Dennis Geelen

Coaching and mentoring to help you start and scale your one-person business.

Founder

Zero In

The mission of Zero In is to help as many businesses and leaders build a brand customers love and a company people are passionate to work for.  

So where do you need to focus (or Zero In)?
Solve the problem of INDIFFERENCE!

Indifferent customers have no compelling reason to purchase your product or service rather than your competitors' product or service. 

Indifferent employees are complacent because they are not passionate about coming to work each day.

Utilize the resources, books, and courses from Zero In to increase your customer retention, improve your customer experience, and build a passionate culture of innovation giving your team the ability to find new and better ways to serve your customers.

"Customers DO NOT buy your product or service, they buy what it can DO FOR THEM"
Customer-centricity means knowing your customers and giving them what they crave.  This helps you to build trust and loyalty, but also a solid reputation.  Loyal customers become fans of your brand and refer other customers to you.

"If you don't find new and better ways to serve your customers, SOMEONE ELSE WILL!"
Being Innovative brings new ideas, which is crucial to a business being able to find new and better ways to add value for your customers.  With innovation comes creative new products and services, increases in efficiency and, as a result, improved profitability.

BE THE BRAND CUSTOMERS LOVE AND THE COMPANY PEOPLE ARE PASSIONATE TO WORK FOR

Founder and Chief Difference Maker

The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group

About the Commonwell
We are committed to profitable growth, team development, ingenuity, while having fun at work.  We offer a complete range of insurance products including residential, automobile, commercial, farm and watercraft. We encourage a work-life balance and we are serious about what we do!

About my Role
As Manager of the PMO, I lead a group project managers and business analysts to implement the project management office from the ground up.

About the PMO
Projects at the Commonwell are measured against timelines, budget, delivery of scope, but most importantly the realization of the intended benefits of each project.  Over 85% of projects at the Commonwell were consistantly green throughout 2018.

Manager, Project and Portfolio Management Office

As Manager of Application Services, I am responsible for planning, coordinating and managing the activities of the Application Services team within the Information Systems (IS) Department. This includes leadership and development of the IS team members, as well as providing direction and support for IS solutions to meet the present and future needs of the organization.

Manager of Application Services

Kawartha Lakes Food Source

Kawartha Lakes Food Source is a community effort to reduce hunger in the City of Kawartha Lakes by:

1. Maintaining a central warehouse to supply food to organizations that provide food to individuals in need,
2. Raising public awareness, and
3. Working in concert with other local not-for-profit organizations.

Board Of Directors

Operitel Corporation (An OpenText Company) 

ABout OpenText
OpenText, The Information Company™, a market leader in Enterprise Information Management software and solutions, enables intelligent and connected enterprises by managing, leveraging, securing and gaining insight into enterprise information, on-premises or in the cloud. 

About my Role
Directed a team of PS and R&D resources to develop and implement the LearnFlex LMS platform for over 40 clients.

Director of R&D and Professional Services

TELUS

Manager - Payment Solutions Development and Support

Emergis - A Telus Company

Manager

Emergis Inc

Business Coach | Keynote Speaker | Author of The Happy Accidents newsletter and The Accidental Solopreneur book

What I Do
I help teams, organizations, and solopreneurs flourish by focusing on what really matters: people.

As a speaker, author, and consultant, I equip audiences with practical, human-centered strategies to thrive in uncertain times, build meaningful businesses, and create lasting impact.

Who I Work With
• Event organizers seeking keynote speakers on serendipity, growth, and personal transformation
• Businesses and nonprofits looking to create stronger cultures, customer experiences, and leadership teams
• Solopreneurs who want to design businesses that give them both income and freedom


What I’ve Created
• Author of The Zero In Formula and The Accidental Solopreneur (bestseller)
• Creator of top-rated online courses for solopreneurs and authors
• Host of the Happy Accidents podcast and newsletter
• Keynote talks including 'The Power of Serendipity', 'Start Before You’re Ready', and 'Rooted in Humans'


Want to Work Together?
Let’s talk if you’re looking for:
✅ A keynote speaker for your next event
✅ A workshop or webinar for your team
✅ A course to help you grow as a solopreneur or author


DM me if you’d like to connect about speaking, workshops, or collaborations.

Strategic Proposals

Industries served:
✅ Facilities services, actuarial consulting, AEC, healthcare, tech, insurance, and non-profits.

