Angie Wolfe, CP APMP

In the current highly competitive environment, using new technology like AI can certainly provide an advantage to your team. However, it’s also essential to recognize the significance of investing in your team’s education for long-term success. This is particularly true in the AEC marketing industry, where professionals require every possible advantage. We now compete in a points-based project award system, and every point matters in the proposal scoring process. Ask any AEC professional; they… Show more

In the current highly competitive environment, using new technology like AI can certainly provide an advantage to your team. However, it’s also essential to recognize the significance of investing in your team’s education for long-term success. This is particularly true in the AEC marketing industry, where professionals require every possible advantage. We now compete in a points-based project award system, and every point matters in the proposal scoring process. Ask any AEC professional; they will tell you their own stories of failed pursuits involving a point or two.

When to hire a consultant
Pursuing a project is a whole team effort, from management to subject matter experts, marketing folks and everyone in between. Yes, the physical (or virtual) assembly of the proposal comes down to the marketing team’s efforts. But ask yourself: Is your team among the leaders in the industry? Why or why not?

When to invest in training
Committing to investing in the education and training of your team can be an asset for long-term success. By investing in your team’s growth and development or readily offering the company’s resources to help them attend trainings, you show appreciation for their hard work and dedication. This can lead to increased loyalty, job satisfaction and productivity. Employees who feel valued and supported are more likely to exceed expectations.

Investing in your team’s education is an investment in your company’s success. It shows that you are committed to staying ahead of the competition and delivering optimal client results. It can also boost your team’s confidence and abilities to handle challenges and produce better project outcomes. Show less

3. Share the plan of action for moving forward.
Ownership of and transparency about mishaps and issues are essential. Many times, organizations and/or individuals want to deflect and point the blame elsewhere. Although there may be outside factors working against you, talking about them doesn’t necessarily help the situation. Sure, it gives backstory and context, but your clients will always appreciate it when you own up to your mistakes and share a plan of action for moving forward.

You’re killing it at work. You’ve been laser focused on what needs to be done and you’ve gotten the job done. But you know there is more you should know, more you should be learning. There has to be, right?

You keep doing the work, and now you also do some research. Bingo! You’ve found a seminar, a conference or a learning opportunity you want to attend.

Maybe by this point, your story is not so much “killing it” as the hard work is killing you. But rejoice — you’ve come across a… Show more

You’re killing it at work. You’ve been laser focused on what needs to be done and you’ve gotten the job done. But you know there is more you should know, more you should be learning. There has to be, right?

You keep doing the work, and now you also do some research. Bingo! You’ve found a seminar, a conference or a learning opportunity you want to attend.

Maybe by this point, your story is not so much “killing it” as the hard work is killing you. But rejoice — you’ve come across a learning opportunity that would make a difference in your work.

So, what’s stopping you? The price tag? The time away from work? How will you justify this to your boss? Will your boss even go for it?

The questions swirling around in your head can be endless. I know. I’ve been in your shoes. A lot of us have. Why is it so hard to ask for more knowledge at work?

Make your case
I know the thought of asking your boss for anything with a price tag attached is exhausting for many. For others, not so much.

I’ve been a member of both parties. I was once part of a firm where I could (literally) walk into my manager’s office and say, “Good morning! Hey, there is this training I’d love to attend because of x, y and z. Does that sound possible?” Not presenting any concrete evidence or research; just a conversation, and boom! A few months later, I was training it up in Philly.

I understand this is not the norm. For many, it requires more leg work. I’m thinking dissertation-level presentation. Sound familiar?

Whatever the case may be for you at work, please do me a favor and start by putting in some research time. Start with some basics:

• Who is giving the training/event?

• Why is it relevant to you?

• How will it improve your skills?

• How will it help you and the company? Is it related to one of your annual goals? Show less

In the era of remote work, virtual conferences and meetings have become increasingly popular. While they enable long-distance connection in a way never before possible, there is a significant difference between delivering a presentation online and the synergy that happens in person.

Fortunately, by carefully preparing and leveraging some pro tips, online presenters can keep their audiences interested and engaged. Below, 13 members of Business Journals Leadership Trust offer their… Show more

In the era of remote work, virtual conferences and meetings have become increasingly popular. While they enable long-distance connection in a way never before possible, there is a significant difference between delivering a presentation online and the synergy that happens in person.

