awareness and making a powerful statement against discrimination and bias. Let's stand together, united in our quest for fairness and equality.

Share your love and support by posting a picture of yourself wearing the t-shirt and using the hashtags #JusticeForBaachu #BaachuStory.

Get your unisex t-shirt now at https://7b9476.myshopify.com/ and be a part of the movement for a Fair Hearing for Baachu!

There is lot more items inside our store. Browse through, purchase and support Baachu.

Reflecting on the situation, In the face of conflict, the path we choose to resolve it speaks volumes about our character. While disagreements are a natural aspect of life, it's crucial to approach them with love and compassion. This way, we open the door to peaceful resolution. However, when we opt for aggression, it often only fuels a bigger and more destructive. But remember, kindness has a powerful voice and when it rises in anger due to the aggression it faced, its strength is unparalleled.."

The Campaign :

At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause.

Team Baachu

Support the show

In this episode of "Rising Above: The Baachu Story," we delve into the themes of spirit and sacrifice.

Baskar's grandmother, who was a fortune teller, played a significant role in instilling the values of sacrifice and determination in him. She shared the stories of their ancestors who had made sacrifices for the betterment of their community, inspiring Baskar to follow in their footsteps.

In this episode of "Rising Above: The Baachu Story," we delve into the raw and emotional story of Baskar's grandmother and the impact she had on his life. We will explore the tradition of Navagandam and how it has shaped the Tamil culture to fight and sacrifice for the greater good. Baskar will share his personal experience of following the tradition of his ancestors and the spirit of sacrifice that drives him to make a difference in the world.

We hear Baachu's raw and personal story of sacrifice, as he shares how his family made sacrifices for the education of the siblings, despite limited resources. Baachu reflects on how education was a privilege in his village, and how the Tamil culture encouraged fighting and sacrificing for what they believed in. This episode is a celebration of the human spirit and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope and bravery can shine through.

Join us as we delve into the heart of the matter and uncover the meaning of spirit and sacrifice.

The Campaign
At Baachu, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and create a fairer and more equal world. Our mission is to provide professional development opportunities to underprivileged communities and emerging economies, and we have dedicated our lives to this cause.

We have launched this campaign - to give voice to our story and to show the world what we stand for. We believe in the importance of transparency, fairness, and equality, and we are committed to fighting for these values in all aspects of our work. We believe that by coming together and speaking out against discrimination, we can create a better future for all.

We humbly request you to sign and continue support in spreading the word and encouraging others to sign the petition for a fair hearing for Baachu. Every signature counts to our 1000 target and together, we can make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Signing the Change.org petition is anonymous, ensuring that your privacy is protected while still making your voice heard in support of the cause

Support the show

Unite for Justice: Stand with Baachu and Against DiscriminationRising Above Adversity: The Baachu Story

In this heart-warming tale of hope, determination and the power of one man to create change, meet Baachu, a common man with a heart of gold. Baachu is passionate about educating people and spreading awareness about equality, but his journey is far from easy. The challenges he faces are numerous, including being the target of discrimination and inequality..

As Baachu's journey becomes more and more difficult, he must dig deep and find the courage to lead the charge against the un fair forces.

· Will Baachu rise above adversity and inspire a movement against discrimination?

· Will Baachu's unwavering determination lead the charge against the evil forces threatening his community?

· Will Baachu's passion for equality and education overcome the challenges he faces, such as discrimination and bullying?

· Will Baachu's inner strength and perseverance enable him to continue his mission, no matter the cost?

· Will Baachu's leadership transform him from one man into a powerful movement, inspiring others to stand up for what is right?

· Will Baachu's journey prove that one person can make a difference with enough heart, hope, and perseverance?

Join Baachu on his thrilling journey as he answers these questions and more in his inspiring story of resilience, success, and rising above adversity.
The journey begins February 13th, 2023.

Sign the Petition and Show Your Support:
https://www.change.org/p/unite-for-justice-stand-with-baachu-and-demand-reinstatement-as-an-apmp-ato

Support the show

Support the show

Tori's mission is to change the view of mental health and neurodivergence withing the bid and proposal industy. Having experience writing proposals for defense contractors, IT companies, and staffing firms, Tori has seen how different company cultures promote, or ignore, the mental health of their proposal teams (and the rest of the company).

As a neurodivergent proposal manager, she has faced challenges in her career, but also sees the strenghts that comes with having diverse proposal teams. As a senior proposal manager and Chair of APMP's Mental Health Affinity Board, Tori hopes to help others prioritize their mental health and change the stimga that surrounds mental health.

Tori has a Masters of Public Policy in Social and Health Policy from American University and her Bachelors in Political Science and Sociology from Russell Sage Collge. She is an APMP Foundation Certified member.

Support the show

Juliet’s mission is to help her clients succeed by winning more business. She serves as proposal manager and writer, augmenting proposal teams when time is short and resources limited. She collaborates with subject matter experts, elevating the message from feature focused to customer value and benefit first. She helps build customer-centric messaging, content, and narratives, achieving goals and winning her clients more business.

With an overall +80%-win rate and 100%-win rate with some clients, along with countless successful proposals and collaborations in her over 35 years of experience, Juliet is your go-to-writer. She writes for the reader and for the win.

Her experience as proposal reviewer for local agencies and the states of Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, provides a unique perspective to proposal development. She understands the reader’s/reviewer's perspective, producing a clear, easy reading and reviewing responses.

Juliet is an FSU graduate, with English and Master of Public Administration degrees. She has both Shipley Proposal Manager and Writer certifications and is Association of Proposal Management Professionals certified.

Support the show

Todd Packer, CF APMP, Principal Consultant and Executive Syzygyst™ of Todd Packer and Associates, LLC, aligns opportunity, value, and excellence to help organizations thrive with new sources of growth and revenue. For over twenty years his innovative techniques have helped individuals from corporations, universities, non-profit institutions, small businesses and healthcare

facilities in the U.S., Canada, and India. A published author and top-rated presenter, he integrates coaching, research, writing, training, and consulting to launch and manage successful initiatives based on ideas that win. Todd has presented popular and highly interactive sessions for professional associations, including APMP BPC and Chapter conferences.
Todd holds proposal experience in various fields including US Department of Defense, US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), US National Science Foundation (NSF), US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) Institutes.
Previously, Todd has worked as the External Innovation Manager at Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems Corporation and as the Intellectual Property Manager at Kent Displays, Inc.
In addition to this, Todd has also served as the Marketing Instructor for Kent State University, College of Business Administration, Research Marketing Innovation Consultant for Case Western Reserve University and as the Management and Development Consultant for the Tibetan Medical Institute of H.H. the Dalai Lama—Dharamsala, India. Todd is also APMP Foundation level certified.

Support the show

Dr. Robert Frey delivers tangible business value to every one of his 104-small business, mid-tier, and Fortune 50 Federal support services and Commercial customers. Among his customers are a major financial institution with more than $150 Billion in assets, a multinational firm with $20 Billion in revenues, and a global corporation with customers in more than 75 countries. Dr. Frey is a dynamic and highly productive proposal professional with 35 years of significant, trend-setting accomplishments and thought leadership, as evidenced by his multiple speaking engagements with the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and the Project Management Institute (PMI) in both the United States and Canada. His competencies span proposal solution strategizing and architecture development, oral presentation coaching, training/teaching, Knowledge Management (KM), and support for business planning and capture management, coupled with 38 years of writing and publication-related success. Dr. Frey also brings broad technical awareness in information technology (IT), engineering, scientific support services, and telecommunications. Awards associated with the $7.926 Billion that Dr. Frey has assisted his customers to win span multi-year contracts with NASA (Ames Research Center, Kennedy Space Center, Johnson Space Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, Glenn Research Center); U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps; Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG); Department of Energy (DOE) and countless others.

Support the show

Supriya Rao have close to 17 years of experience across pre-sales, business development, account management & client servicing, sales enablement, solution architecture, consultative sales & digital transformation in Telecom, Retail, Healthcare, BFSI and Manufacturing domains. She is currently heading Presales at Intelliswift Software, Inc., a global digital product engineering company headquartered in CA, US.

She has been responsible for driving and transforming siloed presales function into multi-disciplinary and cross functional sales enablement units, supporting global teams and achieving annual growth targets.

have close to 17 years of experience across pre-sales, business development, account management & client servicing, sales enablement, solution architecture, consultative sales & digital transformation in Telecom, Retail, Healthcare, BFSI and Manufacturing domains. She is currently heading Presales at Intelliswift Software, Inc., a global digital product engineering company headquartered in CA, US.

She has been responsible for driving and transforming siloed presales function into multi-disciplinary and cross functional sales enablement units, supporting global teams and achieving annual growth targets.

have close to 17 years of experience across pre-sales, business development, account management & client servicing, sales enablement, solution architecture, consultative sales & digital transformation in Telecom, Retail, Healthcare, BFSI and Manufacturing domains. She is currently heading Presales at Intelliswift Software, Inc., a global digital product engineering company headquartered in CA, US.

She has been responsible for driving and transforming siloed presales function into multi-disciplinary and cross functional sales enablement units, supporting global teams and achieving annual growth targets.

Support the show

Ganesh Shankar is the Chief Executive Officer and one of the founders of RFPIO, the leading software for response management. RFPIO’s AI-enabled technology serves the sales process, empowering organizations to effectively respond to the information requests they receive, ultimately increasing win rates and revenue.

Leveraging extensive experience in product management, software, and leadership, Shankar ensures organizational excellence for RFPIO employees and customers. He is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, championing equality in the workplace. Led by Shankar, RFPIO has been ranked by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies and counts many Fortune 500 companies as customers.

Shankar was recognized by The Software Report as one of the top 50 SaaS CEOs of 2022; awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year - PNW Winner in 2020; voted Top CEOs to Work For in Portland by Comparably; and honored in Portland Business Journal’s 40 Under 40.

Support the show

Moinuddin Salman has progressive experience of working in fortune 500 MNC’s across ICT, Aviation and IT Healthcare and has held roles within Deal Management, Commercials and Pricing, Business/Sales Strategy and Planning, while leading deals with contract value ranging from $2M to $100M. His expertise lies in his strong forte in Business Development and Sales Operations from the 18 years of of his experience in driving Business Development and Sales operations and leading multiple initiatives involving cross-functional teams to drive process improvement and cost optimization. Moinuddin also posses great skill in dDeal Management and Pricing, specifically in formulating deal strategies, preparing costing & pricing models, owning PnL of deals and following firm’s revenue recognition policies to maintain healthy cash flows.

Moinuddin led the initiative of redefining Bid management and to identify and create Account plan for strategic accounts though which he developed the talent for building platform for Business growth. He also hols the skills of Technical compliance, negotiation, and contract closure that helps him to review technical compliance and align with solution architects, manage internal and external stakeholders, lead contract negotiations and closures. Along with these lies the Global Business orientation & experience of the business expert, with experience in Accrued working in M.E and India, collaborating with stakeholders across USA, Middle East, Europe, UK, Southeast Asia, Australia, and India.

Moinuddin holds an MBA-Finance from the Strategy & Leadership from Indian School of Business (ISB) (Class of 2020) and a Bachelor degre in Electronics & Telecommunication engineering from Osmania University.

Support the show

Bill Gregoire is a proposal professional with over 16 years of experience in the field. He has been a proposal coordinator, proposal writer, proposal manager, senior proposal manager, and is currently a proposal director at a U.S. defense contractor. He is certified at the Practitioner level by the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English Writing and History from the University of Massachusetts – Lowell.

Support the show

Joe Sangillo Weidling is the Senior Director of Bid Proposal Operations at Discovery Education, a leading ed tech provider of digital curriculum solutions throughout the world. Joe manages a team responsible for crafting winning proposals of Discovery Education’s products and services to school districts and state/national departments of education. Prior to joining Discovery Education in 2014, Joe worked for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland, one of the largest school districts in the United States. Joe began his career in MCPS as a classroom teacher, then a department chair, and then a social studies content specialist before making the leap to Discovery Education to build an RFP operation from the ground up. During his years managing Discovery Education’s RFP team, Joe has increased RFP volume 700%, which has correlated to a massive increase in Discovery Education revenue attributed to RFP’s.

Joe earned his Master of Arts degree in Government from The Johns Hopkins University, and 2 Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Maryland in U.S. History and Social Studies Education.

Joe lives in San Diego, CA with his husband and enjoys spending time with their dog, Teddy. When not heads down in RFP land, Joe enjoys reading, exercise, and relaxing on San Diego’s beaches.

Support the show

Sarah Shaffer is a 14 year industry veteran that has worked in small (single person) proposal teams and large teams. In 2020 she was recognized as an APMP 40 under 40 awardee, and is APMP Proposal Practitioner and Capture Practitioner certified. Currently, Sarah is the Executive Director of the Intelligence Sector Proposal Operations organization at ManTech International where her team focuses on Propsal mechanics, communication, setting expectations, and maximizing opportunities to lead through problem solving.

In my spare time I like spending time in the yard with my husband and 5 year old son. We love legos, and I play adult league co-Ed soccer.

Support the show

Anne has been working for 7 years at enexdi and 16 years of professional business development experience, Anne provides responsive, pleasant and professional service to help clients develop compelling, winning proposals. She served 5 years on the APMP-NCA Board of Directors as the Corporate Partner Chair and won the 40 under 40 award for APMP in 2019. Anne is a graduate of Wake Forest University where she earned a degree in Sociology. In her free time, Anne enjoys playing tennis, hiking and traveling with her husband and dog.

Support the show

Six Steps To a Successful Proposal

Strategy - Whether a marketing novice or seasoned professional, gain knowledge from pre-planning practices that will set you and your team off on the right path.
Start-Up - The pursuit has received the green light. Where to start? You'll acquire the tools to organize every single person and task.
Management - Practices and approach on maintaining the proposal schedule.
Content - Guidance on getting content, developing content, and what to do with all those graphics.
Review - Pink, Red, & Gold. Why all the reviews? Learn what should be included and the benefits of each stage.
Closeout - There is a lot to be learned in these final steps that shouldn't be overlooked.

Support the show

Hillary brings over 15 years of experience stemming from broadcast journalism, proposal management, capture, business development, client and account management, and marketing and communications to the table. With a diverse background she has worked with clients and accounts in the federal, commercial and nonprofit space. An active member of the APMP NCA Chapter, 40 Under 40 2018 Class, Presenter and Panelist at APMP Bid and Proposal Con 2017 and 2018, Hillary Fredrick is a seasoned veteran in proposal management with experience in planning large corporate events and logistics.

Today, she is a Senior Marketing Manager for Maximus, focused on brand elevation and engagement, marketing strategy and execution for Maximus’ federal services.

Support the show

Richard is a Director at BrightCarbon, the specialist presentation and eLearning agency. He has helped to write and create thousands of presentations, and coached hundreds of teams to present more effectively using visuals, diagrams, and animated sequences that explain and reinforce the key points.

Bullet Points on Topic:

Successful pitches need to convey the key reasons why a prospect will benefit from working with you, and how that's better than the alternatives. How do you create a persuasive story to frame your offering in the best light?
Visuals are a great way of helping people understand your story easily, from bold key messages to elegant representations of complex concepts. What are some of the techniques you can use to achieve this?
Providing a clear structure to the story so that your audience understand where they are in the flow and how it all works together is vital, especially with large bid teams, each with their own section to listen to. Hear how you can structure and compartmentalize a pitch to make it both easy to follow and reinforce your key value messages.

Support the show

Thilinie Horne has been working in proposals for 6 years, more recently as a proposal coach and providing bid management to teams and facilitating key interventions such as bid/no bid, kick off, win theme workshops, storyboarding and review sessions. She also provides pitch coaching, for both face to face and virtual settings and supports teams and individuals to answer the client's brief, whilst providing a client centric story and emphasising win themes. She carries out internal lessons learnt with bid teams to ensure continuous improvement is embedded in each proposal, along with carrying out client debriefs.

Thilinie is APMP 40 under 40 winner 2020, Women in Bids and Proposals Midlands, Regional Leader, APMP Assistant to Membership Director and achieved Highly Commended in Bid Solutions Rising Stars Award 2017.

She is currently working as a Bid Manager at Gulp Digital.

Support the show

Stephanie Schmidt is a senior proposal coordinator in the A/E/C industry, specializing in strategic pursuit opportunities. She has worked in the industry since 2014 and has served in proposal development roles for over 5 years.

Stephanie is dedicated to continuous education and professional development. She recently completed her MBA at Arizona State University and is an active member of APMP. Stephanie recently resumed her role as the Communication Director on the Board of the APMP Western Chapter and is currently taking the Dale Carnegie leadership and communications training course.

Support the show

Paul is Head of Group Tendering for Eurofins Forensic Services, part of the international life sciences and testing group Eurofins, where his role encompasses bidding, commercial and legal advisory services. With almost 25 years in sales roles, of which 15 have been in bid/tender functions, his bidding career has come through the defence and security sector into forensics. He is accredited at Professional level and has won bids into Bluelight customers, local councils, corporates, national Governments, the UK Ministry of Defence, the US Department of Defense and the United Nations. He is also a mentor on the APMPUK Rapport mentor programme.

Focal Points:

why scoring criteria are used
that submissions will be assessed, not read (this feeds into my 'writing for impact' module) and that it will be scored against the criteria, not necessarily against the competition
How evaluation scoring can differ in terms of approach, talking about a few of the different schemes I've seen and the differences and how to read the criteria to determine how best to climb the score scheme (again, that it's not the best writing but answering in a way that matches the scoring scheme)
How question weightings can help you determine where to spend effort (e.g. movement of 1 consensus point on a 75% weighted question scored 1-5 has a bigger impact than the whole of a 5% question)
Then there's looking at the questions and determining what they're asking. My sector is notorious for questions with multiple dimensions, and unobvious hidden questions that if you can tease them out, can make it more difficult for other bidders to come off as compliant as you are against the question and therefore against the scoring criteria.
Then there's the use of a compliance matrix to make sure your response and subsequent submission hit all of those areas as well as other things that tie the company into the contract - which, again, SMEs who only look at the specification may often not be aware of... and that the compliance matrix can feed into subsequent proceed/halt gates.

Support the show

LJ is the Director of Bids and Frameworks for Jigsaw24, based in Nottingham, where she draws on all of the knowledge she’s gained in her 20+ years career. After completing her Management and Technology BSc(Hons) degree at Brunel University, LJ moved into IT Sales with a Telco, which established her love of all things technology based. She moved into Bid Management in 1998 when she got so exasperated with poor sales contracts, she decided to move down the chain and ensure quality tenders would result in quality contracts! Since then, she has supported over £4bn of bids and worked in industries from Oil and Gas, to Rail, to Business Processes, to IT – introducing Governance and Process to many of her roles. She is a passionate mentor, encouraging and supporting internal colleagues and supporting women from all walks of life, being recognised in 2021 as Exec Mentor of the Year for the CRN Women in Channel Awards, and Mentor of the Year in the East Midlands Business Awards. LJ is actively involved in groups aiming to drive female engagement in STEM, IT and Technology. Her leadership and expertise were critical in winning a key Public Sector Covid project that saw Jigsaw24 rolling out 7,500 devices a week to the NHS.

Focal points:

How we learn from our colleagues
How we share learning
What lessons I have taught (and the ones I thought I was sharing!)
Teaching and mentoring styles and unconscious role models

Support the show

Support the show

Kelsie Ware (PMP, APMP) is a proposal development professional with extensive experience in proposal writing and management specializing in compliance assurance. Before becoming a full-time proposal manager, Kelsie worked at DIA as a contractor with the National Media Exploitation Center (NMEC). At NMEC, she managed the Reporting and Dissemination office as well as served as Assistant PM and practiced hands on management approaches with Media Exploitation Services, developing successful Training Programs, and managing government Reporting and Production Development. Prior to joining DIA, Kelsie spent six years as an Arabic Linguist and Signals Intelligent Analyst for the U.S. Army. In her free time, she maintains her 10-acre farm in rural Virginia including horses, chickens, dogs, cats, and a variety of reptiles.

Focal Points:

Difference between "Reuse Libraries" and "Reference Libraries"
Importance of tailoring Reuse
What to look for in RFPs for tailoring Reuse
Differences between Reuse for Tech Approaches and Reuse for Management/Transition etc
Importance of Reuse material being living documents, and updating /reviewing consistently between proposals

Support the show

**With Scribble Talk reaching the 20k downloads' mile stone, we are excited to kick-off the hunt for our Super Fan through our latest campaign and shower our biggest fan with amazing prizes.
You are invited to take the SCRIBBLE TALK SUPER FAN QUIZ and win a chance to get life time access to all podcast seasons and grab amazing Amazon Voucher Cards.

Take the quiz now: https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-talk-super-fan-contest-2022/

Sakina** has become a fundamentalist in the Bid and Proposal Management field over the last 18 years. Starting from inception, with a pilot team of just 4 people, developed what is still very much existing today, the first bid office in one of SAs biggest revolutionary ICT companies back in 2003.

Sakina has earned several accolades from CEO Professional Excellence Awards to a few Long Service Awards. She won the Top Achiever Innovation award whilst successfully leading her team during a Management Leadership and Development Programme in 2016 through GIBS.

She also represents women in leadership forums to increase business awareness & transformational thought leadership.

Sakina is a leader of change, adopting process enhancements, digital systems, software and tools used to engage teams and individuals to develop a fully functional and practical bid and proposal management system in matrixed organisations, all whilst managing complex, large scale projects in excess of USD75m. She’s an avid entrepreneur, managing her 1st business/side hustle for over 10 years whilst working & further co-owns 2 other non-profit businesses.

Support the show

Jenny Roemer is a Senior Proposal Manager based in Minnesota and has worked in Fleet Management for over 30 years. For the last nine years, as a passionate proposal professional, working on U.S., Canadian and Global bids, Annual Client Assessments, and managing the content database and the sales enablement platform. Before this, she worked as a Digital Analyst and Client Success Manager. She has developed strong project management and client service skills in these positions. Jenny also served on the board for the Greater Midwest Chapter of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals, where she is the Membership Chair and helped to grow the membership.

Support the show

Tania is 12+ years strategic communications and project management professional with expertise in guiding bid management and proposal development processes for one of Australia’s leading Real Estate Investment Trusts. Currently, Tania is senior tender specialist in Tender Plus. Prior to Tender Plus Tania was with Dexus and Origin Energy. Also is also APMP ANZ Chapter Committee member as Conference and Events Lead. Tania has commerce graduate degree from University of Sydney and is APMP CF Certified.

Support the show

Tobin started as a proposal/technical writer in Las Vegas, Nevada, not knowing anything about proposals specifically. He was an excellent writer since middle school and in college and grad school (and in the wake of the Great Recession), he worked in a series of customer service and sales jobs. At these jobs, he learned simple lessons like asking qualifying questions and explaining benefits. Tobin combined those skills with my writing background and career and very quickly figured out what works and what doesn't in proposals.

Spratte works by day as a proposal manager. By night, he pens novels, nonfiction, and manages and writes his blog, Anarchy+Autoimmunity. He has also been a magazine editor, academic researcher, and opinion columnist. His columns and scholarship have been published nationally, and he was the third place winner in the Felix Morley Journalism Competition.

The company who gave him his first opportunity took a step back, so, he ended up in Phoenix working for Arizona State University. But since he wanted a job where he did more writing and strategy and less checklists and compliance, he joined the engineering firm Haley & Aldrich. Tobin is APMP Practitioner Qualified, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and holds a master's degree in journalism from the University of Colorado.

Support the show

Janet L. Follmeyer, CF. APMP, has 20 years of proposal management experience. She began her proposal management career at Day & Zimmermann after a stint in business to business publishing.

Janet currently is a Bid Manager within Verizon’s Global Bid Management team. Janet joined Verizon in 2019 from Comcast headquarters, where she was the Proposal Manager for the Enterprise Managed Services segment. Janet has worked in a number of industries, including telecommunications, cybersecurity, managed services and staffing, pharmacy benefit management services (Commercial and Medicaid), and publishing.

She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism with a specialization in Public Relations and a Minor in Political Science from Temple University, and an MBA from Holy Family. When she is not working, Janet spends time walking, biking, going to the gym, and exploring Philadelphia’s restaurants and bars, where she lives with her husband and cats.

Janet serves as Chair/President for the APMP Liberty Chapter, which includes New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut since 2018, and previously served as APMP Liberty Programs Chair.

Support the show

**With Scribble Talk reaching the 20k downloads' mile stone, we are excited to kick-off the hunt for our Super Fan through our latest campaign and shower our biggest fan with amazing prizes.
You are invited to take the SCRIBBLE TALK SUPER FAN QUIZ and win a chance to get life time access to all podcast seasons and grab amazing Amazon Voucher Cards.

Take the quiz now: https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-talk-super-fan-contest-2022/**

A communications and bid management professional, Thane Joske has 25+ years professional marketing, public relations, bid management and business development experience.

Thane has worked on hundreds of bids and proposals and has successfully won and retained significant contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Thane has achieved success across a range of industries, including professional services, technical advisory, Public Private Partnership projects, and has broad experience across the professional services, design and construction, finance, healthcare, telecommunications and IT industries.

Thane translates and communicates complex service concepts from technical experts into words understood by non-experts.

Her ability to influence ensures that internal stakeholders deliver the required output on time and is consistent with client requirements regarding content, competitive messaging, structure, look and win themes.

Thane commenced her career in public relations and has a Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing) from Deakin University and an MBA from RMIT. Thane is a member of the Australian Professional Services Marketing Association, the Property Council of Australia and the Facility Management Association.

Thane is supported by a team of freelance consultants, writers and designers, who can be brought into the proposal response process at any point. Thane’s network of bid support and understand the demands and timeframes of the proposal process.

Support the show

Support the show

**With Scribble Talk reaching the 20k downloads' mile stone, we are excited to kick-off the hunt for our Super Fan through our latest campaign and shower our biggest fan with amazing prizes.
You are invited to take the SCRIBBLE TALK SUPER FAN QUIZ and win a chance to get life time access to all podcast seasons and grab amazing Amazon Voucher Cards.

Take the quiz now: https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-talk-super-fan-contest-2022/**

Jeffrey Cohen is the Senior Director of Proposal Management for Peraton, a provider of advanced cyber solutions to both Federal and State Governments. In his role he leads a team of 30 proposal managers and coordinators and approximately 10 contractors. He is the resource manager for all proposal managers, coordinators and orals coaches. His team manages bids ranging from tens of millions to billions. Prior to this position he was the Vice President of Proposals for WBB (Whitney, Bradley and Brown) which was acquired by Serco in 2021. Jeff is APMP Practitioner certified and has approximately 15 years of proposal experience. He lives in northern Virginia and is associated with the National Capital Area chapter where he has been active in the mentor-protégé program. Prior to that, Jeff was career Air Force having served for 26 years and attaining the rank of Colonel. His hobbies include the beach, his 4 dogs, reading and word games

Support the show

Charlotte Rees has worked in the bidding profession for nearly a decade, starting her journey as a bid and proposals apprentice for an engineering company. She has worked across several industries including IT services, facilities management and construction, and is currently an Associate Director Bid Manager, working within professional services and property. In 2018, Charlotte founded the Women in Bids and Proposals (WIBAP) community to target gender inequality within the profession and provide a space to share experiences and overcome the challenges we all face on a regular basis.

Support the show

Support the show

**With Scribble Talk reaching the 20k downloads' mile stone, we are excited to kick-off the hunt for our Super Fan through our latest campaign and shower our biggest fan with amazing prizes.
You are invited to take the SCRIBBLE TALK SUPER FAN QUIZ and win a chance to get life time access to all podcast seasons and grab amazing Amazon Voucher Cards.

Take the quiz now: https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-talk-super-fan-contest-2022/**

Kati Stutsman, CF APMP, Shipley BDC is a marketing and creative communications specialist with a background in value-add content development and exceptional client experiences. She currently serves as a Proposal Manager for Burns & McDonnell, a civil engineering and architecture firm based in Kansas City, Missouri. Kati also serves on the board for the Greater Midwest Chapter of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals where she produces a monthly podcast (Shortlisted) and fosters member engagement.

Support the show

A proven Business Development Professional with more than 25 years of progressive experience in bid and proposal management, capture, business development, contracting, marketing and client services for small and large businesses. Lead proposal efforts up to $300M spanning multiple industries (Construction, Aviation, Health IT, Engineering) for commercial, U.S. and Foreign Government clients for domestic and international projects. Martha is currently Senior Manager, Capture Advancement Team at Collins Aerospace

She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and is a foundation-certified Proposal Management Professional through the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP). Martha has served on the Chesapeake Chapter APMP Board of Directors since 2014 and has been the President and Chapter Chair since 2018. She co-hosts a monthly webinar for the Chapter and enjoys interacting with other proposal professionals to keep up to date on the best industry practices.

Residing in Maryland, Martha is married to her high school sweetheart. They have 19 U.S. Naval Academy sponsor sons (midshipmen) that they adopted through its Sponsor Program. They have one sponsor son who is currently at the academy, one in flight school, and eight who are actively serving in the Navy, Marine Corps and Air National Guard. Martha jokes that her hobbies are the care and feeding of sailors, but she enjoys reading, baking, ballroom dancing, and traveling. Martha's friends and colleagues describe her as disarming, funny, thoughtful, assertive, and loyal.

Support the show

In this short episode Baskar Sundaram, reflects his APMP career - Howard introducing APMP in 2015 to Baachu ceasing ATO operations on his 2nd Death Anniversary.

Howard was my father figure, my very first visit to APMP Bid Con 2015 at Boston was just to be with him. I was so looking forward to meet Howard at Nashville and stand alongside him at the BD Institute stand. He inspired me to document APMP history and I was so blessed to record his voice as my first Baachu Scribble Talk Podcast guest.

We know he is a light hearted person and his BD – Metrics and Benchmarking tools will be used as long as tenders exist.

To continue his legacy, I dedicated scribble scholarships in honour of him (and few other mentors) 2019. Scribble Talk popular rapid fire random Qs will be renamed as The Nutters Round.

As long as I am alive, I will continue to do my little part to keep Howard's legacy forward.

About Howard Nutt:
Howard Nutt was the Executive Director of the Business Development Institute International (BD-Institute). An industry veteran with 45 years experience. Howard was one of APMP’s 28 founding members, developed its original strategic plan, was APMP Fellow, the recipient of APMP Founders and Vision awards. He led the development of the Capability Maturity Model® for Business Development (BD- CMM).

Read More Here: https://baachuscribble.com/howard-nutt-tribute-page/

Support the show

**With Scribble Talk reaching the 20k downloads' mile stone, we are excited to kick-off the hunt for our Super Fan through our latest campaign and shower our biggest fan with amazing prizes.
You are invited to take the SCRIBBLE TALK SUPER FAN QUIZ and win a chance to get life time access to all podcast seasons and grab amazing Amazon Voucher Cards.

Take the quiz now: https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-talk-super-fan-contest-2022/**

In this Part 2 Special episode Baskar Sundaram briefly introduces Capability Maturity Model® for Business Development (BD- CMM) - Fact based research on improving excellence.

BD Institute was once part of APMP - APMP CBDE (Centre of Business Development Excellence) .

Know your history - Learn, Celebrate and Follow the Contributions

As long as I am alive, I will continue to do my little part to keep his legacy forward.

Support the show

Louise Dentice is Head of Bids and Proposals at chapmanbdsp and is also the Research and Resources Lead on the Women in Bids and Proposals (WIBAP) committee. An APMP Global Top 40 award recipient, Louise holds APMP practitioner certification and APM (project management certification), in addition to business, marketing and design tertiary qualifications.

