🎙️ Hosts: Mike Ouren, Sura Hadi

🎧 Episode Title: The 2025 Hiring Curve: Biotech, Automation & What’s Next (Part 1)

What’s changed in biotech hiring since January? What hasn’t? And what’s next for lab automation jobs in 2025?

In this exclusive two-part episode of Science Means Business, Sura and Mike sit down with Ian Cooper & Chris Gaetani of BioMed Recruitment for a mid-year hiring check-in that every candidate and hiring manager should hear.

This week in Part 1, we cover:

💻 Why resumes are fading and video intros are winning candidates jobs

💸 The “compensation hangover” from post-COVID salary spikes

📊 Which biotech and automation roles are hardest (and easiest) to fill

🏢 The surprising stat: 37% of SLAS companies are still hiring in the U.S.

👉 And we leave you on a cliffhanger: Chris’s Hot or Not trend picks, coming in Part 2.

If you’re navigating the biotech job market, hiring for automation talent, or just curious how careers are shifting in 2025 — this episode is for you.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes weekly →    / @helicalbrew  

📩 Want to be promoted or be a guest? Email us: [email protected]

📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS – NAVIGATE THE CONVERSATION

00:00 Cold Open (Rotary Phone Bit)

00:32 Host Intro: Welcome to Science Means Business

01:00 Guest Intros: Ian & Chris from BioMed Recruiting

02:00 Icebreaker: Resume & Job Trends That Made Us Shake Our Heads

05:30 Video Intros vs Resumes: Why Candidates Stand Out on Camera

08:00 The Compensation Hangover: Resetting Expectations in 2025

13:00 Harder vs Easier Roles to Fill in Lab Automation

17:00 SLAS Stat: 37% of Companies Still Hiring

20:00 Setting the Stage: Chris’s Hot or Not (to be continued in Part 2)

🔗 Guest & Company Links:

🌐 BioMed Recruitment: https://www.biomedrecruitment.com/

👤 Ian Cooper on LinkedIn:   / ian-cooper17  

👤 Chris Gaetani on LinkedIn:   / chris-gaetani-586a3a129  📌 SHORTS (Grab Quick Highlights)

▶️ Video Intros vs Resumes:    • 📹 Why video intros beat resumes in biotech...  

▶️ Compensation Hangover:    • 💸 The Post-COVID Compensation Hangover in ...  

#HelicalBrew #ScienceMeansBusiness #BiotechJobs #HiringTrends #Compensation #Recruiting #BioMedRecruiting #LabAutomation #BiotechCareers #Hiring2025 #CareerPivot #FutureOfWork #SciencePodcast #AutomationInBiotech #BiotechInnovation #ScienceAndTech #viralshortsvideo #viralreels #viralvideos #labautomation #biotech

🎙️ Hosts: Mike Ouren, Sura Hadi, Elizabeth Rodziewicz

🎧 Episode Title: Red Chair, Closet Beer, Peloton Fame & Frenchie Drama

Red chair returns. Closet beer gets cancelled. Peloton price therapy, Frenchie recovery, and a lab-events blitz.

This week on Helical Brew: Unfiltered Brew (Ep. 46), Sura, Mike, and Elizabeth go full cozy chaos:

🔴 Red-on-red & the chair that wants a mic

🍺 Closet beer confessions (and why IPAs have a clock)

🚴 Cody Rigsby shout-outs, OG vs. new Peloton, and price reality

🐶 Hyper-Frenchie surgery recovery + crate-scream saga

🎛 Stream decks, soundboards, and the “we need an intern” moment

🧭 LRIG / SLAS / Oxford Global / Biocom event rundown

🥾 Rucking, TRX, & parenting-by-embarrassment

🎁 Picks of the Week: bamboo stand, GORUCK patches, “presence”

If you’re into biotech banter, Peloton chaos, closet beer debates, or just need a laugh after a long week - you’re in the right place.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes weekly →    / @helicalbrew  

📩 Want to be promote or be a guest? Email us: [email protected]

📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS – NAVIGATE THE CHAOS

00:00 The red chair takes the spotlight

01:15 Summer vanishes + e-bike mania (and mishaps)

