Build Bold LLC

08/04/2025

Big news from Build Bold!

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve officially joined the powerhouse team at Dragonfly AEC Consulting as a Business Development Strategist!

This next chapter allows me to continue the strategic work I love—partnering with AEC firms to sharpen their positioning, pursue the right opportunities, and level up their BD and marketing efforts—while teaming up with some of the most talented women in the industry.

For my amazing Build Bold clients and colleagues: nothing changes, except the fact that we now have even more brainpower behind the bold. I’m still your go-to for strategic planning, pursuit positioning, and growth guidance, just with even more tools (and creative energy) at my fingertips.

I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity to expand my reach and impact, and I can’t wait to see what we build together as part of the .

Head over to Dragonfly’s site to check out the official announcement and learn more about what we’re up to:
🔗 https://www.dragonflyaec.com/post/dragonfly-welcomes-katie-stern

Let’s get to work.

Also, follow us over on LinkedIn to stay connected!
🔗https://www.linkedin.com/company/dragonfly-aec-consulting/

AEC veteran Katie Stern joins Dragonfly AEC Consulting, bringing fresh energy and expertise to the firm's business development planning and pursuit strategy services.

06/04/2025

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧-𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐃 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩?

𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦.

When I step into a pursuit, it’s not about replacing your internal expertise — it’s about amplifying it.

✅ Technical staff get help translating their expertise into connection and clarity for the client.

✅ Marketing and BD teams have their existing strategies, insights, and client knowledge elevated — not replaced.

✅ The entire team benefits from an outside perspective that makes feedback easier to hear, adjustments easier to make, and preparation more focused.

Teams listen differently when it’s coming from someone who sits outside the office dynamic — and that shift often makes the biggest difference when the stakes are high.

And when you’re preparing for a major client interview, or just want to equip your team with good presenting skills, that difference matters.

Curious how I could support your next pursuit? Let’s talk!

05/28/2025

What I’ve learned after years inside AEC firms:
It’s almost never a lack of effort.
𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

⛵️ When Marketing, BD, and firm leadership aren’t rowing in the same direction, the boat drifts:

Proposals feel disconnected from the website story;

Project managers promise one thing while pursuit teams pitch another;

Great ideas stall because no one “owns” the next step.

The result? Lost momentum and missed work you could have won.

If you’re feeling that sideways pull in your firm or department, you’re not alone (and you’re not broken). Clear goals, shared language, and consistent hand‑offs are fixable, often faster than you think.

Have you felt this in your firm?

I’d love to hear what “rowing together” (or not) looks like on your team.

05/19/2025

“We’re too small for brand strategy.”

I’ve heard this from AEC firms more times than I can count. But here’s the truth: The smaller the firm, the more critical brand clarity becomes. 🔍

You don’t need a massive budget or a full rebrand. You need a clear way to talk about:

🔹 What makes you different

🔹 Why clients keep coming back

🔹 And how your team consistently communicates that story — in proposals, interviews, and casual conversations.

A strong brand strategy gives small and mid-sized firms a sharper edge in the market.

It’s what helps your messaging stay consistent as you grow. It’s how you make the most of limited marketing resources. And it’s what helps your people feel confident representing the firm — because they know what to say, and why it matters.

Don’t wait until your message gets diluted. 💧

Start small. Get clear.

That’s the real strategy.

05/12/2025

It’s one thing to tell your team to call clients.
It’s another to actually equip them to do it well.

In firms using a seller-doer model, I see this challenge a lot of the time: Great technical professionals who know their work inside and out… but freeze when it comes time to pick up the phone and ask about future work.

The truth?
It’s not a confidence issue.
It’s a structure issue.

I often support teams by developing a bank of client questions that gives them a starting point, making outreach feel more intentional and less awkward.

Sometimes it’s a general question bank.
Other times, I work with a smaller group to develop a version that fits their voice and role.

Either way, the effort starts to show you the ROI. Because consistent, thoughtful conversations are what build lasting relationships and lead to repeat work. 🤝

05/08/2025

Lately, I’ve been working with several AEC firms on refining their value proposition statements and leading client engagement exercises designed to uncover how they’re actually perceived by their clients and the industry.

Sometimes the feedback is glowing.
Sometimes it’s constructive.

But it’s always valuable—and far better than making assumptions.