Louise has been working in dedicated bids and proposals positions for 11 years, with a further ten years in marketing positions prior to that. Her bid track record has been gained in the built environment sector, working with project management, contractor and engineering firms. Projects secured include international, large scale, high profile developments, through to niche, boutique schemes across the spectrum of client sectors.

Louise is from Aotearoa, New Zealand and has been based in London for nearly 12 years. Alongside her bid career, Louise is a sculptor, regularly exhibiting internationally, with a recent exhibition in Tokyo, Japan and an upcoming show in Birmingham, UK.

Topic:
After I was a guest on the Scribble Talk Podcast earlier in the year, I had a lot of interest and questions around what I termed my ‘parallel’ careers – Bids and Art – and how I managed success in these pathways, amongst my other commitments.

I realized that I employ several key strategies to manage competing priorities and to keep balls moving across my employment as Head of Bids, my art career, the various committees I sit on (WIBAP, British Art Medal Society, Medal Artists of New Zealand), my personal / social life – oh and the house renovation!

Key strategies include: The Daily ‘Stand up’, the ‘flex and swing’ attitude, chunking time, quick wins, managing expectations, "the answer is yes, if".

I understand my own personal drivers - I am deadline driven and I have a ‘finisher’ mind set - I play to these.

It’s all about priority management, expectation management, understanding what level of input is required and when, to achieve personal and professional goals.

Short Description Previously Shared Regarding The Topic:

The act of balance, competing priorities, how to keep balls moving, with some key pointers of what works for me - the flex, chunking time, quick wins, 2 min tasks, managing expectations, "the answer is yes, if". I can bring it back to the demands of the job and the complex nature of the bids we work on in my sector, the quick turnaround, and the techniques I have put in place to manage those.

It's priority management, expectation management, understanding what input is required when to achieve personal and professional goals (there is definitely going to be a better way to coin that!).

Support the show

With over a decade of proposal management experience, Tracey Silver, CF APMP has a firm grasp on every area within the pitch process including, but not limited to, evaluating an opportunity, developing a winning strategy, writing compelling content, developing appropriate graphics, and presentation coaching. As the Associate Director of Marketing - Pitch & Proposals for Cooley, a global law firm with over 1,500 lawyers, Tracey is responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of the firm's centralized Pitch & Proposals team.

Tracey has been involved with APMP since 2015 and has held an APMP Colorado board position since 2019. At the 2022 Dallas BPC, the Colorado chapter was recognized as "Chapter of the Year. "Tracey was also named as one of the APMP 40 Under 40 in 2018 and that same year her team was recognized as "Proposal or Bid Team of the Year."

Support the show

Culture is the acknowledged and accepted expectations, values, attitudes, beliefs,
rituals, symbols, actions, tools, education, and reinforcements enabling a
group to sustain itself and prosper in the face of adversity and
competition. It holds the capacity to either kill or help thrive an organization. The workplace culture should be strong and must be the fabric that brings together the people for the common good. Find out more about the three categories of people in your organization – Creators, Teachers and Sustainers – who essential for an organization to help advance in a competitive environment.
Find out how to create a culture in your working environment and how the created expectations and values can help you advance steadily. Eric Gregory has 44-years experience in business development, capture and proposal operations.

Eric Gregory has 45 years of continuous experience in Federal business development, capture, proposal operations, and program support.

Over his career he achieved success with CACI, Bendix, Martin Marietta, Litton Industries, Hughes Aircraft, and Shipley. He twice served as CEO for the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and is an APMP-certified proposal professional (APMP CPP) as well as an APMP Fellow. He has been honored with APMP’s highest service award, the William C. McCrae Memorial Award. Eric also received CACI’s top honor for service excellence, the Admiral Thomas H. Moore Award.

Support the show

Neil grew up in Builth Wells, a small town in rural Wales, where his parents still live. Neil went to college at the University of Hull in Yorkshire, studying environmental management. He met his future wife (American exchange student) during his time at Hull. Over the next few years he spent time in both countries, until he got married in 1996. Neil moved to Fairfax County, Washington, DC suburbs and still lives there

Neil got his first professional job in the late ‘90s as an environmental policy analyst working on contracts supporting the Department of Energy. Feeling underused and bored he asked about proposals after seeing a few being worked. Over the last 20 years Neil has worked at half a dozen or so companies of different sizes with differing offerings. The majority of his time has been spent at smaller companies where he is been part of small proposal departments or the only proposal professional. The last three plus years of his career have been at ASRC Federal, an Alaskan Native Corporation leading all of ASRC Federal’s defense and intel proposals. Neil is APMP Practitioner Certified.

Support the show

Hamish is an accomplished and results-oriented professional with 15+ years’ experience in delivering successful solutions for customers across multi-industry and geography experience directing large bid and proposal teams through the end-to-end sales cycle, growing business and winning bids.

Hamish is part of the Serco ASPAC senior leadership team for the Growth function, leading the Bidding Team of approximately 12 staff, managing the bid management, production, and resourcing functions across all of Serco’s sector tender activities in ASPAC.
Previously, he directed the Serco (UK & Europe), Bidding and Solutions team of approx. 70 staff, managing the bid management, production, and resourcing function across the UK Central and Local Government Divisions. Hamish was also Operations and Business Development Manager at Serco (Home Affairs). Hamish started his career at Scottish Prisons Services taking varied roles - Contract Manager (HMP Kilmarnock & Prisoner Escort and Court Custody Services)/ Executive Liaison Officer/Business Manager/Operations Management. Hamish has
Hamish also holds a diploma in Management Studies at University of Highlands & Islands, United Kingdom and Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Social Science at University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Support the show

Rich Weinstein is the Senior Director of Proposals and Writing. He ensures ITegrity proposals have the highest chances of winning business for the company. As a college intern more than 30 years ago, Rich was a writer for NOAA. His first permanent job was proposal manager for an environmental-science Government contractor, immediately winning them their largest contract ever. Having a lifetime Percentage Win rate (PWIN) of more than 66%, Rich won task orders as small as $20K, single-award contracts from $1M to $1B, and Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) of $25B and more. Wins ranged across Government agencies, both military and civilian. He has technical experience working with IT networking, telecommunications, and big data Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) teams at Hughes Network Systems, Stratus Computer, Verizon, and Cisco. Prior to joining ITegrity in a permanent position, Rich has a Bachelors in Zoology / General Science from the University of Maryland. He taught freshman composition and grammar while working toward a Masters in English, also at Maryland.

He suffers when he sees that his hometown, Miami, today experiences sunny day floods, with breaking septic tanks releasing human excrement into the water in the streets, schoolyards, and playgrounds. Miami is on porous limestone and cannot be saved. It will become another Atlantis. Rich moved to Albany, NY, when he was six. He built and played in snow forts that lasted from September to March. Now snow melts in a day.

To research MOURNING DOVE, his climate novel, Rich connected on social media with 35,000 climate scientists, activists, and other climate professionals, and he communicates with many of them. He also has read more than 100 climate-change books, mostly about climate science. For marketing MOURNING DOVE, he has been on 5 podcasts, Rich will appear in a Netflix documentary, He has a blog with 10,000 hits, an author webpage with 100,000 hits, and 65,000 total social media connections/friends.

He studied writing under the University of Maryland writer-in-residence J.R. Salamanca as he worked for a Masters in creative writing. He participated in The Vicious Circle, a brutal writer’s workshop, for many years. At the age of 22, He had a short novel of mine published by Ballantine Books, a subsidiary of Random House. For his day job, Rich writes proposals to convince the US Government that the contracting company he works for is better than all other contracting companies. Rich’s day-job Facebook page says, “I write proposals and I write fiction, but that’s redundant.”

Hobbies and Interests: Rich is a novelist. He have just completed a novel inspired by Abraham Lincoln's apocryphal quote to Harriett Beecher Stowe, who wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin: "So you're the lady who started this great war." Rich wrote his novel to start the great war to mitigate the upcoming climate disaster.

Support the show

How to keep the pressure on your bid team (= bid manager, solutioners and bid writers) within acceptable boundaries? And in the long-term keeping your bid team sound and safe (healthy both physical and mental) and not quitting their job?

It all starts with (HYGIEN) a well-documented process and a mature way of working (keep your promises, stick to the plan, help each other; keep the common goal sharp (winning a bid);

Does your company use a strict capture process?
Is your qualification system robust and how to you it to balance the workload? And helps the qualification system you to predict the probability of winning or losing a bit?

3. Does you use fictive costs of answering a RfQ and are they combined with the probability outcome of your qualification system

Support the show

Izane Cloete-Hamilton is the Master of Inspiration at nFold, a strategic proposal and pitch consultancy in South Africa. She started her career in business development at global giants, including IBM, Compaq, and Westcon, before honing her passion for winning business through sales responses like proposals, tenders, and presentations.

Izane established the group bid office at EOH, an ICT company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. She developed and implemented processes, tools and templates that grew the bid team to a 23-person unit supporting +- 230 different business units. During this time, she served on the APMP SA chapter as a committee member and also as chair.

Over and above the countless educational contributions she made to her previous organizations, she has also presented and trained at several South African APMP events. She has written several articles (published on LinkedIn, TFM Magazine, Lionesses of Africa and newsletters). The highlight of her publishing career thus far is a Bid Office Playbook, a 350-page guideline for proposal professionals (internal to EOH).

Izane has presented at BPC Europe 2022 talk about what William Shakespeare knew about making bid/no-bid decisions and was recognized as one of the conference's highlights. In 2021, Izane and her business partner Larissa Cornelius hosted a session at the online version of BPC Europe, "From OK to Awesome: How to improve bid office performance through KPIs".

Izane also presented a session about Bid or no-bid decisions at the 2021 Smart Procurement World Indaba and in the previous year, she co-hosted a session at the Indaba titled: "Invasion of the proposal aliens". The Lionesses of Africa, a 1.5-million-member social enterprise working to advance Africa's women entrepreneurs, invited Izane to train a select group of women entrepreneurs enrolled in an accelerated incubator programme on "Perfecting your pitch, learning to negotiate and closing your sales".

In 2019 she obtained her APMP professional certification, one of only 10 APMP certified proposal professionals in South Africa at that time.

Izane is involved with Boston Terrier Rescue and other animal welfare organizations. She loves cooking, drinking wine and Agatha Christie's murder mysteries.

Support the show

Kate Moshoadiba is the Head of the Bid Management Office at IQbusiness, which is a leading independent Management Consulting firm in South Africa, for the past 6 years.

This “Proposals Fanatic” has over 15 years of experience in handling winning Proposals and Bids, and has earned herself a great reputation and experience within this profession. A pioneer in what she does! She guides her organization's key stakeholders in developing compelling, compliant, responsive and winning proposals.

Kate has worked for a diverse range of companies (in Auditing, Consulting, Engineering and Mining), such as Deloitte, Aurecon, LRGM, Lexmark, RSV Enco to name a few. She holds a degree in Bachelor of Business Administration (2017) from Milpark Education and a Marketing Management Diploma (2010).

Kate has been part of the APMP family and a member of the APMP South African Chapter since 2014, and now appointed the Chair for APMP South African Chapter. She has an APMP Foundation accreditation and is currently pursuing her next, which is the Practitioner, hoping to bag it by June 2022.

This bid professional is purpose-driven, that is, she acts on things bigger than the services she provides in her career. Within the organization she works for, IQbusiness, she drives and leads as part of corporate social responsibility, an initiative within the education space called the Alexandra Education Committee (AEC), mentoring young people and raising funds towards their education. This way creates an impact and empowers young people’s lives and their future to create and embrace lasting positive changes. She has served on this NPO, on the AEC Council and the AEC Alumni Committee as the Alumni Chairperson since 2013 (on the committee since 2009).

Kate is an independent, ambitious, well-spoken, well-groomed and vibrant woman, who faces life with courage and determination. She is a widow and a mother of three (1 girl, now late as of June 2021 and two boys). Never mind “a series of her unfortunate events”, she carries on living a purpose filled life, with her shoulders up and a smile on her face. She keeps on thriving and her plan is to obtain her PGDip in Business Management. One day she hopes to run her own organization training people in entrepreneurial skills and business acumen.

Before her boys wake up, she jogs, 2kg of weights, 30 minutes of exercise and she is ready to conquer the day. When she is not taking over the world, you will find her at some park or some fun-fair event with her boys being playful, in a world of superheroes, unicorns, rainbows and jelly tots. What she likes doing for fun, is to watch the same episode of “Peppa Pig” and pretend she has never seen it before 😊.

“Success,” Kate feels, “is all about focus, discipline, running your own race with pure endurance and most importantly trusting in God.”

Support the show

Mike is(Microsoft MVP and APMP Fellow) is an internationally recognized Visual Communication and Presentation Expert and award-winning author of (“Billion Dollar Graphics” and “A Trainer's Guide to PowerPoint: Best Practices for Master Presenters.”). He owns Billion Dollar Graphics and is a partner at 24 Hour Company, a premier creative services firm. Mike has spearheaded multi-billion-dollar projects and helped Fortune 500 companies and international learning institutions win billions of dollars.

Support the show

Noemi Schmidt is a bid professional with 13 years of Bid Management experience, 4years in IBM and 6 years within Computacenter, 10 years in total in IT in various countries, such as France, Hungary, Canada and UK and has filled roles as Bid Specialist, Bid Coordinator, Bid Manager, Senior Bid Manager and currently Team Leader Bid Management France. Living in the UK, Noemi has been working for Computacenter for 6 years. She has mainly covered French business and has always worked in a bilingual environment.

Noemi is also a proud holder of APMP Foundation and Practitioner certifications, and is currently preparing for her Professional assessment is in progress. She also won the APMP 40 under 40 award in 2020.

This bilingual bid professional spends her time engaging with various sports like gym, horse riding, recently tennis as well as water sports such as SUP etc. and is fond of traveling. Her interests is mostly focused on enrolling in “infinite” self-development activity and is practitioner of holistic relaxation techniques such as meditation, reiki, sound healing etc.

Support the show

With more than 30 years’ business development and 20 years’ proposal experience, Scylla remains passionate about her role in winning new business.

She recently joined nFold - South Africa’s leading strategic proposal and pitch consulting organization - after leading the Pursuits and Proposals team at PwC South Africa for the last few years.

She has started up many bid office functions in various organizations in her career and is focused on being client-centric, delivering quality outputs and building strong client relationships.

Scylla's hobbies and passion include reading fiction, gardening, Scylla’s two wonderful daughters who both still live at home and who she’s very close to, and all animals (She has eight of them) and their welfare.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Lee, the Senior Vice President for Training and Education at Hinz Consulting, has more than thirty years of experience in proposal development and program and contract management. Lee has served in the U.S. Air Force and then moved to the civilian side with stints at Computer Sciences Corporation and 3Com before becoming an independent proposal consultant in 1991. While most of Lee’s career has been in the IT and telecommunications field, his breadth of experience spans proposals as varied as helicopter maintenance to medical waste disposal. He has supported proposals for DoD, GSA, DHS, DISA, DOI, DLA, FAA and many other agencies. Lee is a graduate of Clemson University and George Mason University Law School. He was a member of the Virginia bar from 1991 until 2018.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Sirima has been writing proposals for nine years, starting her proposal journey in the Middle East and continuing it in Canada. She has developed a robust experience to write quality proposals in different business sectors including oil and gas EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction), oil and gas distribution and Federal Government contracting. She started her career in the Information Technology (IT) Industry and has also lived and worked in the US for close to two years. Having started from scratch in four different countries, she embraces challenges and thrives on learning. Sirima was the past Memberships Director with the APMP Maple leaf chapter and is foundation certified. She presently lives in Calgary with her husband and is grateful to be living in proximity to the Canadian Rockies.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Sarah Miranda, CF – APMP and Lean 6-Sigma Green Belt, is an Analyst on the Proposal Operations team with Maximus, where she compiles, analyzes, and distributes information to ensure proposal submission compliance to the highest ethical standard.

Sarah recently celebrated her one-year anniversary of being an active member of APMP by passing the APMP Foundation’s level certification. As a lover of community, she decided to volunteer her proficiencies to her local chapter. With more than 3 years of special events experience, she currently serves as one of two Event Chairs for APMP NCA where she plans to create innovative and engaging opportunities for members to network, share, and learn.

Sarah also is a Communications and Social Media Intern with the National Association of Secretaries of State where she assists in both marketing campaign creation and bi-annual conference planning activities. In her free time, Sarah is a fitness instructor, youth group leader, and advocate for the importance of mental health practices in all walks of life – both personal and professional.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Bill is the Chief Strategy Officer at Hinz Consulting, responsible for designing and building long-term strategic partnerships with clients and vendors across the industry. He is a highly qualified BD Strategist, Proposal Manager, Technical/Management Volume Lead, and Proposal Writer who has worked on dozens of projects worth between $100M and $14B single awards. Since 2008, Bill personally has personally helped clients win more than $4B in new business, specializing in unseating incumbents. He has supported numerous Civilian, DoD, and Intelligence agencies, including Army, Navy, DHS, Labor, USAF, USCG, and DISA. His experience also includes serving as a Vice President at AOC Key Solutions and as a Business Development Manager for OST Global Solutions, both proposal consulting firms in the US Federal marketplace.

Bill is an expert technical writer and strategist who has supported Federal, State, and local Government IT, Engineering, Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) and Outsourcing proposals for clients such as BAE, CACI, CSC, KBR, Northrop Grumman, and SRA International. His strengths include motivating those around him and integrating the approved win strategy throughout the proposal. Bill is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a BA in Sociology and minor in Philosophy.

Bill is a member of the Entrepreneurial Advisory Board (EAB), a group of local Northern Virginia corporate leaders who meet to discuss the challenges that C-Level executives face and provide advice to one another on how to overcome those challenges.

Bill is a classically trained Jazz pianist and a competitive billiards player, considered turning professional ~2012. Bill is also a degenerate computer gamer and use the hobby to keep in touch with old friends. Apart from these, he is an avid science fiction and fantasy reader and a huge sports fan, especially baseball (closely follow the Nationals) and American football (beaten down fan of the Washington Commanders). Bill loves outdoor activities, including fishing, skiing, and golf – typically summer sports with his mom (“GMa”) and winter sports with his father Pete (“Gramps”).

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Over the last 20 years, Chris Whyatt has co-created business winning frameworks with a wide variety of global organizations. These include Adobe, Aptuit, BNFL, ComputerLand, De La Rue, Getronics, ICM, Lotus, Microsoft EPG, NICE Systems, Pitney Bowes, Rolls Royce, Ultra Airport Systems, Virtual Clarity and many more. Chris will be talking us through the co-creation process, the structure of the frameworks, and the results delivered, as well as some interesting stories along the way.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Amy Singer is a passionate proposal professional with more than 20 years’ direct proposal/bid management and leadership experience. She is often referred to as “a force”, as she is known for her persistence and getting things done.

Amy began her proposal career under the guidance of Kelli MacMillan (formerly Stevenson), an APMP Fellow, at Experian. She worked many years as a strategic proposal leader, winning the majority of the states’ and regional P25-related contracts following 9/11. Amy was then recruited by Hitachi Data Systems (now Hitachi Vantara) to develop and implement true industry standard and best management bid management capabilities for the global organization. She managed the global implementation of Qorus Breeze and later the upgrade to Qorus 365 before moving to T-Systems North America to support their strategic bid operations. Following TSNA’s close in North America, Amy joined The HCI Group, a Tech Mahindra company, where she is currently the global bid director for The HCI Group and TechM’s provider and payer healthcare business.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Richard Goodwin is the MD of JGA Group, the UK-based organization which provides innovative apprenticeships focused on A] sales, marketing and communications and B] civil service professions. He joined the company in 1993 as a non-executive director and worked up his way up to become the Managing Director of the organization in 2014. Richard also holds the role of Managing Director at Progress Minded, the EPAO specializing in digital and careers/employability related apprenticeships. Richard is also a Fellow of Association of Professional Sales and is an active member of APMP UK.

Richard holds a degree in Economics and International Studies from University of Warwick and later took his MBA from the Warwick Business School. He also gives back to the society by volunteering as a Speaker on Leadership to Scholarship Students at the University of Warwick.

Topic of Discussion: Apprenticeships for growth functions

Why apprenticeship exist
What apprenticeships are (educational level, delivery models, new recruit vs upskill)
What do apprenticeships cost?
How apprenticeships can be used to support business winning functions such as sales, marketing, communications, bid coordination
Role of apprenticeships in improving diversity
Next steps.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Louise Dentice is Head of Bids and Proposals at chapmanbdsp and is also the Research and Resources Lead on the Women in Bids and Proposals (WIBAP) committee. An APMP Global Top 40 award recipient, Louise holds APMP practitioner certification and APM (project management certification), in addition to business, marketing and design tertiary qualifications.

Louise has been working in dedicated bids and proposals positions for 11 years, with a further ten years in marketing positions prior to that. Her bid track record has been gained in the built environment sector, working with project management, contractor and engineering firms. Projects secured include international, large scale, high profile developments, through to niche, boutique schemes across the spectrum of client sectors.

Louise is from Aotearoa, New Zealand and has been based in London for nearly 12 years. Alongside her bid career, Louise is a sculptor, regularly exhibiting internationally, with a recent exhibition in Tokyo, Japan and an upcoming show in Birmingham, UK.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Pippa set up Pipster Solutions in 2012, with the aim of providing a simple, effective bid writing service. It has become much more than that; a successful, sustainable business with over 30 clients winning the work they need to keep their own businesses running. over the last 5 years, Pipster’s services have evolved. Today Pipster is a team of 7 in 15 months, still providing quality writing, but also bid management and coaching.

Going solo – becoming a freelancer: I’ve got the story of me going freelance and I’ve got tips for the journey for those are thinking about it, or those that are doing it but want advice

Growing my team – Basically the mad story of how I’ve gone from 1 to 7 in 15 months and the things I’ve learnt along the way. Also thinking about moving into the next transition of Pipster of performance and org structure, do we want more growth etc.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Robin has over 10 years' experience in marketing for private and public sector organizations. Throughout her career, she has worked on numerous high-profile and high-revenue projects and proposals for disciplines including architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, transportation, planning, engagement, and interior design. Robin is a highly creative, award-winning marketing professional with knowledge of brand development, business development & marketing strategies. A dynamic leader, Robin strives to inspire others while providing a solution-oriented perspective in high-pressure situations. Robin is also an active member of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals, sitting on the executive committee as the Secretary for the Maple Leaf Chapter.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

On this International Women's Day, Special let's celebrate our women proposal leaders. These professionals are tenacious, they lead by example and encourage you by saying, “Don't sweat the small stuff” and inspire you to follow your heart.

Listen to the advices these successful proposal professionals have for you, not just on the International Womens Day, but a whole year!

Imagine a gender equal world.

A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.

A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

A world where difference is valued and celebrated.

Together we can forge women's equality.

Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

On this International Women's Day, Special let's celebrate our women proposal leaders. These professionals are tenacious, they lead by example and encourage you by saying, “Don't sweat the small stuff” and inspire you to follow your heart.

Listen to the advices these successful proposal professionals have for you, not just on the International Womens Day, but a whole year!

Imagine a gender equal world.

A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.

A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

A world where difference is valued and celebrated.

Together we can forge women's equality.

Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

On this International Women's Day, Special let's celebrate our women proposal leaders. These professionals are tenacious, they lead by example and encourage you by saying, “Don't sweat the small stuff” and inspire you to follow your heart.

Listen to the advices these successful proposal professionals have for you, not just on the International Womens Day, but a whole year!

Imagine a gender equal world.

A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.

A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

A world where difference is valued and celebrated.

Together we can forge women's equality.

Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Mel developed her bidding skills across a number of sectors, ranging from thousands to £500m, with organisations including MICROS, Oracle, De La Rue, Leidos and QinetiQ. With each career move being a progression, Mel has now reached the position of Strategic Capture Bid Lead, working on some of the more complex deals, bringing thought leadership.

An APMP member from fairly early on in her career, Mel has achieved Foundation and Practitioner certification, won 40 under 40 twice, received the Bid Excellence award in 2017 and most recently won both the Innovation and Collaboration awards in 2021. At the start of the year, Mel became the Chief Events Officer for the APMP UK Chapter and looks forward to leading the future events for the chapter.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s Guest is David Warley CPP APMP Fellow and we will be talking about The search for value and the challenge for project and proposal professionals. Projects are justified by the benefits they promise and the value created. As proposal professionals we are familiar with the concept of Value Propositions but often the procurement process itself can limit the scope for offering additional value. Is the way we run procurements getting in the way of maximising value?

David will draw on thinking from portfolio and programme management to suggest techniques that can be used in business case development to identify benefits and justify value. Some of these are applicable in a proposal context.

David Warley is a change practitioner focused on improving the performance of organisations in bids, projects and programmes. With over thirty years’ senior management experience in the IT and telecommunications industries his fascination has always been to understand what enables some organisations to flourish while others wither. A certified professional and Fellow of the APMP he was the founder of Bid to Win Ltd an APMP Approved Training organisation.

David’s recent research interests have been in the area of project procurement and how to identify, contract for and reward value. He describes his approach as “These days I just ask questions, cleverer folk than me might have answers.”

More about David in Scribble Talk Episode 98

We will examine:

What is value?

How benefits are realised and value created
Some examples of quantification of benefits
Models for managing this thinking process
He will then address the challenge of whether as proposal professionals we are part of the value creation process or just competing for share.
Real world examples from the audience of where suppliers have been selected and rewarded based on the benefits and value they provide will be welcome as part of the discussion.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

An APMP certified (Practitioner) career proposal manager with over 20 years in the field, Krysta brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and understanding of the process to every proposal she is involved in. Krysta is currently Director, Opportunity Management – North America (Team Lead) at Lee Hecht Harrison. Krysta started in the field by accident – and hasn't looked back since with previous roles at TELUS and Alcatel Lucent. Her favourite aspect of the role is the everchanging landscape – different client needs, different teams, different issues day in / day out.

She joined APMP to grow professionally and meet like-minded professionals like herself. Achieving Practitioner accreditation in 2013 is definitely a highlight of her career. Without the backdrop of formal education growing up, it was a very proud moment to have accomplished specific study in her chosen field of expertise. Krysta is also Treasurer at APMP Maple Leaf Chapter.

Krysta lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with her family and four dogs. She loves all things animals, the beach and spending quiet afternoons watching the world and listening to nature.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Carrie Jordan lives in Virginia in the U.S. with her family: her husband, Chad, and their three children (Audrey 13, Luke 4, Adeline 2). She also has two step-children: Kirsten 17 who lives in Kansas city with her mom, and Connor, 21 who attends Virginia Tech and is a goalie on the VT soccer team. Carrie and her family are currently building their forever home on 10 acres in the country. For hobbies, Carrie enjoys exercising, bible study, reading personal development, interior design, and ballet.

Professionally, as Strategy & Operations Lead for Microsoft’s Proposal Center of Excellence (PCoE), Carrie Jordan is passionately creating the best proposal organization to work for in the world. PCoE’s mission for Microsoft is to increase deal quality so we show up in the best way possible for our customers, to increase the probability of a win, and to save the Microsoft field time. While we pursue customer-centric proposal excellence, we also strive for a healthy, collaborative, and balanced environment for our proposal professionals.

Prior to her role as Strategy and Operations Lead for Microsoft’s PCoE, she served as PCoE Program Manager, and earlier as Senior Proposal Manager. Carrie draws from over 13 years of experience in proposal management, coordination, writing, editing, content curation, and desktop publishing. The majority of her experience is in large, public sector cloud deals. She previously served as the Director of Consulting Services for Shipley Associates, the industry-leading authority on government and commercial proposal standards and processes. She’s supported over $150 billion in proposal wins.

Carrie is also a successful small business owner in multiple non-competing industries.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Lisa Rehurek is the fearless (and ridiculously fun) founder & CEO of The RFP Successâ Company.
As an eight-time author, national speaker/trainer, and business builder, Lisa Rehurek shines with her down-to-earth, “get it done” personality. With 25+ years of RFP knowledge behind her, Lisa knows what it takes to get the “Yes!” Working with both the private and public sectors, Lisa intimately understands both sides of the table from the evaluator perspective as well as the submittal perspective. Her unique vantage point coupled with her love of strategy, systems, and simplicity has garnered her clients amazing success. Lisa and The RFP Successâ Company team help companies win business by developing the strategy, process, people and content it takes to achieve high RFP win ratios. The RFP Successâ Company has trained and consulted hundreds of companies and helped organizations win over $100 million in business.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Marina Goren is the President/CEO of Smart BD Consulting – a successful MD/DC/NVA area Capture and Proposal Development firm. Over the past 8 years she has successfully grown her company to over 180 consultants serving over 60 Federal Government contracting clients winning over $15 Billion. She teaches numerous Proposal Development and Capture courses and was an APMP speaker since 2014.

Solutioning Magic – No Fluff, Only BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)

Suggest you have few generic examples (without naming the details) of a fluff proposal and good solution based proposal that you can talk through

Why Are Solutions Important?

What is a solution ? why its not the the response document?

What is bottom line profit?

Why some proposals sound like “fluff”

Lets talk about Government proposals first -

Why do you think only the benefits are evident ?

Is solutioning part of capture or proposal process or both?

The Government doesn’t know what they are buying – How true is this statement?

What? Who? When? How? Why? – Government has more questions than answers, lets talk about this

Assume we answered all the above questions, whats next?

then provide tangible benefits, then tell them where you have done it successfully = Strength/Significant Strength

Can you give some examples how this could be done?

How can we apply solutioning for a quick turnaround and commercial proposals?

Lets talk about Why Solutions So Hard? What are the 3 main issues? Lets pick one at a time and talk about it.

1.Lack of Subject Matter Expertise (SME)

Result: Fluffy proposals – Losing bids

Fix: get experts or no bid!

2.Lack of Solutioneers/Facilitators (Capture Managers, Solution Architects, etc.)

Result: nuts and bolts described with no big picture or benefits to the customer (what are they buying?)

Fix: Hire professional help (or no bid if no sufficient budget)

Lack of Time/Patience

Result: Incomplete solutioning leads to lack of solutions

Fix: Be patient – it takes time….or if the timeline is very limited – no bid – it’s likely wired

In summary, what is the solution magic and how can solutions improve bottom line profit?

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Hailey Cox was born and raised in Huntsville, AL, and is the third generation in her family to work in the Defense industry. She is currently a Capture & Proposal Senior Analyst at Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR), where she provides proposal leadership, training and hands-on process support in the development of competitive new business proposals for AR’s Defense Business Unit. She provides both virtual and cross-site proposal guidance to proposal managers and teams on critical national defense programs, resulting in strategic wins for the company. She is experienced in delivering proposal management and process Just-in-Time (JIT) training. In just over two years at AR, Ms. Cox has received four Mission Success Awards for superior proposal leadership and support.

She provides strong support in helping the Capture & Proposal group improve processes and performance, including maintaining data and analyzing proposal process health metrics , contributing to win/loss analyses, working process improvement initiatives, and developing useful proposal templates and worksheets.

In addition to her regular job duties, Ms. Cox was selected by AR leadership to serve on three special projects/teams – (1) Ethics Liaison for the Ethics and Compliance Department, (2) Team Lead of the Strategy and Business Development Employee Engagement Team, and (3) AR Business Operating System (ARBOS), Huntsville Headquarters Leadership Council. She began her career as a Program Support Analyst at a small business and was then promoted to Business Development Manager.

Ms. Cox earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science and Philosophy and a BA in Russian Language and Literature from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She is certified at the Foundation level (CF APMP) through the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and is the Membership Director for the APMP California Chapter. She is starting her second year of being mentored by a proposal expert through APMP.

