In episode #243 of The Grant – the EU funding podcast, I visit 1st Mile at DTU during one of the busiest periods of the proposal calendar to find out how a small grant consultancy actually manages multiple applications, clients and deadlines at the same time. I’m joined by founder and director Søren Houmøller and team members Maria Battistel and Tereza Marie-Jo Berkant for a very open conversation about how proposals are staffed, how responsibilities shift between project management, scientific writing, impact, budgets and administration, and how the team responds when problems inevitably appear close to submission. But the conversation goes beyond proposal logistics. We also discuss client relationships, team culture, psychological safety, the importance of being able to say no, and Søren’s approach to managing people through the intense stop-start rhythm of consultancy work. The result is a rare look behind the scenes at the people and working environment behind the proposals.

Time codes:

00:00 Arrival & Introduction

04:40 What's on the Table?

13:31 Building Proposals as a Team

33:32 When the Deadline Takes Over

52:20 Managing the People Behind the Proposals

01:03:24 After the Deadline

01:12:03 Goodbye