PIE Presents: Tales from the Pitch

In this episode of Thursday Temperature Check, Ben Klein is joined by UK-based bid writing consultant Leonie Thomas, a featured speaker at this year's RFWin and Camp PIE (August 7–8). With Rachelle Ray on the road, Ben dives into a fascinating conversation with Leonie about the evolving role of the bid writer—especially in an era increasingly influenced by AI.

🚧 Leonie shares her journey in the construction and infrastructure engi...

In this solo episode of Tales from the Pitch, Ben Klein steps in without a guest to take a moment for reflection. With recent legal decisions in the news, Ben pauses to consider how larger societal shifts impact the vulnerable and us all.

He shares updates on the PIE community and revisits PIE’s core values of inclusivity, awareness, and support. From a Canadian perspective, Ben unpacks the ripple effects of U.S. policy decisions a...

This week on "Tales from the Pitch," Ben holds down the fort while Rachelle travels for SMPS, delivering a solo update session packed with insights and community news.

From announcing the new “Camp” theme for RFWIN 2025 to breaking down the transition to the Disco platform, Ben keeps the PIE community in the loop. He talks accessibility for new speakers, community conversations about branded swag, and offers humorous reflections on...

Ben Klein is back from Japan and rejoining Rachelle Ray in this jam-packed episode of Tales from the Pitch! The two swap stories, dive into updates from PIE's ever-evolving platform migration, and recap two standout webinars: Brianna Carter’s UX panel and Jeremy Brim’s Growth Ignition session.

Inside the episode:

• The wild ride of switching platforms mid-webinar 🎥

• Updates on PIE’s move to Disco (spoiler: mobile app included...

In this special solo episode of Tales from the Pitch, Rachelle Ray flies solo (and maybe streams on the wrong platform?) to deliver a full rundown of what’s happening inside Proposal Industry Experts.

From Pi Day celebrations and AI-powered proposal panels to PIE’s new community platform and upcoming webinars, Rachelle covers:

• Sneak peeks at two new webinars: UX in Proposals (March 14) and Career Growth in Bids (March 19)

• D...

In this episode of Tales from the Pitch, Rachelle Ray is joined by proposal tech nerds and consultants Ceri Mescall and Chris Basilla to tackle a real challenge in the industry: choosing the right AI tool in a market that’s flooded with options.

They break down:

• Why tech adoption fails (and how to avoid it)

• How to spot vendor bias and shiny object syndrome

• The danger of building AI tools on broken processes

• How to think...

In this episode of Tales from the Pitch, Ben Klein and Rachelle Ray reunite in their first shared 2025 Temperature Check—and it’s a whirlwind.

Fresh off a live D&D show, SMPS’s Southern Regional Conference, and a whirlwind trip to London, Rachelle shares key insights on creative burnout and why proposal professionals need messy creative space to thrive. Together, she and Ben explore the tension between productivity and innovati...

In this Tales from the Pitch episode, Ben Klein and Rachelle Ray dig into the freshly released Loopio 2024 Trends Report, unpacking the most telling data points shaping the proposal industry this year.

They call out:

• The ongoing disconnect between leadership and frontline proposal staff

• Why AI isn’t replacing you yet—but execs think it might

• The real cost of proposals (spoiler: it's not $900)

• The importance of go/no-go ...

This episode of Tales from the Pitch dives into the future of proposals—with a human touch. Ben Klein and Rachelle Ray welcome Brianna Carter, marketing strategist at Page and a member of PIE’s advisory board, to preview her upcoming expert panel on user experience (UX) in proposals.

Together, they explore what it means to make proposals more readable, engaging, and accessible—from microsites to multimedia storytelling, from AI int...

In this episode of Tales from the Pitch, Ben Klein welcomes UK-based bidding powerhouse Jeremy Brim to officially launch Growth Ignition—a new educational partnership with Proposal Industry Experts (PIE). Jeremy brings 25 years of experience in bids, capture, and business development, and he’s worked with everyone from scrappy startups to billion-dollar firms.

They dig deep into the strategy behind winning more (and better) work: w...

Welcome back to Tales from the Pitch, the podcast where we mix humor, expertise, and a dash of procurement chaos! In this episode, Ben Klein kicks off the first Temperature Check of 2025 solo—well, not really. While Rachelle Ray braves the wilds of Houston for the SMPS conference (and, let’s be honest, probably disrupting the local weather in the process), Ben is joined by none other than the fantastic Christina Carter!

Christina, ...

It’s the most wonderful (and stressful) time of the year—at least for proposal professionals! In this episode of Tales from the Pitch, Ben Klein and Rachelle Ray dive into the classic end-of-year crunch, swapping stories about last-minute procurements, unrealistic deadlines, and the hidden toll of "holiday bids."

But it's not all doom and deadlines. The duo also explores how proposal professionals can level up their game with AI. F...

 📌 Summary: In this episode of Thursday Temperature Check, hosts Ben Klein and Rachelle Ray get real about burnout and how it intensifies during the holiday season. They share personal stories, practical strategies, and tips for setting boundaries, managing guilt, and finding moments of rest amidst the chaos.

🚩 Highlights:

• Recognizing the signs of burnout before it’s too late.
• Why incremental self-care beats all-or-nothing a...

This is better watched on youtube.

In this special 'Tales from the Pitch' episode, Rachelle Ray steps into the role of Tech Expert, guiding co-host Ben Klein through the process of creating a GPT agent. Dive into an educational and fun-filled session where complex AI concepts are broken down into practical steps anyone can follow. Whether you're curious about leveraging AI for proposal work or just looking for an engaging tech chat...

In this episode of Tales from the Pitch, Rachelle Ray, Ben Klein, and special guest Ben Johns (SME) discuss harnessing the power of metadata to gain competitive insights from proposal documents. The conversation delves into strategies for turning data into actionable intelligence, offering listeners practical advice for staying ahead in the competitive proposal landscape.

Like what you hear: Come join us free at www.proposalindus...

Welcome to 'Tales from the Pitch,' brought to you by Proposal Industry Experts. In this episode, hosts Ben Klein and Rachelle Ray share an unexpected twist—coming to you from the same location but separated by a few technical challenges. As they settle into a snowy New Mexico backdrop, they offer listeners a unique blend of relatable moments and insightful discussions. We are in our annual planning and tease out some of the things ...

In this episode of 'Tales from the Pitch,' Ben Klein and Rachelle Ray tackle a topic that resonates with many in the proposal world: transitioning away from a response tool. With humor and practical advice, they share their experiences, discuss the challenges of migration, and outline steps to ensure a smooth switch to new systems. If you've ever struggled with adapting to change or wondered how to effectively manage such a shift, ...

Join Ben Klein and Rachelle Ray on this episode of 'Proposal Industry Experts' as they explore the power of community and creativity in proposal writing. They dive into their latest community writing challenge, highlighting why strong writing skills are crucial in the proposal industry. The hosts also discuss the benefits of using AI tools like ChatGPT as an editor to elevate your writing game. Wrapping up the episode, they share a...

In this episode of Tales from the Pitch, Ben and Rachelle from Proposal Industry Experts dive into the lighter and more challenging sides of proposal management. First, they discuss the amusing and often frustrating limitations of AI in understanding proposal meeting notes, offering some laughs and insights into the evolving role of technology in the industry. Then, Rachelle shares her recent return from vacation and the unique str...