The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries are constantly changing. At BioAgilytix, we count on our leaders to understand these changes and to help position BioAgilytix to meet the needs of our clients. To get a better understanding of the role our employees play in making BioAgilytix successful, we’ve been interviewing members of our Scientific, Quality Assurance (QA), Quality Control (QC), and Business Development teams to hear both their stories about life at BioAgilytix and their views on developments in the industry.
In this Q&A session, we speak to Beth Heinz, Vice President of Global Business Development at BioAgilytix, to discuss the evolution of her career with BioAgilytix and what she sees coming for BioAgilytix as the industry changes.
Tell us a little about your background.
I have an extensive background working in life sciences. Directly after graduating from college with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Biology, I worked in a laboratory. After four years of lab work, I realized that I was more suited to a people-facing role and that I would be able to make more of an impact working on the sales side of the business. Initially, I worked in device sales for a technology provider, working my way up from managing smaller customer relationships to overseeing larger key strategic accounts.
Initially, I was a little wary of moving from the lab to taking on a sales role, because of the connotations that come along with the word “sales.” However, I quickly learned that the sales process in science is completely different than in most other industries. I have had the opportunity to be a genuine resource for our clients, acting more in a consultative or problem-solver role – and I feel that I’m able to make even more of an impact than I would have staying in an in-lab role.
What initially drove you to join the BioAgilytix team?
A former co-worker recommended me for my first position with the company, as it was an opportunity to support a large client in their Midwest territory. When I was interviewing for the job, I flew to Durham and met with Dr. Afshin Safavi, BioAgilytix’s Global Chief Scientific Officer. The company had an excellent reputation in the industry, but Afshin was the one who really sold me on BioAgilytix as an organization with a lot of potential. While it was an adjustment for me to go from selling bioanalytical equipment to bioanalytical services, it was still the same consultative approach which I very much enjoy. I also love that BioAgilytix supports my philosophy that each customer is a #1 client, no matter how big or small. My team and I strive to be equally accountable to every client we serve.
How has your role changed since you started with BioAgilytix?
In the last four years, I have had three roles at BioAgilytix. After my initial job supporting accounts in the Midwest, I transitioned into the role of Key Accounts Manager, where I had the opportunity to focus on global accounts. Through my experience with these large strategic accounts, I was then promoted to the Business Development team’s director. I have really enjoyed mentoring new team members and being able to step into a leadership role. Throughout my career, I have been helping teams to find solutions and managing people in different capacities, but now I am officially leading a team for the first time, which has been a great experience for me.
What opportunities do you see coming for BioAgilytix in the industry?
I am starting to see more opportunities for more extensive partnerships with clients. Although BioAgilytix’s new client list is growing, many of our existing pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers are looking to consolidate their outsourcing partners in order to achieve more standardization. BioAgilytix has been able to effectively demonstrate to our customers the unique value we offer, and are in a good position to support more projects from our existing clients moving forward.
How are you able to see the impact of your work on a larger scale?
I actually just got an email from one of our clients updating me on a recently approved drug that BioAgilytix helped support; getting this type of email is pretty typical. I love that I get to hear about the impact our company has made on a regular basis. In addition to speaking directly with my clients, BioAgilytix brings in key customers to present to our team and discuss successes and the patient impact of drugs that we’ve helped to support. These presentations are meaningful for me, and for the entire company.
How would you describe BioAgilytix’s company culture?
The culture at BioAgilytix encourages each employee to work hard, but the company has a vested interest in ensuring employees are happy. The leadership team consistently goes out of their way to create a collaborative team environment. As an example, BioAgilytix is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year, and the company held an event for all employees where people who have been with the company since the beginning had the opportunity to speak about their experiences and BioAgilytix’s growth. It was inspiring to hear how BioAgilytix was built from the ground up with a lot of ingenuity and grit and it made me feel very fortunate to be part of such a committed team.
What is your favorite thing about working at BioAgilytix?
I appreciate that I have the opportunity to learn and be responsible for high-level decision-making and strategies. Additionally, because of BioAgilytix’s growing size, I have had more opportunity to really shape my role and the trajectory of my career. I believe that BioAgilytix has created a unique environment; the people who work here are just different. I have never been part of such a motivated and capable team at any point in my career. The group I work with in Business Development is made up of diverse personalities, but we all come together based on the common motivation to get things done for our clients.
Interested in hearing from other BioAgilytix team members? You can find other Q&A sessions from our employees here.
Interested in joining the BioAgilytix team? Visit our careers site to learn more about what it’s like to work at BioAgilytix and to view our current career opportunities.
