In this episode, we sit down with David Remedios, National Sales Digital Pathology Specialist at Leica Biosystems, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of digital pathology and the intersection of science and technology in modern healthcare.

From the halls of the innovative Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital to remote diagnosis in Newfoundland, David shares his insights on how automation and digitization are solving critical labor shortages and changing the way doctors work. We also dive into his personal journey from a UofT neurobiology major to a leader in clinical sales.

In this video, we discuss:

• The Digital Shift: How hospitals are moving from glass slides on snowmobiles to instant remote sign-outs [02:10].
• AI vs. Pathologists: Will algorithms replace doctors, or are they simply the ultimate pattern-recognition tool? [04:15].
• Regulatory Hurdles: The differences between Health Canada and FDA approval processes [05:42].
• Career Advice: Why you don’t always need an MBA to reach leadership roles in the life sciences [14:22].
• Sales Strategy: The importance of "discovery" and in-person connections in a complex, 2–4 year sales cycle [26:05].
• Funding Innovation: How hospitals navigate capital projects using foundation funds and "Dragon's Den" style pitches [27:35].

Whether you are a pathology professional, a science student, or interested in the business of medical devices, this conversation provides a deep dive into the future of Canadian healthcare.

In this episode of North Star Scientific, we explore the unconventional journey of Rob, who transitioned from a high school history teacher to a 15-year veteran in the life sciences sales industry.

Rob shares his unique philosophy on being a "Chief Happiness Officer"—focusing on empathy, transparency, and helping customers succeed rather than just closing a deal. We also dive into how technology and AI are transforming the way sales professionals interact with scientists and what the future of lab demos might look like in a virtual world.

In this video, we discuss:

The Career Pivot: How a history degree builds the research skills needed for technical sales [03:14].

The Evolution of the "Cold Call": Why walking hospital halls is a thing of the past and how AI enables "warm calling" [13:09].

Chief Happiness Officer: Why focusing on customer happiness leads to long-term success and loyalty [10:00].

AI vs. Personal Relationships: Will AI ever replace the face-to-face connection in high-stakes biotech sales? [23:47].

The Future of Lab Demos: Could VR goggles and "digital twins" replace shipping heavy equipment for trials? [27:13].

Sales Frameworks: A breakdown of Spin, Challenger, and EPIC selling methodologies [31:32].

The "Nice Guy" Myth: Why compassion and empathy are actually competitive advantages in business [35:17].

Whether you're looking to break into the life science industry or you're a seasoned pro wanting to refine your consultative approach, this conversation offers a masterclass in modern relationship-based selling.

What happens when a molecular biology major realizes they aren't meant for the lab bench? In this episode of North Star Scientific, we sit down with David Nathan, CEO of Scaler Marketing, to explore the intersection of science, storytelling, and entrepreneurship.

David shares the raw reality of starting a business with a family of five, the unconventional lessons he learned from Amway, and how he transitioned from selling $5,000 websites to running a specialized agency for major scientific companies. We also dive into the future of SEO, the "empty" side of AI creativity, and why every science professional needs a community like SAMPS.

00:00:00 - Intro: The power of being active on LinkedIn

00:01:54 - Growing up in the lab: From Princeton to New England Biolabs

00:03:57 - The Epiphany: Why I wasn't meant for the lab bench

00:05:22 - The "Storytelling Gap" in scientific companies

00:07:05 - Lessons from Amway: Redesigning your life path

00:10:31 - Starting a business with triplets and a $0 salary

00:14:12 - How my wife "kicked me out" to find my first client

00:15:53 - Handling a 6-month sales drought

00:19:35 - How to scale: "Make a mess, then clean it up"

00:23:00 - Moving from $5K websites to $100K projects

00:24:31 - Is SEO still relevant in the age of AI?

00:27:45 - How AI pulls information: The role of backlinks

00:29:18 - Simon Sinek and the "Struggle" of creativity vs. AI

00:30:51 - What is SAMPS? A community for science commercial professionals

00:34:04 - Closing thoughts and future collaborations

"People make the difference." We sit down with Berendia Jackson, a high-impact sales leader in the biotech industry.

Berendia shares her unique journey from the lab bench to leading commercial teams for global life science giants. We discuss the critical balance between technical expertise and soft skills, how the "customer journey" has evolved over two decades (from Palm Pilots to AI), and the honest reality of being a minority in executive leadership. This is a must-watch for anyone looking to understand the human side of high-stakes scientific sales and the future of diversity in the boardroom.