02:49 Peloton speed runs & Cody Rigsby hype

03:40 Quarantine Peloton: regrets, price drops & OG bike woes

05:30 “At that price, the coach better be included”

06:27 Producer shout-outs & shorts grind

07:43 ISPE San Diego recap + live-show banter

08:32 Mira Mesa eats & Somi Somi dessert detour

09:29 Parenting by embarrassment (feat. Nutella vs custard)

10:22 Frenchie surgery, sedation, & crate-scream saga

12:39 Townhouse perks: unexpected quiet

14:29 Stream decks, gamer rigs & overkill setups

17:13 Streaming dreams & “we need an intern” callout

18:05 Upcoming events: LRIG, Niklas Forum, MSACL, ILMAC, SLAS

21:14 NYC LRIG crossover & Canada socials brewing

23:35 Oxford Global + Biocom previews

24:35 SLAS lead-up teasers & guest hints

25:59 Happy hours & meetups (Reno → London → Munich)

27:31 Picks of the Week: bamboo stand, GORUCK challenge, digital presence

29:11 TRX workouts, rucking & the hashtag challenge

32:12 Parenting vs. rucking (a heavy load)

33:30 “Did you miss us?” banter returns

35:08 Wrap-up + subscribe call

📌 SHORTS (Quick Clips from the Episode)

▶️    • 🍺 Stop Hoarding Old Beer | #helicalbrew  E...  

▶️    • Peloton Fame = Cody Rigsby Shout-Out #heli...

  #HelicalBrew #UnfilteredBrew #Podcast #Peloton #ClosetBeer #FrenchieDrama #BiotechLife #LabAutomation #SLAS #LRIG #BeerTalk #Parenting #Rucking #TRX #SciencePodcast #ComedyPodcast #BiotechEvents #viralshortsvideo #viralreels #viralvideos #viral_video #labautomation #biotech #biotechstartups #biotechinnovation #biotechnology #science #sciencepodcast #scienceandtech #podcastclips #podcastshorts

🎙 Episode 45 – Cristian Ponce | CEO & Co-Founder – Tetsuwan Scientific

"Interfacing with the Future: Why Lab Robots Still Don’t Understand Scientists

"What’s really broken in lab automation? According to Cristian Ponce, it’s not the hardware—it’s the human interface.In this episode of our AI Thought Leaders series, we sit down with Cristian, a Caltech-trained bioengineer and co-founder of Tetsuwan Scientific, to dive into the real reason most lab robots fail to deliver—and what it will take to build a fully autonomous, cloud-based laboratory future.

🔍 We cover:• Why lab automation still feels clunky (hint: it's not the pipettes)

• How AI can act as a translator between scientists and machines

• Dead volume wars, snap cap disasters, and the cost of bad UX

• What “automated automation engineering” really means

• The bold idea of a robot-powered lab that lives in the cloud

• Why storytelling and systems-thinking matter in biotech entrepreneurship

• How Tetsuwan is stewarding a new, forest-minded future for lab automation

☁️ From Eroom’s Law to Astro Boy, from dead volume to dead dreams of automation—this one goes deep.

📌 Subscribe for more bold ideas in AI, lab automation, and biotech:    / @helicalbrew  

📩 Want to be promote or be a guest? Email us: [email protected]

📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS – NAVIGATE THE EPISODE

00:00 – Intro

01:06 – Magic Wand Question: No More Labs?

02:04 – Cristian’s Origin Story: From Sorghum to Caltech

04:16 – Falling Out of Love with the Wet Lab

06:15 – Fixing the Interface Layer in Lab Automation

10:00 – Why Scientists & Robots Speak Different Languages

13:13 – Hidden Costs: Time, Talent & Trust

17:55 – Old Solutions vs New Ideas (Why Parameterization Fails)

21:00 – Can LLMs Help? Why They Fall Short Alone

23:15 – The Hybrid AI Approach to Translating Science

25:00 – Tetsuwan’s Unique UX & Design Philosophy

30:07 – The Cloud Lab is Coming… But Are We Ready?