Services provided:
✅ Managed and wrote retention proposals 
✅ Wrote and edited complex consortium bids 
✅ Audited proposals to strengthen compliance, clarity, and scoring potential
✅ Reviewed and optimized proposal processes for improved efficiency
✅ Delivered APMP Foundation and Practitioner training

Managing Director, Canada

Ceri Mescall

Industries served:
✅ Professional services, tech, AEC.

Services provided:
✅ Led proposal management and writing for new business and contract retention across B2B and B2G sectors.
✅ Delivered expert reviews and editing to boost clarity and alignment.
✅ Coached teams for high-stakes oral presentations.
✅ Optimized processes—go/no-go frameworks, content libraries, automation tool assessments, and recruitment strategies.
✅ Developed messaging for client pitch decks, investor materials, and sales collateral.

Proposal Consultant

✅ Promoted to the position
✅ Played a pivotal role in wins with clients in Provincial Government, Oil & Gas, manufacturing, mining and telecommunications sectors
✅ Received six performance recognition awards 
✅ Provided direct leadership and coaching for eight proposal managers. Advocated for a team member’s promotion. 
✅ Provided oversight for junior team members on their stretch opportunities
✅ Demonstrated the value of Canada Strategic Pursuits to stakeholders by preparing quarterly and annual impact reports 
✅ Deputized for the pursuits team leader by attending strategy calls, delivering presentations and managing pursuit intake 
✅ Enabled team expansion and fresh perspectives by conducting recruitment activities

Senior Assistant Director, Canada Strategic Pursuits

✅ Played a significant role in wins with Federal and Provincial Government clients
✅ Received two performance recognition awards 
✅ Supported local people engagement efforts by participating actively in volunteering initiatives, office focus groups, and the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Pacific Region program
✅ Increased self-service proposal capability by creating and curating 11 deliverables (process guidance documents, templates and links). Encouraged business adoption by delivering in-person and virtual training for affected stakeholder groups.

Supervising Associate, Canada Strategic Pursuits

Industries served:
✅ Facilities services

Services provided:
✅ Created a bespoke learning, development and continuous improvement program 
✅ Provided interim proposal support for a successful pan-European contract retention

OCS Group UK

✅ Played an instrumental role in wins with a professional services company, an engineering company, public hospital, a transport company, an aerospace company, and a major UK government framework agreement
✅ Enabled people and knowledge retention through effective leadership and coaching of five proposal managers. Created and implemented a learning and development program for proposal coordinators to progress to proposal manager level, and for proposal managers to progress to strategic proposal manager level.
✅ Acted as a trusted advisor to the head of proposals, deputizing in his absence as needed
✅ Influenced Joint Venture partners, subcontractors and suppliers in the UK and across Europe

Strategic Proposal Manager

MITIE Technical Facilities Management

✅ Promoted to the position
✅ Played an integral role in wins with a beverage manufacturer, a central government department and a financial services company 
✅ Enabled people and knowledge retention by mentoring two sales and proposal support coordinators and two graduate scheme candidates on secondment with the proposal team

Proposal Manager

✅ Promoted to the position
✅ Played a key role in a win with a telco 
✅ Improved team productivity and consistency by generating proposal library content

Proposal Writer

Sales & Proposal Support Coordinator

Award-Winning Proposal Expert | Revenue Enabler | Lifelong Learner

More RFPs. Less time. Smaller teams.
If you’re leading a proposal, BD, or sales enablement function, that pressure’s real and relentless.

I help you respond with strategy, not just stamina.

I support clients across industries through:

➡️ Must-win proposal management and writing (B2B and B2G)
➡️ Expert reviews to elevate scoring
➡️ High-impact oral presentation coaching
➡️ Benchmarking and process improvement
➡️ Training and APMP exam preparation that builds team capability

With 15+ years’ experience and $1B+ in client wins, I bring hands-on support and strategic insight, exactly when your team needs it most.

Credentials that count:

✅ APMP Fellow | 40 Under 40
✅ All four signature APMP certifications
✅ Approved Trainer for APMP Foundation, Practitioner and Capture Practitioner
✅ Conference speaker, webinar presenter, article author

“Strategic, yet practical”
“A trusted advisor”
“A true master of her craft”

Need extra capacity or a fresh perspective? Let’s connect.

You’ll walk away with ideas, clarity, and maybe your next win. 

DM me or visit www.strategicproposals.com/en-ca

taplio

The Battle

Dennis Geelen

Ceri Mescall, CAP CPP APMP Fellow

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