Hailey Loves to spend time with her animals and constantly engages herself with animal welfare. She is also into fitness through many means including lifting weights, Pilates and martial arts. Hailey busies herself by giving make-overs to old furnitures and also nurtures a hobby for shooting. Hailey can be found volunteering for her church’s kitchen ministry and is fully into American muscle cars, especially the one she owns.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Tony Birch is Chairman of Shipley Limited. An industry veteran with 40+ years’ experience who has trained over 10,000 people, helped win over $30bn in new business. Elected a APMP Fellow in 2006, Tony served on the main board of the APMP for 4 years; during that time he oversaw the development and launch of the APMP's Certification Program. As one of the founders of APMP UK, Tony’s mission is to ensure that the role of a bid or proposal manager is recognised throughout the world as a profession – and not just a job.

Listen in where Tony shares his wisdom,

Preparing yourself and the materials
Preparing the reviewers, by telling them what you expect of them
How reviewers should provide feedback / recommendations for improvement
Acting upon the feedback / recommendations

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Daniel is currently Senior Manager Advisory National Pursuit Team at PwC. As a digital strategist, responsible for transforming pursuits into immersive experiences, Daniel has managed 750+ proposals for Federal and Fortune 500 entities. He specializes in whiteboarding, digital engagement, and future proofing sales organizations. Daniel is also part of 2022-23 APMP Board of Directors and is APMP Practitioner certified, and is a recipient of the APMP 40 Under 40 award.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Note : We recorded this episode just few days after Kathryn relocated to a new city. Thank you Kathryn for still accommodating us while you were settling in. Wish you all the success and happiness in your new role :)

Listeners - This episode is packed with key findings from a recent survey, Bear with us on the low voice levels and few disturbances, Enjoy the episode :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Christy Hollywood (CP APMP) leads Hollywood & Associates, providing strategy, capture, and proposal advisory services. Christy Roach Hollywood, CP APMP, brings 25 years of capture-related experience in federal and commercial markets. Previously, Christy led and oversaw capture teams at KPMG, RTI International, Noblis, Cardno International Development, and PATH. A long-time APMP member, she also participates in the Strategy and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), AFCEA, and Project Management Institute. Christy holds a BA from University of Virginia and an MBA (strategy concentration) from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Chris Whyatt has spent the last 30 years of his career working in the adjacent disciplines of sales and bidding. Co – Founder Get to Great in 2008 and he supported 100+ small and big organisations. Chris has been delivering training programmes for TechUK for 15 years and has supported clients on ~50 major deals, co-created 25 business winning frameworks, trained ~1,000 people in sales and bid aspects of business. Chris co-founded the UK chapter of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) in 2001 with Jon Williams and served on the Board as COO for the first 3 years. He was a Fellow of the Sales Leadership Alliance, which rebranded as the Association of Sales Professionals. Chris has conducted extensive research into improving the working relationship between sales and bid, publishing his second paper on this subject in January 2020.

Imposing change on people without consulting them makes them feel undervalued at best, causing them to disengage, or even worse, creating collective resistance. Historically, the industrial revolution, the miner's strike, and the Battle of Wapping come to mind. Prime Minister Thatcher recognised the threat of collective resistance, and we know what happened next. In business, new-in-position sales leaders and managers often act without harnessing the collective wisdom of the people they inherit, in essence, saying that they (the new person) know best and that they don't value the opinion or input of others. Perhaps that explains the short shelf-life of Sales Directors and even CEOs. The world of consultancy is no different, with the big players often identifying the problem and defining big (expensive) change programmes with scant reference to anyone outside the senior management team.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Looking to pass the APMP Practitioner Examination?

Look no further than the Baachu Scribble Training Programme! Our comprehensive 30+ hour course includes a Kick off Lecture, study resources covering 45 Video lessons, 300+ page Study Guide, Chapter Pass Cards, Revision Programme with 3+ hours online revision resources covering Question Types, Sample Scenarios, Exam Day Guidance and 150 practice Qs (Classic Type) . Plus, we'll even throw in a Mock certification exam to help you prepare for test day. So what are you waiting for?

Sign up today and start on your way to becoming an APMP Certified Practitioner!

APMP Practitioner Certification - Baachu Scribble

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Paul is Head of Group Tendering for Eurofins Forensic Services, part of the international life sciences and testing group Eurofins, where his role encompasses bidding, commercial and legal advisory services. With almost 25 years in sales roles, of which 15 have been in bid/tender functions, his bidding career has come through the defence and security sector into forensics. He is accredited at Professional level and has won bids into Bluelight customers, local councils, corporates, national Governments, the UK Ministry of Defence, the US Department of Defense and the United Nations. He is also a mentor on the APMPUK Rapport mentor programme.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Venu Manohar started his career in a core technical domain and switched into business domains by upscaling himself consciously. He is an APMP Foundation Certified Bid Management professional working with a Japanese MNC. He is passionate about Bid Management Profession, Book Writing, Bird Photography, Public speaking, to name a few.

Venu did his M. Tech in Applied Geology and started his career in Geospatial Technology domain. He did his MBA in Marketing Management and upscaled his skills in Digital Marketing as well. Owing to his constant learning attitude, he positioned himself in the Bid Management domain as a Thought Leader.

He switched jobs and worked in organisations of different sizes, due to which he understood the common problems faced by the people who are responsible for winning business from big Corporate/PSUs/Govt. sectors, especially by competing in public procurement/Tendering ecosystem. He precisely knows the struggles of first time bidders, bid management professionals, business owners, or others who are involved in bidding on Tenders/RFPs.

His book “Simplifying Bids” is about to be launched shortly. He purposefully authored this book to help the people facing difficulties understanding the core concepts of Business Development and Bid Management. He simplified the bid process and winning strategies to the possible extent so that a layman can also understand. The aim is to help the readers strategically get into the process of winning new business opportunities from bids and to sustain for long in their respective domains.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Wouter has over 22 years experience in bid and tender managemenet. He is the owner of Tender Expert and has supported leading companies including Sodexo, Talentsoucer, a Maandag company, CSU, HAGO, Adjust, ISS & Facilicom. Previously Wouter was with Yacht, a Randstad company for over 10 years taking varied Sales, Account and Proposal Roles. Wouter was teacher of economics and accounting for 12 years at Comenius College and also ran his company C.A.T where he was Consultant Novell Netware and Software Development. Wouter is Chairman of Association for Proposal Management Professionals (APMP NL) and Treasurer Foundation Ombudsman Public Contracting (OMA). Wouter is APMP Practitioner Certfied and is fluent in Dutch, English and French. Wouter hobbies and interests include hiking, reading and fitness, golf and sharing a good meal with friends.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Eric Gregory APMP Fellow and 45 + years Business Winning Veteran discusses 10 Business Development Paradoxes

Read his article here : https://baachuscribble.com/business-and-proposal-paradoxes-2021/

Neal Levene and Wolfram Seyring also joined me in this discussion

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Andrea Dunger has more than 10 years of proposal management experience and is a long-time supporter of APMP. She is Foundation certified (2011) and has been serving the APMP GMC board in multiple capacities since 2012. She’s involved with the organization and invested at the chapter level because she believes APMP helps instill best practices among the industry, providing networking opportunities with other proposal professionals you can’t get elsewhere. She is wrapping up her year as chapter chair of the APMP GMC board in 2021 and will transition to co-chair of the communications committee for 2022. Interests and hobbies: Traveling with friends, reading, all types of arts and crafts, and watching professional baseball games.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Lorraine is a highly regarded bid and proposal specialist with an impressive 16-year track record leading winning teams. She thrives on the challenge of guiding teams to win the right business, cost effectively. Her exemplary people skills and attention to detail have been key in developing successful strategic outcomes for countless organisations across all sectors. Lorraine has achieved an average win rate of 90% across deals she has led for her clients. Her expertise extends to training, recruitment and organisational redesign.

Along with the rest of the world, Lorraine has a new obsession: paddle boarding! She also enjoys cycling, running and just generally working out. She can also be found reading a great book, getting hooked by the latest boxset and eating/drinking to undo all the exercise she’s done. Overall, what she loves the most is hanging out with her family and friends.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Have you ever thought Gym was all about lifting weights and hours of sweating? Have you ever realized that every minute you spend exercising has been nourishing your mental health as well?

We have Mairi Morrison, the upcoming CEO of APMP UK Chapter, who will challenge your thoughts and prove with her experience how exercises and mental well being are connected.

Listen to Mairi as she narrates the stories of her first swimming lessons and her swim across the English Channel, Game of Life, the challenges she faced in various phases of her life and how she balanced proposals and pandemic with her love for exercise. Listen to her as she differentiates between exercising and training because, **"If you are not going to do now, when are you going to do?"

About The Guest: Mairi Morrison

Mairi Morrison** originally started her working life as a graphic designer, moving into bid and proposal management 18 years ago. She’s an all-rounder in the profession, with an excellent track record of proposal management – winning complex multi-million global bids for corporate companies; bid writing – helping clients focus their words on the customer, as well as successfully hitting the dreaded word and character count, and bid strategy. She’s worked across most sectors, in the UK and the US, and worked on specific deals in Greece, Kuwait, Norway and South Africa. Having worked her way up the ranks from small company to corporate life, she now works for Strategic Proposals. Mairi’s been a member of the APMP since 2014 and won the Bid Excellence award in 2015. Holding APMP Professional certification, Mairi now also sits on the APMP UK Board as Marketing & Communications Director. She’s also actively engaged in thought leadership, publishing her research paper on “Mental health and wellbeing in the bid and proposal profession” in May 2020. As well as being an advocate for nurturing good mental health in our profession, she is also a crisis volunteer outside of work, to help those in need. Mairi has also presented at the APMP UK annual conference, and the US Nor’easters conference in 2017.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Erin Green has 15 years’ experience in international government procurement, marketing, and management across several industries and countries including deep expertise in the US, UK, Singapore, and Japan. She was an inaugural winner of the APMP-NCA Scholarship for rising stars, served on the APMP-NCA chapter board in both the professional development and events committees, and won article of the year in 2017 for “Changing Scope of View”. She also won the “40 Under 40” honor from APMP in 2019. She has served as a mentor twice in the APMP-NCA chapter Mentor-Protegee program, and was part of the inaugural class of Protegees. She is currently the Vice President of Global Proposals at Maximus.

Outside of Proposals, she is active in philanthropic work, doing service projects, food drives, and actively participating in the Maximus Foundation events. She's a continuous learner, always taking classes at colleges, seminars, trainings, and lectures and is involved as a cultural exchanger by going to and organizing cultural events around Northern Virginia. She links her love for travel with this passion and is an avid brewery and winery visitor. Erin is a cat lover and owns an orange cat named ginger and is a huge fan of classical music and traditional folk music and try to see it live whenever possible.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today key idea is Dont try

This episode will help you to think little bit more clearly what you are choosing to find important in life and what you're choosing to find unimportant?

Disclaimer: This short talk will not solve your problems.. Instead it will help you turn your problem into slightly better problems :)

Move lightly despite your burdens...

Remember - If you have to try to try, then maybe you don't care about it! DONT TRY..

Listen in :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Larissa Cornelius owns nFold, a South African proposal consultancy that inspires success through words that win. She is the current chair of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) SA chapter. She has over 17 years’ business development and operational experience. She is a certified APMP Professional and was voted as one of the 40-under-40 APMP professionals in 2018. By combining proposal best practice with her operational and sales background, she actively promotes the proposal profession and helps businesses to win more. She is passionate about proposals and following best practices; as winning proposals ethically – improves lives, by creating and retaining jobs.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss was written in 1960, yet as of 2014, the book sold over 8 million copies. In this fun session, Larissa shares what “Green Eggs and Ham and Dr Seuss.” Teaches us in terms of creating proposals and sales stories that sell. The talk explores if stories will improve your bottom line – if you are curious, join us.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Candace Jenkins has more than 20 years of leadership experience in personnel management, team development, documentation management, and proposal production. She is APMP certified at the Practitioner level. She has successfully built and managed proposal and documentation teams at Northrop Grumman and Hewlett-Packard, helping to improve deliverable quality and acceptance and productivity in those organizations. She has successfully trained teams in skills from proposal management and coordination to editing to production, and she has created detailed process documentation as guides for the team and other internal groups. Candace is well-versed in managing both in-person and remote teams, successfully scheduling and planning resources in various locations and time zones. As an APMP-certified proposal manager, she has led multiple pursuit teams simultaneously, with a win rate of more than 85% and totaling more than $1.5B in TCV in 2020 alone, completing all opportunities within budget and on the original schedule. Candace works closely with executive leadership to support and drive strategic thinking and implements change across her organization to support current industry best practices to better support the sales organization. She has led and supported several global initiatives, including streamlining and developing processes and providing training. With a B.A. and graduate course work in English, Candace has excellent oral and written communication skills and is an effective leader and motivator. Candace has been an active APMP member for several years and has served on the NCA Chapter Board of Directors in multiple roles.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Jamie Ninneman is an industry expert with more than 21 years working in customer-facing roles across the information technology spectrum, focusing on enterprise software and related services. In his current leadership role at SAP, he is both the global lead for Bid & Proposal Management as well as head of multiple global shared-service organizations. Previously his experience includes leading services organizations, defining and executing enterprise transformation strategies, and managing key customer relationships. Jamie is a past Chair of APMP International’s Board of Directors (Association of Bid and Proposal Management Professionals) as well as a member of APMP’s Business Sector Committee.

Listen to Jamie as he discusses his latest acquired passion for Bingo Calling. If you think Bingo Calling is all about reading out numbers, you are wrong! It has a unique diction, a history and even are of diverse types including a European and American version. With this episode, find how Jamie came into contact with this new art, how he earns and how he balances Bingo with Proposals. Learn the Bingo Lingo while exploring Jamie's thoughts on bringing work and life balance. Find the importance of maintaining habits for an active and healthy life.

https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-talent/

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Len Miller joined Hinz Consulting in October 2016 and is a General Manager and Account Lead. He is responsible for supporting existing clients by providing the resources to support bid pursuits and provides value-add consulting via pipeline analyses, RFI/Sources Sought development/review, RFP analyses, bid/no-bid and bid team composition recommendations, and proposal reviews. He also pursues/wins new client accounts. He works special projects as assigned. He has over 38 years of experience in Federal/DOD and commercial business development, capture management, proposal management, product support, systems engineering, software engineering, software quality assurance, and program management. He has helped win over $37B since 1990 and has supported 17 $B+ proposals and multiple projects worth $100M+.

Prior to joining Hinz Consulting, Len joined Siemens Government Technologies (SGT) in September 2013, as the Director, Proposal Management. As SGT’s Director, Proposal Management, he built a proposal group and led these proposal professionals in planning, developing, producing, reviewing, and delivering Federal/DOD proposals either led by SGT or SGT-supporting other Siemens business units in winning Federal business. He was also a Senior Proposal Manager and selectively managed key/critical SGT-led proposals.

Prior to working for SGT, Len worked at CACI International, Inc., for 11 years where he served in the roles of Vice-President, Intelligence and Classified Proposals Group and later, Vice-President, Proposal Strategy and Operations Group where he led a group of 82 proposal professionals. He oversaw proposal operations ensuring that all CACI proposals were submitted on time, within budget and with the highest level of quality and competitiveness. He provided guidance on win strategies and solutions. He also conducted and participated in various Capture and Proposal reviews. He oversaw proposal infrastructure and facilities, proposal production operations, proposal knowledge management and writing, and proposal coordination. He also taught CACI's capture and proposal writing courses. He also participated as a senior executive sponsor for CACI's BD Fellows program.

Prior to CACI, Len was the Proposal Operations Manager at Ernst & Young Technologies; BD director at Bit by Bit; New Business Representative/Proposal Manager at SIMTEC, Inc., Software Quality Assurance Manager/Capture Manager, and Project Manager at DynCorp I&ET and held senior operations, business development and technical positions at Delex Systems supporting the development and delivery of training systems/support to the U.S. Military, foreign military sales countries, and prime DOD contractors. He is a former member of the U.S. Air Force.

Len holds a BS degree in Physics from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. He is a member of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and is APMP Foundation level certified in proposal management. He has developed numerous articles and procedures on proposal and capture operations; has spoken at events on the topics of proposals, captures, BD, software quality assurance, and career planning; and has provided formal training to students about proposal development/writing and capture planning/execution.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s Guest is Kathryn Potter and we will dive deep on Bid Content Library and Developing content using feedback from submission.

Why it's important to ask for feedback, what to do with the feedback and how to incorporate that into your ongoing continuous improvement process.
Before we get in, a short bio

Kathryn is a content geek who believes in the value of reusable content to streamline the bid response process. She is convinced that all content can be made reusable on some level and that you don't need to have fancy systems to make it work - it's more about process and engagement and leveraging what you have already. She's been involved in bids and proposals since 2004 and has been a proposal coordinator, bid manager, freelancer and consultant at various points in her career. Outside of work she enjoys getting involved in all sorts of outdoor adventures with her husband, daughters and the dog!

Why it's important to ask for feedback, what to do with the feedback and how to incorporate that into your ongoing continuous improvement process.

What types of content should I built?
How can I curate the content faster and efficient ?
How should I structure my library?
How often do I refresh the library?
What content do I refresh and how often?
What management and governance is required for content library?
What is the best standard for a content?
How can I increase the utilisation within my teams?
How can I get the most from my proposal automation provider?
How can I train my content team on the specifics of content library best practices, do’s and dont’s ?
How can I avoid the burn out of my content team?
How to make my content team a value added function?
What is the ideal structure of your content team?
How can I manage library with multi language capability?

Looking for independent proposal library assessment - https://baachuscribble.com/bid-proposal-library/

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Jody Alves is a 26-year proposal veteran, having worked since 1995 as a contractor and full-timer for International Game Technology (IGT, formerly GTECH), based in Providence, Rhode Island. Jody was born, raised, and educated in Rhode Island. Her path from the University of Rhode Island (URI) to today was a long and winding one – from working on a research program at a local psychiatric hospital, to account executive at a public relations firm (where she wrote her very first proposal!), to managing public relations and advertising for a local bank, to 19 years of freelance marketing communications to…Proposals! Beyond her day job, Jody teaches proposal writing at URI. For 8 years, she has introduced students to the profession, creatively taught the requisite skills for various proposal types, and created a feeder system for local businesses, including IGT. Currently, Jody works as a Senior Proposal Writing Specialist for International Game Technology. In December, Jody will complete her two-year term as a member of APMP’s International Board of Directors. She joined APMP in 2008, attended her first conference in 2011, and hasn’t missed one since. She presented at six BPC’s and at several chapter symposiums. Her APMP focus has long been on bringing more young people into the profession and developing content for commercial and public sector practitioners. She is working on bringing industry-specific programming to APMP members.

It’s hard to list out every single passion Jody is after. To name a few, Jody is highly passionate about knitting since she was 6years old and has an Owl collection which started when she was 14. Being an avid reader, Jody only has 13 novels to go to complete the Top 100 novels of the 20th century. Apart from these, backyard birding, watching sports and working on New York Times crosswords and jigsaws fill her spare time.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The Tenth Episode of Scribble Talk Teaching as part of APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is ready to get you that certification!

The Tenth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) deals completely with the shortest unit of Practitioner syllabus. Unit V comprises of topics from APMP Foundation syllabus and acts as a perfect revision for candidates of Practitioner Exam.

The Tenth part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) focuses on Unit V - Behaviour And Attitude. The unit comprises of two new and short chapters which are new to every Practitioner candidate.

The Tenth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit V of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Communicating with Others
2. Quality Management

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The Ninth Episode of Scribble Talk Teaching as part of APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is ready to instruct you!

The Ninth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) concludes the discussion on the most important and longest unit of Practitioner syllabus. Unit IV mainly comprises of topics from APMP Foundation syllabus and acts as a perfect revision for candidates of Practitioner Exam.

The Ninth part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) continues Unit IV - Development. The unit comprises of sixteen chapters which are split into four separate episodes for easy comprehension. Ninth episode of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) deals with the final four chapters of Unit IV of Practitioner Syllabus.

The Ninth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit IV of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Graphics and Action Captions
2. Page and Document Design
3. Features, Benefits and Discriminators
4. Headings

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The Eighth Episode of Scribble Talk Teaching as part of APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is ready to instruct you!

The Eighth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) continues discussion on the most important and longest unit of Practitioner syllabus. Unit IV mainly comprises of topics from APMP Foundation syllabus and acts as a perfect revision for candidates of Practitioner Exam.

The Eighth part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) continues Unit IV - Development. The unit comprises of sixteen chapters which are split into four separate episodes for easy comprehension. Eighth episode of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) deals with chapters eight to twelve of Unit IV of Practitioner Syllabus.

The Eighth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit IV of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Compliance and Responsiveness
2. Compliance Matrix
3. Persuasive Writing
4. Writing Clearly
5. Proposal Organization

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

A passionate mother, leader, entrepreneur with an Italian blueblood twist. Ros Pollio is currently Global Functional Lead of Bid & Proposal Management at Equinix. Ros has over two decades of commercial bid leadership experience in the discipline of winning business internationally with Equinix, Avanade, Verizon Business, EMC from Leading global teams through the sales development lifecycle in pursuit of business.

Following her studies in Languages and Literature in Italy, Ros began her career in the UK in the technology sector until motherhood where she spent a decade back in her hometown Italy to build a national family business – working for the Ministry of Infrastructure. Leading on her career back in the UK as a diverse and inclusive leader helping organisations adapt to diverse customers, markets, ideas, and talents.

Ros openly discuss the mental health issue in society, helping to break down the stigma surrounding mental illness close to her heart – attachment theory, abandonment, anxiety, complex PTSD, Trauma CBT Therapy. A good Italian cook makes the best Lasagna according to her brother who is a Michelin Chef!

Sky and Sea – Ros mirrors the same passion for food to the sea, motorboats are what she was exposed to since childhood – a family business that led to several Offshore XCat World Championship.

Her life purpose is her family, single mother of a beautiful daughter, Emanuela. Lover to her baby Maltese Henry and two cats Coco & Luna.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The Seventh Episode of Scribble Talk Teaching as part of APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is ready to instruct you!

The Seventh Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) continues discussion on the most important and longest unit of Practitioner syllabus. Unit IV mainly comprises of topics from APMP Foundation syllabus and acts as a perfect revision for candidates of Practitioner Exam.

The Seventh part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) continues Unit IV - Development. The unit comprises of sixteen chapters which are split into four separate episodes for easy comprehension. Seventh episode of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) deals with chapters four to seven of Unit IV of Practitioner Syllabus.

The Seventh Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit IV of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Strategy and Win Themes
2. Executive Summaries
3. Kick Off Meeting Management
4. Content Plans

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The Sixth Episode of Scribble Talk Teaching as part of APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is ready to instruct you!

The Sixth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) introduces one of the most important and longest unit of Practitioner syllabus. Unit IV mainly comprises of topics from APMP Foundation syllabus and acts as a perfect revision for candidates of Practitioner Exam.

The Sixth part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) introduces Unit IV - Development. The unit comprises of sixteen chapters which are split into four separate episodes for easy comprehension. Sixth episode of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) deals with the first three chapters of Unit IV of Practitioner Syllabus.

The Sixth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit IV of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Price to Win
2. Gate Decisions
3. Value Propositions

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Kathryn Bennett, CPSM, is a proposal management expert and lean six sigma green belt with more than 12 years of sales and communications experience. As the Director of RFP Excellence at Loopio, she promotes best practices, advocates for the use of marketing automation, and spreads the good word about process improvement. Kathryn believes that every proposal manager deserves a 40-hour workweek. In her free time, Kathryn is a world-record-holding strength athlete and competes on the national level in the sport of strongman.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The Fifth Episode of Scribble Talk Teaching as part of APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is ready to instruct you!

The Fifth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) marks the completion of the IIIrd unit which, similar to Unit II, discusses topics from APMP Foundation Certification and introduces new and important chapters necessary for APMP Practitioner Certification.

The Fifth part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) concludes Unit III - Planning And Management. The unit comprises of eleven chapters which are split into three separate episodes for easy comprehension. Fifth episode of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) deals with the final three of Unit III of Practitioner Syllabus.

The Fifth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit III of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Stakeholder Engagement and Management
2. Page and Document Design
3. Virtual Team Management

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The Fourth Episode of Scribble Talk Teaching as part of APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is ready to instruct!

The Fourth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) is a continuation of the new unit which, similar to Unit II, discusses topics from APMP Foundation Certification and introduces new and important chapters necessary for APMP Practitioner Certification.

The Fourth part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) revolves around Unit III - Planning And Management. The unit comprises of eleven chapters which are split into three separate episodes for easy comprehension. Fourth episode of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) deals with chapters Five to Eight in the Unit III of Practitioner Syllabus.

The Fourth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit III of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Managing Internal Risk
2. Review Management
3. Lessons Learned Analysis and Management
4. Daily Team Management

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The Third Episode of Scribble Talk Teaching as part of APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is now out!

The Third Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) marks the beginning of a new unit which, similar to Unit II, discusses topics from APMP Foundation Certification and introduces new and important chapters necessary for APMP Practitioner Certification.

The Third part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) introduces Unit III - Planning And Management. The unit comprises of eleven chapters which are split into three separate episodes for easy comprehension. Third episode of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) deals with the first four chapters from Unit III of Practitioner Syllabus.

The Third Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit III of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Scheduling
2. Budgets
3. Production Management
4. Managing External Risk

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The Second Episode of Scribble Talk Teaching as part of APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is FINALLY out!

The Second Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) is a continuation of first episode where the the Unit II of the Practitioner syllabus is completed.

The Second part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) goes deeper into the topic of Research & Management And Sales Orientation. The unit comprises of seven major chapters of which a handful of topics resembles topics from APMP Foundation Course while the rest of the chapters discussed are entirely new.

The Second Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit II of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Opportunity/Capture Plan
2. Knowledge Management
3. Customer Analysis and Competitive Analysis
4. Opportunity Management, Customer Relationship Management
5. Linking Opportunity/Capture Plans with Proposal Content

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Morgan Anderson, CF APMP is a bids and proposal specialist with more than 8 years’ experience across multiple industries. Most recently, Morgan has consulted for private firms across the DC-metropolitan area to help standup proposal teams and produce quality, winning proposals. Morgan’s colleagues applaud her attention-to-detail, promptness, and willingness to get the job done.

Finding value in helping small and emerging business to succeed, Morgan has made it her personal and professional mission to provide counsel to small businesses on how to navigate the federal procurement processes. She offers pro-bono consulting to small and minority businesses through webinars and partnerships with local non-profits.

Morgan holds her M.S. in Marketing, is APMP certified at the Foundation Level, and was recently recognized as APMP’s 2021 Class 40 Under 40. She presently serves on the APMP National Capital Area Board of Directors.

Morgan lives just outside D.C. where she enjoys cooking and watercolour painting– it is her goal to one day preserve her family’s recipes and design her own cookbook. Morgan is also an avid gamer and enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragon and strategy board games.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

The First Part of Scribble Talk Teaching Episode - APMP Practitioner Certification Baachu Bite is FINALLY out!

The First Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) deals with an enlightening introduction to the course, followed by an Orientation which provides an overview of the NEW APMP Practitioner certification exam.

The initial part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) take you from this orientation to the first unit of Practitioner Syllabus - Research & Management And Sales Orientation. The unit comprises of seven major chapters of which the first two are discussed.

The First Part of Scribble Talk Teaching (Practitioner) discusses the following chapters from Unit II of the Practitioner syllabus:
1. Introduction to the Business development Life Cycle
2. End-to-End Process

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to https://baachuscribble.com/apmp-practitioner-certification/

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Part Seven of Scribble Talk Teaching Episode - APMP FOUNDATION Certification Baachu Bite is FINALLY out!

The Seventh Part of Scribble Talk Teaching deals with Unit V of APMP Foundation Certification Syllabus where the topic Opportunity Plan is focused.

In Unit V, we will help you get familiar with the four major Chapters under Opportunity Plans of which the topics Scheduling and Content Plans are two of the most important chapters for Foundation Certification exam. We will be guiding you through these topics by introducing the technical vocabulary and segregating the common pitfalls and misconceptions you might face during the Bid Process. Also, learn more about Knowledge Management and Opportunity Plans here.

The Seventh Part of Scribble Talk Teaching discusses Unit V that comprises of four chapters.
The chapters discussed in Part Seven are :
1. Opportunity Plans
2 Content Plans
3 Knowledge Management
4 Scheduling

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep Up the good work!

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to www. baachuscribble.com/apmp-foundation-certification.

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Jennifer is an accomplished senior proposal coordinator at Avtex Solutions, LLC a TTEC Digital Company, who is well versed in writing and editing responses. She’s been working on technical proposals for 5+ years. She achieved Foundation Certification from APMP in 2021 and recently received the 2020 Top Sales Enabler Award for her work in helping to generate sales through RFPs at Avtex. Got her B.A. from Indiana University, Bloomington with a major in journalism and a minor in business.

Jennifer holds a love for movies and reading. She has been part of a reading club for 13 years which hosts amazing parties for its members. Jenifer follows a hobby of hiking and is also an avid traveller who is constantly planning her upcoming trips.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Part Six of Scribble Talk Teaching Episode - APMP FOUNDATION Certification Baachu Bite is FINALLY out!

The Sixth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching deals with the final four chapters of Unit IV of APMP Foundation Certification Syllabus where the topic Manage Process is focused.

In Unit IV, we will help you get familiar with the actual Bid Process while explaining the technical vocabulary you need to be familiar with. We will be guiding you through the various reviews required in a mature BD process design and their aspects. Learn more about Internal lessons-learned and Customer debriefing and Production Resource Check List here.

The Sixth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching discusses Unit IV which comprises eight chapters.
The chapters discussed in Part Six are :
1. Review Management
2. Production Management
3. Virtual Team Management
4. Lessons Learned Analysis and Management

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep Up the good work!

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to www. baachuscribble.com/apmp-foundation-certification.

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Part Five of Scribble Talk Teaching Episode - APMP FOUNDATION Certification Baachu Bite is FINALLY out!

The Fifth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching deals with the first four chapters of Unit IV of APMP Foundation Certification Syllabus where the topic Manage Process is focused.

In Unit IV, we will help you get familiar with the actual Bid Process while explaining the technical vocabulary you need to be familiar with. We will be guiding you through the eight phases in Bid Decision, different strategies needed in each phase and Gate Decisions and its aspects. Learn more about Kick-off Meetings and Best practices for Daily Team Management here.

The Fifth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching discusses Unit IV that comprises of eight chapters.
The chapters discussed in Part Five are :
1. End-to-End Process
2. Gate Decisions
3. Kick-off Meeting Management
4. Daily Team Management

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

You are CLOSER to getting your Certification. Keep Up the good work!

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to www. baachuscribble.com/apmp-foundation-certification.

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Part 4 of Scribble Talk Teaching Episode - APMP FOUNDATION Certification Baachu Bite is FINALLY out!

The Fourth Part of Scribble Talk Teaching deals with the final four chapters of Unit III of APMP Foundation Certification Syllabus where the topic Create Deliverables is focused.

In this part, you will learn some of the more applicable chapters that will help you create winning proposals. We will teach you, and help you understand with great ease, some of the strategies and techniques that will change your approach to proposal writing. Learn more about Graphics, page and document design and action captions here.

The third part of Scribble Talk Teaching discusses Unit III that comprises of nine chapters.
The chapters discussed in Part Four are :
1. Graphics and Action Captions
2. Page and Document Design
3. Cost and Pricing Data
4. Proactive Proposals .

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to www. baachuscribble.com/apmp-foundation-certification.

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Part 3 of Scribble Talk Teaching Episode - APMP FOUNDATION Certification Baachu Bite is FINALLY out!