35:20 – Why the Last Cloud Labs Didn’t Work (Yet)

43:10 – From Algae to Automation: The Founder Mindset

49:06 – Teen Court, NASA, and the Systems Lens

54:44 – Advice for Young Scientists & Founders

57:55 – Why Tetsuwan Supports LabAutomation.io & Lab Auto Wiki

1:02:19 – Forest-Minded Thinking: Swag, Collaboration & the Future

1:05:26 – Picks of the Week

1:09:23 – Wrap Up

🔗 Guest & Company Links:

🌐 Tetsuwan Scientific: https://www.tetsuwan.com

👤 Cristian Ponce on LinkedIn:   / cristianponce1  

📌 SHORTS (Quick Clips from the Episode)

▶️    • "Magic Wand? No More Labs.” — Cristian Pon...  

▶️    • Scientists vs Dead Volume ⚔️ (it’s a fist ...  

#helicalbrew #aithoughtleaders #HelicalBrew #TetsuwanScientific #LabAutomation #CloudLab #ScientificInnovation #AutomationEngineering #LifeScienceTech #BiotechInnovation #DeadVolume #LLM #SyntheticBiology #BiotechStartups #MolecularAutomation #NextGenLab #BenchToBot #FutureOfScience #TechEntrepreneurs #ScienceMeansBusiness #VeritasiumVibes #LifeScienceInnovation #DrugDiscovery #BiotechAI #MachineLearning #SciencePodcast #AutomationInBiotech #AIInHealthcare #FutureOfScience #HelicalBrew #viralshortsvideo #viralreels #viralvideos #viral_video #labautomation #biotech #biotechstartups #biotechinnovation #biotechnology #science #sciencepodcast #scienceandtech #podcastclips #podcastshorts #ai #aiinscience #aiinbiotech

🎙️ Hosts: Mike Ouren, Sura Hadi

🎧 Episode Title: Flying Tylenol, Gamer Rage & BBQ Sauce: Unfiltered Travel & Tech Talk

Cloud storage meltdowns. Overnight flight delays. Double Wild Turkey.

In this episode of Unfiltered Brew, Mike and Sura unpack the real reason people drink on airplanes, private equity destroying good airlines, and the chaos of modern travel — before spiraling into gaming updates, dog DNA tests, Trader Joe’s vs Costco, and the glorious nostalgia of Chili’s baby back ribs.

☕ What we cover in this episode:

• FAA systems down + the United Airlines Denver debacle
• Why people really order drinks on planes
• Wild Turkey, Southwest nostalgia & the dawning of assigned seats
• Gaming tangents: Warzone Season 5, bots & rage quitting
• Dogs, DNA tests, sparkling water and Trader Joe’s survival strategies
• Cloud storage nightmares & the “flying Tylenol effect”
• Chili’s jingles, Bullwinkle costumes & generational nostalgia
• Why the audience should decide the next topic (and maybe join the show)

If you’re into automation, tech, gaming, or just need a laugh after a long travel day — you’re in the right place.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes weekly →    / @helicalbrew  

📩 Want to be promote or be a guest? Email us: [email protected]

📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS – NAVIGATE THE EPISODE

00:00 Intro & Channel Reminder

01:30 Airline Chaos & Cloud Storage Rant

05:30 Why Everyone Drinks on Planes (Southwest Stories)

09:00 Travel Horror Stories – Denver Delay

14:30 Neighborhood Drama & Tall vs Short Household Problems

20:00 Call of Duty Season 5 Update & Gamer Rage Quits

27:30 AI Companies Everywhere – Industry Trends

33:25 Language, Culture & Reading Body Language

39:20 Raw Chicken Regrets & Food Safety Trauma

46:50 Trader Joe’s vs Traditional Groceries

51:10 Rocky & Bullwinkle Nostalgia / Taco Bell Memories

57:00 SAT / TASP Chat & Pop-Culture Food Trends (Shawarma)

1:03:40 Invitation to Join / Closing Remarks/ Behind the scenes outtake

📌 SHORTS (Quick Clips from the Episode)

▶️    • The Chili’s Baby Back Ribs Jingle… Unfilte...  

▶️    • Why Do We Drink More on Planes? #HelicalBr...  

▶️    • What Should We Talk About Next? #HelicalBr...  

