In this episode of the Science Marketer podcast, Susanna Harris discusses the importance of building communities within the scientific field, sharing her journey with PhD Balance and how it evolved into a supportive network for scientists. She emphasizes the need for authentic engagement, understanding the motivations of scientists, and the role of metrics in maintaining community engagement. Susanna also provides insights on choosing the right platforms for community building and offers advice for marketers looking to connect with scientists effectively.

Chapters:

00:00 How Susanna Harris became interested in communities
03:18 How PhD Balance turned into a real community
09:11 How PhD Balance turned into a real community
12:51 What community building looks like at Breakout Ventures
16:18 How to attract the right people to your community
18:58 Keeping a community engaged over time
21:57 The best channels for reaching scientists
29:22 One piece of advice for marketers engaging scientists
32:20 Recommended reading for community builders

🤝 To connect with Susanna:

• Breakout Ventures' website (https://breakout.vc)
• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannalharris/)

🎤 To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimeeckhout/)
• Contact form (https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/contact/)

✅ Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter: https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/

In this conversation, Maurice Van Rotterdam discusses the unique challenges and strategies involved in designing websites for life sciences companies. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the target audience, avoiding common mistakes, and balancing scientific detail with appealing design. The discussion also covers case studies of successful projects, technical aspects of website development, and future trends in the industry, including the impact of AI.

Chapters:

00:00 Maurice van Rotterdam’s background and the story behind Sciential
03:07 What makes life sciences websites unique
05:26 The biggest mistakes companies make with their websites
08:26 How Sciential starts a website project: analysis and onboarding process
11:40 Understanding the user journey and common UX challenges
14:59 Balancing scientific detail with accessibility
17:13 Striking the right design balance: credibility vs creativity
22:13 Case studies: Success stories in UX and design
26:07 Technical foundations: what matters most behind the scenes
28:37 Advice for early-stage biotech companies with limited budgets
31:43 The future of life sciences websites: AI and personalization

🤝 To connect with Maurice:

• Sciential's website (https://scientialmarketing.com)
• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricevanrotterdam/)

🎤 To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimeeckhout/)
• Contact form (https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/contact/)

✅ Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter: https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/

In this episode of the Science Marketer Podcast, Heikki Lanckriet, CEO of 4basbio, discusses the challenges and strategies involved in rebranding a biotech company. He shares insights on the importance of aligning the brand with client needs, the design process, and the significance of a consistent brand identity. He also highlights the role of content marketing in engaging clients and the importance of planning and execution in the rebranding process. The conversation concludes with reflections on early signs of success and future plans for the brand.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the episode
00:42 What is 4basebio?
02:08 Why rebrand?
02:59 How the rebranding was managed?
05:08 Timeline of the rebrand
06:55 Aligning long-term vision and brand
09:00 Building a consistent identity
13:11 Launching the rebrand: how to make an impact
16:31 Measuring success: Early signs of impact after the rebrand
17:36 Challenges and lessons learned
20:26 Future plans: Continuing the brand journey

🤝 To connect with Heikki:

• 4basebio's rebranded website (https://www.4basebio.com/)
• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/heikki-lanckriet-1b03926/)

🎤 To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimeeckhout/)
• Contact form (https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/contact/)

✅ Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter: https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/

In this episode, Sheeva Azma discusses her unique journey as the CEO of Fancy Comma LLC, where she merges science communication with political advocacy. She shares her experiences in political campaigns, particularly during the pandemic, and emphasizes the importance of scientists engaging in politics to influence policy and public perception. The conversation explores the challenges of communicating science effectively in a politically charged environment and the need for scientists to develop marketing skills to better advocate for their work.