The Third Part of Scribble Talk Teaching deals with Unit III of APMP Foundation Certification Syllabus where the topic Create Deliverables is focused.

Unit III is one of the most important modules with many of the important chapters of the Foundation Course falling under it. Several concepts and techniques that you will ultimately need as a proposal manager to create winning bids are encompassed in this module. Here, you will find the strategic shifts you have been lacking along with new methods which will ensure the final perfection to your proposal. Learn more about persuasive writing, headings and Compliance Matrix here.

The third part of Scribble Talk Teaching discusses Unit III that comprises of nine chapters.
The chapters discussed in Part Three are :
1. Compliance Matrix
2. Proposal Organization
3. Persuasive Writing
4. Writing Clearly
5. Headings

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to www. baachuscribble.com/apmp-foundation-certification.

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Part 2 of Scribble Talk Teaching Episode - APMP FOUNDATION Certification Baachu Bite is FINALLY out!

The Second Part of Scribble Talk Teaching deals with the final five chapters of Unit II of APMP Foundation Certification Syllabus where the topic Focus on Customer is focused.

Unit II deals with the traditional as well as freshly brewed techniques necessary to bring customer satisfaction. Areas discussed in this module are moulded so as to include every steps and materials you need ready in order to start with your proposal and includes chapters such as Discriminators and Proof points.

The Second Part of Scribble Talk Teaching discusses final five chapters in Unit II.
The chapters discussed here are :
1. Features, Benefits, and Discriminators
2. Proof Points
3. Persuasion
4. Price-to-win
5. Teaming

Each of these chapters discussed the topic at hand in great details with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to www. baachuscribble.com/apmp-foundation-certification.

Happy Learning :)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Our very first Scribble Talk Teaching Episode - APMP FOUNDATION Certification Baachu Bite

First Part of Scribble Talk Teaching deals with Unit I and Unit 2 of APMP Foundation Certification Syllabus where the topics Understanding Business Development and Focus on Customer are focused.

Unit I creates an understanding of Business Development with the specific goal and steps one needs to concentrate on achieving the development. The Unit goes on to explain the eight phases in Business Development Process with each phase including Market Identification and Proposal Development discussed in detail.

Unit II comprises of eleven chapters, of which the initial six chapters are discussed here.
The chapters discussed here are
1. Compliance & Responsiveness
2. Customer Analysis and Competitive Intelligence,
3. Executive Summaries,
4. Strategy and Win Themes,
5. Value Propositions and
6. Proposal Theme Statements.

Each of these chapters discusses the topic at hand in great detail with explanations on all aspects including the best practices and common misconceptions linked to them.

BASED ON APMP COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to Subscribe, Review and Share Scribble Talk Podcast.

DO NOT limit yourselves but explore more of the expert resources we have prepared for you.

Try out the DISCOUNT CODE BAA15APMP to receive 15% OFF and get ACCESS to ADDITIONAL Training resources - Including study guide, 31+ online Videos, CHAPTER Quiz, PASS CARDS and 200+ mock certification SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS.

Join us to make sure you get your certification sooner than you imagined.

For more details, go to www. baachuscribble.com/apmp-foundation-certification.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

APMP offers the world’s first, best and only industry-recognized certification program for professionals working in a bid and proposal environment. APMP certification is the global standard for developing and demonstrating proposal management competency. Achieving APMP certification:

Demonstrates a personal commitment to a career and profession.
Improves business development capabilities.
Creates a focus on best team practices.
Gains the respect and credibility of peers, clients and organizational leaders and, in some cases, additional compensation.
Reinforces bid/proposal management as an important role within an organization and not as an ad hoc function that anyone can perform.

APMP Certification Program - Association of Proposal Management Professionals

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

APMP is the only professional association for the bid, tender, business development, graphics and proposal management community worldwide, providing tailored membership options for individuals and corporate members.

If you or your business is committed to professional development, success in winning more business and performing to your full potential in delivering compelling bids, tenders and proposals then APMP is the professional association for you.

The support and development available through APMP Membership empowers teams and individuals to compete and to win more business in every competitive environment. Our members have an enviable track record of success across B2B; B2G; B2C and even in-house.

We are the acknowledged and respected voice of our industry, working hard for our members at every level to educate, inform and to promote better understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our members and the procurement community.

Members have 24/7 access to the respected APMP ‘Body of Knowledge’ (BOK) which is a vast, peer reviewed, evidence based and member only repository for the collected wisdom of the world’s leading professionals in proposal, bid and opportunity management

Investing in APMP Membership represents an investment in your future success on a personal, individual level or as a team and business. By investing in professional development through APMP you can expect to see real and tangible improvements in terms of employee satisfaction and self-esteem in the workplace, better recruitment and retention rates overall and importantly, better results in business gained and retained.

More details here : APMP Membership - Association of Proposal Management Professionals

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Jessica Rodriguez-Privett has over 10+ years experience in Proposals. She is currently Proposal Coordinator with Akima. Jess is APMP Foundation Certified.

Jessica has been active with APMP’s NCA chapter since 2017, volunteered at 2019’s Mid-Atlantic Conference, then joined the NCA Board in 2020, initially as the Annual Conference Chair in 2020, up until COVID-19 effectively shut down the 2020 MAC. She then transitioned to Marketing Co-Chair. She lives in the lovely mountains of VA with her husband, daughter and too many pampered pets.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Heather Finch first encountered the acronym “RFP” when seeking ways to diversify funding sources for a human services company in 2012 and hasn’t looked back since. Since then, she has moved on to lead proposal teams in both the commercial and government sectors, refining processes and developing efficiencies along the way.

The hobbies and interests Heather pursue are pretty diverse. She enjoys running, practicing yoga, crafting, starting home improvement projects and, occasionally completing home improvement projects. She attempts to try her hand in everything from reading, hiking, camping and exploring new places to most things ending with “ing”.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

LJ Turner is the Sales Operations Director for Jigsaw24, based in Nottingham, where she leads the Bids and Tender Teams, drawing on all of the knowledge she has gained in her 20+ years career. After completing her Management and Technology BSc (Hons) degree at Brunel University, LJ moved into IT Sales with a Telco, which established her love of all things technology-based. She moved into Bid Management in 1998 when she got so exasperated with the poor sales contracts, she decided to move down the chain and ensure quality tenders would result in quality contracts! Since then, she has supported over £4bn of bids and worked in industries from Oil and Gas, to Rail, to Business Processes, to IT – introducing Governance and Process to many of her roles.

She is a passionate mentor, encouraging and supporting internal colleagues and supporting women from all walks of life. Her leadership and expertise were critical in winning a key Public Sector Covid project that saw Jigsaw24 rolling out 7,500 devices a week to the NHS.

Her mentorship extends to the Military Spouse Network which supports other military spouses into work or self-employment, and the Warrior Programme which teaches resilience skills in the face of adversity. She’s a part of the #1-of-a-million, a campaign for women in STEM, and the Women’s Salesforce Trailblazers in Newcastle to support more access and progression in STEM. Being a proud advocate of gender diversity, she was named one of the Top Women in Tech in 2018 and has been a PCR Role Model of the Year. She is also a TVTA Women of the Year finalist, and a Highly Commended Exec Mentor in the CRN awards in 2020.

In her personal life, Turner enjoys motorsports, holidays, science fiction, and spending time with her family. With her husband being in the military, the family holds a love for military history and constantly engages in the social side of military life.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Chris currently directs the operational and strategic proposal center at Clarivate, a global provider of Scientific and Intellectual Property solutions. The team works within the commercial operations division to manage hundreds of complex proposals each year across all geographies, as well as maintaining opportunity pipeline and proposal automation/content curation processes.

Chris is APMP professional qualified (2015) and has previously sat on the UK APMP board as founding director of Technology. At Clarivate, he has been shortlisted for the Sales Partner of the Year award (2016), Deal of the Year award (2016) and multiple APMP UK Awards (including Leadership and Knowledge Management as well as additional nominations from within his team). Chris has been accepted as an APMP UK mentor in 2021, as well as previously mentoring practitioner candidates to successful passes. Chris is finalizing an undergraduate degree at the Open University in the UK in Psychology, and hopes to progress into Doctoral research, exploring the Psychology of the bids and tenders market from 2022.

In his spare time, Chris enjoys spending time with his family – especially at the movies, growing at the family allotment and training together in Taekwondo. He studies and is an avid runner, having recently completed a 100Km ultramarathon in London (with more booked for 2022). He loves camping, and is an active volunteer for local community ventures such as Greenslate community farm in Wigan.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Angie Wolfe, CP APMP, is a creative and analytical proposal professional and business owner with 18 years of experience at large Fortune 500 companies in business development and marketing. Based in Denver, she started her consulting firm, Ideas at Dawn Marketing Consultants, in 2019. Ideas at Dawn brings large civil engineering and construction firms a competitive advantage with their proposals to win more work without adding more payroll. These services include proposal management, writing, editing, graphic design support, and training to meet the increased demands on the proposal staff.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

With 10 years of experience, Katherine Becchina brings a unique background in event planning and strategic proposal, and marketing management in the A/E/C industry. She collaborates with sales teams to preposition for multi-million dollar business opportunities, develop compliant and responsive proposals, and create compelling content for shortlist interviews. This experience includes managing the proposal process, writing and co-authoring technical content, and designing the proposal response in Adobe InDesign. She leads and coaches capture teams in shortlist strategy sessions, interview preparation, and presentation development for client-facing and industry-focused events.
Katherine continually seeks opportunities for professional growth and development. She looks to professional associations like the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) to connect and engage with other professionals in the industry. Starting in 2017, Katherine participated in the mentorship program and served on the Marketing Committee for the Greater Midwest Chapter (GMC). In 2019, she expanded her involvement in the chapter and served as the Publications Chair, where she collaborated with other board and chapter members to develop quarterly newsletters that engage more than 730 readers. Currently, Katherine is serving as the Vice Chair for GMC and is excited for 2022 when she will serve as the chapter’s President.

Fun Facts!
Katherine love listening to true crime podcasts, reading, biking, hiking, and spending time with her husband and new puppy, Remy. She is currently reading Dare to Lead by Brene Brown and listening to her podcast series. She believes it is a good one if anyone is looking to expand their leadership skills! Growing up, Katherine was obsessed with horses, and strongly feels, if she won the lottery today, the first thing she would do is buy a ranch and have horses.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Hayley Watkins, CP APMP, CCMP, is a pursuit and marketing professional with a passion for fostering business growth. For more than a decade, she has helped critical infrastructure organizations in a variety of industries win more work by developing forward-thinking marketing and proposal processes and teams. Hayley is experienced throughout the sales and marketing lifecycle, including partnering with business developers to identify target markets and clients, developing marketing campaigns to promote thought leadership, leading capture planning and strategy development to win new business, and managing all aspects of proposal development. As a leader, she serves as an advocate, coach, and mentor, continuously seeking ways to elevate team abilities and promote career advancement for proposal professionals. Hayley is an active member of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals, having served on the Greater Midwest Chapter Board of Directors for the past eight years. When not working on marketing initiatives or upcoming deadlines, Hayley enjoys traveling (currently, she is working towards visiting every country in Central America), road-tripping throughout the United States, and finding excitement and adventure in each day.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Tara Kowalke is the Manager of Global Sales Proposals for BlackLine, a publicly traded SaaS company, where she leads a team of proposal professionals to execute highly technical responses for ITQs, RFPs, RFIs, etc. The vast majority of their work falls in the B2B space but Tara lived in the SLED world for years in previous roles, so she is well-versed in the nuances of all different types of companies, industries and understanding the challenges that arise as technology advances. She prides herself on leading a team of individuals with a “can do” attitude, who ensure all deadlines are met, all internal clients around the world are happy, and that they are utilizing all resources at their disposal to get the job done.

Tara has been in the proposal industry for 10+ years and is an active member of APMP’s California Chapter where she sits on the board as Director of Events. Her term began just as COVID was sweeping the world, so in lieu gathering at in-person events, she has been hosting monthly “West Coast Coffee Roasts” on the 3rdThursday of every month on a range of topics, all are welcome to join! Prior to her time in California, she was a member of the Greater Midwest chapter and is looking forward to seeing her proposal friends at Bid and Proposal Con this fall in Denver, as well as helping to host the California Chapter’s Annual “Training Day” also this fall at Disneyland. She obtained her Foundation Certification in 2017 and was a named as an APMP “40 Under 40” in 2018. Over the past several years she has enjoyed being an active participant in the California Chapter’s mentorship program, both as a mentor and mentee and is currently studying for her Practitioner Exam that she hopes to pass later this summer.

While in college Tara earned a B.A. in Political Science from St. Cloud State University and was a Legislative Intern at the Minnesota Senate during the same timeframe that Jesse “The Body” Ventura was Governor. Earlier in her career Tara was a paralegal for a number of years at some of the top firms in the country, where she was affectionately nicknamed “TaraLegal.”

With roots in the Midwest (Minneapolis and Chicago), she has lived all over the country and has called Los Angeles home for the past 3 years with her son Jefferson who is 12 years old (12.5 if you ask him). Together they enjoy hiking, volunteering, yoga, traveling, crafting, board games, watching The Office, Survivor and all the cooking shows. She is also an avid runner, NPR junkie, sports fan, philanthropist, and writer working on her first book! Tara and her family enjoy time at her parent’s lake house in Minnesota whenever they can get away and she and her son love exploring National Parks.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Elisabeth Megli helps businesses respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and other solicitations to win work and grow their businesses. In 2017, she founded Theme Strategic Proposals to help clients navigate through the information needed to prepare compliant, responsive and persuasive proposals. Elisabeth writes and edits every proposal to be customer-driven and enjoys coaching others on proposal best practices. Elisabeth has managed and prepared proposals submitted to 30 Fortune Top 100 companies throughout her career and to dozens of local, state and federal government entities. She is a certified proposal manager by the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and is the former APMP Greater Midwest Chapter Communications Chair.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Marie Rounsavell began her career in proposals in 2007 as a technical writer and quickly moved on to positions in capture management and proposal leadership. At present, she is working as the assistant team leader at FCM Travel Solutions where, in addition to managing proposals, provides leadership to a team devoted to strategic sales support, content creation, and library management. As part of a global team, Marie gets to pretend to be an all-knowing oracle when it comes to selling from behind the screen. She has been active in the California Chapter’s mentorship program since 2018 and at present, sits on the board of directors. Marie Rounsavell is a writer, proposal manager, and maker based in Los Angeles. Prior to pursuing career as a writer, Marie used to work in a museum where she glued dried plants to large sheets of beautiful thick paper and taught kids about primates in a zoo and answered questions like whether the cheetahs were married or when the animatronic dinosaurs were fed. She also sold gorgeous plants once. Marie used to work for an art publisher who sent her to China while her work in a staffing company sent her everywhere around the globe. After graduating with a degree in English and World Literature from Pitzer College, Marie worked in a fancy bookstore where people were surprised about the fact that she had read many of the books. In the travel company, where she currently works, Marie gets to travel to amazing places, although she does her best work at home. Marie has been always interested in what life has to do with work and what work has to do with how one lives. She says, if balance is a hobby, investigating that balance is her passion. Marie allows people to call her an artist based on what she read once that said art is a behaviour—a thing people do to make their worlds more interesting, rather than the thing that is made or talked about. Marie is also a natural dyer and knitter. Along with making clothes, she tries to be a compulsive writer and always paints to amuse herself.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Danielle Torley has more than 14 years’ experience in business development and proposals management. In her professional roles, Danielle works closely with the team to plan, develop, and produce proposals for single award and IDIQ opportunities ranging from $100k to $700M. She enjoys connecting with people in her work, as a fire performer, and in the communities she serves. Her experience traveling and living in the United States and worldwide has offered her the opportunity to collaborate with individuals from varied backgrounds and inspired her to further develop her personal and professional hobbies.

Danielle is certified at the Foundation Level of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and has volunteered on the board of the Florida APMP Chapter in various roles since 2015. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and served as Chapter President of the Project Management Institute (PMI) Emerald Coast Chapter from 2019 through 2020. As part of a TED Institute partnership between TED and PMI, Danielle was selected as a TED@PMI speaker in 2020. Her TED Talk focused on her personal experience with grief and the ability to transform childhood trauma into an outlet for transformation and recovery.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Jen Mosier is currently a Senior Proposal Manager leading a team of proposal managers and writers for Ad Hoc LLC. She is an APMP published and award-winning business development professional with nearly 20 years of experience writing, contributing, and responding to business development efforts. She has significantly contributed to wins in government (state, local, and Federal Government) operations/business development support, small to very large businesses, and commercial sales/business development in the US and internationally. Jen’s expertise includes the full (cradle-grave) capture and proposal life-cycle development process, managing a team of proposal management professionals, and the management and establishment of a winning business development proposal process and lifecycle.

Professional Highlights include: Jen is an Active member of APMP since 2004 and is a part of the Board of Directors of APMP Florida Sunshine Chapter (Publicity Chair) for the last ten years. She was awarded APMP’s “40 Under 40”, in the 2017 inaugural class of award winners, and “The Keller Award”, APMP Florida Chapter’s highest award, in 2017. Jen was certified through the APMP at the Foundation level since 2011. On November 2016, Jen published an article, titled “The Not-So-Small Job of the Small-Business Proposal Professional”.

-Training with Shipley, OCI, OST, and PMI and sales methodologies including “Target Account Selling” and “The Counselor Salesperson”. Hobbies and interests include: In her spare time, Jen dabbles in drawing and wood projects including refinishing old wood furniture and creating home decor from antique wood (her favorite one so far are the shelves made from post-Vietnam war era ammo crate boxes). She also spends lots of time with her family of five and the whole bunch are on the baseball field every weekend. Jen has a son who plays competitive baseball and she can be seen cheering on her daughter’s cheer squad as “team mom” and occasional cheer coach while the whole family is always chasing after their toddler. They also live very close to a lake and enjoy time on the water.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Carrie Jordan lives in Virginia in the U.S. with her family: her husband, Chad, and their three children (Audrey 13, Luke 4, Adeline 2). She also has two step-children: Kirsten 17 who lives in Kansas city with her mom, and Connor, 21 who attends Virginia Tech and is a goalie on the VT soccer team. Carrie and her family are currently building their forever home on 10 acres in the country. For hobbies, Carrie enjoys exercising, bible study, reading personal development, interior design, and ballet.

Professionally, as Strategy & Operations Lead for Microsoft’s Proposal Center of Excellence (PCoE), Carrie Jordan is passionately creating the best proposal organization to work for in the world. PCoE’s mission for Microsoft is to increase deal quality so we show up in the best way possible for our customers, to increase the probability of a win, and to save the Microsoft field time. While we pursue customer-centric proposal excellence, we also strive for a healthy, collaborative, and balanced environment for our proposal professionals.

Prior to her role as Strategy and Operations Lead for Microsoft’s PCoE, she served as PCoE Program Manager, and earlier as Senior Proposal Manager. Carrie draws from over 13 years of experience in proposal management, coordination, writing, editing, content curation, and desktop publishing. The majority of her experience is in large, public sector cloud deals. She previously served as the Director of Consulting Services for Shipley Associates, the industry-leading authority on government and commercial proposal standards and processes. She’s supported over $150 billion in proposal wins.

Carrie is also a successful small business owner in multiple non-competing industries.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Heidi Romero, CP APMP after a 9-year career in retail optical sales, Heidi Romero joined BMO Harris Bank (then M&I Bank) in 2004 as a Treasury Management Sales Associate for Business customers and Inside Sales. From there she was promoted to a Sales Associate for the Commercial and Mid-Market client base. In 2010 she was promoted to Officer and moved into a Senior Implementation and Portfolio Management role during the M&I/Harris Bank acquisition working with large corporate customers through the merger. In April 2014, Heidi joined the Proposal/RFP Team as a US Proposal Manager for the bank. She was then promoted to Assistant Vice President in January 2016. She has been an active member of APMP since 2014 and achieved her Foundation level accreditation in June 2015, as well as her Practitioner certification in September 2018.

Heidi works diligently to instill APMP’s best practices and her proposal passion in every opportunity which resonates through her team and the sales process. Heidi is based in Milwaukee, WI.

Heidi assisted on the Greater Midwest Chapter (GMC) Events Committee for 3 years, the GMC Marketing Committee for 1 year and as Events Chair most recently in 2020 and 2021.

Heidi received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing Management from Carroll College (Waukesha, WI) in 2002 and her Master of Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University in 2008.

Heidi is a Moyamoya (a rare brain artery disease, occurring in less than 1 in 100,000) survivor/warrior since diagnosed in 2014, having had 2 brain artery bypasses in 2014 and 2015 after suffering a stroke on Christmas Eve 2013. She advocates for Moyamoya awareness as often as possible, buddies up with newly diagnosed people in her area and contributed to Faces of Moyamoya Disease, a book launch completed the end of 2020. Additionally, she enjoys reading, writing, shooting darts with her husband of almost 10 years, and instilling a brave warrior, can-do attitude in her daughter Grace (almost 5) and stepson Jeremy (almost 14). More recently, her and her daughter have become interested in geocaching and try to venture out to do that together as frequently as possible.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Kelly Thomas leads a team of Global Commercial Managers at GE Digital working across teams to deliver outcomes for customers on their Digital Industrial Journey. The team does that by driving deals forward from business development through pricing, proposal and contracting. Day to day, the team applies APMP and Lean best practices to improve results for internal and external customers.

She has been in the proposal industry for 10 years, and an APMP member since the very start. She was luck enough to have a mentor that was an avid supporter of the organization and helped drive a long lasting commitment to the organization. When she started, she was a member of the APMP Maple Leaf Chapter and eventually served on the Board in Canada for a time. After moving to the US, a spell in Oregon and now in Texas, she has remained an advocate of the organization – bringing the GE Digital on as a corporate member. After settling in Texas, she started working with the Lone Star Chapter Board on the regional conference. Although the conference was postponed due to COVID last year, involvement in the Chapter stuck. She served as Secretary for a year before becoming Co-Chair of the Chapter in Jan 2021 along with Jaclyn Anderson. (And she still thanks/blames Sonya Wooley for that)

In 2020, she was a member of the 40 under 40 APMP Class and also serves as Co-chair of the GE Digital Women’s Network.

From a personal perspective, Kelly is an enthusiastic convert and practitioner of Lean. She is passionate about driving outcomes with a commitment to candor, inclusion and diversity. And finally, the favorite part of her role, whether it is at APMP, the GE Digital Women’s Network, or Deal Desk is being a mentor and coach to team members and using lessons learned to improve our business.

Interests & hobbies: hiking (although I don’t get much of that in Dallas), travelling (when I can), reading (anything and everything), playing with my dogs and going for a great meal with good friends (usually involving some queso – good thing I live in Texas!)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Marissa A. Martinez currently serves as Director of Proposal Management for Wood’s Resilient Environments (RE) Corporate Proposal Center, where she brings more than 20 years of proposal management, capture and business development experience. Marissa is highly experienced in leading high performing teams in the submission of high priority, competitive proposal responses for Federal Government and International customers. She coaches and mentors staff in capture and proposal management execution including the development of value propositions, win strategies, capture plans, teaming, past performance, and pricing strategy. She began her career working in various International Business Development roles in the satellite communications (SATCOM) industry.

Marissa holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Marketing from DePaul University and a Master of Science in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego. She is a Project Management Institute (PMI) certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds the Association of Proposal Management Professionals Practitioner-level (CP APMP) certification.

When she is not working proposals, Marissa enjoys spending time with her family, yoga, outdoor activities around San Diego, and traveling. She has a passion for learning, design, innovation and mindful leadership.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Kim Ruff is an Air Force Veteran with more than six years of experience in proposal management. Recognized by customers, peers, and the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) for accomplishments to date and aspirations for future contributions to the proposal management profession. Recipient of the Charlie Divine APMP Certification Scholarship and APMP’s 40 Under 40 award. I am a Proposal Manager at Mythics, Inc. and serve as Vice President and Membership Chair for APMP Liberty Chapter.

HOBBIES

Gathering with friends and driving her kids to their sports games or to hang with their friends or to go shopping. Also, beach season is quickly approaching and she is looking forward to many weekends “down the shore,” digging my toes into the sand at Sea Isle City, NJ – that is my family’s happy place.

INTERESTS

Photography, music (everything from Jazz to Classic Rock to Spanish to Doo Whop to 90s Alternative to Pop – I also learn a lot about artists I might have never known from my kids, such as Lil’ Peep and XXXTentacion), tattoos, teaching/mentoring, nonfiction writing, Dr. Pimple Popper

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Janet L. Follmeyer, CF. APMP, has 20 years of proposal management experience. She began her proposal management career at Day & Zimmermann after a stint in business to business publishing.

Janet currently is a Bid Manager for Verizon Business Group. She is part of Verizon’s Global Bid Management team, which works on large-scale proposals globally. Janet joined Verizon in 2019 from Comcast headquarters, where she was the Proposal Manager for the Enterprise Managed Services segment. Janet has worked in a number of industries, including telecommunications, cybersecurity, managed services and staffing, pharmacy benefit management services (Commercial and Medicaid), and publishing.

She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism with a specialization in Public Relations and a Minor in Political Science from Temple University, and an MBA from Holy Family. When she is not working, Janet spends time walking, biking, going to the gym, and exploring Philadelphia’s restaurants and bars, where she lives with her husband and cats. She also hopes to be travel back to Europe soon; BPC Europe was her last time in Europe.

Janet serves as Chair/President for the APMP Liberty Chapter, which includes New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut since 2018, and previously served as APMP Liberty Programs Chair.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

For 23 years Caryn Kent Dean has worked as a proposal writer and manager for corporate and government bid opportunities. She has been a proud member of the APMP for six years and supports the APMP Greater Midwest Chapter as a chair for the Consultants Virtual Networking Group.

Caryn took her first job as a proposal writer with a young library management system software company after finishing her Masters of Library and Information Science in 1997. The proposal management industry is always throwing new challenges Caryn’s way, and this remains one of the most fulfilling aspects of the job. The combination of writing, project management and working with a variety of professionals keeps each project interesting and invites new ways to grow and learn. As a business owner, she is passionate about creating opportunity for her clients and other proposal professionals.

When she’s not in the office, Caryn loves to unwind by reading, watching movies, cooking, and creating custom quilts for friends and family. Her favorite movies include just about anything with Judy Dench, Helen Mirren, Emma Thompson, or Maggie Smith and when she needs a little inspiration, Caryn turns to podcasts by or with Dr. Brené Brown.

In becoming a consultant and starting her own business, she has been able to spend more time with family, including her husband of 18 years, three kids and rescue pup, Scout. One of her family’s favorite pastimes includes heading to their 55 acre property in NW Illinois to unplug and enjoy hiking and exploring the nearby creek.

Creating a virtual working space has also allowed Caryn and her family to take advantage of their acreage as the ultimate social-distancing retreat. While her kids can spread out and spend time in nature, Caryn can work and enjoy a gorgeous view of rolling fields – with a few cows instead of cubicles.

Aside from her talents in the proposal industry, Caryn has played the violin since she was eight years old, lived in Italy during her sophomore year at Loyola University of Chicago’s Rome Center and is an advanced Open Water and Nitrox Certified Scuba Diver.

In 2001 she travelled with her husband and a group of friends to Truk Lagoon in Micronesia, staying on Truk Odyssey liveaboard for a week. While on their trip they explored WWII history, diving the shipwrecks of Operation Hailstone, and enjoyed front row viewing of the local sea life.

In both her professional and personal life, Caryn takes much inspiration from her father. His motto “if it is to be, it is up to me” reminds her of the power of her will and the importance of seeking validation from oneself in difficult times

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

In the ITes industry for approx. 18 years now, Shashi Kukar started her career as a lecturer teaching English Literature, but soon steered into the corporate world. An accomplished Content Leader with diverse experience across the entire gamut of B2B Content – Research, marketing, Knowledge management, and sales support, she has extensive experience in building content organizations, executing strategic initiatives, incubating and scaling content operations in B2B organizations. In her recent avatar as Content Leader for the Genpact deal team at Genpact, she has successfully steered the team on a transformation journey. The team was awarded the Bid & Proposal Team of the Year at the inaugural edition of APMP India’s Conference on Bid & Proposal Management (CBPM), with its theme ‘Moving the Needle held in Mumbai, India. The award honors a cohesive, effective proposal team that demonstrates industry best practices, thought leadership, and a commitment to the professional development of its members.

Driven by an insatiable desire for excellence and making meaningful connections, her journey has been fuelled with an unrelenting passion for empowering people and helping others maximize their potential.

She is an avid reader, and has a keen interest in Literature, Poetry, Music and spirituality. Women and their unique place in society have always intrigued her. Starting with her MPhil thesis on “Women in Patriarchal Structures”, she continues to show her unrelentless passion in her writings, exploring the many facets of women, their identity, its evolution through the interplay of human emotions.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Nicole Gorman is a proposal professional with 5+ years experience working with teams to think and act strategically to win more business. She is motivated by overcoming pursuit challenges through close collaboration with others. She works hard to establish trust within her teams that together they’ll tell the right story that results in favorable business outcomes for their business. Nicole is APMP Foundation certified, 2020 APMP 40 UNDER 40 award winner and communications chair for the APMP Liberty Chapter.

She loves a good story! Whether it’s in a proposal, a documentary, a professional development book, or a conversation with a stranger- She is always interested in expanding her mindset by listening to the stories that others have to tell. She's also a faithful member of the Orange Theory Fitness community ("where are my 5 AM gym goers at?!") and a huge fan of monthly subscription boxes.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Rupesh Singh as Head BD - India in APMP has been instrumental in driving the lesser known APMP Brand India to a level where it is now recognised as leading industry body, drove 4x growth in Membership & certification numbers while strengthening India Bid & Proposal Management community with help of India Governing Board.

With MBA Marketing academic background and 11 yrs. of experience , he has worked for Numeric Power Systems Ltd, Autometer Alliance Ltd, Confederation of Indian Industry. He has been in marketing profession by choice because challenges excite him to dish out new ideas to finish the job with elan.

He has been awarded Gold medal from then Vice-President Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for excellence in class 10th. He got 3rd rank in National Children Science Congress for developing a prototype of fridge to be used in rural areas with no electricity (which currently being used at his home as bookshelves!!!!).

Apart from watching and observing people, he is an avid reader (can finish 600 pages of book in a day)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Mark Whitley would love to pretend he is some sort of polymath but most likely he prefers to dabble or has a curious mind. With degrees in Physics and Optical Electronics he embarked on a first career in lasers and optics, including manufacturing, purchasing and sales & marketing. With a desire to explore other areas he used Business School to bounce into telecommunications and broadcasting solutions for a variety of sectors and there discovered the joy of Bidding, Proposal and Capture. He is now intrigued by innovation funding and how work is won in that environment, as well as rediscovering how integral this profession is to business success.

A bit of a serial volunteer Mark has had stints with the Institute of Engineering of Technology (IET), Warwick Business School as an Alumni Board Member and more recently as a Mentor, his kids Primary School as Chair of the Governing Body and as Rugby Coach at his son’s club. He has arranged a few Chapter events for APMP over the years and also Mentors for them.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Kathryn Potter is originally from South Africa and started working in bids and proposals in the business travel industry in 2004 when she moved to the UK after a year as an English Foreign Language teacher in Germany. Most of her career has been freelancing and contracting and as a result of this she became an advocate for up-to-date content and centralised content libraries.

When she is not working on content and/or thinking about new ways to organise her favourite thing to do is spend time with her husband and two young daughters. She likes cooking as a family, going on cycling and camping adventures and watching movies. Kathryn also enjoys being creative and has written, illustrated and published a children's picture book and has a second book waiting to be completed. Kathryn is also interested in gardening and that she is hoping to to produce all salad leaves for the summer and autumn garden veggie patch. She enjoys reading but don't make enough time for it these days, her mom keeps telling me that life works in cycles and I'll get back to it.