#UnfilteredBrew #HelicalBrew #TravelHumor #LabAutomation #SciencePodcast #TechCulture #Warzone #SouthwestAirlines #BiotechTalk #PodcastShorts #ViralPodcast #LabAutomation #SciencePodcast #BiotechTalk #viralshortsvideo #viralreels #viralvideos #viral_video #biotech #biotechstartups #biotechinnovation #biotechnology #science #sciencepodcast #scienceandtech #podcastclips #podcastshorts

🎙️ Hosts: Mike Ouren, Sura Hadi

🎧 Episode Title: From Lanyards to Lollapalooza: Unfiltered Trade Show Tales

Lanyards, swag regrets, boutique hotels, and a diagnostics mega-show colliding with Lollapalooza.

Your favorite lab automation crew gets real about ADLM 2025, diagnostics business models, and the quirks of conference life—plus some unexpected gaming and tech tangents.

This episode dives into the intersection of science and chaos—from the expo floor to the EDM bassline drifting in from across the park.

☕ What we cover in this episode:

• ADLM 2025 recap: size, scope, and why it’s 4x bigger than SLAS
• Lollapalooza meets diagnostics: the hotel chaos story
• The “money printer” business model of diagnostics
• Swag hoarding & the great lanyard purge
• Coffee rituals, boutique hotel wins, and deep dish regrets
• Gaming tangents: Warzone spin-offs, overlays & streaming setups
• Meta fatigue vs. Apple Vision Pro hype
• Why Comic-Con might be on our 2026 calendar

If you work in diagnostics, automation, biotech, or just love trade show stories—you’ll feel right at home.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes weekly →    / @helicalbrew  

📩 Want to be a guest? Email us: [email protected]

📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS – NAVIGATE THE EPISODE

0:00 Intro & welcome

1:37 Lollapalooza & ADLM collide

3:00 Deep dish pizza & hotel chaos

5:00 Boutique hotel finds & Nespresso loyalty

7:35 ADLM recap: what stood out

10:00 Booths, diagnostics giants & B2B scale

14:00 Contract design & startup strategy

17:17 Business models: diagnostics vs. R&D

18:00 Swag regrets & lanyard purging

24:00 Neck pillows & travel talk

26:30 Upcoming shows: ILMAC, NICLAS Forum, ISPE

30:00 Gaming overlays & Twitch thoughts

34:00 Warzone spin-offs & Call of Duty chaos

38:28 Meta fatigue & Apple Vision Pro

41:00 Google Plus flashbacks & quitting social

43:00 Is LinkedIn still worth it?

44:30 Wrapping up: Lollapalooza crash or Comic-Con cosplay?

📌 SHORTS (Quick Clips from the Episode)

▶️    • Lollapalooza vs ADLM: When Lab Geeks and E...  

▶️    • Warzone Spin-Off Rumors? Mike Reacts to th...  

▶️    • The Big Expo: Our Take on ADLM’s Size, Ene...

  #UnfilteredBrew #HelicalBrew #ADLM2025 #DiagnosticsLife #TradeShowHumor #Lollapalooza #LabAutomation #SciencePodcast #BiotechTalk #SwagRegrets #viralshortsvideo #viralreels #viralvideos #viral_video #biotech #biotechstartups #biotechinnovation #biotechnology #science #sciencepodcast #scienceandtech #podcastclips #podcastshorts

🎙️ Hosts: Mike Ouren, Sura Hadi, Elizabeth Rodziewicz

🎧 Episode Title: Unfiltered Brew: Summer Trade Shows, Surf Racks & ShrinkageBold opinions.

Bigger laughs. No guests, just guts.

Your favorite lab automation crew gets real about diagnostics, biotech trends, and a little turbulence—literally.

This episode dives into ADLM, biotech meetups, automation trends, and the evolving diagnostics industry landscape.