Firms that seek out this kind of input are the ones staying competitive—
→ They’re clarifying what sets them apart
→ Building stronger sector strategies
→ And gathering insight before the RFP list is even created

This isn’t about rewording your website.

It’s about getting clear on what your clients truly value—and aligning your messaging, BD approach, and internal teams around that.

The best strategies are rooted in listening.

05/06/2025

Projects are just part of the story.
What makes your firm memorable? Your people, your process, and the impact you create.

I’ve coached dozens of AEC teams—and the most powerful brand stories aren’t always the biggest buildings.

They’re the human moments.
The way you work.
The difference you make.

Swipe through for ideas on how to bring more of that into your marketing.

And save this for your next content brainstorm!

If your team is rethinking how you show up on paper (or in the room), I’d love to help!

05/01/2025

“We’ll prep if we get shortlisted.”

Sound familiar?

The gap between proposal submission and shortlist notification is often wasted.

The team moves on to the next deadline. Or billable work.
The pursuit sits on a shelf.

And if you do get shortlisted? You’ve got 3 days to pull it together.

But the firms that consistently show up with stronger interviews treat that in-between time differently.

They use it to:
✔️ Get clear on the client’s hot buttons
✔️ Build early alignment between the technical team + BD
✔️ Prep intentionally, not reactively

Interview prep might not be groundbreaking, but it is undervalued.
When done well, it becomes a real differentiator.

Want a smarter approach to shortlist prep that reflects your firm’s strengths and your client’s expectations?

📩 Let’s talk.

04/28/2025

Kicked off Session 1, of my six-part Public Speaking Series, today with the team at RM Creative Architects and Interior Designers!

Today’s focus: building confidence in public speaking with techniques to calm nerves, find your message, and connect with your audience.

This series (or any individual session) is available for AEC teams looking to sharpen their speaking skills and elevate their client communication.

Booking summer and fall sessions now. Reach out to learn more!

04/25/2025

Here’s the hard truth I’ve seen over and over again in AEC firms:

Marketing is still viewed as a support function, not a strategic driver.

It’s the team that “makes things look good.”
That sends out proposals.
That posts on social.
That pulls together slide decks when pursuit meetings are around the corner.

But when that’s the only role marketing is allowed to play, it’s no wonder leadership questions its value.

As a CMO who sat in those rooms for 20 years, I’ve had the conversations.
I’ve heard the skepticism.

Now, as a coach to AEC leaders, I help firms shift that mindset.

Because when marketing is aligned with business strategy,
it becomes one of the most powerful tools you have for growth.

Not because it’s louder, but because it’s smarter.
Not because it “supports BD,” but because it is BD.
Not because it shows off the firm, but because it helps shape where the firm is going.

Marketing isn’t just ex*****on. It’s insight.
It’s how you position your firm before the RFP drops.
It’s how you stay visible when projects are quiet.
It’s how you build trust before you even walk in the room.

When marketing is tied to the bigger picture, it stops being a department and starts becoming a competitive advantage.

04/24/2025

Project photography isn’t just for portfolios, it’s a strategic advantage.

Whether it’s in-progress or final photography, how your firm captures and shares its work matters more than ever. Here are three reasons why smart AEC firms treat photography as a business development tool—not an afterthought:

🔹 1. Your Brand Is Built on the Work You Show
Clients don’t just want to hear what you do, they want to see it. High-quality visuals communicate your attention to detail, your process, and the environments you help create. What you capture tells a story about who you are as a firm.

🔹 2. In-Progress Photography Tells a Bigger Story
Final photos are great, but don’t underestimate the power of documenting how you build, draw, design - do what you do in the . In-progress shots show your team in action, highlight complex challenges, and give insight into your field operations. It’s proof of your process, and a way to differentiate from firms who only show the polished end result.

🔹 3. Great Photos Fuel Business Development
Strong visuals support every part of your marketing and pursuit strategy: proposals, interviews, social media, awards, websites. The better your imagery (and I don't mean a high end camera), the easier it is for potential clients to connect with your work and remember your firm.

Bottom line: Photography isn’t just content. It’s a key part of how your brand shows up in the market and a smart investment in your firm’s future.

📸 Not sure how photography fits into your bigger strategy? Let’s talk.

I help AEC firms create smart, scalable approaches to showcasing their work, so the right people see what you’re capable of.