00:00:00 - Introduction: Meeting a powerhouse leader

00:01:10 - The Journey: From aspiring doctor to life science sales

00:01:55 - "People Make the Difference": The technical vs. commercial balance

00:02:54 - Lessons from a Field Application Scientist (FAS) role

00:04:18 - 20 Years of Change: From Palm Pilots and paper maps to digital tools

00:05:40 - The Modern Customer: More knowledgeable and AI-empowered

00:06:45 - AI in Sales: Will robots replace the human connection?

00:08:44 - The Peak of Human Intelligence? AI’s potential for EQ

00:10:47 - Transactional vs. Million-Dollar Deals: Where AI fits

00:13:51 - AI in Healthcare: Predictive modeling and self-diagnosis

00:16:30 - Diversity in Leadership: Breaking the glass ceiling

00:18:28 - Executive Champions: The importance of diversity in thought and background

00:19:40 - Mentoring the Next Generation: Volunteering with Women in Bio

00:20:55 - Why the Boardroom Needs to Reflect the Real World

00:22:50 - The Responsibility of Representation: Doing the job well first

00:25:15 - Overcoming Unconscious Bias in Hiring

00:26:55 - Healthcare Disparity: Diversity’s impact on clinical trials

00:28:05 - The Next Chapter: Moving downstream toward diagnostics

00:30:45 - Leading from the Trenches: Berendia’s leadership philosophy

#SalesLeadership #LifeSciences #Biotech #DiversityInSTEM #AIinHealthcare #WomenInBio #CommercialExcellence #DiversityAndInclusion #CareerJourney #NorthStarScientific

Your degree only goes so far. Practical application is what makes you valuable.

In this episode of the Pathways in Life Science podcast, we sit down with our own Managing Partner, Jeff Storelee, to discuss his transition from the QC lab at Bio-Techne to leading major sales teams. Jeff opens up about the "hard lessons" of the Northeast sales territory, why being an introvert didn't stop him from succeeding in sales, and the importance of telling customers the truth—even when it means losing a commission.

Whether you're a student facing "career burnout" or a professional looking to move into business development, Jeff’s story provides a roadmap for stepping outside your comfort zone and building a career based on trust and results.

00:00:00 - Introduction: The "Illustrious" career of Jeff Storelee

00:00:54 - Childhood Dreams: Why I wanted to be a doctor (or a hockey player)

00:01:42 - Junior Year Burnout: Pivoting away from med school

00:02:35 - Starting Small: My first $27,000 lab job at R&D Systems

00:04:02 - The Lab Advantage: Why every sales rep should spend time at the bench

00:05:46 - Learning "Pain Points": How lab experience makes you a better consultant

00:06:40 - The "Shy Kid" in Sales: Can introverts succeed in business?

00:07:34 - Best Career Advice: "You don't get anything without asking"

00:09:44 - Building Loyalty: Why I refused to sell a "piece of crap" instrument

00:11:41 - The Myth of the Extroverted Salesperson

00:13:16 - Selling in Boston: Developing thick skin and negotiation skills

00:14:38 - Sales in 1999 vs. 2025: Competition, Pressure, and Tech

00:16:45 - The Loss of In-Person Connection: Why handshakes still matter

00:18:50 - The Art of Small Talk: Building professional friendships

00:20:54 - Corporate vs. Startup: The freedom of being nimble at North Star

00:23:23 - Advice for Graduates: Don't be narrow-minded with your career

We vastly overestimate what’s possible in 2 years, but we vastly underestimate what’s possible in 10.

In this episode of Pathways in Life Science, we speak with R.J. about the early 90s origins of AI and his journey through the "dot-com bubble" to founding a healthcare-focused software firm. R.J. breaks down why AI isn't just about writing poems. It's about detecting gender in retinal images, managing chronic conditions like diabetes through real-time agents, and enabling "aging in home" through invisible, non-invasive sensors.

We dive deep into the ethics of AI, the importance of "ambient listening" to reduce doctor burnout, and why the biggest hurdle in health tech isn't the technology itself. It's the human process and workflow.