Chapters:

00:00 Sheeva Azma’s career path: From neuroscience to politics and science marketing
02:52 How science communication applies in politics
06:34 Applying science in political campaigns
08:51 Organizing the ‘Stand Up for Science’ rally
14:13 The challenge of communicating science to political audiences
17:21 Why scientists should be part of political decision-making
19:30 Strategic lessons from political campaigns

🤝 To connect with Sheeva:

• Fancy Comma (https://fancycomma.com/)
• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheevaa/)

🎤 To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimeeckhout/)
• Contact form (https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/contact/)

✅ Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter: https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/

In this episode of the Science Marketer Podcast, Anis Fahandej Sadi discusses the importance of newsletters in the biotech industry, sharing his journey from founding TLDR Biotech to exploring new content strategies. He emphasizes the need for newsletters to provide value beyond company announcements, the significance of audience engagement, and effective strategies for measuring success and ROI. Anis also highlights the evolving role of newsletters as a marketing tool in life sciences, advocating for a more personalized and content-rich approach.

Chapters

00:00 Who's Anis Fahandej-Sadi
02:59 Launching a newsletter on LinkedIn
08:47 Pivoting the content of a newsletter
09:39 The misconceptions about newsletters in B2B
15:49 Building newsletters as a service
19:36 The role of personal voice and segmentation in newsletters
22:05 The most important elements of a good newsletter
25:06 How to measure the success of your newsletter

🤝 To connect with Anis:

• TLDR Biotech: https://tldrbio.tech
• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anisfsadi/)

🎤 To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimeeckhout/)
• Contact form (https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/contact/)

✅ Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter: https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/

In this episode, Teja Sirec, founder of Biotheia, shares her insights on building effective marketing teams in life sciences and biotech companies. She discusses the essential priorities for new marketers, the importance of establishing robust processes, and how to create a strategic marketing plan that aligns with business needs. Teja also emphasizes the significance of measuring marketing success and focusing on effective channels for startups, while sharing valuable lessons from her early marketing experiences.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction 
02:34 Teja's background in scientific marketing
08:13 Where to start as a new science marketer
10:23 Establishing marketing processes early on
13:46 Defining priorities as a new marketing hire
18:57 Building a strategic plan for the long term
25:30 Measuring early marketing success
29:00 Marketing channels worth investing in early on
32:28 Advice for early career marketers

📖 Books recommended by Teja:

• Crossing the Chasm, by Geoffrey Moore

🤝 To connect with Teja:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejasirec/)

🎤 To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimeeckhout/)
• Contact form (https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/contact/)

✅ Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter: https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/

In this episode, Thomas Averre, Managing Director of Tarleton Communications, discusses the critical communication strategies biotech startups must adopt to successfully navigate the fundraising landscape, particularly in overcoming the 'valley of death' between early-stage funding and Series A. He emphasizes the importance of early engagement with investors, crafting compelling narratives, and maintaining a balance between ambitious goals and realistic expectations. The conversation also covers common mistakes startups make in their presentations, the significance of a well-structured communication plan during due diligence, and the role of media in attracting investor interest.

📌 Here's what we cover in this episode:

00:00 Introduction to Tarleton Communications
02:25 Understanding the Valley of Death in Biotech
06:31 Crafting effective messaging for startups
10:10 Creating a compelling narrative for investors
13:32 Common mistakes in early-stage biotech communication
19:07 Choosing the right communication channels
22:43 Long-term strategies for building investor relationships
27:48 Key advice for biotech founders
29:37 Recommended resources for effective communication

📖 Books recommended by Thomas:

• The Choice Factory: How 25 Behavioural Biases Influence the Products We Decide to Buy, by Richard Shotton
• Ogilvy on Advertising, by David Ogilvy
• Media in Focus: Marketing Effectiveness in the Digital Era, by Les Binet and Peter Field

🤝 To connect with Thomas:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-averre/)
• Tarleton's website (https://www.tarletoncomms.com/)

🎤 To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimeeckhout/)
• Contact form (https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/contact/)

✅ Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter: https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/

In this conversation, Dan Sheridan shares his journey from a PhD student to a successful freelance medical writer and agency owner. He discusses the importance of expertise over marketing, strategies for pricing, and the organic growth of his agency. Dan emphasizes the significance of building long-term client relationships and managing expectations effectively. He also explores the role of AI in medical writing, highlighting the value of human expertise in a field that requires deep scientific understanding. 

