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In this episode of Biotech LifeStream, I sit down with Johanna Faigelman, anthropologist, visionary entrepreneur, and CEO & Founder of Human Branding. Johanna has pioneered the use of anthropology in business strategy, helping global companies like Nestlé, Logitech, and top pharmaceutical firms better understand human behavior to drive decision-making.

Johanna shares her journey, her unique approach called Applied Anthropology Thinking, and how deep human insights, not just data, can transform industries from chocolate to oncology drugs.

What we cover in this episode:

• 🌍 What makes anthropology different from psychology when studying human behavior?
• 💊 How pharma companies are shifting focus from doctors to patients as decision-makers.
• 📊 Why relying on data alone is not enough without human context.
• 🍫 A surprising case study: how understanding women’s relationship with chocolate transformed Nestlé’s brand strategy.
• 🚀 Johanna’s best advice for young entrepreneurs and scientists on building purpose-driven companies.
• 💡 The biggest challenges pharma companies face in 2025 and how to overcome them.

Key Takeaways:

• Anthropology offers a holistic lens for decoding decision-making across various industries.
• Success in the life sciences today requires empathy, storytelling, and a deep understanding of stakeholders.
• The most powerful strategic advantage in 2025 isn’t speed or scale—it’s deep human understanding.

👉 If you’re a young entrepreneur, scientist, or simply curious about how human behavior drives business and biotech, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

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