Kathyrn is a regular speaker at APMP events and was also sponsor to APMP UK 2020 awards.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

David Warley CPP APMP Fellow is founder of Bid to Win Ltd and one of APMP’s first Approved Trainers. After sixteen years’ experience in telecommunications and IT, David’s first bid was in 1986. After eight more years climbing the greasy pole of corporate employment, David struck out as an independent consultant. His specialism was the implementation of global networks and he has led several major bids and IT infrastructure projects. With the lessons learned from his first bid still fresh “we need to get better at this” has been his operating mantra. In 2006 he became one of the first APMP Certified Professionals and approved trainers. In 2007 he founded Bid to Win Ltd and has provided certification training in UK, Europe, India and the US. He has been a frequent presenter at APMP UK and International conferences. His focus has been on helping organisations improve their capability and maturity and on promoting good practice from the world of project management. He is a volunteer in the APM Contracts and Procurement Specific Interest Group where he continues to pursue his interest making sure that projects “do what they promise” and users get the benefits that taxpayers and/or shareholders paid for.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Whether helping a Texas-based firm win a major P3 highway project or helping a consulting firm win a sole-source contract with Chrysler, Jeanette Waldie loves writing client-centric proposals! She excels at connecting the dots between your solutions and the client's needs and wants, as demonstrated by the 80% success rate she has achieved on the proposals she has written for clients for the past five years. She is very passionate about proposals; She's made it her career for the past 25 years. Her experience gives her the ability to work with staff and clients to develop content that communicates and wins the project. She is a Certified Proposal Professional, Member, and Fellow of the Association for Proposal Management (APMP). She is passionate about sharing her skills in the art of communication, whether it is through presentations, webinars, or training. For over 30 years, She has been the wordsmith for companies big and small; starting with business communication, financial plans, and business processes to technical and proposal writing. Whatever your business, she works effectively with you and your experts to create communication that enhances your bottom line

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

As a part of Women's History Month, "We celebrate Women's History Month to remind ourselves of the accomplishments of women throughout the years to our society. Women are the architects of society.

In this special International Women's Day 2021 Special Episode Part 2, we took the one advice 10 women leaders shared for the bid and proposal community. Listen in :)

Challenge: Can you name the guests in order?

https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-podcast-womens-day-special/

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

As a part of Women's History Month, "We celebrate Women's History Month to remind ourselves of the accomplishments of women throughout the years to our society. Women are the architects of society.

In this special International Women's Day 2021 Special Episode Part 2, we took the one advice 10 women leaders shared for the bid and proposal community. Listen in :)

Challenge: Can you name the guests in order?

https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-podcast-womens-day-special/

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

As a part of Women's History Month, "We celebrate Women's History Month to remind ourselves of the accomplishments of women throughout the years to our society. Women are the architects of society.

In this special International Women's Day 2021 Special Episode Part 2, we took the one advice 10 women leaders shared for the bid and proposal community. Listen in :)

Challenge: Can you name the guests in order?

https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-podcast-womens-day-special/

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

As a part of Women's History Month, "We celebrate Women's History Month to remind ourselves of the accomplishments of women throughout the years to our society. Women are the architects of the society.

In this special International Womens Day 2021 Special Episode Part 2, we took the one advice 10 women leaders shared for bid and proposal community. Listen in :)

Challenge : Can you name the guests in order?

https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-podcast-womens-day-special/

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Prior to joining the industry ten years ago, Rebecca Link completed her Master’s degree in Public Administration and has since fast-tracked her growth to become Director of Proposals Operations at ActioNet. She has served on the Board for the NCA Chapter for over five years and she has played an integral role in leading the chapter’s functions and improving member benefits and board processes. In 2017, she received the award for “Up and Coming Board Member” and was named one of APMP’s Top 40 Under 40. A member of APMP for nine years, Rebecca has her Practitioner Level Certification. She is a mother to two amazing children, an avid gardener, and lover of all things chocolate.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Accomplished and results- Neil Philipson has driven proposal professional with 25 plus years’ experience in bid management and business development across engineering, construction, automotive, manufacturing and financial sector. Proven track record of success in devising new business strategies, identifying new business opportunities, creating capture plans, making business proposals, and leading multi-functional teams. Delivered winning bids in the Public, Private and Donor Funded Sectors. Lead and managed major pre-qualification and tender responses for engineering procurement and construction management (EPCM) and full EPC projects. Managed virtual bids across 3 time zones.

“Married with two sons, enjoy travelling, unfortunately not much at the moment, besides to the shops and back – what an adventure.”

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

In this special International Womens Day 2021 Special Episode Part 1, we took the one advice 10 women leaders shared for bid and proposal community. Listen in :)

Challenge : Can you name the guests in order?

Women are the architects of the society.

https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-podcast-womens-day-special/

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

This International Women's Day 2021, I introduce Inspiring Women Leaders in my Life - My Mom, My Sister, My Wife, My Mentor, My Company Directors, My team, My late sister, My personal trainers.

I don’t know what my future holds but I am stepping forward because these women said me “Let’s Go”. Yes, these women lift me up, inspire me and remind me regularly to find balance between work, life and family.

I dedicate my #success to these women who love me beyond all my faults and fight all the battles that I know little about to keep me going.

Listen to the full episode here : https://lnkd.in/guT9xbH

Read my kindness stories to know them personally : https://lnkd.in/di8zJwZ

Celebrate women's achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality #ChooseToChallenge #IWD2021

As we celebrate Women’s day, I honour every courageous woman. Yes, I swear - Women are the real architects of the society.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Jennifer Namvar is a proven Capture Director with 18 years of experience in all phases of the GovCon growth life cycle including marketing, business development, capture, and proposal management for both new business and re-competes. She built her reputation in the GovCon industry by bidding and winning large, strategic opportunities with a focus on emerging and next-generation technologies and solutions. She has held Capture positions at leading Federal Government Contractors where she successfully closed $2B in new and re-compete business. She holds a Federal CIO certification, an MS in Technology Management from George Mason University, and a BA in Journalism from the University of Maryland College Park. She cherishes her time with her family. She is a wife, mother of 2 young kiddos, lover of travel, reading, and fashion, and a fitness enthusiast.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

As Managing Director at Bid for Success, Adrian Corcoran and her team focus on championing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to help them win more work in the public sector, recognizing the important part they play in the UK and global economy. Formed from a management buy-out by Adrian and her co-founder, Gareth Morgan, Bid for Success was established in 2019 to offer a different approach to bidding that both supported SMEs, but created win:win solutions for bidding professionals who wanted to put their family and priorities first.

In the decade prior to forming Bid for Success, Adrian led major bid teams for a leading UK consultancy and FSTE listed 250 companies, including British Gas and Kier Group, having fallen in love with bidding through her work in property services within the public sector working client side on procurement and service delivery. When not bidding her interests include art and business, having earned her MA from Sotheby’s and an art history degree from Tulane University. Outside of a work context, Adrian spends time raising her two children and enjoying life with family and close friends, with spare time spent writing an painting in her down time.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Anatalia Macik, CP APMP, has 17+ years of experience as a writer and editor and 12+ years in proposal development. A member of APMP’s International 40 Under 40 Class of 2020, she was recognized for the impact she has made through her promotion of repeatable and realistic proposal processes. She is excited to join the APMP International Board of Directors and will bring lessons learned from over a decade of impact on the processes, quality, and efficiency of bid and proposal responses.

Currently as the Proposal and Bid Director for the Security Detection and Automation organization within Leidos, she is working to establish processes, templates, and procedures that align with the corporate standards and expectations established by Leidos. Previously as a Director at Pyramid Systems, she built the processes, templates, and proposal team all while leading proposal responses for the company. While at eGlobalTech, she refined existing processes, improved templates for repeatable use, and managed a team of proposal managers while responding to 50-80 proposals annually. Through her 12+ years as a proposal professional, Anatalia has believed in and shared her enthusiasm for the rigor of process, continual improvement, and effective flexibility.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Bette Sturino, CP APMP joined BMO Financial Group in 2006 and serves as Assistant Vice President and Senior Proposal Manager within the North American Treasury & Payment Solutions line of business. She has more than 15 years of proposal management experience and supports the Sales organization with their commercial, local government, and non-profit RFPs. She wears many hats on the team from proposal management to graphics to writing & editing, as well as content development and mentorship. Bette is happy to work on a team of seven other proposal managers after spending many years as an army of one. Prior, Bette spent two years managing a proposal team at FIS, which is where her passion for APMP started.

Bette earned her APMP Foundation Certification in 2012 and Practitioner level in 2016. She has been actively involved in the APMP Greater Midwest Chapter since 2012 and served on their board of directors in varying roles since 2013, including Events Committee, Professional Development Chair, Vice Chair, 2018 Chapter Chair, and 2019-2021 Communications Chair. Bette was recently selected to serve the 2021-2022 term on the APMP International Board of Directors.

Bette has her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree with majors in Marketing and Real Estate from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She resides in Hot Springs, Arkansas with her husband and two Goldendoodles.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Andrew Fraser leads the Strategic Bids Team at WSP in the UK. As one of the world’s leading professional services firms, WSP provides engineering and design services to clients in the Transportation & Infrastructure, Property & Buildings, Environment, Power & Energy, Resources and Industry sectors, as well as offering strategic advisory services. WSP’s global experts include engineers, advisors, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, environmental specialists and surveyors, in addition to other design, program and construction management professionals.

He leads a team of work winning professionals focused on securing our most important projects serviced from the UK. His 18 year career in bidding started with the environmental consultants ADAS. As with many in this profession, this wasn’t as deliberate choice of career path. He started out as a business consultant, ‘cutting his teeth’ on writing business plans, funding applications and market reports. He then moved to Parsons Brinckerhoff in 2006, taking the opportunity to focus on bidding and the chance to work on much larger bids. He became part of WSP when Parsons Brinckerhoff was acquired by them in 2014.

Throughout that time he has grown and developed the bidding function within the firm to what it is today – one of the best places to work.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Kathryn Morgan is a Bid Director with over 14 years’ experience in bidding, starting my career as a bid coordinator in 2006. She is worked in different sectors including hard FM, private security, professional services and soft FM for companies include Just Ask Estate services, Mitie, EY, G4S. Kathryn completed her APMP Professional accreditation last year (2019). Recipient of APMP 40 Under 40 Award – 2017, Winner of the APMP UK Writing Award – 2016 and also nominated in the 2020, APMP UK 2020 leadership category.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Bob is currently our longest-serving employee and has trained hundreds of SMA Associates how to develop winning proposals using the SMA proposal process. Many SMAers are proud to consider Bob as their mentor and friend.

Bob has had many roles at SMA over his 30 years, including leading our Competition Management Practice, Site Manager for operations with one of our top clients, and Vice President of Quality Assurance and Training. Prior to joining SMA in 1989, Bob was Director of Product Development at Ultrasystems, and prior to that had worked at the NSA.

Career Summary

Almost 32 years a SMA, serving as proposal manager and Senior VP
Spent 8 years at NSA as programmer and project manager
Worked as systems engineer and program manager for small systems engineering company
Joined SM&A after working with Steve Myers on a proposal as the client
Served two tours at Headquarters, including running Competition Management Group
Primary Proposal Management Trainer
Born in DC
Batchelor's Degree in History and Computer Science from University of Maryland, MBA from Pepperdine

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Krishna kumar (KK) comes with 28+ years of deep IT experience across India, USA, Australia and Singapore. He has worked with world class organizations like IBM, PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Siemens and Mastek. KK has performed in a wide spectrum of roles from large Client Account Management, Consulting, Technology Lead, Pre Sales and Organization Process Head. KK has led many large ERP and Outsourcing deals. KK was a past member of the Board with Association of Proposal Management Professionals (www.apmp.org). KK is Certified at Practitioner level and is also a contributing author to APMP’s Body of Knowledge (BOK) and the APMP Journal.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

John C. Rood John Rood has over 30 years of experience in national security positions in the U.S. Government and the private sector in international business and aerospace and defense. He served as a senior official at the Defense & State Department, White House/National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in Congress as a staffer in the U.S. Senate, and as an executive at Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. Mr. Rood has been an Associate at SMA consulting since March 2020.

In addition to his work at SMA, Mr. Rood serves as Chairman of the Board and Security Director of Radisson Hospitality, Inc. He is also CEO of John Rood and Associates LLC where he assists clients with growth strategies and government relations in the U.S. and overseas.

From January 2018 to February 2020, Mr. Rood served as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy where he led formulation and coordination of national security policy within the Department of Defense as the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense for such matters. He managed a team of over 2,100 civilians and military service members and was responsible for building partnerships and defense cooperation with U.S. allies, including overseeing the $55B foreign military sales program and export controls

Mr. Rood managed implementation of strategies, including the National Defense Strategy resulting in a new focus on addressing the implications of growing competition among the world’s great powers. He oversaw development of a new cyber strategy, authorities, and approach; a space strategy for the newly-established Space Force; completion of the Missile Defense Review; Nuclear Posture Review; and a counter-terrorism strategy for the defeat of ISIS. Prior to serving as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Mr. Rood worked for nearly a decade in the private sector. From March 2016 to January 2018, he was Senior Vice President of Lockheed Martin International where he was a corporate officer and direct report to the Chairman and CEO charged with leading business growth and industrial partnerships in more than 70 countries. He also served as VP for Corporate Domestic Business Development at Lockheed Martin. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Mr. Rood was VP for U.S. Business Development at Raytheon from 2009 to 2014, where he managed teams in Washington, DC and 28 field offices responsible for growing the business, preparing market assessments, and managing customer relationships.

From 2007 to 2009, Mr. Rood served at the State Department as Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. He was responsible for policy on countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missiles, arms control, nuclear weapons, security cooperation with other nations, and export controls. He also served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation. In two tours at the White House/National Security Council from 2005 to 2006 and 2001 to 2003, he served under President George W. Bush as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterproliferation Strategy, and Director for Proliferation Strategy, Counterproliferation, and Homeland Defense.

From 2003 to 2005, Rood served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Forces Policy, where he was responsible for the development and oversight of policy and programs related to U.S. nuclear and conventional strategic forces, missile defenses, and space systems. Earlier in his career, Mr. Rood worked as Senior Policy Advisor to Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona and as a Fellow for Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi on the Senate Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on International Security. From 1988 to 1999, Rood served in a variety of positions as an analyst at the CIA, including following missile programs in foreign countries.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Lana Browner is a proud SMA Associate. A formally trained screenwriter and University of Southern California graduate! Self-starting, multi-tasking executive focused on continuous business development process improvement. 24 years of professional experience including 20 years of senior level experience as a program manager, project manager, capture manager, orals coach, orals script writer, BD executive, proposal manager, volume lead, technical proposal writer, resume writer, past performance writer, market research analyst, marketing director, and technical writer. Expert at managing PMOs, GWACs, and IDIQs for many government customers including local, state and federal in aerospace and defense, systems and software engineering, healthcare IT, and cybersecurity.

Winning capture and proposal strategist with contract awards valued at $50 million-1.3 billion for Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of State, DISA, DOD, Military Health Systems, Veterans Affairs, Dept. of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare, NASA, and GSA, . Easy going and extroverted communicator that loves networking and challenges. Has a creative and persuasive flair for winning new business. Incredible teambuilder with a successful history of turning problem teams into cooperative, successful teams. Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with an MBA from University of Maryland’s R.H. Smith School of Business.

Shipley trained and APMP certified in proposal management and capture management at the Practitioner level. My sweet spot is standing up proposal development centers and IDIQ and GWAC Centers of Excellence. Pursuits include defense, aerospace, systems engineering, military health, payment processing systems, and healthcare IT for small, medium and large businesses. I strategize to capture efforts at the contract level then build teams to pursue subsequent quick turn task orders. I started my career in healthcare systems on both sides of Medicaid (on behalf of doctors as well as payors and medical groups/independent physician associations for 7 years. In my spare time I enjoy writing dramatic scripts, making YouTube videos, creating recipes with my husband, and learning how to understand my adult children.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Every year, UK Government buys some £292billion of services from the private sector. The post brexit UK government procurement measures, was developed over the last 15 months by a team of specialists in international procurement. The principles and journey is set out in a green paper. The WHAT is out there. We need conversations around SO WHAT, WHY and shape the future WHAT!

Please read Baachu Summary here while listening to the session- Green Paper on UK public sector procurement published - (baachu.com)

We have a once in a generation opportunity following Brexit for a reset and re-think about what kind of society we want to emerge from this crisis. The New Beginning can only be achieved through conversations and sharing our views.

Respond to Green Paper consultation to procurement.reform@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Time line

0.0 - 0.35 - Podcast Intro Music (Tamil Parai)
1.00 - 2.10 - About Baachu
2.10 - 2.50 - Agenda, Baskar Sundaram and Disclaimer
2.53 - 4.10 - GPA
4.10 - Green Paper Intro
5.30 - 7 principles of Green Paper
6.55 - 3 Procurement Procedures in Green Paper
8.00 - Dynamic Procurement System (DPS+)
9.30 - Frameworks in Green Paper
10.35 - MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) to MAT (Most Advantageous Tender)
11.00 - Single supplier registration platform
12.45 - Social Value Model
13.35 - Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Vs Tender based 10% social value
14.22 - Baachu UN Sustainability Goals
14.50 - Current Thresholds
15.35 - Reserve the procurement by supplier location & Reserve the procurement for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) / Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) Link - New plans set out to transform procurement, providing more value for money and benefitting small business - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
18.00 - Find a Tender Portal - Find a Tender (find-tender.service.gov.uk) and Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/
19.16 - Other Portals
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/
https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/
https://etendersni.gov.uk/
20.44 - Summary
23.22 - Crown Commercial Service Helpdesk on 0345 410 2222 or info@crowncommercial.gov.uk
23.35 - Watch the recording in YOUTUBE from Martin Traynor, Cabinet Office Crown Rep session - UK Public Procurement With Martin Traynor, Cabinet Office Crown Rep - YouTube
23.54 - Podcast Outro Music (Tamil Parai)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Leigh Ann Newman works as a Senior Program Manager of Proposal Operations for Public Consulting Group, Inc. in their human services practice area where she is bringing industry best practices to the art of proposal development for the entire PCG Human Service team. This includes company-wide quarterly trainings, reporting on proposal submission activities and providing support to all Human Service staff in proposal development. Leigh Ann is Practitioner Level certified by the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and has her master’s degree in Business Administration from Clark University as well as a Bachelor of Science in Communication/English from the University of Idaho. She is the past Marketing Director for the Pacific Northwest chapter of APMP serving on the board of directors from 2015-2020, where she supported new member engagement and chapter level outreach via multiple social media accounts and through website management. She is also a newly elected member of APMP’s International Board of Directors for the 2021-2022 term. She recently wrote an article for Winning the Business titled, “Making a Fashion Statement During Proposal Reviews.” Leigh Ann is from Cavendish, Idaho where she helps her husband and their 19 year old son run their 600 acre wheat and barley farm and raise registered Morgan horses.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Sanjay Singh has 23 yrs. of experience in building and leading teams to support sales and consulting functions at global MNCs such as Oracle, McKinsey & Co. and IDC. He is skilled at business research, sales enablement and knowledge management. Sanjay currently leads the Bids & Proposals Management team at Genpact. Genpact (NYSE: G) is a global professional services firm that makes business transformation real for Fortune 500 companies. Over the last couple of years, Sanjay has redesigned and built a bid management center of excellence at Genpact. This transformation project led to significant improvement on all bid management performance metrics and won Genpact the APMP’s Best Bid & Proposal Team award in 2019.

Sanjay earlier set up a sales intelligence center of excellence at Genpact doing industry & company research, content creation, lead generation through CXO-connections and competition intelligence.

Sanjay is on the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) India Governing Board since January 2020. He is co-leading the Marcomm committee and helping drive APMP India’s growth strategy.

Sanjay loves to listen to podcasts and regularly plays badminton & cricket. He has bit of a green thumb and doing community farming for organic vegetables. He is based in Gurgaon since 1998 and has seen it evolve from a sleepy little town into a buzzing millennium city.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today's key idea is gratitude. The episode also touches 4 lessons PONGAL (thanks giving festival for our Tamil People) teaches us.

Pongal is greatest and biggest festival for Tamils - it teaches us one thing #gratitude. Read more about Pongal Festival here : https://lnkd.in/gZxdyau)

On this auspicious week of the year, do not forget to celebrate the gifts of life. Show your gratitude to yourself, nature, animals, people and every little thing in your life. I pray that this festival may be the start of your brighter days filled with happiness, good luck, and prosperity.

Happy Pongal .

🎋🌹 நண்பர்கள் அனைவருக்கும், அனைவரது குடும்பத்தாருக்கும் எனது நெஞ்சம் நிறைந்த இனிய

பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்

தமிழர் திருநாள் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்

தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்😊🎋🌺

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Abhijit is APMP Professional level certified (with three decades of experience in the Information Technology industry working for global IT organizations. He is one of the members of the Governing Board of APMP India.

Abhijit is a passionate and engaging trainer in Bid and Proposal management best practices and has trained over 487 participants from the industry since last 8 years. He has conducted international workshops in Singapore and Kenya, apart from different cities in India. His live online training programs today include participants from India and different countries. Participants of his training programs have a track record of 100% success in the APMP Foundation Level examination in their first attempt.

Abhijit champions the adoption of new technologies and practices to create value-differentiators for businesses. This focus led him to his role as a technology evangelist for DraftSpark, a Xerox PARC company, which he believes has the potential to change the way people are working to respond to RFPs, creating more value for their organizations.

Abhijit has spent a large part of his career winning strategic IT deals around the globe through his innovative and customer-centric approach and solutions. His last corporate stint was with Zensar Technologies until October 2016 when he left to pursue his entrepreneurial vision. His company Optimizory Technologies, which he co- founded, develops software products for systems engineering. Indglory Technologies is his personal consulting company where he trains and mentors Bid and Proposal management professionals to excel in their role and organisation.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

2020 has been a year of challenges and it has now come to an end. Let us make 2021 a better year. New year gives us the opportunity to take ownership of our actions, change our habits and start to do things that support our mental, emotional and physical growth. The aim of this giveaway is to help you start your journey of personal growth and professional success.

The best step to take to achieve a big stretch goal is to understand very deeply why you want this goal and what motivates you to achieve sustained progress, and then address proactively your greatest fears about reaching this goal.

Setting your goals

The first thing to realise about goal setting is that there’s actually no such thing as “completing” your goals. As long as you’re growing and learning towards your future self, you’ll always keep adopting new goals and making new progress. The more you learn, the more you’ll want to discover.

Also, remember – Your goals will draw you into situations, relationships, and endeavors that will force you to adapt, change, and improve. Constant improvement will be its own reward and will fuel your desire for even more learning and growth. Therefore, it’s best to think about your bigger future as involving a balanced approach to life and your goal.

To inspire your goals, use the categories below to articulate your vision for your future in ten crucial areas of your life. You’ll find that some areas are easier to envision than others, but work to complete them all so that you’re maximizing all of your opportunities for growth.

Using the COMMENT SECTION provided, record the MOST important improvement you want to make in each area – 1. HEALTH 2. MONEY 3. RELATIONSHIPS 4. TIME 5. PROFESSIONAL CAPABILITIES 6. REPUTATION 7. CLIENTS & CUSTOMERS 8. DELEGATION & TEAM WORK 9. CONTRIBUTION 10. SPIRITUAL & SELF

Not sure how to set your goals, answer this very simple question – “If we were having this discussion 1 year from today, and you were to look back over that 1 year to today, what has to have happened both personally and professionally, for you to feel happy about your progress”.

By posting your goals -resolution and sharing your post you will be holding yourself accountable.

Yes, it might seem scary and daunting but success lies beyond your comfort zone. 2020 has shown us the strength of human resilience and the power of kindness and humanity even in the most testing times. Let us manifest all the positive things we learned in 2020 and start 2021 on the right note

The steps1. Enter your Email ID and get verified below.
2. Follow Baachu Scribble LinkedIn page below.
3. Write your resolution as a Comment below.
4. Dream. Plan. Act. (Also wait for the announcement of the results)

Join our New Year New You contest :) New Year, New You - Resolution Contest & Giveaway - Baachu Scribble

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Until recently, we’ve focused our articles and blogs in text format. Now, we’re adding podcasts to the mix. As lovers of great audio, we work hard to make sure our blogs are warm, pleasurable, and informative to listen to.

A Short Talk is a short version of a podcast episode crafted around its key ideas. Every Monday and Thursday, we’ll share new episodes to make sure you have access to the best ideas.

And now with Short Talks, Baskar Sundaram, Baachu chief executive will help you discover the most essential nuggets and pull out the most useful, interesting, and helpful ideas into a pack you can explore in about 5 minutes.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Diana leads Microsoft’s newly formed, Proposal Center of Excellence, based in Redmond, Washington. The team of around 40 proposal professionals serves all sectors of Microsoft’s business globally and provides best practice approaches to proposals for the Microsoft sales team.

Originally from the UK, Diana moved to Microsoft headquarters in August 2019 following 6 ½ years in field sales and sales leadership at Microsoft UK. In her last role in the UK she led the sales team focused on the Retail & CPG sector. Prior to Microsoft Diana spent many years at IBM in sales roles.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Amanda Traxler

1) Born in LA and raised in Kansas, lived in NYC, Chicago, LA (and now back in Chicago area)--love cities but like to be on the periphery (In Elk Grove Village we have elks)

2) Also have an MFA with poetry from the Art Institute of Chicago

3) My Career Path started with a Journalism degree -> Newspaper Copy Editor -> B2B Marketing -> Content Creator for Proposal Database -> Commercial Proposal Writing -> Gov't Program Proposal Writer

4) healthcare and software have become mainstays (Fascinated by IO and cloud-native)

5) First gig with SMA was in aerospace at Virgin Orbit (Rocket Factory); it was amazing

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Experienced, successful program and market segment Business Development, Capture and Proposal Management for nuclear, infrastructure, site services, and Federal asset management. Projects include national and international multi-billion dollar Air Force, Navy, Army, other DOD, NASA, Department of Energy, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and Postal Service contracts. Demonstrated expertise in life-cycle and infrastructure reinvestment planning, baseline and cost control, productivity improvement, Small Business/Small Disadvantaged Business subcontracting, and labor relations management. Consistently brought projects in ahead of schedule and under budget. He has a direct understanding of capture management requirements and evaluation criteria from both a Government and commercial customer perspective. Successful record in the development and delivery of innovative proposals, projects, products and services leveraging core competencies to maximize business diversification and growth. Domains include Defense, Intelligence, Telecommunications, Logistics, and Information Technology Market & Program Business Development, Capture and Proposal Management. Extensive briefing and presentation experience.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

In 2004 Isabel Moritz had one of those ‘Ahah’ moments, when she recognised that putting together responses to tenders was what she should have been doing, instead of her current job. She did, however, stayed there to practise her bid skills until three years later, when the company was sold. Ever since then Isabel has been a freelance bid writer, mainly supporting technical and engineering bids. For this she has drawn on her family engineering background and her years of experience in technical sales. Isabel feels she is very at home with engineers and technicians, even if they are busy and overstretched, when she help them by doing as much as possible of the work before sending it to them for review.

Charitable funding bids are some of the types of pro bono work she get involved with, as well as other voluntary organisations.

APMP has figured enormously in her bid career and she spent from 2010 to 2016 organising and initiating training events around the country, helped by a small but able team. APMP still occupies some of her spare time, as for so many others. According to Isabel, it is the voluntary aspect of people’s contributions that is so inspiring.

Over the past five years she has focussed on the inclusion of APMP modules and best practices into university business degrees. Isabel is also part of APMP Intentional Career Path committee and am serving on the APMP CIC committee.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Karen Althen is Senior Bid Manager and has been involved in bid
production and bid management for around 15 years. Throughout her career she has been excited by change and growth in the company. Karen enjoys working on and winning complex bids, particularly under the Competitive Dialogue procedure where she has been involved in managing significant wins.

Karen is qualified to APMP Professional level. Karen is Events Director for APMP UK and she organises member events throughout the country and enjoys meeting people and mentoring members through the certification process.

She has been previously presented at APMP UK national conference and the International Conference in the USA in addition to presenting at local events throughout the UK.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Brenda Ballard is an accomplished proposal professional with more than 20 years' experience in developing winning proposals for myriad clients and industries. Employing
actionable leading practices, her experience has spanned education, non-profit, IT, military, government, commercial, healthcare, science, and many other business spaces. Her personal win record includes more than $1.1 billion in awards while maintaining a 92% win rate. An expert in change mastery and joyous living, she is known for simplifying complex problems and creating actionable and effective solutions with measurable results.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Karin Mellow began her proposal career in 1997.Starting her career in IT, she has also worked in the Financial services field and Medical billing. She has experience in most proposal positions, including proposal writing, business engagement, database creation and management, and proposal management. Her focus is Government (State, Local, Fed, Ed), but also excels in large, commercial opportunities. Karin enjoys reading and gardening and spends a lot of time on her fixer upper house in Atlanta. She has a 16 year old son and a dog named Cujo. Karin completed her studies in Texas; BA in Psychology and an MBA in International Business. She is a certified APMP Foundation level.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Heather Kirkpatrick, CP APMP is currently serving as Business Development Analyst at Pride Industries. She has been with the firm for 14 years taking various roles from Research Anaalyst, Proposal Development Coordinator and recently as Business Development Coordinator. Heather is an APMP 40 under 40 award winner and also serves in the APMP California Chapter as Chapter Chair. She joined the California board in 2015 as Membership Director. Heather is APMP foundation certified and has degree in Political Science and Government at the University of California, Sacramento.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Sandy Luttrell has over 30+ experience in the bid and proposal industry and has worked for three great companies in her career. Her involvement with the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) started more than 15 years ago initially as a member attending her local Georgia Chattahoochee APMP Chapter meetings then she took bigger role by joining the chapter board. Sandy was the Membership Chair for 6 years and the Promotions Chair for almost two years. She has also given presentations at the National APMP conference in Savanna, GA. Also, for more than eight years, she was heavily involved with the annual Southern Proposal Accent Conference (SPAC) conference that was sponsored by the Georgia, Florida, and Carolinas chapters. Sandy is APMP Foundation certified.

Sandy recently moved to Washington DC and is exploring the possibility of getting back into the proposal management world. Sandy attended the University of South Florida and received her BA degree in Art Education.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Alvin (Al) S. Whitt is a Principle Associate for SM&A, formerly Steven Meyers & Associates. SM&A is the world’s foremost management consulting firm providing leadership and mentoring solutions to position clients to PURSUE the right business opportunities, WIN new business, and PERFORM complex projects and programs.

Mr. Whitt is an executive level consultant for proposal development and program management services in both public and private industries. He leads integrated product teams through all phases of proposal and program execution from inception to completion. He guides the teams in the preparation of proposals, business plans, proposal work statements and specifications, operating budget and financial terms and conditions of contracts. He is an expert in Logistics enterprise, technology insertion, engineering change management, proposal development, program management, program assessments, program affordability analysis, configuration and data management, and modernization of logistics capabilities and processes.

Al Whitt was born in Richlands, Virginia and grew-up in North Carolina where he graduated from Brunswick County High School in 1974 and earned a Bachelor of Science from Appalachian State University in 1978. He subsequently earned a Master of Science in Procurement and Acquisition Management from Webster University in 1993.

