In 2003, there were 15 of us at Biosector 2 (B2), an open floor plan, a few dogs lounging around, daily lunch provided from our favorite -- Chelsea market and great surround sound music.
We were passionate about the science, discovery and education our clients were bringing to patients and the doctors who treat them – whether it was one of the first drugs to treat multiple myeloma, a best in class diabetes treatment or taking on the challenge of changing the public perception that alcoholism is a personal weakness, instead of the chronic disease that it is.
Our B2 values and culture, although not articulated or formally written in 2003, we all embodied, lived up to and put into practice with our clients and with one another daily.
Today in 2018, while we are four times the size as 2003, our floor plan is still open, dogs are still colleagues and we still embody the same values. But now our B2 values are clearly defined and we proudly own them, which is why I’m not surprised that Paul Holmes recognized us as a finalist for Holmes Report’s Healthcare Agency of the year.
Our values are what have kept so many of us at Biosector 2 for 5 plus years and why I attribute the fact that more than half of our clients have partnered with us for more than a decade.
But as our values have remained strong, there are many key aspects of our business that have changed. And the one change that I want to highlight has given our profession more depth, and smarter insights to our stakeholders.
In 2003, we did not have platforms or systems in place to hear directly from patients and healthcare providers, on a large scale, to uncover what they were thinking, feeling or experiencing while living with or treating a particular disease. We conducted one-on one interviews with patients and doctors – not nearly enough to be as scientific, or data-driven about what we heard, but enough to provide a hypothetical direction on communications needs. As we represented our clients, the content we created was about pushing out information that we “knew” patients and HCPs wanted, but feedback and response to our content was limited, so our ability to quickly change course or adapt our strategy was limited.
Today, we have the opportunity to listen to more people, in a shorter amount of time and respond in a way that is much more personalized and relevant, thanks to the social, digital, analytics and research expertise that has been built into our practice over the past decade at B2.
Our ability to be even more personalized in our communications to stakeholders – makes our jobs that much more important and meaningful. Today, hyper-relevant content is at the center of what we do, and our ability to dive deep into the mindsets of our stakeholders makes a richer communications experience for the practitioner, and the communities in which we interact.
B2 has given me the ability to evolve professionally year after year, I’ve been given the freedom to experiment, take risks and push outside my comfort level – so much that some years I feel like it is as refreshing as starting new job – nerves and all! This freedom and opportunity for personal growth combined with our values and ability to be smarter practitioners continues to inspire me after all these years.
Cheers to spending many more years with my work family, many more firsts, bests, communications innovations and challenges!