00:00:00 - Introduction: A non-traditional path to life sciences

00:00:43 - The Early 90s AI: Why R.J. chose the workforce over a PhD

00:01:40 - Solving New Problems: Moving from inventory management to digital health

00:02:13 - The Birth of Estenda: Launching a consulting firm during a downturn

00:03:51 - AI Strategy: How GenAI has shifted from "robotics" to "creativity"

00:05:44 - The Experimental Phase: Why we can't fully trust AI for coding... yet

00:06:35 - Retinal Imaging: AI seeing patterns (like gender) that humans can't detect

00:08:50 - The Future of Wearables: Biometric-driven food orders and health agents

00:10:30 - Project Health Design: Visualizing the "Personal Health Record" in 2008

00:12:14 - Aging in Place: Using AI sensors to help seniors stay independent

00:14:52 - Rare Diseases & Off-Label Uses: AI's ability to scan the world's research

00:16:35 - Ambient Listening: Freeing doctors from their computer screens

00:17:33 - Privacy & Regulation: Why R.J. isn't worried about HIPAA in the AI age

00:20:14 - The Printing Press Analogy: Navigating the fear of game-changing tech

00:22:11 - Ethics & Suicide Prevention: The boundaries of AI in mental health

00:26:13 - The Workflow Bottleneck: Why mass adoption is a people problem

00:29:18 - Productive Harmony: R.J.’s upcoming book on energy management

#DigitalHealth #HealthTech #AIinHealthcare #SoftwareDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #MedTech #Biotech #LifeSciences #PatientCare #STEMCareers #PathwaysInLifeScience

Culture isn't the people. It's the space between the people.

In this podcast episode of Pathways in Life Science, we explore why even the best science and the most funding can't save a biotech company with a broken culture. Tom Froggatt, CEO of Singular, breaks down his "7 Building Blocks" framework for creating an environment that scales, retains talent, and navigates the unique challenges of the life sciences industry.

We discuss the "Five Monkeys" experiment on cultural behavior, why hiring for "culture fit" can actually hurt your company, and how to transition a culture as a company moves from R&D to commercialization.

00:00:00 - Introduction: The importance of culture in hard times

00:01:14 - The Accidental Career: From English Literature to Life Sciences

00:02:42 - Scaling to 500 People: Lessons from global recruitment

00:03:07 - Why Science Isn't Enough: Why successful biotechs win

00:04:43 - Culture as the "Ultimate Lever" for ROI

00:05:46 - Environment vs. Individual Effort: Creating sustainable results

00:06:57 - The Hiring Dilemma: Technical skills vs. cultural alignment

00:08:44 - The "Software Engineer" Stereotype: Diversity in expression

00:10:00 - The Mistake of "Culture Fit" vs. Diversity of Thought

00:11:47 - The Pendulum of Culture: Navigating R&D to Commercial transitions

00:13:43 - When do companies start caring about culture?

00:15:43 - The "Five Monkeys" Experiment: Why changing people doesn't change culture

00:19:11 - Environment shapes behavior: A personal story

00:20:54 - Inspiring Leadership: The alpha monkey effect

00:22:22 - The 2-Minute Elevator Pitch: Recruit, Engage, Develop

00:23:00 - Deep Dive: The 7 Building Blocks to a Brilliant Culture

00:25:38 - Framework for Action: Where to start when culture is subtle

#Biotech #CompanyCulture #Leadership #LifeSciences #OrganizationalDevelopment #StartupAdvice #TalentRetention #HumanResources #NorthStarScientific #ExecutiveSearch

Every time I fail at a venture, I learn something new and that’s how I get better.

In this episode of the Pathways in Life Science podcast, we sit down with Mark Whittaker, founder of flywheel bio-conversion and co-founder of Abide Analytical. Mark shares his fascinating transition from a 20-year career at Bio-Techne to becoming a "kinetic learner" in the world of startups.

We dive into unconventional topics like upcycling grocery waste into black soldier fly fertilizer, the impact of Canadian potash tariffs on US farmers, and why Mark decided not to open a cannabis testing lab despite having the funding ready. Mark also provides a grounded perspective on the future of AI. Viewing it not as a replacement for human thought, but as a "child" that we must carefully mentor.

00:00:00 - Intro: The shared pain of serial entrepreneurship

00:00:49 - 20 Years at Bio-Techne: From protein R&D to failure analysis

00:02:25 - The Side Hustles: Aquaculture, walleye, and yellow mealworms

00:03:07 - Black Soldier Flies: Turning grocery waste into value-added fertilizer

00:04:26 - The Potash Problem: How tariffs are impacting North American farmers

00:06:00 - The "Polymath" Personality: Why some people are driven to try everything

00:07:31 - Knowing When to Walk Away: Why we didn't open a cannabis testing lab

00:09:00 - Breaking Stereotypes: The sophisticated business side of the cannabis industry

00:10:15 - Regulation Realities: How state vs. federal laws shape US cannabis

00:11:33 - https://www.google.com/search?q=AminoAcids.com: Running a boutique analytical firm with 550+ global customers

00:13:30 - The Sales Transition: From scientific discovery to making a profit

00:15:30 - The Long Game: Why authenticity and being a "loss leader" builds loyalty

00:18:00 - The Post-COVID "Blip": Why the biotech sector is currently stumbling

00:20:17 - Will there be another pandemic? The concern over Bird Flu

00:22:00 - Advice for Grads: Listen to the veterans, not just your PhD

00:22:46 - AI in Life Sciences: Why it "hallucinates" and how to use it as a tool

00:24:00 - Collaboration: Developing AI models for CAR-T cell culture optimization

Your target audience doesn't just care about specifications. They care about the job they have to do.