Fortunately, by carefully preparing and leveraging some pro tips, online presenters can keep their audiences interested and engaged. Below, 13 members of Business Journals Leadership Trust offer their experience to help business leaders and speakers enhance their virtual presentation skills and strategies.

Engage the audience before, during and after the presentation.
Don’t be afraid to engage your audience. Engagement is key, whether it is sending out a call to confirmed attendees before the presentation, giving opportunities for questions throughout or even sending a call out for questions after the presentation. This allows attendees and presenters to be fully engaged at any point. Show less

While mental health is becoming a more widely discussed topic, many people still feel uncomfortable talking about it, especially in the workplace. This can lead to a lack of support for employees who may be struggling with mental health issues.

Leaders have an important role to play in creating work environments that foster empathy and support for all employees, including those with mental health challenges. Below, 14 Business Journals Leadership Trust members share some approaches that… Show more

While mental health is becoming a more widely discussed topic, many people still feel uncomfortable talking about it, especially in the workplace. This can lead to a lack of support for employees who may be struggling with mental health issues.

Leaders have an important role to play in creating work environments that foster empathy and support for all employees, including those with mental health challenges. Below, 14 Business Journals Leadership Trust members share some approaches that leaders can take to promote a more compassionate and inclusive workplace culture. By implementing these strategies, leaders can help their employees feel supported, valued and empowered to prioritize their mental health.

Understand each employee’s background and offer flexibility.
Something I’ve always done is get to know those on my team on a somewhat personal level. I remember the times when I felt like I was just another employee on a team — another number. As I gained more experience leading teams in the corporate sector, I put into practice understanding my team members’ backgrounds and allowing, as far as possible and needed, for greater flexibility (work-life balance). Show less

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angie Wolfe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Angie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?
Kramer North America (Kraemer) is used to getting the job done. Kraemer is a leader in alternative delivery. They’ve established a national reputation for being quality-driven and… Show more

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angie Wolfe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Angie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?
Kramer North America (Kraemer) is used to getting the job done. Kraemer is a leader in alternative delivery. They’ve established a national reputation for being quality-driven and safety-focused.

But despite the team’s rich history and expertise, they were experiencing higher volumes of output than they could manage internally. Recognizing this need for external help, Kraemer reached out to Ideas at Dawn 6 months before the initial release of the highly targeted CDOT I-70 Floyd Hill CMGC pursuit.

The RFP was delayed almost a year, but our merged teams didn’t waver. Instead, we continued refining our capture and strategy development using our (internally developed) 6 Step proposal framework, which ultimately led to Kraemer being shortlisted for the interview along with two other firms.

After submittal, we continued to work with Kraemer through weekly coaching sessions to develop scripts, slides, 3D graphics and videos to communicate their message. In early January 2022, they were notified that they had been awarded the 5-year, $500 million CMGC project. It was Kramer’s largest win to date and proof that when you take care of your customers first, you’ll always be rewarded with success.

Angie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations.
At Ideas at Dawn, our goal is to help you win more work....

For the rest of the article, go to the link here https://canvasrebel.com/meet-angie-wolfe/ Show less

Resilience does not need to be done or built alone. Support networks are essential to assist you in seeing the lesson learned.

Offer equal pay and transparency. Women have historically earned less than their male counterparts. According to a 2022 SHRM article, from 2015 to 2019 the pay gap narrowed — but it reversed significantly during the pandemic. Why? One reason I see mentioned repeatedly is women are no longer willing to accept frustrating work environments that don’t commit to their overall well-being and success. Women are recognizing their true worth! – Angie Wolfe, Ideas at Dawn

Leading a team is tricky, especially at first. Some fall into the role and seem to navigate the waters with ease. Others have a rocky road until they find their rhythm and flow.

Leadership is a key factor in whether employees stay with a company or look for a new job. Several recent studies have demonstrated this: one found that 63% of employees with a bad manager are considering leaving their job within the next year. Despite the best intentions and efforts, a leader’s limitations can… Show more

Leading a team is tricky, especially at first. Some fall into the role and seem to navigate the waters with ease. Others have a rocky road until they find their rhythm and flow.

Leadership is a key factor in whether employees stay with a company or look for a new job. Several recent studies have demonstrated this: one found that 63% of employees with a bad manager are considering leaving their job within the next year. Despite the best intentions and efforts, a leader’s limitations can prevent them from charting the best course. And this leads employees to lose faith in the organization.