Upon graduation from the university, Mr. Whitt was employed in the private sector for two years and then enlisted in the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1980. In 1985, he was selected to attend the Air Force Officers’ Training School; Mr. Whitt was commissioned in January 1986. He held assignments at the product center, wing-base, and air logistics center levels; systems center level, major command level, and various joint and inter-agency levels. Mr. Whitt retired from the USAF in March 2003 in the grade of Major after 22 years of military service.

Prior to coming to SM&A, Al Whitt served as the Chief, MILSATCOM Logistics Integration, Directorate of Logistics, MILSATCOM System Program Office, Space and Missile Center. Before joining the MILSATCOM System Program Office, Mr. Whitt served as the Chief Joint Logistics and Deputy Chief for Counter Drug Operations in Lima, Peru. He was the principal advisor to the US Ambassador on all security assistance matters and counter drug operations support by Department of Defense personnel.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Alan Berman is Vice President for Research and Strategic Initiatives at SMA, Inc. He specializes in market analysis, strategy development, and new business creation. He focuses on growing the SMA business through new systems and processes to enable rapid scaling in core and adjacent markets. Alan also leads the SMA Research team, which conducts analysis on government contractors, major programs, and government agencies, to support business development and client engagement teams. Prior to SMA, Alan spent 11 years in strategy consulting at Monitor Group and Deloitte Consulting, focused on growth strategy and innovation. In that role, he led engagements with clients that included senior leaders of Fortune 500 companies, emerging technology-based firms, and the Department of Defense. These engagements tackled thorny challenges with multi-billion dollar implications. The projects spanned the aerospace & defense, healthcare, automotive, and consumer electronics industries. Prior to consulting, Alan was at Zone Reactor, a technology incubator funded by the Draper Fisher Jurvetson venture capital network, where he served as Entrepreneur in Residence. Projects centered on technology commercialization of government-funded R&D and resulted in commercial application of over a dozen patents. Prior to Zone Reactor, Alan worked as a hard drive and tape drive development engineer and tribologist at Seagate Technology. Alan received his Bachelors and Doctorate degrees in Chemical Engineering from UCLA and UC Santa Barbara, respectively, and earned an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA.

TOD : https://tod.smawins.com/TOD_Web/

SMA : https://smawins.com/

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Edith Lopez is a Venezuelan and Canadian passionate Proposal Manager with + 14 years of experience, in the Telecom sector, and always in the Bid & Proposals Management field, filling roles as a Bid Manager and Team Leader; in Latin-American and North America markets; mainly for Private Customers and complex proposals, some of them raising billionaire sizes. She is Chemical Engineer, with a specialization, and master’s degree in Project Management; in 2014 she obtained the CF and CP APMP Certificate (Certified Practitioner, APMP Member), in 2015 a Certification in Business Communications (Mount Royal University), and in 2018 the CPP Certificate that she just renewed it.

Additionally, to her full-time job in Nokia as a seasoned Bid Manager, Edith is an active member of the APMP “Maple Leaf” Chapter, in the past, she was Communications Chair and Western Region Chair, mentor for the mentorship program; besides, within Nokia, she is member of a group that promotes Women inclusion in her company.

Edith is preparing herself for Teaching at University level and i keen to learning and support the growth of others on the Proposal Management fields, with special attention to the Tech sector, as well as keep creating winning proposals!

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Lauren Daitz, CF APMP has been a proposal manager since 2005, after starting her career in marketing. She discovered the APMP in about 2007 and has been an active member since then, serving as Communications Chair of the NY Metro Chapter (now the Liberty Chapter) from 2009 to 2015. Lauren has spent her entire proposal management career in the business / commercial sector, in health care and the recognition industry, leading the proposal efforts for some of the largest pieces of business for the companies she has worked for. She specialized in managing small teams, wearing multiple hats throughout the sales cycle. In addition to proposal management, Lauren oversees the sales administration team and is the primary liaison for our division’s contracts.

Outside of work, Lauren enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and spending time outdoors in fresh air, from the beach to the forest including Hiking. Since her involvement with yoga, Lauren started a regular meditation practice, and she recently achieved Reiki level II (a type of energy healing).

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Mitch Boretz has been managing proposals for engineering research and education at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) since 1996. He helps faculty and researchers identify funding opportunities, develop pursuit plans, and write and submit winning proposals. He joined APMP in 1998 and became a Fellow, one of only a handful from the non-profit sector, in 2008. He has served on the APMP California board (and its predecessor Southern California chapter board)in many capacities over the years, and in 2010 he led an APMP task force on “rich media,” which sought to set standards for video and interactivity in proposals. Mitch’s group manages approximately 600 proposals per year to government agencies, industry, and foundations, producing about $50 million per year in grant and contract awards. Mitch has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and worked for about 12 years in newspapers before the transition to proposals. He is aiming to retire at the beginning of 2021 and is looking forward to working as a volunteer with small non-profit organizations on their grant needs.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Keith Propst retired in 2018 with 30 years of experience in proposal management. He held proposal-related positions with two high tech companies for most of this time, with a 3-year period of independent proposal contracting between companies. Like most proposal professionals, Keith was drafted into proposal work unintentionally. He worked as a hands-on proposal manager as well as a director of a proposal organization. Before making the leap into proposal work, Keith worked for several Georgia-based manufacturing companies in a variety of roles.

APMP was a major factor in Keith’s success. APMP contacts helped him get started as an independent contractor and led directly to his second proposal position, which lasted 13 years. For more than 20 years, Keith filled a variety of leadership roles with the Georgia Chattahoochee APMP chapter, starting as program co-chair, then chapter chair for several years, and finally treasurer. He also served as co-chair for the Southern Proposal Accents Conference (SPAC) for more than a decade, working closely with peers in the Carolinas and Florida Sunshine APMP chapters. Keith is an APMP Fellow and was named Chapter Chair of the Year.

An Atlanta native, Keith grew up in Savannah, Georgia and graduated from Georgia Tech in 1973 with a BS in Applied Math. He credits his favorite high school English teacher with instilling good writing and editing habits and strongly believes that the ability to write clearly helped open doors throughout his career.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Since 2012, Sarah Hinchliffe has been helping clients win more business by improving the quality and professionalism of their sales and bidding skills. She works with large, medium and small businesses with a big focus on Public Sector tenders.

Sarah’s work today is built on a successful thirty-year career selling in the technology industry where she worked her way up from a rookie to a director. During that time, she was formally trained in key sales methodologies, including SPIN, Miller Heiman, Strategic Selling and Solution Selling. She developed an affinity with bidding – it plays to her strengths as a storyteller, an organiser and a timekeeper. Attending the Shipley bid management course in 2009 ignited her determination to switch careers and she has been a certified Shipley trainer and consultant since 2012.

Sarah regularly writes articles for professional sales and bid publications including APMP presentations.

In her spare time, she works hard on her home and garden – all forms of design being a big passion. She stays fit and enjoys own home-cooked food and good wine in the company of her super husband and her handsome lurcher.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Bobbie O’Brien, CF APMP Fellow, continues her attempt to retire. Having been lured from that idyllic state three years ago; another attempt will begin again in soon and also will probably only a few months! With almost 30 years’ experience in the Federal sector, she provides leadership to diverse proposal teams with direct accountability for leading strategic opportunities as well as development and continuous improvement of processes. Bobbie served on APMP’s international board (regional and strategic initiatives director); and was founding co-chair of the Liberty Chapter formerly known as NY Metro.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

David Gray is Managing Director of AM Bid, a leading bidding and proposals specialist working with clients in a broad range of sectors across the UK, Ireland and Europe. David has over 14 years’ experience in bids and proposals, leading high-performance bid teams to success on high-value contracts, including those with national government departments, health agencies and commercial organisations across Europe. David is an accomplished trainer and has delivered bespoke in-house capture and bid training to organisations ranging from start-ups to multinational organisations. His contribution to the bidding and proposal industry was recognised in 2019, when he was included in the APMP’s global 40 Under 40 award recipients. David also speaks regularly at international conferences and events and is a regular contributor to APMP. David is based in Edinburgh, where he lives an active and busy life with his wife and two young children.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Rita Mascia is Global Bid Manager at Altro Rail and has been leading bids in APAC, EMEA and North America. Since 2000, Rita has been involved in Business Development & Capture activities, Bid Writing, Bid Management and Training & Development. An active APMP member from 2012, Rita has presented at both the APMP UK and APMP Bid Con. She was a finalist in the 2019 APMP Individual Impact Award having been nominated for her impact setting up a Bid Management programme for Altro Rail.

Rita was a Board Member of APMP UK in the role of Certification Director (2015-16). Since 2013 Rita has been volunteering as a coach and mentor to a number of fundraising professionals through the Small Charity Coalition and also informally through personal contacts.

In addition to being a Certified Professional (CPP APMP) Rita is also a certified Prince2 Project Management Practitioner and holds a level 7 Executive Diploma in Strategic Management & Leadership (MCMI) from the Chartered Management Institute. She holds a BA (Honours) in French and Linguistics and a Master in Applied Linguistics. Rita is a Master Practitioner of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and a Toastmasters International Competent Leader (CC) and Competent Communicator (CL).

When she is not managing bids, Rita loves cooking, travelling, politics, and watching independent films.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Ken Erskine highly experienced professional with over thirty years of bidding experience in major building and infrastructure programmes across the UK. Having successfully won in excess of £25bn of bids over his career, Ken is a keen advocate of the APMP and is a champion of promoting industry best practise. He previously served on the APMP UK Board for ten years and on the International Board for two years. His roles included six tenures as UK Conference Director and two tenures as Chapter Chair (2010 and 2014).

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Pippa Birch has worked in bidding for almost 20 years, the last eight as a freelancer. Her specialism is highways; however, she works with a diverse range of clients across many sectors. Pipster Solutions has become a successful, sustainable business with over 40 clients, providing bid writing, editing, management, coaching, and ongoing support. Pippa is a fan of keeping things simple, a champion of small companies and a supporter of creating and maintaining healthy connections with other bidding professionals. She wants young people to have easy access to information about amazing careers in bidding. Pippa is CPP APMP, APMP UK Rapport Mentor, Member of the Intentional Career Path Committee and is on APMP UK Awards 2020 Committee. Pippa also hosts #ThursdayThrong and #BidBites host and is part of the Bidding Quarterly award-winning team and a coach for APMP Professional submissions!

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Karina Ames is experienced in winning work for engineering consultancies and currently leads Arup’s Infrastructure pursuit and bidding team in Australasia. She previously worked as a private investigator and with the Victorian Government. Karina holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne, APMP Foundation Certification and was a 2019 APMP 40 under 40 winner. She has been an APMP ANZ committee member since 2016 and the Chapter Chair since 2019. This year, the chapter won the 2020 Stephen P. Shipley Chapter of the Year award.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Neil Cobb, APMP Fellow, is the former executive director of the AT&T Proposal and Knowledge Management Center. He is now retired after a 35-year career in telecommunications, 25+ years in proposal development and leadership, content management and repurposing, and marketing communication. Neil was also a college lecturer at the University of North Texas in Technical Communication for 3 years. Neil authored – Writing Business Bids and Proposals for Dummies (Wylie & Sons, 2016) with Charlie Devine, which presents the collected body of knowledge from the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) for newcomers to the proposal profession.

Neil holds six U.S. patents for his content authoring and repurposing methods and systems. Neil also led the Intentional Career Path (ICP) workshops at recent APMP Winning Business Virtual Experience (WBVE).

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Neal Levene, CPP APMP is the Director of Proposal Management, Siemens Government Technologies. He has 30 years of sustained, progressive, and successful proposal development experience. He was previously the President and CEO of two small businesses, a 20-person, Data Warehouse company and a sole practitioner Proposal Management consultancy. He first caught the proposal bug shortly after graduating college when he was first asked to help out on resume preparation, and he never looked back. He is serving his third year on the Board of the National Capital Area Chapter of APMP, currently as the Technology Chair. He appreciates the opportunity to give back to the industry that has given him so much. Neal has been an active member of APMP since 2010, and he recently presented at the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Bid & Proposal Conference. In addition to APMP’s Professional Level Certification, Neal also holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification from the Project Management Institution (PMI). Neal lives in Ashburn, Virginia with his wife Diane. He has two grown daughters, one pursuing a history Ph.D at the University of Wisconsin, the other a Junior at Carnegie Mellon studying Engineering.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

I did a short 15 min podcast episode to share the story behind scribble scholarships. In this special episode I cover,

What is this Baachu Scribble Scholarship Challenge and should I Join?
Why is it honouring Tony Birch, Late Howard Nutt, Alan Howard, Nic Adams and Cathy Day?
How my early school life inspired Baachu Social Impact including Scribble Scholarships?
Why education is my passion and Why I will be never be rich?
How Scholarship Challenge relates to APMP certifications and wow2k campaign?

If you are considering APMP certifications or know some one looking to pursue APMP then please share.

Scribble Scholarship Challenge is FREE.
https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-scholarship-challenge/

What Is The Baachu Scribble Scholarship Challenge?

The Baachu Scribble Scholarship Challenge 2020 is a 45 min quiz challenge designed to accelerate your journey towards APMP certifications. Its FREE. The challenge has 100 Quiz based on bid and proposals and you will need to score 80% or more to win scholarship towards APMP Certification training.

The Prize

Score 80% or more – Get FREE access to your chosen Baachu Scribble APMP Certification Training Programme (Foundation or Practitioner)
Score 71% – 79% – Get 50% OFF to your chosen Baachu Scribble APMP Certification Training Programme (Foundation or Practitioner)

The programme is structured to make everyone a winner i.e. every participant will get 2 e-books – ultimate guide to proposal building and bid buddy, self-development journal to begin with.

Timelines

Deadline for entries: 4th Oct midnight UK.
The Challenge : Take 100 Qs Quiz in 45 min and score 80% or more
Challenge Kick off : 7th Oct 3pm
Challenge Date : 8th – 10th Oct
Review and consolidate results 11th – 16th Oct
Runners Up Announcement : 20th Oct, 3pm UK by Nic Adams and Alan Howard
Winners Announcement : 21st Oct, 3pm UK by Tony Birch and Cathy Day

Link here :

https://baachuscribble.com/scribble-scholarship-challenge/

People need your leadership, your passion, your enthusiasm. Use this time to focus on the things you can control. Stay strong most importantly stay healthy and build your future self.

Looking forward in seeing you or your colleagues inside the challenge

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Sunil has over 18 years of experience in Defence, IT & Telecom and Facilities Management sectors and has worked with MNCs like Thales Group, Ericsson and ISS A/S. Sunil is currently, the Head of Commercial Excellence (APAC) at ISS A/S, a facility management company headquartered in Denmark. At ISS A/S, Sunil established the Commercial Excellence function which encompasses of Bid Management, Price Management, CRM Administration, Graphics Designing and Knowledge Management. As a member of the ISS Asia Pacific Commercial Leadership Team, he supports the development and execution of the regional commercial strategy and governance, associated reporting and commercial model sign-offs.

Prior to his Corporate stint, Sunil has served as an officer in the elite Indian Air Force for 10 years. Sunil is the Chair of APMP India and a member of the Intentional Career Path Committee of APMP International. He is part of APMP 40 Under 40-Class of 2020 and was a Blue Ribbon Panel member for the APMP-BoK. Sunil holds Bachelors’ degree in Electronics Engineering, a post-graduate diploma in Business Administration along with professional accreditations in Aeronautical Engineering and Strategic Management. Sunil likes to travel and spend time with his family, when he finds time from his work or studies.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Mairi Morrison originally started her working life as a graphic designer, moving into bid and proposal management 18 years ago. She’s an all-rounder in the profession, with an excellent track record of proposal management – winning complex multi-million global bids for corporate companies; bid writing – helping clients focus their words on the customer, as well as successfully hitting the dreaded word and character count, and bid strategy. She’s worked across most sectors, in the UK and the US, and worked on specific deals in Greece, Kuwait, Norway and South Africa. Having worked her way up the ranks from small company to corporate life, she now works for Strategic Proposals. Mairi’s been a member of the APMP since 2014 and won the Bid Excellence award in 2015. Holding APMP Professional certification, Mairi now also sits on the APMP UK Board as Marketing & Communications Director. She’s also actively engaged in thought leadership, publishing her research paper on “Mental health and wellbeing in the bid and proposal profession” in May 2020. As well as being an advocate for nurturing good mental health in our profession, she is also a crisis volunteer outside of work, to help those in need. Mairi has also presented at the APMP UK annual conference, and the US Nor’easters conference in 2017.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Shubhada is APMP certified at the Practitioner level and this year’s APMP’s 40 under 40 awardee. She has recently debuted at the APMP WBVE, sharing her experiences and learning about Proposal Management in IT industry. Currently, she working as a proposal quality reviewer with Fujitsu Consulting India. She has over 14 years of experience into Presales and Business Development. Through her career span, she has served various roles such as project engineer, system design engineer, technical writer, manual tester and proposal manager. While working on her first proposal for an intelligent traffic management system, she caught the proposal bug and she never looked back. The ability to bridge the gap between Sales and Solution Delivery is what intrigues her about the Presales function. She is a budding grammar stickler and in her current role, she provides feedback on improving the compelling nature of the proposals.

Shubhada holds a Bachelor degree in Instrumentation and Control from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a post-graduate Diploma in Operations Management. Shubhada has received appreciation for her creativity and commitment to the role at multiple instances. She has also received APMP’s inaugural

Charlie Divine Scholarship for certification in 2019. Shubhada enjoys travelling, music and photography. She is an avid reader and finds Haruki Murakami’s storytelling style quite interesting. She is also learning violin and recently picked up the K-Pop fever too.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

We have a special co-host this episode - Valerie Kessie, APMP 40 under 40 winner.

Jeremy Glover is a TS cleared, certified Project Management
Professional (PMP) with 10 years of proposal and project management
experience with a track record of multiple billion-dollar proposal
wins. Jeremy graduated with a bachelors of arts degree from
The University of Virginia and currently works as a proposal manager lead
for Lockheed Martin. Jeremy is also a 2020 APMP 40 under 40 award winner.

Listen to the legend from the recent Scribble Talk Mix and Mingle at APMP WBVE.

Can you guess his 2 truth and a lie?

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Maria Flikkema directs proposal development for IBI Group. With a primary focus on the Canada East region, she has managed large scale proposals across the firm globally and provides strategic direction to proposal teams outside of the Toronto headquarters. Overseeing all aspects of proposal activities, including management of proposal deadlines and progress, and directing the Canada East proposal team, Maria is also responsible for developing a wide variety of customized marketing materials for new pursuits and contract renewals. Having been with the firm for more than 12 years, Maria has a proven track record delivering winning, multi-million to -billion dollar proposals under challenging deadlines for both public- and private-sector clients.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

As the Chief Operations Officer at SMA, Inc. I have spent the past 12 years creating a work environment that ensure the world’s best talent can focus on what they do best. As a Software Engineer, I am recognized in industry as expert in the field of system design and integration for project management, developing and implementing award winning scheduling, resource planning, costing, and enterprise project management systems for fortune 500 companies and government agencies. Including direct responsibility for bringing five commercial software applications (SMA Talent On Demand (TOD), TRAKKER, iPursuit, iPortfolio, and Traction) to market with cumulative revenues over $50M I have received industry and government awards for successful project management and earned value systems implementations including recognition from: Brookhaven National Labs, Xerox, Boeing, National Missile Defense Program, Navy, and Army.

TOD : https://tod.smawins.com/TOD_Web/

SMA : https://smawins.com/

Scribble Talk (SMA Exclusive)
Scribble Talk (SMA Exclusive), a sponsored podcast series - Listen SMA's impact in the industry.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Sonya Wooley is the President of Mammoth Technologies, LLC, a small boutique proposal firm specializing in proposal management for small business federal contractors. She has over fifteen years of experience in business development, proposal preparation and management, and pricing for federal government opportunities. She has generated proposals valued from $25 thousand to over $1 billion, acting as both Proposal Manager and Capture Manager for small to mid-sized government contracting firms. Sonya has a MA in Behavioral Science from University of Houston-Clear Lake, and received her BA in History from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. She has served as the Chapter Chair for the Lone Star Chapter of APMP for seven years, served on the international board of APMP from 2015 to 2016, and currently serves on multiple APMP committees

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Christopher S. Kälin, CPP APMP Fellow is a global authority on bid and proposal management. He is the Founder and Managing Partner of CSK Management. He has worked with companies around the world to improve success rates, generating over 50 billion dollars in business across many industries, including IT, telecoms, defence, transportation, financial industries, event organisation, gambling and business outsourcing. He developed the BidMaster™ Framework and the Storyline Method™ for developing compelling proposals. Chris regularly presents at business development conferences and sales conventions around the globe and conducts live and virtual training programmes on Winning business with convincing proposals and bid management best practices.

Chris was co-founder and chairman of the German-speaking APMP chapter (Association of Proposal Management Professionals) and regional director for Europe/Africa. He is APMP-certified at Professional Level (CPP APMP) and is an APMP Approved Trainer. In 2013, he received the prestigious Fellows Award. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Information Technology from Zurich University.

Virtual Summit : Sep 9 -11 2020
https://www.bid-summit.com/

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Mark Taylor is Managing Director and a Founder Member of Shipley UK. Having studied Electronic Engineering with Medical Electronics, Mark embarked on a generalist journey spanning 15 years in medical equipment manufacturing, aerospace and defence. He held roles in production engineering, design engineering, engineering consultancy and business winning. Mark pursued his practical enthusiasm for lifelong learning at Nottingham Trent University where he was Course Leader for an Executive MBA Course and subsequently as Head of Training for Linklaters, an international Law Firm.

During his 19 years with Shipley, Mark has been lucky to work with inspiring clients for whom he has designed multinational business winning curriculum’s and delivered over 500 workshops. Always, Mark’s aim is to enthuse specialists from all disciplines to become involved in business winning and to help them develop the skills to do so.

Mark is from Bermondsey and now lives in Worcester with his super wife, sceptical children and a supercilious cat.

The books I mentioned:

Getting Things Done. David Allen. Piatkus. 2001

Liberation Management. Tom Peters. Pan Books. 1992
- Tom Peters is here and still talking about how kindness is more important than shareholder value : https://tompeters.com/
Body and Soul. Anita Roddick. Ebury Press. 1991
To Sell is Human. Daniel Pink, Canon Gate . 2014

Reflective Practice

The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Donald A. Schön (Arena) 1991

The poem on Kindness

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/magazine/poem-small-kindnesses.html

Steve Jobs Stanford Speech

https://youtu.be/UF8uR6Z6KLc

Didn’t mention but inspiring:

Peter Drucker. The Essential Drucker. Butterworth Heinemann. 2007

Didn’t mention but injects some humour into management thinking:

Don’t be Needy be Succeedy. The A to Zee of Motivitality. L. Vaughan Spencer (aka : Neil Mullarkey of the Comedy Store. London). Profile Books. 2008

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Gareth has been in bid and proposal management pretty much throughout the whole of his career, with nearly 15 years’ experience in managing the submission of winning bids and leading the delivery of projects and programmes to achieve customer and business objectives. He made the conscious decision to specialise in the profession 7 years ago.

Gareth has been on the other side of the table, evaluating proposals and commissioning work for a major technical and social change programme on behalf of the BBC. For the past 5 years, Gareth has worked for TP Group, a specialist engineering and consultancy company, where he has developed and implemented TP Group’s Bidding Process and is the bid and project management office function owner across the Group globally.

Gareth has been a member of APMP since 2015. Ever since joining, Gareth has been a great supporter of APMP, encouraging other bid professionals to join and pursue certification, as well as attending best practice sharing events. This included Gareth being a speaker at the UK’s 2017 conference; only his second conference attendance. Gareth holds Practitioner certification and was awarded recognition for his influence and achievements in the profession under the 2019 40 Under 40 class.

Gareth has been a member of the UK chapter Board since April 2018, and having held the positions of Membership Director, Conference Director and Vice-Chair, Gareth is the current UK Chapter Chair and is a member of the APMP Chapter Liaison Committee.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

After 23 years in the DC metro area working for various federal contractors including The MITRE Corporation, General Dynamics IT, and several 8(a) companies, Gillian Dionne is now a one-woman proposal shop based on the Space Coast of Florida. Eau Gallie by the Sea Proposal Consulting focuses on helping small businesses win federal and state contracts. An APMP member since 2001, Gillian has presented at numerous international and regional APMP conferences and professional days, served as a certification mentor, served on the APMP International Board of Directors, and is currently the Venue/Hotel Coordinator for the Southern Proposal Accent Conference (SPAC). She is certified at the practitioner level (CP APMP).

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Mike Walsh, CF APMP is the current Chair of APMP. Concurrently, he leads the Alumni and Strategic Business Development efforts for EY’s Financial Services Organization. Mike has spent his entire time at EY in Business Development, starting more than 8 years ago as a Communications and Pursuit Strategist then leading the Service Line Enablement team prior to taking his current role. He was first introduced to proposal management while at Odyssey Systems Consulting Group, a midsized defense contractor. His professional career began 24 years ago as an officer in the US Coast Guard, and since then has taken a few twists and turns on its way to Business Development including stints as a Fire Training Captain for the State of New Hampshire, a middle and high school English and History teacher.

Mike received a B.S. in Government from the US Coast Guard Academy and M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. He has been on the Nor’easters board of directors since 2012 and served as the Chair of the Nor’easters Chapter from 2014-2019. Mike began APMP International board service in 2016, serving a 2-year term as Director and is currently in the middle of his 3-year term as Vice Chair, Chair and Past Chair.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Ginny Carson is the Director of the Business Development Resource Center (BDRC) at Life Cycle Engineering. BDRC functions include BD Process Development and Support, Competitive and Market Intelligence Research, Opportunity Identification and Development, Account Management, Capture Planning and Proposal Support. Life Cycle Engineering provides engineering solutions that deliver lasting results for private industry, public entities, government organizations and the military.

In this episode, I also share Howard's impact on my life and the why behind Scribble Talk... Listen in.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

As the only named Federal Proposal Manager at Michael Baker International, Valerie leads the proposal team through complex federal and state proposal pursuits as well as facilitating capture planning and strategy meetings on company must-win architecture / engineering / construction efforts worth millions of dollars. Valerie has diverse marketing and communications experience in developing, implementing, and managing large-scale, complex, and multi-million-dollar submittals for federal, state and local, education, aviation, commercial, and defense markets.

Valerie developed “Cover Letter/Executive Summary'' manual within the Proposal Development (PD) group at Michael Baker. The manual is shared to new hires during their on-board training, as well as to current hires to be used as a refresher in developing strategic narrative content. Additionally, Valerie provides six to eight weeks mentoring and training to new hires, and refresher training to PD staff. Valerie is Winner of APMP® 40 Under 40 2020 Award and earned her CF APMP and CP APMP certification in 2018 and 2019 respectively, and the Shipley Business Development certification, which she received in 2018. Valerie also hopes to pursue her Professional Certification (CPP APMP) in 2021, and to also serve on the board of her local APMP chapter.

Valerie has Bachelor of Arts degree from Lawrence University and Executive MBA from Sullivan University. Starting in January 2020, Valerie began a Master of Science (MSc.) degree in Project Management to enhance her project management and leadership abilities on corporate/companywide must-win pursuits at Michael Baker.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

David Sotolongo is a proposal development consultant working from his home in Durham, NC. Previously, he served as vice president of RTI International’s Multimedia Communications Services. In this capacity, he led a staff of 85 communications and publishing services professionals who provide full-service support in publications, graphic design, editing and writing, and product development, as well as multimedia design, conference and meeting support, and media and audience outreach. Mr. Sotolongo is also vice president of business and proposal development at RTI, comprising more than 2,000 staff and $750M in annual revenue.

Previously he started and led RTI’s proposal development group, that is responsible for managing and submitting more than 1,000 proposals annually at a bid value in excess of $1B.

David, is APMP professional accredited, was the conference Co-Chair for APMP Bid & Proposal Con 2013, former APMP Board member and Carolinas Chapter co-founder. David also co-chaired the Southern Proposal Accents Conference (SPAC) for many years. He is veteran APMP conference speaker and has also led APMP's Government Industry Task Force.

David holds a BA from Duke University and completed graduated course work in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Nigel is a proposal pioneer in Australia and has arguably done more to shape the landscape of bidding professionalism in Australia than any other person in the region. He started the APMP Australia New Zealand Chapter, was the first Australian to achieve APMP Professional certification and is the only Australian APMP Fellow.

Nigel now runs BidWrite, a company he co-founded in 2008 and which is now Australia’s largest (by staff numbers) specialist bid consultancy. With degrees in engineering and business, and with bidding experience of 26 years, he is a strong advocate for development of the proposal profession.

In his spare time, Nigel has been a serial volunteer for local community and association committees. He has pared that activity down of late and so has more time to pursue his other interests of gardening, music, sport, and tinkering in his shed. He plays trombone in an 18-piece swing band (The Oz Big Band), still plays the odd game of cricket in summer and is a father to four boys.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Wolfram Seyring has more than 26 years of experience in business development, sales and sales support with national and international clients.

Wolfram owns Shipley GmbH, Shipley Associates, SEYRING GmbH and co-founder of BidBox GmbH, registered in Düsseldorf, Germany, in 2011. Previously. Wolfram was Global Head of Sales – VimpelCom at NSN, Head of CMO Restructuring –Global at NSN, VP/Head of Global Sales Support – Global at NSN/Nokia, Account Director – France Telecom Germany at Nokia, Global Account Executive – Deutsche Telekom at Ericsson.

Wolfram also led diverse workshops on capture and bid management as well as on writing winning proposals and implementing successfully processes in defence, aerospace, telecommunications and transport sectors.

Wolfram was co-founder of APMP DACH in 2007. He is also an APMP certified proposal manager. Wolfram Seyring holds a degree in Electrical Engineering (Applied Science, Düsseldorf) and has had considerable additional business education.

You can find Max on YouTube and Spotify as FAZON® :

https://www.youtube.com/user/FazonHD

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Sarah is an APMP-qualified bid consultant with over two decades of experience, she has delivered large-scale proposals and advised businesses on capture, bid and proposal processes. She is adept at coaching and mentoring people at all levels, with standout success helping emerging talent to pass APMP exams and develop exceptional bid management careers.

Previously Global Head of Bid Process, Bombardier Transportation, a multinational leader in the rail industry, Sarah head up its global bid function, motivating a team of 300 and optimising a £100M+ bid budget.

As UK Head of Bids, General Dynamics, she built a new proposal management department.

Between 2008 – 2013 she supported Shipley Middle East delivering Shipley methodologies to major customers across that region and beyond. In 2006 Sarah moved to Dubai to build the bid function from the ground up for The Olive Group LLC, a security company. This resulted in a major increase in bid win rate, from 8.5% to 48%, delivering combined sales of $400M, and the company’s biggest ever deal, an $88M contract with the US DoD.

As a bid manager and coach at Qinetiq Group PLC, leading defence company, she generated major successes, including the £250M European Space Agency contract. Sarah has a BSc Anthropology at University College London.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Roshinee Naidoo is an intrinsically motivated, highly accomplished professional with around two decades of experience in preparing detailed deals for multiple projects and composing & presenting winning proposals. She is an expert in strategizing the different disciplines and departments and implementing bid governance models and best-practice methodologies.

Roshinee has successfully delivered 250+ professionally produced, compliant proposalsis and has worked on tenders ranging from €150K to €20M. She won strategic bids accumulating revenues AED 50M (australian dollars) for her company. Also Roshinee is the first ever and only person of colour with the highest proposal professional accreditation in Africa.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

As a Director of Strategic Proposals UKs and with nearly twenty years’ experience in proposals, Graham helps clients to win business in a number of different ways including:

Winning specific projects and contracts for clients by providing ‘hands-on’ strategic proposal and presentation support in formal procurement and informal / proactive sales scenarios
Delivering interim management and consultancy services to help organisations to improve their win rates whilst increasing the efficiency of their bid and proposal operations
Delivering proposal skills development, coaching and APMP accreditation training

Graham has supported clients across a wide range of industries including IT services, professional services, travel, logistics, oil and gas, insurance, roadside services, catering, healthcare, facilities management, real estate, office supplies, telecommunications and defence markets.