In this conversation on the Pathways in Life Science podcast, Jasmine walks us through her pivot from an NIH post-doc studying protein-associated fat droplets to leading marketing at companies like Amersham, GE Healthcare, and Gyros Protein Technologies. We explore the "myth" that scientists only care about data and why the life science industry should take a page from Apple’s "1,000 songs in your pocket" playbook.

Jasmine also discusses her experience starting a consulting firm, the role of AI in diagnostics (specifically for non-small cell lung cancer), and her work with SAMPS (Sales and Marketing Professionals in the Life Sciences). We even touch on the recent "extra spine" grown by Canadians in the face of international political shifts.

00:00:00 - Introduction: A fellow Canadian and montrealer

00:00:54 - The Algonquin Frog Survey: Detecting one of the largest known viruses

00:02:40 - The NIH Pivot: Leaving academia for the business of science

00:03:30 - Product Marketing 101: Translating lab pain points into messaging

00:05:10 - The Digital Evolution: From phone calls and conferences to SEO and webinars

00:06:50 - The Multi-Touch Approach: Why people need to see a message 7 times

00:07:44 - AI as a Partner: "Madame Chat" and the future of protein sciences

00:09:12 - Machine Learning in Diagnostics: Mass spectrometry for lung cancer tests

00:11:10 - The Human Interaction: Why bots will never replace a visit from "Pat"

00:13:40 - The Consulting Jump: Testing if marketing skills work outside of science

00:15:30 - The Scientist-Marketer Myth: Why technical jargon is holding the industry back

00:17:10 - The Apple Lesson: Selling the "1,000 songs," not the specs

00:19:15 - Trends in Outsourcing: Using specialized agencies for SEO and content

00:20:10 - Lean Focus & SAMPS: Building efficient processes and professional networks

00:22:30 - Politics and Science: The danger of "politicizing facts"

00:24:23 - Canadian Pride: Facing global challenges with a new "spine"

Every path is winding, and it doesn't matter where you start, you can always make an impact in the life sciences.

In this podcast episode of Pathways in Life Science, we sit down with Carl, the man often described as the "quarterback" of Montreal’s scientific community. Carl discusses his early days in the travel industry and how a single billboard from Air Canada signaled the end of the brick-and-mortar travel agency era, prompting his shift toward the medical and biotech sectors.

We explore his work at TechnoPark Montreal and AdMare BioInnovations, where he focused on turning industrial parks into "destinations." Carl also dives into the financial advantages of investing in Quebec’s biotech scene—from hydro-electric savings to competitive lab space and why he has shared one "encouraging news of the day" every single morning for the last five years.

00:00:00 - Introduction: A colorful pathway from car rentals to the lab

00:01:03 - The Alamo Days: Building global relationships in the travel industry

00:02:10 - Travel Cuts & The Digital Shift: Predicting the end of brick-and-mortar

00:03:25 - The "Sydney, Nova Scotia" Mistake: Why humans still matter in travel

00:04:45 - Pivoting to Opthalmology: Getting closer to the medical sector

00:05:31 - TechnoPark Montreal: Promoting a site for international investment

00:06:17 - "Bringing Life to Life Sciences": The birth of the Ambassador role

00:07:23 - The AdMare Merger: Creating a powerhouse for bio-innovation

00:09:00 - The Serial Networker: Why Carl can't be confined to a 9-to-5 desk

00:10:55 - Technopark as a Destination: Running trails, restaurants, and ecosystems

00:12:43 - The Quebec Advantage: Tax breaks, Hydro-Quebec, and Lab space costs

00:14:43 - Research vs. Revenue: How biotechs survive the "pre-market" years

00:16:30 - Global Missions: Promoting Canadian talent in the US market

00:18:03 - The 5-Year Streak: Why Carl posts "Good News" every single morning

00:19:15 - Future Tech: AI, virtual labs, and the quest for personalized medicine

00:20:54 - Life is Beautiful: Why Carl relates his career to the movie La Vita è Bella