Case Consulting

by Trianne Bamba

When I first heard about writing a case proposal, my initial reaction was hesitation. It sounded big, formal, and honestly, intimidating. The word “proposal” alone carries so much weight—it felt like I was expected to have all the answers, and present them neatly, before I had even begun. I remember staring at a blank page, unsure how to even start.

But that blank page wasn’t really the problem. The problem was how I was thinking about it.

In my mind, writing a case proposal felt like being asked to solve an impossible puzzle: How do I prove my expertise? How do I choose the right client? How do I frame a challenge in a way that sounds smart, professional, and convincing? I thought I had to come up with the “perfect” case right away, and that pressure made everything feel heavier than it needed to be.

Shifting the Focus

The breakthrough came when I stopped thinking about the proposal as a test and started thinking about it as a story. At its core, a case proposal is simply about a client and a challenge. Instead of worrying about whether my words would impress, I asked myself:

• Who do I want to help?

• What problem are they facing right now?

• How might I, with my background and skills, approach it?

Framing it this way made everything feel lighter. It wasn’t about showing off expertise I didn’t have—it was about using what I already knew, my professional core, and applying it to a real-world situation. Suddenly, the writing process began to flow.

I wrote down the client I had in mind. I described the challenge they were facing. I mapped out the kind of data I could collect to explore the issue further. Step by step, the proposal started to take shape. And with each line, the sense of intimidation began to fade.

The Unexpected Aftermath

Submitting my proposal was a relief—but it didn’t end there. In fact, something interesting happened after I hit “submit.”

Instead of closing the chapter, my mind kept spinning with new ideas. I started asking myself:

• Did I choose the right challenge?

• Could I have approached it from another angle?

• What other challenges might this client be facing that I haven’t considered yet?

Far from being “finished,” the case proposal turned into an ongoing thought process. It was like a door had opened, and now I couldn’t help but look around at all the other possibilities.

That’s when I realized: the value of a case proposal isn’t just in submitting it—it’s in how it trains you to think like a problem solver.

Why the Case Proposal Matters

Here’s what I learned: a resume is just a list. It tells people where you’ve been, but not how you think. A case proposal, on the other hand, is proof. It shows that you can look at a real-world situation, define the challenge clearly, and outline a path forward.

For mid-career professionals like me, that’s powerful. Many of us have years of experience, but what really sets us apart is being able to demonstrate how we can apply that experience to solve today’s problems. The case proposal became my first step in building a portfolio that doesn’t just say “I worked here” or “I held this title,” but instead says, “Here’s how I solve challenges.”

Lessons I’d Share with Anyone Starting Out

If you’re about to write your first case proposal and you’re feeling the way I did—overwhelmed, intimidated, maybe even stuck—here’s what I’d say:

1. Don’t aim for perfect. Start with what you know. Choose a client you care about and a challenge you can describe. You can refine later.

2. Think in stories, not reports. Imagine explaining the situation to a friend. Who’s struggling? What’s the obstacle? That’s your starting point.

3. Trust your expertise. You already bring valuable perspective from your background. The proposal is not about inventing brilliance—it’s about applying what you have.

4. Let it evolve. Even after you submit, keep reflecting. The point isn’t to have one perfect proposal—it’s to practice seeing problems from different angles.

The Bigger Picture

Looking back, writing my first case proposal was less about the document itself and more about the mindset it unlocked. I no longer see challenges as intimidating roadblocks; I see them as invitations. Each proposal, each case, is a chance to prove—to myself and to others—that I can step into the role of a problem solver.

And that’s the real reward: not just submitting a case proposal, but discovering that I already have what it takes to approach challenges with clarity, creativity, and confidence.

So if you’re staring at a blank page right now, feeling what I once felt—don’t let it scare you off. Start with your client. Define the challenge. Take it one step at a time. You might be surprised, as I was, at how smooth the process can become once you shift your focus.

And once you submit that first proposal, don’t be surprised if you can’t stop thinking about it—because that’s the moment you’ve started to build your edge.