Graham holds the highest level of proposal certification – Professional.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Currently a Pursuit Strategist at EY, Ceri has 14 years of bids and proposals experience in progressively senior positions. Over her career, she’s played an instrumental role in $250m of new business acquisition and $500m of successful business campaigns. Her key strengths are in win strategy development, executive summary writing, and oral presentation coaching.

Ceri is a British expat in Canada. She previously served as Western Regional Chair and Communications Chair for the APMP Canada Maple Leaf chapter.

Ceri is passionate about self-development. She holds APMP Professional certification, is part of the APMP 40 Under 40 Class of 2019, and is a recent recipient of the APMP Fellows award. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature, a post-graduate certificate in Project Management, and has professional qualifications in communications and leadership.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Constance D. Reid, PMP, CF APMP is a senior-level business development professional with over 12 years of providing leading capture and proposal strategy. She has led bid efforts for up to $25B global public sector and commercial deals for Leidos, IBM, and currently, Amazon Web Services. She is skilled in marketing to a variety of government and commercial customers, including Dept. of Energy, Dept. of State, DoD, DVA, and many commercial medical providers, payers, and researchers.

Constance has been active in APMP for many years, sat on the 2015-2017 Board of Directors and on the 2015-2017 NCA Board of Directors as Secretary. She was the Inaugural APMP Future Leader awardee and a part of the Inaugural APMP 40 under 40 class. She has participated as a speaker at the 2018 Bid and Proposal Con in San Diego, CA, presenting on “Building Efficient and Effective Bid Processes” She is particularly proud of having developed the ongoing Mentorship Program for Association of Proposal Management Professionals' (APMP) DC Metro Area Chapter, which was architected and implemented in 2014, and continues in perpetuity and having been adopted by other chapters domestically and internationally and similar associations.

When she's not leading and developing winning proposals, Constance spends time with her husband, son, and 14-year-old Pekingese-poodle. During quarantine, she's finding ways to channel her in-home energy into re-decorating, trying new recipes and finding new ways to incorporate learning for her 9-month-old in day-to-day activities.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Dr. Idara Umoh, CP. APMP has worked in several Proposals and Sales roles within multinational Oil and Gas and Construction companies for the past 17 years. Her career has spanned between the UK and the UAE where she has been involved in worldwide bid management, leading several winning multi-million dollar contract wins.

She has been responsible for leading commercial operations covering commercial bid preparation and technical teams both in a centralised and country localised proposals management setting. She has also travelled vastly facilitating staff training on proposals best practice.

Idara is the author of “How to Create and Maintain a Bid Content Library” and the French language Textbook “La Vie de Marie”. She is fluent in both English and French.

Idara holds a PhD in Business/Corporate Communications from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland. She is Shipley trained and APMP certified, having been one of the recipients of the inaugural APMP 40 under 40 awards. She was also a finalist for the Middle East Energy Awards – Woman of the Year 2019.

During her spare time, Idara who is passionate about business communications runs a free 5 day challenge focused on proposals writing to help business owners write better proposals submissions. She also manages a Facebook group called ‘The Grammar Bloc’ where she shares tips on how to communicate effectively.Dr. Idara Umoh, CP. APMP has worked in several Proposals and Sales roles within multinational Oil and Gas and Construction companies for the past 17 years. Her career has spanned between the UK and the UAE where she has been involved in worldwide bid management, leading several winning multi-million dollar contract wins.

She has been responsible for leading commercial operations covering commercial bid preparation and technical teams both in a centralised and country localised proposals management setting. She has also travelled vastly facilitating staff training on proposals best practice.

Idara is the author of “How to Create and Maintain a Bid Content Library” and the French language Textbook “La Vie de Marie”. She is fluent in both English and French.

Idara holds a PhD in Business/Corporate Communications from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland. She is Shipley trained and APMP certified, having been one of the recipients of the inaugural APMP 40 under 40 awards. She was also a finalist for the Middle East Energy Awards – Woman of the Year 2019.

During her spare time, Idara who is passionate about business communications runs a free 5 day challenge focused on proposals writing to help business owners write better proposals submissions. She also manages a Facebook group called ‘The Grammar Bloc’ where she shares tips on how to communicate effectively.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Christoph Mlinarchik, JD, CFCM, PMP is an expert in government contracts, former federal contracting officer, attorney, expert witness, professional instructor, frequent public speaker, and the author of the best-selling book, Government Contracts in Plain English. He is the founder and owner of www.ChristophLLC.com which provides expert advice in government contracts to a wide range of clients, including business owners, bid and proposal managers, industry trade groups, federal contractors, and subcontractors. Christoph was honored with the “Top Professionals Under 40” award by National Contract Management Association (NCMA). Christoph is an experienced expert witness in federal contracts who has provided expert opinions and reports, research concerning damages, key findings, and case strategy for complex government contracts litigation. As an instructor, Christoph has taught or trained 1000+ federal, military, and contractor professionals nationwide—from novices to C-level executives. As a former director of policy & acquisition for a defense contractor, Christoph understands the business side of government contracts and how to work with your CEO, general counsel, and other corporate leadership. As a former senior contracting officer for the Department of Defense, Christoph has diverse and extensive federal contracting experience across the Air Force, Navy, Pentagon, and Office of the Secretary of Defense. Christoph has negotiated, reviewed, or managed BILLIONS of dollars of government contracts over the course of his career. This real-world, government experience as the contracting officer who prepares solicitations, evaluates proposals, and selects winning proposals provides an invaluable perspective for clients.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Government Contracts in Plain English: What You Need to Know About the FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation), DFARS, Subcontracts, Small Business ... Government Contracts in Plain English Series)

Todays guest is Stacey Duwe

Stacey runs her own consulting business, Write Fit Solutions, helping her clients with all the things she loves about proposals, for clients that range from small, tech based start-ups to non-profits to fortune 100 companies in commercial and government sectors and across a range of industries. Stacey earned her BA in English and women’s studies from Cleveland State University in Cleveland, OH, is APMP certified (Foundation and Practitioner), and was recognized in the inaugural class of APMP 40 Under 40. She is also an active APMP member and has served on the Greater Midwest Chapter Board of Directors since 2017 as the Publications Chair, then Secretary, Vice Chair, and currently as Chapter President.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today's guest is Rick Harris

Rick is a senior-level association executive with more than 30 years of experience with notable achievements across multiple industries including professional and trade associations.

Rick's superiors and co-workers alike constantly applaud his ability to build strong, sustainable relationships and secure consensus among cross-functional team members for key initiatives. Most recently he has served as Executive Director of the MdTech Division, Tech Council of Maryland and the Executive Director, Tech Council of Maryland Foundation. His experience includes senior management roles working with both domestic and foreign economic development offices and boards to develop stategic plans and then execute that plan. Rick has been part of international business development teams for several associations. Rick is adept decision maker who strategizes operational frameworks to integrate and align with organization vision and objectives, fostering enhanced staff performance, achieving best practice, and maximizing revenues.

Rick lives in Washington DC with his partner of 10 years and has two children, Riley (17) and Ryder (16).

In this episode, we will discuss Rick’s

Early life and education
First Job
Career before APMP
APMP Chief Executive Role - Early years and Journey so far
APMP Bid Con memories
APMP chapters members
APMP Team and Board members
Key accomplishments
APMP response to Covid19
10000th member celebration
APMP's Winning Business Virtual Experience (WBVE)
blacklivesmattter message to members
3 things not many people know about him
Advice to people wanting to pursue career
One thing he wish he had known early in his career
Influential people in his life and career
3-5 years vision for APMP
Nickname
Sports passion
Sanctuary at home for homeless
Values on fairness and working hard
Christmas Tree Network
Announcement
Rumour
Tributes
Plus appreciations from APMP community and more…

Key Nuggets

Be fair and work hard
Sports is a good lesson for all of us
Dont take yourself too seriously
Create your career and many more..

Get to know Rick Harris, Icon behind Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today's guest is Rick Harris

Rick is a senior-level association executive with more than 30 years of experience with notable achievements across multiple industries including professional and trade associations.

Rick's superiors and co-workers alike constantly applaud his ability to build strong, sustainable relationships and secure consensus among cross-functional team members for key initiatives. Most recently he has served as Executive Director of the MdTech Division, Tech Council of Maryland and the Executive Director, Tech Council of Maryland Foundation. His experience includes senior management roles working with both domestic and foreign economic development offices and boards to develop stategic plans and then execute that plan. Rick has been part of international business development teams for several associations. Rick is adept decision maker who strategizes operational frameworks to integrate and align with organization vision and objectives, fostering enhanced staff performance, achieving best practice, and maximizing revenues.

Rick lives in Washington DC with his partner of 10 years and has two children, Riley (17) and Ryder (16).

In this episode, we will discuss Rick’s

Early life and education
First Job
Career before APMP
APMP Chief Executive Role - Early years and Journey so far
APMP Bid Con memories
APMP chapters members
APMP Team and Board members
Key accomplishments
APMP response to Covid19
10000th member celebration
APMP's Winning Business Virtual Experience (WBVE)
blacklivesmattter message to members
3 things not many people know about him
Advice to people wanting to pursue career
One thing he wish he had known early in his career
Influential people in his life and career
3-5 years vision for APMP
Nickname
Sports passion
Sanctuary at home for homeless
Values on fairness and working hard
Christmas Tree Network
Announcement
Rumour
Tributes
Plus appreciations from APMP community and more…

Key Nuggets

Be fair and work hard
Sports is a good lesson for all of us
Dont take yourself too seriously
Create your career and many more..

Get to know Rick Harris, Icon behind Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Janneke is recognised for her passion for proposals, championing proposal management best practice as she and her team help bidders to capture ‘must win’ deals and to bring about radical increases in win rates. She has completed proposal assignments with clients in sectors such as IT, telecoms, accounting, facility management, staffing and logistics.

Janneke served as the first Chief Executive of the Netherlands chapter of APMP in 2004-2006. Today, the Netherlands Chapter is one of the largest APMP chapters. Additionally, since 2007, she has been part of the Board of Directors of NEVI, the Dutch association for procurement professionals. Over 6,000 procurement professionals are NEVI members.

Prior to joining Strategic Proposals, Janneke worked at KPMG International, one of the largest professional services firms in the world and one of the Big Four auditors. As a buyer, she successfully ran Global RFPs and negotiations, such as a Global RFP for PC hardware and services.

Respected as a thought leader in the proposal profession, Janneke has a track record of outstandingly successful achievement – consistently attracting excellent feedback from senior executives, course participants, evaluators and proposal professionals alike.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Olessia Smotrova, CF.APMP Fellow, the president of OST Global Solutions, Inc. has more than 20 years of experience in business development. She led winning bids for four out of the five top government contractors, winning more than $22 billion over the course of her career. She is the author of the book How to Get Government Contracts: Have a Slice of $1 Trillion Pie, and seven other books. She has taught a graduate course for the Stevens Institute of Technology, and provided training to Treasury and NASA. She has served for 2 years as the President of the National Contracts Management Association (NCMA) Bethesda/Medical Chapter, and for 2 years as the President of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) National Capital Area Chapter. She is recognized as an APMP Fellow for her contributions to the field of capture and proposals – the highest honor in the business development profession. Her skills span every aspect of business development, sales, and marketing. Prior to supporting hundreds of Fortune 500 companies and small businesses as a proposal consultant and growing OST, she worked as a business developer for Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, and wrote for the Financial Times of London.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Krystn Macomber has more than 17 years of experience in various marketing and pursuit roles within the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) industry. Her career has been dedicated to developing and implementing holistic marketing, sales, and pursuit processes that align with best practices and win work.

She regularly serves as a trainer and workshop leader in her roles at work and throughout the industry, including for the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP). She also regularly presents on marketing and pursuit best practices to small and diverse-owned businesses throughout California.

Krystn serves as the marketing manager for Burns & McDonnell’s California regional operations where she is responsible for strategic marketing and pursuit efforts across the state.

Krystn is currently serving a three-year term for the APMP International executive committee as vice chair, chair, and past chair. She previously served in various board of director roles, including chapter chair, for APMP California, APMP Greater Midwest, and APMP National Capital Area chapters. In 2018, Krystn was selected as the APMP Bid & Proposal Industry Executive of the Year and recognized as an APMP Fellow, the organization’s highest honor.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Carl Dickson is the founder of CapturePlanning.com and PropLIBRARY. Carl is a proposal manager, writer, trainer, and coach. A career spanning 30 years, Carl has published over a thousand articles, whitepapers, books, and training materials. The articles he publishes reach over 100,000 professionals every week and over 7 million professionals have visited his websites.

As a speaker, Carl has presented at conferences and events sponsored by (APMP); Society for Marketing Professional Services; Marketing Research Association; Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Assoc. (AFCEA); FOSE; Deltek; Fairfax County Community Business Partnership; Government Contracting Institute; and the Washington DC Office of Contracting and Procurement.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Chris Whyatt has spent the last 25 years of his career working in the adjacent disciplines of sales and bidding. After winning major £10m pa deals with British Gas, Barclays Bank and the Halifax Building Society in the late 90’s, Chris established Practical Bid Solutions Limited (PBSL) as an independent bid consultancy. This work led to more involvement with sales improvement programmes, and as a result, PBSL was rebranded as Get to Great in 2008 and he supported 100+ small and big organisations such as VMware, McAfee, NICE Systems, Camelot , HP, Glory, LivePerson, Virtual Clarity, G2Speech, Cyient, NetApp, Fujitsu, Babcock, NTT, SIMS and Babcock.

Chris has been delivering training programmes for TechUK for 15 years and has supported clients on ~50 major deals, co-created 25 business winning frameworks, trained ~1,000 people in sales and bid aspects of business. Chris co-founded the UK chapter of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) in 2001 with Jon Williams and served on the Board as COO for the first 3 years. He was a Fellow of the Sales Leadership Alliance, which rebranded as the Association of Sales Professionals.

Chris has conducted extensive research into improving the working relationship between sales and bid, publishing his second paper on this subject in January 2020.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s Guest is Jamie Ninneman

Jamie is an industry expert with more than 21 years working in customer-facing roles across the information technology spectrum, focusing on enterprise software and related services. In his current leadership role at SAP, he is both the global lead for Bid & Proposal Management as well as head of multiple global shared-service organizations. Previously his experience includes leading services organizations, defining and executing enterprise transformation strategies, and managing key customer relationships.

Jamie is a past Chair of APMP International’s Board of Directors (Association of Bid and Proposal Management Professionals) as well as a member of APMP’s Business Sector Committee.

In this insightful episode, we will discuss

Early life and education
Early career
Enter the proposal field?
Views on setting up global shared services do's and dont's
Memorable proposal effort
Key achievements
Advisory role at Rutgers University's Cybersecurity certificate program?
3 things not many people know about him
APMP leadership contributions
Summer work in fishing boards at Alaska during college days
Martian arts and sports passion
Adaptation to the new normal
Guitar learning and bands!

Few random questions

What trait do you like the most about yourself?
What random stranger has had the biggest impact on your life?
What's the naughtiest thing you have done in school?
Can you comfortably eat in a restaurant by yourself? Go to movie?
Do you have nicknames?
If you got to choose between fifty years of being incredibly happy or to live forever and be unhappy what would you choose?
What’s something you’ve tried, that you’ll never, ever try again?
What would your girls say about you if we asked for a reference?
If you could ask your pet dogs 3 questions, what would they be?

Listen in to know more about Jamie Ninneman

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Larissa Cornelius owns nFold, a South African proposal consultancy that inspires success through words that win. She is the current chair of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) SA chapter. She has over 17 years’ business development and operational experience. She is a certified APMP Professional and was voted as one of the 40-under-40 APMP professionals in 2018. By combining proposal best practice with her operational and sales background, she actively promotes the proposal profession and helps businesses to win more. She is passionate about proposals and following best practices; as winning proposals ethically - improves lives, by creating and retaining jobs.

In this very interesting episode, we will discuss Larissa's

Early life and career
Call Centre experience
Entry to proposal world
Memorable projects
View of South African government procurement
nFold and her mentor Sandy Pullinger (1st chairperson of APMP SA and an APMP fellow)
People influential in life and career
Creative works
APMP SA chapter memories and leadership contributions
APMP certification journey
Views on APMP bid community in South Africa
Advice to bid and proposal professionals

Few random questions

Is there an artwork you are most proud of? Why?
Your favourite fantasy movie?
What's your favourite love story? (movie or book)
If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
How would you describe the proposal profession to your 10 year old daughter?

Listen in and get to know multi talented APMP 40 under 40 winenr, Larissa Cornelius

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Jim K. McCarthy career spans over 37 years of marketing and proposal strategy creation, proposal development, and oral presentation coaching in support of contractors seeking to expand their market shares or to enter the government contracts market sector. As a founder of AOC Key Solutions, he built an organization that, since its inception, has played a part in winning more than $184 billion in federal contract awards for its clients.

Jim frequently serves as a conference guest speaker or panel moderator on topics ranging from leadership to winning government contracts through every legitimate means available. He has served in an advisory role with the George Washington University, Virginia Science and Technology Campus, Technology Accelerator and has been a frequent speaker with the George Mason University Procurement and Technical Assistance Center. Jim has also served on the board of the Veterans Institute for Procurement GovCon Council. In February 2016, Jim was named to Executive Mosaic’s Washington 100 as one of the top–100 most influential leaders in the government contracting arena. He currently serves on advisory boards for the USO-Metro and the National Contract Management Association.

Since 2016, Jim has served at the Chairman of the Board of Rekor Systems, Inc., a publicly traded technology and AI company traded on NASDAQ: REKR.

In this inspirational episode, we will discuss Jim's

Early life and career
Capitol Hill and the White House experience
Entry to proposal world
Memorable projects
View of how proposal industry evolved over 35 years
View of what’s better or worse about how we did proposals in the past versus how we do them today?
Founding AOC Key Solutions in 1983 and how the company evolved over the years?
View of Principle Centered WinningLove for Ocean City
Inspiration behind his 6 days of health and fitness
Favourite movie
People influential in life and career
Fond memories of watching Baltimore Orioles during their glory years and at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Advice to bid and proposal professionals

Few random questions
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?
If you were asked to play any Star Trek® [or Star Wars® ] character, which one would you choose and why?
What is your favourite science fiction movie and why?
What’s the most interesting books you’ve read ?
Suddenly you are switch into the body of Clint Eastwood - How would he describe proposal profession to his audience?
You have worked at the white house and capital hill which political TV show resembles closely to real life politics ?
If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go and why?
If you could be any male/female sports star, who would you be?

Listen in to know the legendary Jim Mc Carthy

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s Guest is Bruce Farrell - Ashley

Bruce Farrell is proposal director for Plante Moran’s consulting group. He leads a multi-national team who provide proposal, presentation, and other practice development related support. He is also a design geek who specializes in bringing strong design principles to brands, proposals, presentations, and other business documents. He particularly enjoys using thoughtful design to help people create documents that can make an impact. Bruce is a frequent presenter at Association of Proposal Management Professional (APMP) events, primarily focusing on presentation or proposal design. He is a member of APMP’s International Board of Directors.

In this thought provoking episode, we will discuss Bruce's
Early life and career
Entry to proposal world
Career at Plante Moran
Design principles
APMP Great Mid Western chapter contributions
Favourite songs and books
Memorable presentations at Bid Con
Irish roots and Celtic music
Love for Lord of Rings Book
Similarity to Bilbo Baggins character
Favourite movie
People influential in life and career
One advice to bid and proposal professional

Few random questions
What power point design symbol best describes your personality and why?
What will you do if you have the lord of rings?
If you were to perform in a circus what will you do?
What kind of secret society would you like to start?
If you have to wear a t-shirt with one word on it, what will be the word?
What is your favourite pizza topping?
If some rented a billboard for you, what will you put on it?
What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
and few more...

BONUS - 1 min guitar episode :) inside
Special mentions - Robin Davies and learn about other APMP musician colleagues.

Listen in to know more about Bruce Farrell, simplistic designer also a guitarist

Tip : Don't ask bruce to do karaoke!

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s Guest is Mel Mae Smith

Mel is a Senior Business Winning Consultant with Harmonic with a track record of winning bids in the commercial and public sectors worth up to £1.4bn. As a certified Professional within the APMP, Mel adopts best practice techniques to shape winning bid campaigns alongside mentoring fellow proposal professionals to help advance the profession. Mel has a varied career background spanning Graphics, Marketing and Communications for International Investment Banks, Asset Management Companies and Hedge Funds as well as having owned her own Florist business before returning to the corporate life and the world of bidding.

Mel has been a member of APMP since 2012. Mel is current past UK APMP chair and is 2020 conference director. She is member of the APMP UK Chapter Board since 2018 where she held Marketing & Communications Director and Vice Chair positions. Mel led the delivery of chapter's strategic goals, building on its current comms and engagement activity and developing the way chapter engage effectively with its members. Mel is also an International APMP Board Member since Jan 2020.

In this Scribble Talk episode we will discuss Mel's

Early life and career
Time at US
Florist Business
Career at Harmonic
Leadership at APMP’s Bid and Proposal Con and UK Chapter
Working alongside Jon Darby
Memorable capture and proposal effort
Memorable training effort
APMP certification journey
People influential in her life and career
Best piece of advice

Few random questions

As a child, what did you wish to become when you grew up?
Can you talk about your five buckets?
Sitting alone in a big field, looking at stars, what do you think/feel?
What takes you out of your comfort zone?
If you wake up as (Queen Elizabeth 2), what's the first thing you would do?
Tell us more about your May Marathon run?
You did bike ride London to Paris - whats the biggest lesson the experience taught you?
If you could organise a motorbike race for you and your friends where will you go and who will you invite?
Whats the maximum number of cadbury creme eggs you have eaten in one day?
If you were going to a famous historical figure dress up party, who would you go as?
Sing in the rain or dance in the streets? why?

Listen in and get to know the inspiring Mel Smith.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today's guest is Brenda Crist.

Brenda has 25 years of experience providing capture, proposal, and program management support for information technology companies serving the Federal market. She is currently the Vice President at the Lohfeld Consulting Group. Prior to becoming a full-time proposal professional, Ms. Crist served as a Group Manager for OAO Corporation and Project Manager for Harris Corporation. She has provided onsite system, application, and network management solutions for civilian and military clients. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from American University. She is certified at the Professional Level from the Association of Proposal Management Proposals and has delivered APMP certification training to hundreds of students since 2011. She is a Fellow of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and former Chapter Chairperson of the Year.

In this longest random rapid fire question round and the most happiest yet powerful Scribble Talk episode we will discuss Brenda's

Early life and career
Career at Lohfeld
Mentor Bob Lohfeld
Leadership at APMP’s Bid and Proposal Con and NCA Chapter
Working alongside Chris Simmons
Memorable capture and proposal effort
Memorable training effort
APMP certification journey
People influential in her life and career
Best piece of advice
Sister in law daily dose of comedy

Sample of 25+ random questions..

What was your best subject in school?
If you could be anywhere else right now, where would it be?
What's the most courageous thing you've ever done?
When you're having a bad day, what do you do to make yourself feel better?
What song do you sing only when you are alone and what memory does it bring back?
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
If you could switch bodies with a certain celebrity, who would it be and why?
What internet site do you surf to the most?

Listen in to know Brenda, one of the most fluent and happiest APMP veteran you will ever meet...

Brenda sister-in-law (Beth Kaufman) who is a comic. Register and get on her daily lunch time office humor email list, so here is the link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfns0lVSALmKd1lo1kITRTEBuPLvEWgKFoC62MSO24jSOQ1Ww/viewform

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today's guest is Jon Williams

Jon Williams is the UK managing director of Strategic Proposals. He holds the unique status of being a Fellow of each of APMP, the Institute of Sales Management and the Royal Society of Arts. In over twenty years in proposals, he’s worked with sales organisations in more than thirty countries, helping them to radically improve their win rates. Jon’s published numerous research white papers, and is a regular keynote speaker at conferences around the world. He’s the co-author, with BJ Lownie, of bestselling book “Proposal Essentials”, and is recognised for his passionate for all things proposals!

In this deeply personal episode, we will discuss Jon's

Early life and education
Debating Passion
Career at Charity, Barclays Procurement and Compaq
Relationship with BJ Lownie
3 things not many people know about you?
Memorable training effort?
Passion on proposals
Story on Founding and taking the CEO role of APMP UK Chapter
Memorable APMP contributions
Proposal Essentials book
30 year entrepreneurial journey
Martin Smith, Bid Solutions
UK Team aka SP Family
Friendship with Steve Mullins
NL Team (Janneke and Richard)
His partners Nigel Dennis, Chris S. Kälin, Sandy Pullinger, Larissa Cornelius
Travel Passion
Fellowship of the Institute of Sales Management and the Royal Society of Art
Wine, food, books, travel and hotels passion
TripAdvisor Top reviewer
Reason behind - No work fridays
most influential people in his life and career

Few random questions

What kind of secret society would you like to start?
What do you cook or bake better than most people?
What’s your biggest kitchen fail?
Have you ever booked holidays to be the first to stay in a new hotel?
With passion in travel, food and wine - How do you plan your travels and holiday?
If you could be anywhere else right now, where would you choose to go and why?
What is the best vacation you have had?
What are your favourite books ?
If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?

Get to know William C. McRae Founders Award Winner and Triple Fellow, Jon Williams

https://www.strategicproposals.com

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Todays's guest is Ashley Kayes (normally co-host of Scribble Talk)

Currently a Senior Proposal Consultant with AOC Key Solutions, Inc. (KSI), Ashley has more than 13 years of proposal experience, including serving as a proposal specialist, proposal coordinator, proposal writer, and proposal manager. Over the course of her career, Ashley has contributed to over $6 billion in proposal wins. She has a Master’s degree in English concentrating in Professional Writing and Editing, holds a practitioner level certification through APMP, and was recognized as a member of the APMP 2018 class of 40 Under 40. Ashley is an active contributor to the KSI company blog and led the effort to update and publish the KSI Advantage© Capture and Proposal Guide. Additionally, Ashley manages a professional blog, Proposal Reflections, which features articles aimed at fostering business development, capture, and proposal success and is normally the co-host of this podcast, Scribble Talk. In addition to contributions within the proposal industry, Ashley previously taught English Composition at Northern Virginia Community College.

In this episode we will discuss Ashley's

Early life, High School and Education?
Gymanastics
Teaching career
CACI career
AOC career
Mentors - Eric Gregory, Betsy Blakney, Kristin Dufrene
Memorable proposals
First experience at APMP’s Bid and Proposal Con
Memorable experiences among your APMP speaking engagements and contributions?
APMP NCA Chapter Board contributions

Few Fun Questions
If you could transport back in time to interview one person from the past, who would you choose and why?
If you could ask your new pup, Blue, anything—what would you ask him?
If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would you choose?If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you take?
Where is your favorite place to eat in Nashville?
What’s your all-time favorite food or meal?
You grew up doing gymnastics on a competitive level—can you tell us three similarities between gymnastics and proposals?
Are you Team Oxford Comma?
What are some of your biggest grammar pet peeves?
Do you prefer white or red wine?
Where is the coolest place you’ve traveled?

Listen in and get to know our Scribble Talk co-host and Proposal Super Star, Ashley Kayes

Ashley blog series : www.proposalreflections.com

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Special Episode - Samantha Enslen joins us a co-host

Today’s Guest is Baskar Sundaram.

Baskar is Founding Director of Baachu, UK based Market Development advisory. He is an award winning entrepreneur and is ranked #1 advisor to investors in business services industry. Baskar established Baachu Scribble, learning platform for bids and proposal community in 2019. Scribble is APMP Approved Training Organisation and has supported 170 professionals in 29 countries attain APMP Certifications.

He launched Scribble Scholarship in 2019 for aspiring bid and proposal professionals honouring his mentors Howard Nutt and Tony Birch. Recently Baskar launched Scribble at Home free and low cost programmes and is normally the co-host of this podcast, Scribble Talk.

Prior to founding Baachu, Baskar served as Head of Business Development at Serco where he worked for 11 years. Baskar received a Bachelor of Engineering from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, India and Master of Science from Imperial College, London. Baskar is APMP CP, a Chartered Accountant/Chartered Manager and has degrees and professional qualifications in electrical engineering, accounting, coaching, finance, law, proposal and project management.

Baskar has supported clients on ~50 major deals, co-created 15+ strategic sales development frameworks, trained ~500+ people in all aspects of bid lifecycle. He published Bid Buddy - self-improvement journal for bidding professionals in 2016, Proposal Specialist Guide - Pathway to APMP Foundation certification in 2019 and Sales specialist guide in 2020.

His High Inspiration Programme gives work experience opportunities to 20 Croydon College students every year. In 2020, Baskar launched Baachu pledge 2020 - Donate by Doing community driven social impact movement encouraging low carbon healthier habits and sustainable living.

Baskar educates 220 children in India. Baskar is an active member of BSA and APMP. His awards include APMP 2017 40 under 40, Entrepreneur of the year and Business in the community.

Life priorities - Health and Relationships

Interests - Trekking, TAMIL, Travel, Buddhism, Asian HISTORY, FOOD

In this episode, we will discuss Baskar's

Life and Education
First job at KFC
Serco career
Memorable training efforts including the recent Time Blocking Webinar
Version of Full Stack Bidder
Entrepreneurial journey with Baachu and how has the company evolved over the years including Baachu Scribble and Baachu Rain?
Baachu pledge 2020 - why do we need to donate by doing?
Baachu Scribble mission is to "Democratising Bidding Knowledge"?
Memorable Bid Con - New Orleans
Scribble scholarships story
Mentors - Howard Nutt and Tony Birch
Books
Most influential people in his life and career?
Advice to bid and proposal colleagues
Covid19 #fmheroes story

Few random questions

If you could be any male/female sports star, who would you be?
What's your favorite TV show of all time and why?
If you could be anywhere else right now, where would it be?
What's the first thing you do when you get home from a trip?
What random stranger has had the biggest impact on your life?
Tell us about a unique or quirky habit of yours?
What do you cook better than anyone?
If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
If you were to get a permanent tattoo done, what would it be and where?

Time blocking webinar : https://www.apmp.org/store/ViewProduct.aspx?id=16051842&hhSearchTerms=%2522time+and+blocking%2522

www.baachuscribble.com

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today's guest is **Chris Simmons

Chris** has 30+ years business development consulting experience including Deloitte Consulting and CGI/AMS. Chris is Founder & Principal at Rainmakerz Consulting LLC (served 200 customers and has won tens of billions in new business for his clients). An APMP Fellow and Certified Practitioner, Chris is former APMP National Capital Area Chapter (NCA) Vice President and Membership Chair and was also APMP NCA Mentor of the Year. Chris won the first ever John Elder APMP Journal Award for the topic (How to Create Winning Proposal Themes). Chris has presented at numerous APMP International, NCA, other APMP chapters events. Chris was also voted as Consulting Magazine’s Top 25 Consultant. Chris has his MBA, Information Technology, University of Massachusetts (Amherst) and BA, Psychology, Boston College, Magna Cum Laude

In this beautiful episode, we will discuss Chris's
Early life and career
Entrepreneurial venture Rainmakerz
APMP contributions and Fellowship
NCA Chapter association
First ever John Elder award-winning article
Singing gig with Mike Parkinson coordinated by Randy Richter
Adventure to Hawaii..
People influential in his life and career?
Philanthropy initiatives

Few random Questions

What is the best and worst purchases you’ve ever made?
If you were given a one-minute ad slot during the Super Bowl that you couldn’t sell, what would you fill it with?
What’s the best Wi-Fi name you’ve seen?
If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family assume you had done?
What would be the worst “buy one get one free” sale of all time?
What’s the biggest lesson life has taught you?
What trait do you like the most about yourself?
What's the naughtiest thing you have done in school?
What have you observed lately that reminded you that people are good?