The following practices will help you get where you want to be as a leader while building up your team to become leaders themselves. Show less

Surrounding myself with like-minded entrepreneurs and professionals that have taken similar journeys has made a world of difference. Growing up, we all disliked our parents telling us, “I just don’t want you to make the mistakes I did.” Well, when it comes to business, seeking out those that have paved the way can only help one continue to trust their own business instincts. – Angie Wolfe, Ideas at Dawn

For me, the big change has been having flexibility with everything, including my clients. I started off my solopreneur adventure like my side hustle with only myself but had to quickly shift by adding more team members to help deliver work. Enjoy the roller coaster because every day, month and year is a little different if you continue to tweak and grow as a person. – Angie Wolfe, Ideas at Dawn

Where are my AEC (architectural/engineering/construction) marketing people? There you are! I knew you were in here.

Now, you can keep reading if you’re in another industry that uses proposals as a means of pursuing/awarding work, but when I tell you that AEC marketing industry proposals are unique, I am not being dramatic. If you know, you know.

I’ve never met anyone who intentionally went into AEC marketing. That’s how unique our industry is. Many of us have thrived in this… Show more

Where are my AEC (architectural/engineering/construction) marketing people? There you are! I knew you were in here.

Now, you can keep reading if you’re in another industry that uses proposals as a means of pursuing/awarding work, but when I tell you that AEC marketing industry proposals are unique, I am not being dramatic. If you know, you know.

I’ve never met anyone who intentionally went into AEC marketing. That’s how unique our industry is. Many of us have thrived in this industry; many have struggled, for one reason or another. Most people I have talked to discuss not having the right tools from the get-go. Either way, I’m sure you’ve learned some tricks of the trade that have made all the difference. For me, the tools I’ve picked up along the way are mostly organization-related....

See the link for the rest of the story. https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2022/11/08/aec-proposal-writing-recommended-tools-and-organizational-tips.html Show less

Lists! I love them. Being able to do a “physical” strikethrough on a “to-do” item brings me immense satisfaction. However, to get my day started the next day, I make myself a list of three things to start the day. They’re typically things that are relatively easy to accomplish. It may sound mundane, but starting with the easy stuff tricks my brain into the pep talk it needs to tackle the tougher items. – Angie Wolfe, Ideas at Dawn

Leading a team is tricky, especially at first. Some fall into the role and seem to navigate the waters with ease. Others have a rocky road until they find their rhythm and flow. Leadership is a key factor in whether employees stay with a company or look for a new job. Several recent studies have demonstrated this: one found that 63% of employees with a bad manager are considering leaving their job within the next year. Despite the best intentions and efforts, leaders' limitations can prevent… Show more

Leading a team is tricky, especially at first. Some fall into the role and seem to navigate the waters with ease. Others have a rocky road until they find their rhythm and flow. Leadership is a key factor in whether employees stay with a company or look for a new job. Several recent studies have demonstrated this: one found that 63% of employees with a bad manager are considering leaving their job within the next year. Despite the best intentions and efforts, leaders' limitations can prevent them from charting the best course. And this leads employees to lose faith in the organization. This article features 5 practices that will help you get where you want to be as a leader while building up your team to become leaders themselves. Show less

Too often, marketing departments are inundated with new pursuits for their company, and the idea of hiring (temporary) outside help comes too late. Sometimes a targeted pursuit slips through the firm’s fingers because of an overwhelmed department, and an opportunity is missed. These scenarios are too common within the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) marketing industry, and they have nothing to do with the talented individuals in the department. Often, a marketing group has… Show more

Too often, marketing departments are inundated with new pursuits for their company, and the idea of hiring (temporary) outside help comes too late. Sometimes a targeted pursuit slips through the firm’s fingers because of an overwhelmed department, and an opportunity is missed. These scenarios are too common within the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) marketing industry, and they have nothing to do with the talented individuals in the department. Often, a marketing group has skilled professionals, but they are stretched too thin when the time comes to begin, continue or close out new pursuits. This is possible even if all the legwork in the capture planning phase has been done correctly. Experienced, organized Jack and Jills of all trades, marketing consultants take on various tasks for their firms. The right proposal manager consultant will provide the focused energy a targeted pursuit requires. (Full disclosure: I run a proposal management company.) Let’s imagine that you’ve had all the internal discussions needed and decided that bringing in a consultant is the right choice. The next group of questions plaguing your group probably sounds like this: Where do we find help? When should we bring this person on? The following tips will give you and your firm insight into how and when a marketing consultant can provide the most bang for your buck. Show less