I was recently listening to a Brené Brown podcast featuring an interview with Abby Wambach. Abby is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA World Cup champion, and the highest all-time international goal scorer for any soccer player, regardless of gender. After retiring from professional sports, Abby discovered a new passion for public speaking, leadership development, and social advocacy. I was so inspired by the podcast that I had to purchase Abby’s book that they were discussing – Wolfpack.

In her book Wolfpack, Abby shares the leadership lessons she learned throughout her career and encourages readers to embrace their strengths by showing up as their most authentic selves. Although the book is geared towards women, the leadership traits she discusses are applicable to any reader. She challenges outdated cultural norms and redefines leadership in a way that is inclusive, empowering, and accessible to all.

A while back, I hit a wall. Not a dramatic, crash and burn type of burnout. It was quieter, more deceptive. I was still delivering, still showing up, still checking the boxes, but I had completely lost my spark. The creative energy, the strategic edge, the little “oomph” in my day, the part of me that loved this work.

So, I stepped back. I said “no” more often. I deleted apps and silenced notifications. I started doing less.

SMPS Colorado hosted its annual Marketing Excellence Awards on May 22^nd at the beautiful Balistreri Vineyards. This signature event celebrates the outstanding achievements of Colorado’s top AEC firms and marketing professionals across a range of categories. The evening was emceed by the ever-energizing Lisa White, who added a meaningful touch by encouraging attendees to seek out, create, and share joy every day.

Help us congratulate this year’s winners!

A few weeks ago, I took a trip down to Manitou Springs to do the Manitou Incline—a 2,744-step hike that covers less than a mile of horizontal distance, making it famously steep. The average grade is 45%, with some sections reaching as high as 68%. By the time you reach the top, you’ve climbed more than 2,000 feet in elevation.

I had never heard of this hike before I did it. When I got invited to go, I looked it up and thought it sounded “fun.” That may have been  an ignorant thought.

InDesign Templates for AEC Proposals

Customizable templates for RFPs, SOQs, resumes, etc. “Not a great writer? Can’t afford a pro? On a tight deadline? No problem. Just fire up your Proposal Kit, pick a layout, enter your company, client, and project details—and let the AI Writer do the heavy lifting. In minutes, you’ll have a first draft ready to edit.”

Tucked into the vibrant heart of Denver’s RiNo Arts District, Corsica Wine Bar  is a compelling new addition to the city's dining scene, and a true celebration of Mediterranean flavors—both on the plate and in the glass.

At Corsica, wine isn’t just a beverage—it’s a condiment, an essential pairing that enhances every bite. The 200+ bottle wine list, curated by award-winning duo Emily Nevin-Giannini and Gretchen Thomas (of Barcelona Wine Bar fame), is a treasure trove of European selections, with a focus on rare, farmer-crafted wines from Corsica and beyond. Impressively, three-quarters of the list is priced under $75, making exceptional wine remarkably approachable.

The 2025 Strike Gold Conference in Park City, Utah, felt like just that-striking gold with a pivotal professional experience. Approaching my sixth year in AEC marketing, the conference provided an overview of the broader industry landscape in 2025. I gained insights from professionals who deeply understand the unique challenges and opportunities in our industry. 

From the intricacies of data visualization, marketing strategy, neuromarketing, and streamlining Word to InDesign to the nuances of team and time management, the regional conference served as a powerful connector in the A/E/C industry. We were all there as AEC marketers, united in our roles, whether we were content strategists, pursuit managers, social media innovators, or technical communicators. Our firms, ranging in size, spanned the Mountain States & Southwest. Throughout the two days, we cultivated a powerful sense of shared perspective, sparking numerous ideas for new tools, and allowing an avenue for insights from people who truly understand what it means to be an AEC marketer. It was inspiring to learn from marketers who continue to push the envelope on creativity and resourcefulness.

Business development often gets boxed into metrics: calls made, meetings booked, pursuits tracked. And sure, those things matter, but for me, BD has always been less about the chase and more about the connection. It’s not a numbers game; it’s hospitality. It’s hosting.

Think about the best party you’ve ever been to. What made it great? Was it the music? The food? The perfect guest list? Maybe. But chances are, it was the host. The person who greeted you warmly, made sure you felt welcome, and introduced you to someone new with a thoughtful “You two have to meet.”

