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About APMP Fellows Colleen Jolly
ColleenJolly

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Colleen Jolly, CPP APMP Fellow (Class of 2010)

Freelance


Bio

Colleen spent 18 years supporting the proposal management profession full-time and the past six years supporting it in a part-time/freelance capacity. She previously served as the CEO, COO, and Secretary of the APMP board as well as on the NCA APMP board as Secretary. She was on the staff of the APMP Journal for ten years serving as Layout Editor. Colleen has spoken at most APMP chapters around the world on visual communications and general business topics and was a regular speaker at Bid and Proposal Con for many years. She was honored with the APMP Fellow Award in 2010; she won the APMP Insight Award in 2012 for her article on international business; was featured in Northern Virginia magazine's "Top 10 Entrepreneurs Under 30" in 2010; and was a finalist for the Stevie Awards Creative Professional of the Year, 2009. She also was honored with the inaugural "40 Under 40" honor from APMP in 2017. She has been published seven times in a women’s entrepreneurial calendar. Colleen has also been recognized for her leadership as a woman in business by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Recently, she started her own trade association outside of the proposal industry and published her first book after performing twice with Snoop Dogg (2019 and 2020). Connect with Colleen via her website: www.colleenjolly.com

What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?

Being a fellow was my proudest achievement. It made me feel recognized for my contributions to our industry.

What's your best memory from attending an APMP event?

All of them! I loved attending BPC every year and catching up with old friends.

What advice do you have for a proposal professional entering our field?

Proposal work can be very rewarding and very challenging. Figure out what "self-care" means for you so that you can keep providing a high level of service to your company/clients/staff without burning out.

Being a part of APMP, I get access to the knowledge and experience of great leaders and mentors from the community. I have learned a great deal from the webinars and conferences I attended on diverse topics from career progression in Proposal Management, trends (such as automation) in PreSales to achieving work-life balance, and handling burn-outs – all real-life experiences.
Kulkarni Shubhada photo
Shubhada Kulkarni, CP APMP
This was my first APMP event, and I was wholly impressed. The energy in the room reignited my passion for this industry, and I can't wait to get back to my team to implement what I have learned.
Brittany Guzman
Brittany Guzman, CF APMP
The Executive Summary is the key element of each proposal, literally the most important part of the response next to the price – this is why my focus was on this micro certification. Understanding the principles of Deal-Strategy, Win-Strategy, Competitor-Analysis, Ghosting, Persuasive Writing, Features/Benefits/Discriminators, and many more is essential and beneficial for so much more than just the Executive Summary.
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Florian Lamisch, CF ES-M APMP
APMP has provided an incredible platform for seasoned individuals from the Proposal and Bid Management profession and young professionals who want to start their careers in this field.
Mayura
Mayura Ravishankar, Proposal Associate
As a sales coach, the executive summary is vital for capturing and proposing management activities. This is an excellent addition to our members' professional standing, and I look forward to many more micro certifications.
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Suzanne Shields, CPP ES-M APMP
Acquiring the executive summary micro certification has helped to build my confidence in producing best practice Executive Summaries. I also benefit from the social media badge for my LinkedIn profile and certification to add to my resume. Both of these allow me to verify my Executive Summary capabilities.
LauraRispin
Laura Rispin, CP ES-M APMP
You can expand your network by attending the local Chapter webinar and events. They provide an opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals locally to create and share consumable content, ideas, tools, and resources.
Sonal
Sonal Bhatnagar, CP APMP, PMP
APMP Certification is an important milestone in the bid and proposal profession. It helped me upgrade my knowledge and be competitive in the industry. You can achieve your dream career with APMP certifications. Thanks to APMP India.
Swapnil Patange
Swapnil Patange, CF APMP
Achieving the Executive Summaries micro-certification will support me in persuading Sales to create a better Executive Summary.
Gerald Stein
Gerald Stein, CF ES-M APMP
Achieving certification sends a message to the world that I’m dedicated and accomplished as a proposal manager. I feel proud of earning this title and I encourage others to join our ranks.
Jessica Davis
Jessica Davis, CF APMP