☕ What we cover in this episode:

• ADLM vs SLAS: Why diagnostics is the Walmart of automation
• South Park, shrinkage, and flight turbulence (yes, it’s all connected)
• The unspoken surfboard-to-lab-pipeline in San Diego
• The next biotech hubs
• Hamilton, Thermo, and the never-ending acquisition carousel

Real talk on event overload, planning fatigue, and Day of the Dead tequila cheers

If you work in diagnostics, automation, biotech, or just love trade show stories—you’ll feel right at home.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes weekly →    / @helicalbrew  

📩 Want to be a guest? Email us: [email protected]

📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS – NAVIGATE THE EPISODE

0:00 Intro & South Park banter

2:20 What the heck is ADLM?

6:10 Upcoming shows: Boston, Toronto, RTP

10:05 Central CA biotech dreams

15:00 Surfboards, burritos & San Diego biotech

18:50 Trade show strategy (and shrinkage)

23:15 Analytika North America & European events

29:40 Acquisitions: BD, Waters, Hamilton, Thermo

33:30 Travel stories, turbulence & Thunder suits

40:10 Planning fatigue & Day of the Dead

45:50 Salmon fishing fails & Canadian fashion

51:20 Wrap-up & Hawaiian shirt challenge

📌 SHORTS (Quick Clips from the Episode)

▶️    • ADLM 2025 Preview + Unfiltered Helical Bre...  

#UnfilteredBrew #HelicalBrew #LabAutomation #Diagnostics #BiotechHumor #TradeShowTales #HelicalBrew #viralshortsvideo #viralreels #viralvideos #viral_video #labautomation #biotech #biotechstartups #biotechinnovation #biotechnology #science #sciencepodcast #scienceandtech #podcastclips #podcastshorts

🎙️ Guest: Madeline Wolf | Founder, The Automated Lab

🎧 Hosts: Mike Ouren, Sura Hadi, and Elizabeth Rodziewicz

📺 Series: Automation in the Wild

Title: Blueprints, Bots & Breaking In: Building The Automated Lab from the Ground Up

"You can’t automate what you don’t understand." – Madeline Wolf

In this episode, we sit down with Madeline Wolf, a seasoned automation engineer, product manager, and founder of The Automated Lab. From developing modular RAC systems at Ginkgo to building a community-first education hub for automation engineers, Madeline shares real-world lessons on scaling platforms, managing human factors, and breaking the mold in biotech.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• Why the RAC system changed how modular automation is done
• What makes human-centered design essential in lab systems
• How The Automated Lab is filling the education gap in biotech automation
• Lessons from automation failure, sticker wisdom & user empathy
• How product management grows from engineering roots

☕ Whether you're building robots, mentoring teams, or exploring your next big automation challenge—this episode will shift how you think.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes weekly →    / @helicalbrew  

📩 Want to be a guest? Email us: [email protected]

📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS – NAVIGATE THE EPISODE

00:00 – Intro & Icebreaker

02:10 – DNA, Bugs & First Automation Aha!

05:00 – Early Career & Systems That Should’ve Exploded

07:15 – Zymergen, Ginkgo & Factory-Scale Automation

13:30 – What Modular Really Means (and Doesn’t)

20:00 – Human Factors in Automated Workflows

26:15 – Going Meta: From Engineer to Product Manager

31:00 – User Error or Engineering Failure?

37:00 – Why Stickers Save Robots

42:15 – Building The Automated Lab

47:15 – Education as the Trojan Horse for Change

54:00 – The Future of Modular Hardware & Open Source

1:03:15 – Dream Challenges & Industry Shifts

1:14:00 – Picks of the Week: Scary Squids & Switch Games

1:20:00 – Wrap-Up & Where to Find Madeline

🔗 Connect with Madeline Wolf

Website: https://theautomatedlab.com

LinkedIn:   / madelinewolf  

📌 SHORTS (Quick Clips from the Episode)

▶️    • Balancing Engineering & Human Needs #helic...  

▶️    • Lab Automation Basics—What They Don’t Tell...  

💬 “Stickers go farther than you'd think in automation.”

