“Shannon fundamentally changed the way that we and the community think about and interact with the Columbia Pike Partnership and the Columbia Pike Community at large. The work was that impactful. From the first steps of working through listening and understanding what made our community and brand so unique to the final stages of putting together the visual elements to it, every step of the way she was not only our guide but also our teacher. We felt like it was a true partnership every step of the way.”
—Andrew Schneider, Executive Director
Columbia Pike Partnership
"Shannon has been an invaluable strategic partner for Dance for PD Mid-Atlantic. She brings both high-level thinking and hands-on execution to help us strengthen our communications and expand our reach. Her expertise in brand positioning has helped us articulate our value more clearly, and we're seeing results—we’ve seen increased engagement with our dancers and growth in individual giving. Shannon is a delight to work with and her understanding of our unique needs has added tremendous value to her work with us. Shannon fills critical gaps on our team and helps us show up stronger in everything we do.”
—Lucy Bowen, Director Mid-Atlantic
Dance for PD
At Make Progress Strategies, we develop goal-oriented
marketing strategies focused on quick-wins and long-term business impact.
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Shannon fundamentally changed how we communicate and position ourselves. She took the time to understand our community and the nuances of stakeholders to develop brand messaging and visuals that truly articulates what makes The Pike so unique. Every step of the way she was not only our guide but also our teacher. We felt like it was a true partnership every step of the way.
— Andrew Schneider, Executive Director Columbia Pike Partnership
Testimonials

Shannon has been an invaluable strategic partner for Dance for PD Mid-Atlantic. She brings both high-level thinking and hands-on execution to help us strengthen our communications and expand our reach. Her expertise in brand positioning has helped us articulate our value more clearly, and we're seeing results—we’ve seen increased engagement with our dancers and growth in individual giving. Shannon is a delight to work with and her understanding of our unique needs has added tremendous value to her work with us. Shannon fills critical gaps on our team and helps us show up stronger in everything we do.
— Lucy Bowen, Director Mid-Atlantic Dance for PD
Frequently Asked Questions
Make Progress Strategies provides strategic communications consulting for organizations looking to align their positioning, messaging, and business development efforts around clear business goals.
We develop goal-oriented strategies focused on quick-wins with long-term business impact.
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Brand positioning & Go-to-market strategy development
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Strategic planning and roadmap development
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Align marketing and communications strategies focused on sales/business development
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Ongoing strategy and consultation to leadership teams.
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Small-medium businesses and organizations who need to clarify their brand position and marketing strategies to align with business goals. The leadership needs the strategic perspective with practical hands-on support to align teams and resources around strategic goals.
Both. Oftentimes, engagements start with projects and transition into ongoing retainers.
Every engagement is client-specific. The processes and methodologies work across engagements, but every client has different needs, team/org structures or urgencies that we will accommodate.
Everything starts by understanding your business goals—both immediate and long-term. From there, we develop the positioning, messaging, and strategic direction needed to achieve those goals.. Importantly, I consider your team structure and existing operations to ensure strategies are actionable, not just aspirational.
I then work with leadership to align teams around the strategy and oversee implementation—ensuring execution stays on track. The goal is always to drive measurable progress toward your business objectives.











