One year ago, my energy and focus were centered on preparing for my APMP Foundation Certification. I immersed myself in the study guide, took numerous practice exams, and dedicated every spare moment to achieving that milestone.
It was a personal and professional goal that represented growth and commitment. Today, while I continue managing RFPs and leading strategic proposal efforts, my focus has broadened to include preparing for one of life’s most personal and challenging battles: fighting breast cancer.
Through this new journey, I’ve found comfort and surprising strength in the parallels between managing complex proposals and navigating a cancer diagnosis. Both require strategy, collaboration, adaptability, and most importantly, resilience.
The APMP Foundation Study guide states: “An end-to end business development (BD) process is like a roadmap. It allows teams of business developers to know where they are, where they are going, and what path to follow to reach their goals.”
In many ways, cancer is no different. It has required me to ask many of the same questions that I ask when managing a proposal: What does the end-to-end process look like? Who are the experts (key team members) I will need to rely on? What are the critical milestones along this journey? Am I prepared to be flexible when timelines change or modifications need made?
Much like the structured stages of an RFP lifecycle, my cancer journey follows a process of its own:
1. Identification
Just as the first step in a proposal is to gather and assess information, the early stage of diagnosis was a flood of details, emotions, and unknowns. I had to process it all – test results, prior medical research, family history, timelines, financial impacts, and begin to assess my physical and emotional readiness for what lay ahead.
I’ve had to make clear decisions about what I am going to do. Like in a proposal kickoff, that initial influx of information felt overwhelming, but it was essential to build a solid foundation. It forced me to pause, prioritize, and take ownership of my direction.
2. Account planning
I assembled my core team: oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, nurse navigators, and physicians – experts who, like internal stakeholders on a bid, each bring a critical perspective. Together, we began crafting a treatment plan tailored to my unique needs and how this will impact me long term. I’ve also had to be flexible and adjust as needed.
Communication among the team has been key, just like collaborating with cross-functional contributors on a proposal. Each provider’s role is distinct but interconnected, and our shared understanding of my goals has kept us moving forward as one, even when unexpected developments required us to pivot.
3. Opportunity assessment
I took time to thoroughly evaluate my medical options, just as one would assess the viability of a potential bid through a go/no-go process. I researched best practices, reviewed recommendations, and asked critical questions to better understand the path forward.
As we all know, this step is key to improving our overall win rates. I had to weigh potential benefits against risks, understand timelines, and decide what I was willing to take on. This deliberate evaluation helped me avoid knee-jerk reactions and gave me the clarity I needed to commit to the best course of action for my long-term wellbeing.
4. Opportunity planning
Working closely with my care team from the beginning of this process, I have established and refined my plan of action.
We have weighed the different treatment options available to provide me the best possible outcome. We prioritize steps and adjust timelines as needed. Just like tailoring a win strategy for a proposal, this stage is about balance.
5. Planning
With a comprehensive strategy in place, I mapped out the known milestones: mammogram, biopsy, MRI, genetic testing, SOVI Scout procedure, sentinel node injection, pre-op consultation, surgery, radiation simulation, radiation, recovery, pharmaceutical therapies, and built in a contingency for all the unknowns (which I’ve learned are many).
This roadmap gives me a sense of direction, comfort, and measurable indicators of progress. It helps me set realistic expectations and manage uncertainty.
6. Development
I began treatment with a mix of resolve and vulnerability, trusting the process and the professionals guiding me through it. Like proposal development, this stage continues to require persistence, coordination, courage, and faith in the plan.
There are long days, emotional highs and lows, and moments when progress feels slow. But each appointment, test, and side effect is a necessary part of the journey. I’ve leaned on my support system, communicated openly, and reminded myself that, like a proposal in progress, this phase demands diligence and resilience to produce something strong and meaningful at the end.
7. Negotiation
As I progress through treatment, I stay actively engaged with my care team, adjusting course when needed, and giving myself some grace along the way. We continually evaluate options to improve the likelihood of long-term remission, just as we would refine an offer to win a client’s confidence.
8. Delivery
Recovery isn’t a final step, it’s an ongoing commitment. I continue to monitor, follow up, and advocate for myself. Lessons learned are forthcoming and I’m sure there will be many. Like managing a proposal, I will capture and share these with others who may have to navigate this journey in the future as well. It’s a process of reflection, refinement, and readiness for the next phase.
With over 20 years of experience managing proposals, I can confidently say it’s a profession I truly love. Each day brings something new. No two proposals or response teams are ever exactly alike. Yet, amidst the variety, there’s a reassuring consistency grounded in industry-recognized best practices that guide our efforts and contribute to successful outcomes.
As I prepare for this next “opportunity,” I carry with me not just the skills I gained through certification, but the confidence and clarity those skills have given me. The APMP process has shaped my professional journey, and now, in the most unexpected way, it’s helping to guide my personal one. I’m navigating this diagnosis with the same tools I’ve used to win business – strategic thinking, strong collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to success.
This time, though, the win I’m pursuing is far greater – beating cancer.
Heather Scukanec, CF APMP is a Proposal Manager at Professional Credit. She is an experienced proposal manager with over 25 years of success leading and delivering high-quality proposals across government and healthcare industries. Contact her via email or on LinkedIn.
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