Afleveringen
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In this conversation, Sheldon Zhai, founder of Supreme Optimization, shares how he landed his first clients, scaled his business, and navigated the challenges of building a high-growth agency. We also dive into his recent acquisitions, his vision for AI in life sciences marketing, and his approach to hiring top-tier talent—including why he insists on hiring PhD-level scientists as marketers. If you're thinking of starting your own life sciences marketing agency, Sheldon has some blunt, no-nonsense advice on what it really takes to succeed.
In this episode:
00:00 How Supreme Optimization started
03:21 Finding your first client as an agency
05:32 Common challenges for early-stage agencies
08:05 Key milestones in the growth of Supreme Optimization
10:13 Building a team of scientific marketers
12:33 Scaling up the agency through a strategic investment
17:06 Acquiring and integrating other agencies to scale up
19:36 Lessons learned from six acquisitions in two years
22:03 Scaling up your agency culture
25:33 The role of AI in science marketing
29:01 The future of Supreme Optimization
30:07 Advice for aspiring marketing agency owners
32:20 Book recommendation for marketing agenciesBooks recommended by Sheldon:
- Who: The A Method for Hiring, by Geoff Smart
- The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, by Blair EnnsTo connect with Sheldon:
- LinkedIn
- Supreme OptimizationTo connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:
- LinkedIn
- Contact form>>>Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter <<<
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In this episode, I speak with Allison Satterfield, founder and creative director of Particle 31, about the intricacies of branding and logo design in the biotech industry. We discuss the challenges of creating a memorable brand name, the importance of storytelling in branding, and the specific processes involved in developing a branding strategy for biotech companies. Allison shares insights on common mistakes made by startups, the significance of owning intellectual property for logos, and how branding evolves as companies grow. The conversation also highlights effective logo design principles and the impact of brand archetypes in biotech branding.
In this episode, you'll learn:
00:00 The story behind Particle31
04:18 The challenges of naming a biotech startup
07:40 How to create a branding strategy
11:30 Common brand archetypes in biotech
14:13 What makes a good biotech logo
15:11 How to future-proof your branding
19:35 The importance of brand storytelling
21:13 Common branding mistakes in biotech
22:49 Branding on a limited budget
26:15 Evolving your brand strategy as you scale up
28:28 The one key branding advice for biotech founders
30:08 Recommended resources for branding
Books recommended by Allison:
Simply Put by Ben GuttmannBuilding a Story Brand, by Donald MillerOther resources mentioned:
Founder Playlist’s library of templatesTo connect with Allison Satterfied:
Particle31’s websiteLinkedInTo connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:
LinkedInContact form>>>Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter <<<
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Benjamin McLeod discusses the nuances of ghostwriting in the biotech sector, particularly on LinkedIn. He shares insights on building personal brands, the importance of providing value through content, and how using social media can increase the efficiency of attending conferences.
In this episode, you'll learn:
00:00 Introduction to Benjamin McLeod and his background
05:54 The journey to founding Convey Bio
06:54 Understanding the ghostwriting process
13:46 The power of LinkedIn for biotech executives
18:39 Maximizing ROI from biotech conferences
22:21 Building a personal brand on LinkedIn
26:16 Future plans for ConveyBio
27:17 Advice for starting on LinkedIn
30:07 Recommended reading for science marketersBook recommended by Benjamin: Influence: Science and Practice, by Robert Cialdini
To connect with Benjamin McLeod: LinkedIn
To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:
- LinkedIn
- Contact form
>>> Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter <<< -
Seasoned science communicator Kat Arney discusses the concept of thought leadership in science, how any organization can get started, the importance of content consistency, how to make scientific content engaging, and the role of AI in thought leadership.
In this episode, you'll learn:
01:16 Understanding thought leadership in science communication
05:22 The process for getting started with thought leadership
09:50 How to overcome the challenges of thought leadership
14:31 Defining your niche and audience
20:52 Measuring success in thought leadership
26:21 How Kat helped ERS Genomics become a thought leader in the CRISPR space
30:16 The use of AI in thought leadership
33:56 Recommended reads for science communicationBooks recommended by Kat:
- Daughter of Family G: A Memoir of Cancer Genes, Love and Fate Hardcover by Ami McKay
- Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup Hardcover by John Carreyrou
- Houston, We Have a Narrative: Why Science Needs Story Paperback by Randy Olson
- The Narrative Gym: Introducing the ABT Framework For Messaging and Communication by Randy Olson
- Storynomics: Story-Driven Marketing in the Post-Advertising World Hardcover by Robert Mckee and Tom Gerace
- Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKeeTo connect with Kat Arney:
- LinkedIn
- First Create The MediaTo connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:
- LinkedIn
- Contact form
>>> Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter <<< -
Micha Breakstone, CEO of Somite.ai, discusses how a single article in Forbes helped Somite to raise $5 million without having to chase investors, why branding Somite as a TechBio, rather than a Biotech, has helped to reduce the perceived risk for investors, and why early-stage science companies should focus their marketing efforts on specific objectives, like securing funding, attracting talent, or establishing partnerships.
In this episode, you'll learn:
02:13 The vision behind Somite.ai
04:18 Timing and strategy for launching Somite.ai
06:45 TechBio vs. Biotech: Understanding the difference
08:59 Partnership models in AI and Biotech
09:58 Creating a digital twin of a human embryo
12:00 Communication strategies for investors
14:09 Leveraging your scientific founders
16:27 Navigating the biotech landscape
17:58 Marketing strategies in science
20:38 Operational excellence and strategy
23:23 Commercialization models in TechBio
23:46 Marketing advice for science startups
26:03 Book recommendations for science communicatorsNotes and references:
- The article from Forbes: This Startup Wants To Be OpenAI Of Stem Cell Therapy, Targets $250B Market
- Book recommendation: The Song of the Cell by Siddhartha MukherjeeTo connect with Micha Breakstone:
- LinkedIn- Somate.ai
To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:
- LinkedIn
- Contact form
>>> Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter <<< -
Welcome to The Science Marketer podcast! In this new show, I’ll be having conversations with the marketers, communicators, and entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of science-driven companies.
If you're new here, my name is Joachim. I’m the founder of The Science Marketer newsletter and host of this new podcast. Over the last ten years, I built one of the leading media company in the biotech industry, and now I’m sharing everything I’ve learned to help you market and communicate your science more effectively.
So whether you’re curious about how communicators make complex technology sound simple, or how science marketers use social media to find new customers, this podcast is for you and I hope you'll find insights that are valuable to your work.
Subscribe now so you don't miss the first episode.
And if you’re interested in my newsletter, which goes out every Tuesday, you can visit thesciencemarketer.com
I’ll see you soon for my first interview!
