Turning a growing pipeline into a repeatable proposal engine.
An extra pair of hands embedded in the work, building the structure and momentum to support a growing pipeline.
Maintaining growth momentum while updating infrastructure and operations in real-time.
A Portland business had hit a growth impasse. Proposals for new work were coming in faster than the team could respond, internal expenses were rising, and improvements were stalling. The organization needed to grow but didn’t have the infrastructure to do it efficiently. They needed someone who could guide and execute in a direction that would lead to growth.
Our founder started by leading the largest proposal effort the company had ever done, and has since stayed on as part of the team.
Running & growing the business at once
The team had to run a complex business and grow it at the same time, with competing priorities in both directions. They knew the work inside and out but struggled to articulate it in a way that would win new business.
One leader, embedded in the work
This business didn’t need a large engagement, just an experienced pair of hands for guidance and execution. Our founder plays as project manager, content developer, and “herder of cats” for every proposal, building the structure for the team to use again and again.
Structure, drive, and processes
We created a clear way for the team to work through a proposal and drive the work to ensure we hit every milestone. All responses, templates, and supporting material now live in a central place so the team can reuse them. Getting to know the business and embedding in the day-to-day, combined with knowing how to show value, elevated the proposals themselves.
The outcome
A repeatable path to winning work
The first major proposal was won, and we’ve since driven every medium to large proposal while building the infrastructure for responding to the next one. The team now has a process, a library of reusable content, and a partner who activates them the moment a proposal comes in.
7
proposals led
5
wins, with 1 loss and 1 pending
1st
proposal was the largest the company had ever pursued, and it was won
1
central home for responses, templates, and proposal work
This client doesn’t need a high-level manager to dictate every decision. They need a leader who will get their hands dirty as a true member of their team, and that’s exactly how we show up.
Embedded work beats advisory work. Being part of the team means the minute a proposal comes in, we can activate everyone and drive toward a winning bid.
“Our business was experiencing rapid growth and we needed our operations to support us instead of hold us back. Elizabeth helped us streamline our proposal process and then built the proposals to grow our business. She has a way of turning what we do every day into a clear, convincing story for the people deciding who gets the contract. We now go into bids fully prepared, confident, and ready for all the growth that’s ahead.”
Siri Miller
Owner, VP Procurement and Administration at a Portland Biohazard remediation company
Portland consulting firms range from large national practices to small specialist firms, with solutions ranging from frameworks and advice to hands-on partnerships. As a Portland-based firm, Alder45 loved working with another Portland business by embedding with the team, leading its largest-ever proposal effort, and staying on to build the process behind every proposal since.
The Big 4 offers breadth and scale, while boutique consulting firms offer senior-level focus and closer integration with your team. In this engagement, our founder worked as part of the client’s team, acting as project manager and content developer, rather than delivering recommendations from the outside.
You should hire a business consultant when growth or change is outpacing your team’s structure and capacity. In our example above, the client had proposals arriving faster than the team could respond, while also facing rising expenses and stalled improvements. We stepped in with structure and drive, and the client has won five of the seven proposals we’ve led so far.
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