Mike Parkinson

MikeParkinson

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Mike Parkinson, CPP APMP Fellow (Class of 2008)

Principal
24 Hour Company

Bio

Mike is a geek. He is a CPP APMP Fellow, 1 of 36 Microsoft PowerPoint MVPs in the world, an internationally recognized communication and proposal expert, a best-selling author, and a professional trainer. Mike has spearheaded multi-billion dollar projects and created thousands of graphics resulting in billions of dollars in increased revenue for his clients. His keynotes, training, books (“Billion Dollar Graphics” and “A Trainer's Guide to PowerPoint: Best Practices for Master Presenters.”), and tools (www.Build-a-Graphic.com) help companies succeed while saving money and time. Mike owns Billion Dollar Graphics (www.BillionDollarGraphics.com) and is a partner at 24 Hour Company (www.24hrco.com), the premier proposal graphics firm.

Mike regularly conducts workshops and creates graphics, presentations, and content for companies like Microsoft, FedEx, Pfizer, Xerox, Dell, Subaru, Nestle, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing, as well as at learning institutions and government agencies like NSA, CMS, OCC, the Army, and the SEC.

For fun, Mike is an artist, a pop culture connoisseur, enjoys exercise and fitness, and loves helping others achieve their goals.

What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?

Being an APMP Fellow is an honor. It means that I will always be an advocate for positive change in our industry and help others find value within APMP.

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

So many "best" memories: meeting people who became my dearest friends, dancing at social events, and geeking out with my fellow proposal nerds. If I had to pick my best memory, it would be giving my At-a-Glance keynote at the APMP BPC 2019. What an amazing experience. The support and feedback exceeded my expectations.

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

Two things that helped me... One, I found a mentor. Two, I eventually understood the "why" (the psychology) behind what and how we do what we do. Once I had a deeper understanding, SO many things clicked for me.

Anything else you would like to share?

Thanks, APMP, for being a wonderful organization with passionate members and staff!

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.

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Shubhada Kulkarni, CP APMP

Acquiring this micro-certification allows me to expand my aperture regarding the collaboration between capture and proposal management to develop more robust, customer-centric Executive Summaries for future pursuits. It allows me to advance my skill set, evolve my knowledge, and reflect my commitment to continuous learning.

Stephen Yuter, ES-M APMP

Being an active APMP certified practitioner allowed me to recognize my hidden potential multifold (40u40, BPC Awards, BPC Speaker) and give back to the profession through the APMP community.

Karthik Koutharapu, CP 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 Bhatnagar, CP APMP, PMP

With this micro-certification and digital badge, I signal to my bid team and stakeholders that I am familiar with this topic. They can use me as their contact and "sparring partner," independent of RFPs.

Norbert Thiemermann, CPP ES-M APMP

I love that my high scores in English and grammar from grade school finally paid off! I understand where I fit in professionally with a career that is rewarding on many levels. I owe all of this to APMP!

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Bette Sturino, CP APMP

Without APMP, I would not have the tools or knowledge of the industry to have the career I have today and the success I have experienced.

Liz Megli, CF 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.

Florian Lamisch, CF ES-M APMP

The Executive Summaries Micro-Certification exam was easy to follow and clear in what was required. I found the learning materials to be very informative, and they will be a great tool to use while in the exam and for future executive summary tasks.

Sarah Chapman, CP ES-M APMP