Get to know the rainmaker, Chris Simmons

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Todays guest is Steve Skeldon

Steve is APMP Certified at the Practitioner level and currently works as a Senior Proposal Manager for Vectrus. He has more than 8 years of proposal experience across the Federal services industry, managing and supporting bids for a variety of customers across civilian and defense sectors of Government, with heavy support to Navy and Army clients. He is heavily involved in APMP at the local and international levels, receiving the distinction of being named a 40 under 40 in 2018 at the APMP International Conference in San Diego. Steve currently serves as the Vice President for the APMP National Capital Area Chapter and previously served as the Conference Co-Chair for the APMP NCA MAC 2019 conference. He holds a Bachelor degree from Roanoke College and a Master of Professional Studies from The George Washington University.

In this relaxed episode, we will discuss Steve 's

Early life and career
Flying passion
Experience at APMP’s Bid and Proposal Con and NCA Chapter
Memorable capture and proposal effort
Mentor Jeff Leitner
People influential in his life and career

Few fun Qs

Name three similarities between flying a plane and managing a proposal
What is your all-time favorite book, movie, or TV show?
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you take with you?
A six-year-old child asks you if Santa Claus is real…. What do you say?
If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family assume that you had done?

and more

Get to know APMP 40 under 2018 winner and emerging bid leader, Steve Skeldon

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today's guest is Jeff Leitner

Jeff Leitner has 30 years of experience supporting proposals, capture, and business development across the public sector. Currently Vice President of Consulting for Red Team Consulting, he leads the company's proposal, capture, and growth strategy consulting practice, working with Red Team’s clients and consultants. He also leads the company’s proposal best practices and develops and delivers proposal training. Jeff earned his Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan, so he is literally a rocket scientist. He is active in the Colorado Chapter of APMP and regularly presents at APMP conferences and delivers webinars to APMP members. Jeff is known for his dry, witty humour. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his two teenage children and passionately protesting environmental destruction, civil rights injustices, animal cruelty, and gun culture.

In this episode, we will discuss Jeff's

Early life
Rocket scientist studies
IBM career
Red Consulting journey
Views on best and least about consulting?
Leadership views
Sailing

Few fun questions

After you survive the apocalypse, what will your job be?
If you had the power to shrink anything and take it with you, what would you do with it?
If you were invisible for 12 hours, what would you do?
If you had to be renamed after one of the planets in the solar system, which would you pick?
If you were the captain of a pirate ship, what would you name your ship? And what would your title be?
If you were attending a Halloween party, what would your costume be and why?
What kind of secret society would you like to start?
If you could be any male/female sports star, who would you be?
Which is more difficult? Raising teenagers or running proposals?

Get to know the rocket scientist turned softest bid leader with strongest passion in environment and society, Jeff Leitner.

Red Team Consulting Website : https://redteamconsulting.com

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Ajay leads SMA, Inc. as President and CEO. SMA, Inc. is the world’s largest advisory firm dedicated to improving its client’s competitiveness across their entire program lifecycle from market and competitive strategy to capture strategy and bid/proposal development to profitable program execution for public sector markets.

Mr. Patel has over 35 years of consulting, business development, operations, program management and systems engineering experience. Prior to coming to SMA, Ajay was a Director at Deloitte consulting in the Aerospace and Defense practice. He was a Senior Partner at the Monitor Group for twelve years, and created and led it’s global National Security practice. During the 1990s, Ajay served in various roles at SMA including Vice President of Business Development, Executive Vice President of SMA’s Proposal Management group and as the firm’s Chief Operating Officer. Previously, Ajay was at TRW serving in technology development, systems engineering, program management and business development roles.

Ajay enjoys travelling and is an avid reader. His has a particular fascination with typography—the latest fun addition to his library is Simon Garfield’s book “Just My Type: A Book About Fonts.” His favorite bookstore on the planet is Daunt Books in London, United Kingdom.

In this laughter filled deeply insightful episode, Ajay shares

His early life and education
SMA career
Monitor and Deloitte Stint
Return to SMA
Entrepreneurship and leadership tips
Covid-19 support at his company
3 things that not many people know about him
Influential people in his life and career
His love of reading
Tips to study american dictionary
The fonts Steve Jobs created
A masterclass on Typography
Book about butter...
Detective in Caribbean island

Few fun Qs
What is your favorite font? Least favorite?
Do you like your handwriting?
Where is the most interesting place that you’ve travelled?
What is the first thing you do when you get home from a business trip?
If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
What is your all-time favorite book or author?
Have you ever sent a message to a wrong person?
Would you rather lose the ability to read or the ability to speak?
If you could be a cartoon character for a week, who would you be?
Whats the most courageous thing you ever done?
If you could be an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete?
When you are having bad day, what do you do to make yourself feel better?
What do you cook better than anyone?
If you had to choose a completely new profession, what would you pick?
What are your favourite pizza toppings?
If you could be anywhere else right now, Where would it be?
What’s the most interesting thing that you’ve read or seen this week?
If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family assume that
you had done?
If your five year old suddenly found himself inhabiting your current body, what would your five year old self will do first?
What would you if you are the last person on this earth?

Listen in to know more about Ajay Patel, the leader behind SMA Inc.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today's guest Robin Davies

Robin has more than 20 years of commercial and state and local proposal experience. In 2009, Robin established Metre, a successful proposal and sales operations consulting firm that helps healthcare clients win business. Working with start-ups to some of the largest health plans in the country, Robin and her team have helped secure billions of dollars for her clients. She’s proud that over 80% of her work comes from repeat business—a testament to the trusting relationships her and her team build with clients. Prior to founding Metre, Robin fell into proposals at Health ways and then built the company’s first knowledge management and proposal’s department over the next nine years. Robin is an APMP Fellow, former member of the International Board of Directors, and Chapter Chair of the Rhythm & Harmony chapter, which includes members from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Robin describes herself as a brave, passionate, life-long learner. She is driven by the desire to make a positive impact in the lives of the people around her, whether that is helping a client win business through proposals or creating a warm and inviting neighbourhood bar and restaurant in her community.

In this super personal and inspirational episode, we will discuss Robin 's
Early life and career
Mindways career
Entrepreneurial journey with Metre
Restaurant business,Homegrown at Nashville
APMP Rhythm & Harmony chapter founder leadership
APMP Board contributions
Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and proposal professionals
People influential in her life and career
Life theme
Famous Hug :)

Few fun Qs

If you had to pick a theme song for your life, what would it be?
If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Of the 24 beers on tap at your restaurant, which is your favourite?
What does your partner cook better than anyone else?
Who is your all-time favourite musician or band?
In your opinion, is hot dog a sandwich? Why or why not?
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve read or seen this week?
If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family assume you had done?

and more

Get to know the multi-talented singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, restaurant owner, APMP veteran most importantly big hearted human you will ever meet in your life, Robin Davies

p.s. if you are at Nashville for Bid Con 2020, please do visit
Homegrown Taproom & Marketplace
Located in: Donelson Plaza

Address: 2720 Old Lebanon Rd, Nashville, TN 37214, United States

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s guest is Kevin Switaj

Kevin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of BZ Opportunity Management. An experienced proposal professional, he has led bids of diverse sizes and requirements for a wide range of Government clients. He has developed, implemented, and refined life cycle processes at firms, resulting in a minimum of a 50% improvement in win rate year-over-year. He is a former member of the APMP National Capital Area Board of Directors and served as a mentor in the chapter’s mentor-protege program for multiple years. He is a well-recognized thought leader in the field who speaks regularly at regional and international conferences. Kevin has won multiple awards for his writing on opportunity management and regularly blogs on the BZ Opportunity Management site. He is also involved in his community, volunteering for his community swim association and his son’s Cub Scout pack.

In this episode we discussed Kevin's
Early life and career
APMP NCA Chapter memories
Memorable APMP Bid Con experiences
Mentor Jeff Leitner
Entrepreneurship journey with BZ Opportunity Management
Thoughts on empathetic proposal writing and soft skills for proposal professionals
Advice to fellow proposal professionals
Accomplishments he is more proud of
Inspirations including Walt Disney and Pixar

Few fun Qs

What is your favorite Disney movie?
If you could be a Disney character for a week, who would you choose and why?
If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
What is your favorite word?
If you could be an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete?
What came first, the chicken or the egg?
If you could transport back in time to experience one event from the past, what would you choose and why?

Get to know industry leader spearheading empathy and soft skills in proposal industry, Kevin Switaj.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s guest is Marina Goren

Marina Goren is the President/CEO of Smart BD Consulting – a successful MD/DC/NVA area Capture and Proposal Development firm. Over the past 7 years she has successfully grown her company to over 150 consultants serving over 50 Federal Government contracting clients. She teaches numerous Proposal Development and Capture courses and was an APMP speaker since 2014. Ms. Goren continues to personally support her clients in pioneering new frontiers and winning large strategic bids, while running her company. Ms. Goren has been instrumental at Billions of Dollars in wins for her clients (including a recent single award $1.2B win). Prior to starting her own company, Ms. Goren was a Vice President of Business Development at ASRC Primus and helped grow the company from 2 to over 1,600 FTEs in just a little over 5 years. Ms. Goren had a progressive career in IT, Operations and Business Development for the past 23 years.

In this energetic episode, we will discuss Marina 's

Early life in russia and her shift to USA
Computer Science degree at North Western University
Career with Raytheon
Entrepreneural journey supporting 50 Fed clients and 150 consultant
Advice to bid professionals on maintaining positive attitude and how to stay calm
Details capture - the why? and her approach to capture management , how it has evolved over the years
Experience at APMP’s Bid and Proposal Con
Memorable capture and proposal effort
Advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs

avidNASAfan

People influential in her life and career

Few fun Qs

What do you miss most about childhood?
What one thing (modern convenience) could you not live without?
If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?
If you had to be a flower, which one would you be and why?
Do you like Tom or Jerry?
You are being chased by Godzilla, what do you do?
If you could take five things to a deserted island, what would you take

and more

Get to know the capture super star, Marina Goren

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

A former college professor, stand-up comic, and founder of two successful firms, Dr. Tom Sant was named the world's foremost authority on winning sales proposals by the American Management Association and one of the top ten sales trainers in the world by Selling Power Magazine. He was named one of the first-ever Fellows of the APMP in recognition of his contributions to the profession. Tom is the author of the best-selling Persuasive Business Proposals, which was named one of the ten most important books in sales Inc. magazine. He is also the author of the highly acclaimed The Giants of Sales and The Language of Success.

As a consultant, Tom has written over $30 billion in winning proposals for clients in every industry sector, including General Electric, Honeywell, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, VMware, Accenture, BAE Systems, and dozens more.

In addition, he invented the world's first proposal automation tools, ProposalMaster, RFPMaster and PresentationBuilder, used by 1000s of sales and proposal professionals worldwide as the Upland Qvidian system.

In this very insightful yet humorous episode, we will discuss Dr Sant's

Early life and career
Entry to the proposal world
Insights on the stories behind his 3 books

Persuasive Business Proposals
The Giants of Sales
The Language of Success

Persuasion of David Winton led to first ever exhibitors at APMP Conference

25 year association with APMP
Experience of standup at Westminster Abbey
Co presenting with his son Chris Sant at the APMP Conference
Design of the worlds first proposal automation tool and how early stage automation tool worked
Memory of receiving (missing the announcement) the APMP Fellow award
Live 1 min standup comedy and many jokes
NOSE framework for pitching
Shares why its important to laugh everyday and why we should stay on the moment?
Dad influence on his personality
Key traits for entrepreneurs
Experience of mindfulness
School teacher and wife influence on him
His major client support in kick starting his consulting career
Biggest life lesson
One advice - never take call or meeting without establishing clear outcome in mind

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is Larry Newman

Larry is a partner and board member, Shipley Associates. Larry started at Shipley Associates in 1986, so that's 36 years of consulting and training clients in 5 continents (North America, Europe, South America, Australia, and Asia), 30 countries, and more than 100 organizations.

Larry authored the Shipley Proposal Guide, Capture Guide, and Business Development Lifecycle Guide. He is a Fellow of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals, accredited at the APMP Professional Level. Larry has MS and BS Industrial Engineering from University of Iowa.

In this relaxed conversation, we will discuss Larry's

Airforce career
36 years with Shipley working along side Steven Shipley
Three phases approach to Training
Stories behind Shipley proposal and capture guides
Insights behind 96 step shipley process
Marathon running passion
6000 miles cycling in 2018 and is bike riding passion across 30 countries
Thoughts on reasonable and practical life aspiration
Fascinating interest on proposal writing vs song writing
Ethos and values
Admiration to Tony Birch on building the APMP certification programme
His collagues Nancy Kessler, Howard Nutt, Tony Birch, Eric Gregory, Mike Humm

Do you know - Whats the one thing Charlie Devine carries with him during proposal effort?

Few fun Qs
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
What is your favourite word?
If you could be an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete?
If you could be anywhere else right now, where would it be?
If you could be a cartoon character for a week, who would you be?
Would you rather lose the ability to read or lose the ability to speak?
Would you rather know the history of every object you touched or be able to talk to animals?

and more....

Get to know the man behind famous Shipley Proposal and Capture Guides, Larry Newman

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Todays guest is Randy Richter

Randy Richter is Chairman and Price to Win Director at Richter & Company, Competitive analysis and market research firm focused on the Federal market. Previously, Randy was a Senior Consultant at CAI/SISCo, served as Vice President, Strategic Business Development for Integrated Communication Solutions, responsible for the capture and operation of long-term programs within the Federal government.

Randy received a B.S. from Cornell University and M.S. from the State University of New York at Cortland. He has completed sales and technical certifications from Cisco, Nortel Networks, 3Com, and Unisphere Networks (now Juniper Networks). Randy has been a featured speaker at federal conferences, telecommunications industry association events and is an active member of SCIP and APMP. Randy is also founder and president at Western Maryland Lacrosse Officials Association

In this most powerful and inspirational episode, we will discuss Randy's

Early life and Career
Uncle huge influence on him
Impact with the Lacrosse community
Thoughts on capture, price to win and competitive analysis
Entrepreneur journey with Richter and Co
Stage singing experience at the APMP Conference
Passion in Barbeque
Powerful supporting words on Governmemnt colleagues tackling the pandemic

Few surprise Qs
How would you change your life today if the average life expectancy was 400 years?
If you had to be renamed after one of the planets in the solar system, which would you pick?
If you were the captain of a pirate ship, what would you name your ship? And what would your title be?
What would win a fight between a rhinoceros and hippopotamus?
Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?
Why are there no ‘B’ batteries?
If your five-year-old self suddenly found themselves inhabiting your current body, what would your five-year-old self do first?

Get to know the human side of capture and competitive analysis expert, Randy Richter

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is Alan Howard.

Alan, a 40+ years proposal industry veteran is a Certified Professional of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP®). Alan joined APMP in 2009 and was appointed to the APMP UK Board in 2016 as the Certification and Apprenticeship development director where he was heavily involved with the mentoring programme and the conference training days.

In his 40+ years’ working on proposals, Alan has worked on 100’s of proposals, has trained and mentored 150+ proposal professionals

In this episode, we will discuss Alan's

Early Life
4 years Experience at Royal Navy
22 years at IBM and Proposal Entry
APMP UK Chapter contributions including Apprenticeship development
Experience in mentoring 150+ profeessionals towards APMP Practitioner (PPAQ)
APMP certification timeline

Few fun Qs....

Which animal would make the best type of president or prime minister if the animal kingdom ever rises up and takes over?
If you could steal "credit" for any great piece of art, song, film, book etc which one would you claim?
What's the right way of making a tea?
Would you rather live one life that lasts 1,000 years or live 10 lives that last 100 years each?
What kind of secret society would you like to start?
How many chickens would it take to kill an elephant?
and more....

Get to know the human side of APMP UKs most popular mentor, Alan Howard.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is David Bol

As Sr. Vice President of Consulting at Shipley Associates, David Bol has over 30 years as a Senior Proposal Manager helping client’s win over $220 billion dollars of revenue. He has co-authored three books for APMP that still influence winning business development practices today. Mr. Bol is APMP certified at the Professional level, is an APMP Fellow and co-founded the Rocky Mountain APMP Chapter. He earned the Visionary award guiding the APMP group through the 90’s. He has held every international APMP Board position including being CEO of the Board of Directors in 2009.

In this classic episode, we will discuss David's

Early Life
US West and entry to Proposal role entry
3 APMP Books and David Winton relationship
Steven Shipley Traininh and 17 year career with Shipley
Visionary award and his experience of APMP in the 90s
Co-founding APMP Rocky Mountain Chapter Experience
Memories of presenting and co-chairing APMP Bid Con
APMP Board contributions

Few fun Qs....

If Jurassic Park were real, would you visit it?
Would you rather be a deep sea diver or astronaut?
If you could organise a car race for you and your friends where you all drive the same car, what car would you pick and who will you invite?
If you could only listen to one band for the rest of your life, what one would you pick?
Would you rather travel for the rest of your life (only staying in one place for like 3 months), or never leave your home state again?
If you could breed a hybrid animal of any two species, what two would you choose?

and more....

Get to know the human side of APMP Visionary Award Winner, David Bol

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is Samantha Enslen

Samantha runs Dragonfly Editorial, an agency that helps companies around the world write, edit, and design great content -- including proposals. Sam is an APMP member and a frequent speaker at Bid & Proposal Con. She's on the board of ACES: The Society for Editing, and she's a writer for the Grammar Girl podcast. In short, she's a book lover, word nerd, and grammar geek all in one.

In this cracking episode filled with laughter, we will discuss Sam's

Early Life at Ohio
Barista to Editorial Manager journey
Dragonfly Editorial Company
Return to Dayton, Ohio
Favorite writers
Contributions in Grammar Girl, Editorial Eye, APMP, IABC and ACES
Proposal writing and copy editing recommendations

Few fun Qs....

What is the first book that made you cry?

Does Prince Charming exist?

Can you daydream at night?

At the beach would you rather play in the sand, or play in the water?

What comes first, Chicken or Egg?

and more....

Get to know the human side of writing and editing expert, Samantha Enslen

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is Nic Adams

Nicholas Adams is an industry veteran with 30+ years IT and bid and proposal experience having recently worked for Teradata as Lead for EMEA proposal management and RFX process previously leading their UK & Ireland Opportunity Management function. Before Teradata, Nic also worked at Liberata, Atos/Siemens IT Solutions, Dell, HP and Fujitsu.

Nic has served on the APMP UK Chapter Board of Directors since 2007. Nick was also 2017 and 2018 UK Conference director. At an international level, Nic has served as APMP International chair, past chair and was also first ever Treasurer for the Association. Nic is APMP Practitioner certified and has a business management degree from university of south Africa. Nic also served in the board of AFSM International, Rotary, Lions International and various education institutes.

In this episode we will discuss Nic's

Early Life in South Africa
Mom influence and his music career
Techincal expertise at IT Companies
Transition to UK
Entry to Proposal Industry
3 things not many people know about him
APMP Board, Conference Chair contributions
UK Chapter Association
Cooking passion
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
His next steps

Few fun Qs....

What would the world be like if it was filled with male and female copies of you?
If you were transported 400 years into the past with no clothes or anything else, how would you prove that you were from the future?
What's the most courageous thing you've ever done?
If you could eat only 3 foods for the rest of your life, what would they be?
If you could pick a new first name, what would it be?

and more..

Get to know the human side of APMP Veteran, Nic Adams

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is Dick Eassom

Dick Eassom, aka Wordman, a Certified Fellow of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP®), past APMP Chief Executive Officer, recipient of the APMP William C. McRae Founders' Award, past Chair of the APMP California Chapter and a proud member of the chapter’s Mentor program. Dick has presented at 15+ APMP Annual International Conferences on using Microsoft Word for proposal development.

Dick has authored over forty articles for "Wordman's Production Corner" in the APMP Perspective. In his 40+ years of experience, Dick has led or contributed to numerous proposals in the USA, UK, Canada, Germany and Australia. Dick has a BSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Leeds in England.

In this episode we will discuss Dick's

Early Life in United Kingdom
Techincal expertise at Marconi
Transition to USA
Entry to Proposal Industry
3 things not many people know about him
APMP Board, Conference Co Chair contributions
California Chapter Association
Stamp collection passion
Wordman origin
40+ Blogs for APMP Journal and 15+ APMP Conference workshops
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
His next steps

Few fun Qs....

Which super hero is Wordman similar to ?
How would Dick explain the profession to a child?
and more...

Dick also recommends a very interesting book and shares a funny incident at one of his workshop to the listeners...

Get to know the human side of Wordman, Dick Eassom

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is BJ Lownie
BJ Lownie was one of the 28 founding members of APMP, true “Proposal Patriot, an accredited Professional and elected Fellow of APMP and started Strategic Proposals in the US in 1987. He is a truly “Passionate about Proposals”, an outstanding presenter and trainer and is recognised as one of the gurus of the proposal world. In his 35+ years’ working on proposals, BJ has worked on 1000’s of proposals, has trained 10000 proposal professionals and has presented at countless conferences.

In this episode we will discuss BJ's

Early Life at Farm
Entry to Proposal Industry
3 things not many people know about him
Founding APMP Member
Strategic Proposals Journey with Jon Williams
Passion about Proposals
Music passion
Unintentional Negatives Explanation
Edu- tertainment at APMP Conferences
Books and Blogs
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Semi Retirement

Few fun Qs....

What superpower would BJ most like to have?
His favourite music artist ?
Whats that one thing BJ wish people stop asking him?

and more..

Get to know the human side of one of the gurus of the proposal world, BJ Lownie.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is Margaret Helsabeck. Over the last 30 years Margaret has focused on leading proposal management, learning and communications across large business winning organisations in UK and USA. Margaret was the second UK APMP CEO and became an APMP Fellow in 2009. Margaret officially retired in 2015 and now runs Mags Arts Space travelling, drawing and painting.

In this episode we will discuss Margaret's

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
3 things not many people know about him
APMP UK CEO contribution
Working alongside Shipley colleagues - Tony Birch and Mark Taylor
UK and USA bid experience
Cooking passion
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Retirement - Mags Arts Space and

Few fun Qs....

Get to know the human side of your proposal expert and artist, Margaret Helsabeck

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s Guest is Tim Snell , Tim has 20+ years’ experience in helping companies create solutions to win business. He has worked in some of the most remote, austere and dangerous places in the world including Afghanistan, Iraq, Liberia, Mali and Sudan in support of military, United Nations, NATO and commercial organisations. Tim is an executive & Personal Coach, Business Winning consultant and Trainer. Tim is APMP Deputy Chief examiner and a regular speaker and contributor to APMP.

In this insightful episode we will discuss Tim's

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
3 things not many people know about him
Global field based experience
APMP Deputy Examiner Contribution working alongside Cathy Day
APMP Certification Journey
Lebanese cuisine..
Ignite the potential
Travel destinations
Family influence and upbringing, sacrifice and how he inspired her career
Coaching tips to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Baskar being a foodie listen in Tim's response on his favourite food in Australia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Liberia, Mali, Sudan, Dubai. Get to know the human side of your bid coach, Tim Snell

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s guest is Ali Paskun

Ali Paskun CF.APMP is the founder of AbiL Solutions LLC and RFPtrainer. Ali is a veteran in the world of Federal Government contracting having worked for a number of government contractors to develop and refine successful approaches to winning Federal Government contracts. She has spent 35 years developing win strategies with expertise throughout the entire phase of proposal development cycle, primarily for small and mid-sized companies. Ali has an impressive track record of collaborating with and managing capture teams to identify best possible solutions for proposals. She used to manage the Journal of the Association of Proposal Management and has lectured nationally. She is an APMP Fellow and has earned APMP certification

In this insightful episode we will discuss Ali

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
3 things not many people know about her
Her passion in helping SMEs find extra time
Being APMP Journal Editor
APMP friends John Elder and Kristin Dufrene
People influential in her career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

Get to know the human side of your passionate industry expert, Ali Paskun

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Kristin (Baron) Dufrene, CPP APMP Fellow, has twenty-six years of experience in Federal sector business development, including capture management and proposal development. Kristin has been a member of APMP since 1995 and served as the 2017 Chair of the International Board of Directors. She has led many joint Industry-Federal initiatives, including the Procurement Improvement Committee (PIC), the Federal Procurement Community, and the Government-Industry Acquisition Task Force. Kristin is currently Strategic Capture Executive Director for CACI and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from LSU.

In this insightful episode we will discuss Kristin's

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
3 things not many people know about her
Buyer and Procurement Initiatives
Volunteering services to Homeless and Lupus charity
APMP CEO role and wider APMP Contribution
APMP Certification Journey
How "re-engineering" comment inspired to present a Cajun themed presentation..
APMP friends
Croatian heritage
Dad influence and upbringing, sacrifice and how he inspired her career
People influential in her career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

In Kristin's words - You will always have an APMP friend to pick the phone and bounce an idea. Get to know the human side of your multi talented industry expert, Kristin Dufrene

Disclaimer : At 26.00 its Cuttlefish not monkfish:)

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Todays Guest is Betsy Blakney, CPP APMP, is an APMP Fellow, past APMP International CEO, COO, Board Secretary, and Eastern Regional Representative, and a former APMP National Capital Area (NCA) President. With 25 years of proposal management experience, Betsy is currentlyDirector of Proposal Operations Support for CACI. Betsy was previously the Director of Proposal Services for UNITECH (acquired by Lockheed Martin), served in the Washington Federal Practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers as a Federal Proposal Manager, and began her proposal management career at Datatrac Information Services, Inc. (acquired by CSC).

An APMP member since 1996, she actively served as an APMP certification mentor, co-authored the APMP Industry Glossary of Terms, and is a frequent conference speaker/panelist.

In this deeply insightful episode we will discuss Betsy's

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
3 things not many people know about her
Research on reskilling and upskilling bid and professionals in the automated world
Passion on Coaching
Role in NCA Chapter
APMP CEO role and wider APMP Contribution
Authoring Glossary of Terms
APMP Certification Journey
Knowledge Management Certification
Mom upbringing, sacrifice and how she inspired her career
People influential in her career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

In Betsy's words - She will continue to give back to the community that has embraced her..Get to know the human side of your high achieving multi talented industry expert, Betsy Blakney

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s Guest is Colleen Jolly, Colleen has 20 years' experience in visual communications, training, marketing (event management and sales (B2G, B2B, and B2C) across several industries and countries including deep expertise in the US, UK, and Australia. Colleen served as Secretary of APMP NCA chapter 2010-2012; and on the International Board of APMP 2012-2015 as Secretary, COO, the youngest CEO in the organization's history, and Past CEO.

Collen is the youngest person to win the APMP Fellow Award in 2010; she won the APMP Insight Award in 2012 for her article on international business an was also honoured at inaugural APMP "40 Under 40" honor in 2017.

In this "inspirational" episode we will discuss Colleen's

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
APMP CEO role and wider APMP Contribution
Entrepreneuship journey
Health and Fitness
How APMP inspired her NEW venture Pole Con
People influential in her life and career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

Be Yourself to Succeed - Get to know the human side of your high achieving multi talented industry expert, Colleen Jolly

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Todays guest Mike Parkinson. Mike is(Microsoft MVP and APMP Fellow) is an internationally recognized Visual Communication and Presentation Expert and award-winning author of (“Billion Dollar Graphics” and “A Trainer's Guide to PowerPoint: Best Practices for Master Presenters.”). He owns Billion Dollar Graphics and is a partner at 24 Hour Company, a premier creative services firm. Mike has spearheaded multi-billion-dollar projects and helped Fortune 500 companies and international learning institutions win billions of dollars.

In this episode we will discuss Mike's

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
Microsoft Powerpoint, Graphics & Creative Design Passion
APMP Contributions
People influential in her life and career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

Get to know the human side of your industry expert, Mike Parkinson.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today's Guest is Kirste Webb. Kirste is APMP Fellow with 30+ years’ experience in all facets of business development and marketing services. Kirste is Senior Vice President Business Development at ARS Aleut Remediation. Kirste has twice been the volunteer Chair of APMP and was also instrumental in APMP’s certification program by pushing for an APMP Body of Knowledge (BoK). Kirste also serves as a counselor with the East Tennessee Procurement Technical Assistance Center. She achieved APMP Certification – Foundation Level, and holds Bachelor’s degree and MBA from the University of Phoenix.

In this episode we will discuss Kirste's

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
APMP Chair role and wider APMP Contribution
People influential in her life and career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

Get to know the human side of your industry expert, Kirste Webb.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is Eric Gregory. Eric has 42 years experience in business development, capture and proposal operations. Eric has been honoured with APMP’s highest service award, the William C. McCrae Memorial Award, he also received CACI’s top honor for service excellence, the Admiral Thomas H. Moorer Award. Eric is APMP-certified proposal professional (APMP CPP) and an APMP Fellow, Twice ex. CEO of APMP.

In this episode we will discuss Eric's

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
APMP CEO role and wider APMP Contribution
People influential in his life and career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

Get to know the human side of your industry expert, Eric Gregory

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

You are listening to Scribble Talk, a podcast for bid and proposal professionals. My name is Baskar Sundaram and with my co – host Ashley Kayes, we will be sitting down with our industry veterans to share their stories, discuss their career, and learn how to make an impact in the industry.

Today’s guest is Cathy Day. Cathy has over 35 years’ experience directing, delivering, and training capture and bid teams. Cathy designed and developed the Association Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) Accreditation Programme. Cathy is APMP Fellow, APMP Accreditation Director and Chief Examiner since 2004

In this episode we will discuss Cathy's

Life and Career
Entry to Proposal Industry
APMP Chief Examiner role
APMP Certification history and Development
People influential in her life and career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

Get to know the human side of your industry expert, Cathy Day

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Tony has the biggest heart among all my relationships. His giving cannot be measured... My godfather in the industry.

Today’s guest is Tony Birch. Tony is Chairman of Shipley Limited. An industry veteran with 40+ years’ experience who has trained over 10,000 people, helped win over $30bn in new business. Elected a APMP Fellow in 2006, Tony served on the main board of the APMP for 4 years; during that time he oversaw the development and launch of the APMP's Certification Program. As one of the founders of APMP UK, Tony’s mission is to ensure that the role of a bid or proposal manager is recognised throughout the world as a profession - and not just a job.

In this episode we will discuss Tony's

Life and Career
Shipley Journey
APMP Board tenure and his founding role in APMP UK
Role in designing certification programme
People influential in his life and career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

Get to know the human side of your industry expert, Tony Birch.

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)

Today’s (our very first) guest is Howard Nutt. I owe everything to this man....

Howard Nutt is Executive Director of the Business Development Institute International (BD-Institute). An industry veteran with 45 years experience.

Howard was one of APMP's 28 founding members, developed its original strategic plan, is the recipient of APMP Founders and Vision awards and continues as an APMP Fellow. He leads development of the Capability Maturity Model® for Business Development and was a former Senior VP of Consulting for Shipley Associates.

In this episode we will discuss Howard's

Life and Career
BD-CMM History
28 founding APMP membership
His role as APMP's first ever Director Strategic Planning
People influential in his life and career
Advice to bid and proposal professionals
Next Steps and

Few fun Qs....

Get to know the human side of your industry expert, Howard Nutt..

Support the show (https://pod.fan/scribble-talk)