#HelicalBrew #AutomationInTheWild #LabAutomation #WomenInSTEM #BiotechInnovation #ScientificStorytelling #FoundersInTech #RoboticsEngineering #BiotechOps #PodcastClip #OpenSourceScience #HumanCenteredDesign #scientificliteracy #engineeringeducation #biotechstartup #techpodcast #modularautomation #sciencepodcast #viralshorts #podcastshorts

🎙️ Guest: Ali Glaser | Antibody Discovery & Cell Therapy Automation Strategist

🎧 Hosts: Mike Ouren & Sura Hadi

📺 Series: Science Means Business

"You can’t innovate in a vacuum." - Ali Glaser

In this episode, Ali Glaser shares field-tested lessons from the frontlines of lab automation, platform adoption, and scientific product strategy. From custom ClonePix setups to dead-cell disasters, we unpack why tools get abandoned, how to prevent it, and what makes a product truly usable in real labs.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• The hidden reasons scientists abandon expensive tools
• What customer-centric sales teams ask before the demo
• Why upstream/downstream compatibility trumps flashy features
• How bad onboarding can sink great innovation
• The real cost of skipping UX in life science automation

☕ Whether you’re building, buying, or pitching automation—this episode is a reality check.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes weekly →    / @helicalbrew  

📩 Want to be a guest? Email us: [email protected]

📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS - NAVIGATE THE EPISODE

00:00 – Intro & Cold Open

00:28 – Meet Ali Glaser

03:35 – Science vs. Business Thinking

04:48 – “You Can’t Innovate in a Vacuum”

07:48 – One-Offs, ROI & Internal Buy-In

10:38 – Career Journey: DIY Lab to Field Scientist

14:48 – Vendor Advocacy & Black Box Systems

16:32 – Tech Rollout: MVPs & Early Users

20:27 – Platform Adoption: What Really Matters

24:49 – Ecosystem Fit: Bandwidth, Labware & More

27:44 – Future-Proofing Scientific Tools

30:37 – When Automation Goes Sideways

33:21 – Empathy, Buy-In & Customer Trust

35:15 – MacGyver Moments in the Field

40:46 – Design-Build-Test with Customers

42:30 – Listening for Real Pain Points

43:45 – Upstream/Downstream Sales Fluency

45:18 – Python in the Modern Lab Stack

46:41 – Biology + Engineering Collaboration

48:32 – Picks of the Week

52:46 – In-N-Out vs. Shake Shack

54:05 – Wrap-Up & Where to Find Ali

🔗 Connect with Ali Glaser

LinkedIn:   / alison-ali-glaser-025a477  

📌 SHORTS (Grab Quick Highlights)

▶️    • Don’t Skip These Questions Before Buying L...  

▶️    • When Robots Crash and Grippers Snap: Why P...  

💬 "Ask better questions. Build better adoption. Don’t let your robot crash at 6 PM."

#HelicalBrew #ScienceMeansBusiness #LabAutomation #BiotechOps #ScientificLeadership #FacilityDesign #CapitalStrategy #AutomationRecovery #BuiltToFail #PodcastClip #LabCulture #viralshorts #viralreels #biotechstartups #biotechinnovation #sciencepodcast #scienceandtech #podcastclips #podcastshorts #viralvideos

🎙️ Guest: Steven Laflin, Former Principal SHE Program Manager, Genentech🎧 Hosts: Mike Ouren, Sura Hadi & Elizabeth Rodziewicz📺 Series: Science Means BusinessLabs aren’t failing because the science is wrong—they’re failing because the systems were built to break.Steven Laflin has managed over $325M in capital investments across life sciences. From Eli Lilly to Genentech, he’s the guy who gets called after the multimillion-dollar mistakes. In this episode, Steve shares what really goes wrong in automation, capital strategy, and scientific operations—and how to fix it before the budget (or culture) collapses.🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• Why most automation is installed—but never used
• How $10M labs get built for $1M problems
• The hidden link between EHS, trust, and operational failure
• How to course-correct when your facility, team, or budget is already broken