📌 Here's what we cover in this episode:

00:00 Starting out as a freelancer during a PhD
09:42 Transitioning from freelancer to agency owner
16:36 Avoiding the race to the bottom when it comes to pricing
18:58 Scaling an agency while staying lean
23:39 Finding clients and building reputation as an agency
28:06 Navigating difficult client situations
30:42 The need for high-value content in life sciences
32:38 The role of AI in medical writing
35:31 Recommended resources for agency success

🧰 AI tool mentioned: Causaly (https://www.causaly.com)

📖 Book recommended: The Seven Figure Agency Roadmap by Josh Nelson

🤝 To connect with Dan:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dansheridan01/)
• Co-Labb (https://www.co-labb.co.uk/)

🎤 To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimeeckhout/)
• Contact form (https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/contact/)

✅ Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter: https://www.thesciencemarketer.com/

What does it take to scale biotech communications from a small startup to a successful IPO? In this episode, I sit down with Ariel Kramer, Founder of Klover Communications and former Chief Communications Officer at BICO, to break it all down. Ariel shares what she learned while helping BICO grow from just a few employees to a publicly traded company—covering the biggest communication challenges, PR mistakes to avoid, and why storytelling is key in biotech marketing. We also dive into what it means to become a trusted industry resource, the differences between in-house and agency life, and how to build a career in life sciences communication.

In this episode, you'll learn:
00:00 Introduction
01:24 The communication challenges of a bioprinting startup
04:42 How an IPO impacts communication
07:38 Creating an educational hub in biotech
12:51 The danger of false promises in science communication
15:43 Navigating the data drought in life sciences
19:56 Misconceptions about PR in scientific startups
22:49 Understanding the realities of PR guarantees
28:17 Building a career in science communication
31:58 Comparing in-house and agency communication roles
35:02 Resources for aspiring science communicators

Companies mentioned:

• BICO
• Every Cure

References:

• Article from STAT on AI biotech companies
• Ticket to Biotech

To connect with Ariel:

• LinkedIn
• Klover Communications

To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn
• Contact form

>>> Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter <<<

Podcasting has exploded in popularity across B2C industries, but in B2B marketing, its potential remains underutilized and misunderstood. Too often, companies launch a podcast, produce a handful of episodes, and then abandon it when the download numbers don’t skyrocket overnight.

So, how can B2B companies, especially in niche industries like life sciences, make podcasting a powerful tool for thought leadership, relationship-building, and even lead generation?

To answer that, I’m joined by Jason Bradwell, founder of B2B Better and a specialist in helping companies turn podcasts into a real business asset. With over a decade of experience in B2B marketing, Jason has worked across multiple industries, refining strategies that make content not just engaging, but commercially valuable.

In this episode, you'll learn:
00:00 Introduction to podcasting in B2B marketing
02:43 How to turn podcasts into a lead pipeline
06:05 Tips for branding a B2B podcast
07:33 Case study: CorrDyn's Data in Biotech podcast
09:55 How to measure podcast success in B2B
13:23 What to consider when podcasting in the scientific community
16:43 How pharma companies use podcasting for patient advocacy
19:48 Common challenges in launching a B2B podcast
22:13 How to find the right structure and format for your podcast
24:42 Promoting and growing your B2B podcast
32:11 Emerging trends in podcasting
34:07 Resources for aspiring podcasters

Book recommended by Jason: Out on the Wire by Jessica Abel

To connect with Jason Bradwell:

• LinkedIn
• B2B Better (website)
• B2B Better podcast

To connect with Joachim Eeckhout, host of the podcast:

• LinkedIn
• Contact form

>>>Subscribe to The Science Marketer newsletter <<<