In March, G3 Life Sciences’ newest addition to the team—Executive Vice President Allison McDougall—attended the 2021 Virtual Connection and Matchmaking Conference hosted by Diversity Alliance for Science. The purpose of this event is for attendees to learn, connect, and network with buyers and suppliers within the life sciences industry. As a first-time attendee, Allison brought a new perspective to the event. Here are the takeaways and what she has to say about the two-day conference.
Diversity Alliance for Science is the preeminent networking organization for life sciences’ companies and diverse-certified suppliers to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the value of diversity.
I was thrilled to attend their recent Virtual Connection and Matchmaking event and am delighted to convey that it was the most exciting virtual event I’ve ever attended. Here are my five top takeaways from the conference:
1) Engagement was off the charts!
This event had everything to keep even the most Zoom-fatigued of us highly engaged and enthusiastic. It included a dance-worthy playlist (Earth, Wind & Fire fans rejoice!), trivia questions, yoga, and fun prizes.
It also featured inspiring panel discussions from actual patients. In addition, there was a rousing keynote storyteller, Israeli adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg, to bring it all together.
2) It boasted authenticity.
Have you noticed that when people are truly passionate about something, they come across as naturally polished and real? Well, that was the case for all the speakers at this event.
There was no posturing, no trying to impress others through complex statistics and pie charts, no obvious reading of scripts, etc.
Each of the speakers was completely relatable and credible, and their respective passions for diversity and inclusion, as well as patient care, were truly evident and authentic.
3) Patient experience was the true focus.
While patient experience has always been (or should be!) a priority, the conference made me pause to reconsider the patient perspectives and voices of those who may be typically overlooked.
There were sessions dedicated to marginalized populations and communities and the importance of diverse representation throughout the entire process.
I was also struck by the notion of patient experience beyond the obvious and what providers or companies think we know.
For example, Shelby Hedgecock is a long-term COVID-19 sufferer who is founding a non-profit organization to give other patients a platform for advocacy and mental health resources. Her testimony emphasized the importance of mental health and ongoing communication with providers and pharmaceutical companies. Most particularly, it regarded illnesses that we don’t fully understand, such as COVID-19, and the possibility of creating a platform to encourage this connection.
4) An equitable playing field is key.
It was so inspiring to hear leading pharmaceutical and medical development companies discuss the enterprise benefits of working with diverse suppliers.
Diverse supplier programs are gaining global momentum as companies recognize their opportunity to play a role in equality, while contributing to their bottom lines of creating medicines, devices, and ideas that save lives. This opportunity is far-reaching and often includes both Tier 1 and Tier 2 commitment.
That being said, diverse suppliers don’t want hand-outs. We are eager to earn clients’ business.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges and opportunities for diverse suppliers to showcase agility and entrepreneurialism, as well as global maturity and readiness.
Business continuity is crucial to withstanding change, and few years have presented such staggering change as this previous one.
5) The magic of collaboration was clear.
As a supplier, we’ve all attended events where prospective buyers are hesitant to network. They fear an unwarranted “sales pitch” or an irrelevant dialogue exchange.
However, Diversity Alliance for Science is unique. They have created a collaborative environment where suppliers and buyers naturally connect and are keen to learn about one another.
The matchmaking aspect of the conference was truly top-notch, and it was so invigorating to spend an entire day dedicated to meeting new people and learning about their priorities and desired business outcomes.
Joining the DA4S Virtual Connection and Matchmaking Conference this year was an incredible experience. The opportunity to network with other diverse suppliers was both joyful and useful.
More importantly, the values we all share in providing inclusive care to all patients led to professional and personal bonds being forged, bolstering our combined sense of purpose.
G3 is a company that sincerely wants to change the world for the better, and to meet and spend time with others who feel the same was an exceptional experience. We are eagerly looking forward to the next Diversity Alliance for Science event!
About Allison
I joined G3 Life Sciences in mid-March after more than 20 years in the global content space working for large, publicly traded companies. For me, this change represents the perfect opportunity to combine my experience in international business and languages, while honoring my passion for diversity, equality, and inclusion toward a broader, values-based vision.
Contact Allison and the G3 team here.