☕ This one’s for anyone who’s inherited a lab they didn’t build—and had to make it work anyway.🎧 Subscribe for new episodes weekly →    / @helicalbrew  📩 Want to be a guest? Email us: [email protected]📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS - NAVIGATE THE EPISODE00:00 – Labs fail from poor planning00:28 – Meet Steve Laflin01:46 – $325M in automation lessons03:10 – Siloed teams vs. integration04:58 – Vendor overload problems06:39 – Bad automation examples08:01 – Open access labs09:21 – Proving automation works11:01 – Standardizing platforms12:41 – The emotional shift15:44 – Fear of the word “robot”18:29 – Compliance + safety20:08 – Shared systems across teams23:21 – Award-winning automation26:36 – Scaling across facilities29:19 – Automation in manufacturing32:38 – Biosero + Potato AI potential34:10 – Training the next generation38:50 – Hidden downtime and risk43:13 – Vendor support matters46:32 – Lab myths vs. data reality49:38 – Why rockstar teams fail51:13 – Team roles that execute54:21 – Robots from bench to surgery57:15 – Outro + connect with us🔗 Connect with Steven LaflinLinkedIn:   / steven-laflin-c-b7458a24  📌 SHORTS (Grab Quick Highlights)▶️    • Why Lab Ops Fail (Even with Great Ideas) |...  ▶️    • $100K Lab Gear... Used as a Chess Table?! ...  “Automation without adoption? That’s just expensive furniture.”“They called me when the budget was blown. That’s when the real work started.”#HelicalBrew #ScienceMeansBusiness #LabAutomation #BiotechOps #ScientificLeadership #EHS #FacilityDesign #CapitalStrategy #Genentech #PharmaFailFixes #AutomationRecovery #BuiltToFail #PodcastClip #LabCulture #HelicalBrew #viralshortsvideo #viralreels #viralvideos #viral_video #labautomation #biotech #biotechstartups #biotechinnovation #biotechnology #science #sciencepodcast #scienceandtech #podcastclips #podcastshorts #viralshorts #viralshort

🎙️ Guest: Kate Halter, PhD – Field Sales Engineer at Tecan

🎧 Hosts: Mike Ouren, Sura Hadi & Elizabeth Rodziewicz

📺 Series: Automation in the Wild – Helical Brew

Lab automation doesn’t sell itself.

In this episode of Automation in the Wild, Kate Halter, PhD, joins us to talk about what really happens after the install. From neuroscience labs to field sales, Kate shares what it takes to build trust, train teams, and make robots actually stick.

You’ll hear about flooded benches, protocol packet struggles, and why listening - not pitching- is the real superpower in automation.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• Why trust matters more than tech specs during installs
• The biggest mistakes labs make before automation arrives
• How customer empathy shapes system adoption
• The hidden value of having a PhD in field sales
• What it takes to guide automation-curious scientists
• Lessons from the wild: cafeterias, elevator shafts, and no-shows

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes weekly →    / @helicalbrew  

📩 Want to be a guest? Email us: [email protected]

📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Cold Open: Jobsian Vibes & Coffee Talk

01:36 – Meet Kate: From Neuroscience to Lab Automation

03:52 – Brain Slices at Dawn: Life Before Robots

07:04 – The San Diego Shift: Career Pivot to Sales

10:03 – Why Automation Success Feels So Good

13:07 – Common Lab Mistakes (Like Power Outlets!)

17:51 – Trust, Empathy & Winning Over Scientists

21:11 – Field Fixes & MacGyver Moments

24:17 – Staying Ahead: Weekly Trainings & Tech Updates

26:04 – Guiding Clients from Small Wins to Big Solutions

29:04 – The Power of Relationships (and Baked Goods)

32:28 – Creating Superuser Labs That Thrive

34:13 – Flexible Software & Python in the Lab

43:02 – Owning the Sales Role & Letting Go of Imposter Syndrome

🎯 Picks of the Week

🎧 Kate’s PickShokz Bone-Conduction Headphones

“My go-to for field installs, running between client sites, or hopping on Zooms. Super light, stays off the ears, and lets me stay alert on the road.”

🎤 Mike’s Pick

T-shirts for the crew from Helix Brewing in San Diego, CA

"Puff, Puff, Pale" from the brewery that comes up often on Helical Brew

🔗 Guest Links

🧪 Tecan Fluent Platform → https://www.tecan.com/fluent

💼 Kate Halter on LinkedIn →   / katehalter  

📌 SHORTS (Catch up on viral clips from this episode!)

▶️    • Science as Piano? 

🎹 The Arias of Automatio...  

▶️    • Mind-Meld with Machines? 🧠🤖 Automation Con...  

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