Ever wonder where your invoices are hiding after you register for an event?

Staying connected with SMPS Colorado starts with keeping your profile up to date. Whether you need to update your contact information, renew your membership, or access past invoices, our platform makes it simple. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to manage your account efficiently, ensuring you never miss an important update or opportunity. Let’s get started!

2025 Kickoff Event Recap
January & February Events have kicked the year off right! 

As we dive into the busy early months of the year—filled with calendar planning and proposal deadlines—it's important to stay grounded in a strong marketing strategy. To help you focus your efforts and achieve your goals, we’ve gathered a few insightful articles to guide you:

Our weeks are filled with meetings and one-on-ones that often require some level of persuasion to get someone to move forward on something. These things can be small – the position and size of a logo on a marketing piece – or big – a new budget item for a website redesign. No matter what the ask is, you need to know how to communicate your point with authority and clarity in a way that makes sense to decision makers. 

A little bit of work on the front end of a presentation – positioning yourself as a persuasive speaker – can help you effectively deliver your message. You need to establish yourself as a credible source of information before your audience will listen to what you have to say.

The best Thai food in Denver. Period. If you’ve ever lived in Denver, you already know or you should. I’ve brought it up in random conversations across the country, and every time, it’s the same reaction: a knowing nod and a look of longing. Even in Joshua Tree, chatting with a vintage store owner who used to live in Denver, I mentioned “the best Thai food in Denver is...” and before I could finish, he goes, “U.S. Thai.” It’s that legendary. 

2024 Event Recap
Photos From - 2024 Owner's Rep Roundtable Luncheon

The Design of Everyday Things

Donald A. Norman

Imagine a tool that brings everyone—designers, marketers, and project managers—onto the same page in real time. Figma has become that tool for us. It’s a collaborative, cloud-based design tool that allows teams to create, share, and edit design files in real-time. It’s like if you took the collaborative system of Google Docs, where everyone can work together seamlessly on the same file, with Adobe’s intelligent and responsive design framework, and put them together in one application. After introducing  this system to my team, I watched our marketing and proposal workflow evolve from near-siloed and somewhat cumbersome to smooth, collaborative, and efficient. 

In this article, I’m going to walk you through how Figma has been such a game-changer and how you, too, can leverage its features to enhance team alignment, speed up your process, and bring a new level of precision and creativity to your proposals. More importantly though, why stepping outside your comfort zone with new software can be beneficial, even if your current tools feel adequate. 

A coworker wrote, “what is one of your favorite restaurants in the Denver Downtown area?” on our common area whiteboard, and we sure got some responses! I, unfortunately, have not yet had the chance to visit every single one of these places so if I haven't yet been, I've provided my gut-instinct opinion from perusing Google reviews. Next time you’re trying to choose a spot, take a look at the restaurants our members near Downtown Denver would recommend:

Casa Bonita is more than just a restaurant; it’s a full-fledged experience that combines dining with entertainment, making it a unique destination in its own right. Located in Lakewood, Colorado, Casa Bonita is a massive pink stucco building that stands out with its whimsical, almost theme-park-like atmosphere. The restaurant is famous for its immersive environment, complete with cliff divers, puppet shows, arcade games, and even a haunted cave.

Casa Bonita is unlike any other restaurant in Colorado. The interior is designed to resemble a Mexican village, complete with winding paths, cave-like rooms, and a waterfall that serves as the backdrop for the cliff divers. The attention to detail in the decor creates an immersive experience that’s both kitschy and charming.

Usually, it begins with the clock. Or, more accurately, my noticing the clock—minute hand discomfitingly deep into the eight o’clock hour. And then the thought: I am going to be late.

“Let’s GO! Daddy’s going to be late! Let’s GO GO GO GO GO. Shoes on, everyone!”

If you've been an A/E/C marketer for a while, you probably have a core memory of that ONE proposal—the beast of all beasts. The one that made you question your sanity and every life decision that led to the moment it crossed your desk.

It's been several years, but my "proposal-from-hell" experience still evokes shreds of PTSD when I recall its insane requirements and impossible deadline. But it was THIS paragraph (which admittedly, I initially skimmed and dismissed as a standard requirement) that brought me to a standstill when I reread it 24 hours before the submission deadline: