We also help you train for the delivery. For more information contact us at
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. You may also call 932.804.768 or 662.112.258.
Santiago Castelló Mr. Castelló is a dynamic, fast pace oriented and pragmatic executive with 20 years of experience in top executive positions in marketing, sales, operations and R&D at regional and corporate level for both pharmaceutical/medical devices and insurance/health insurance companies. His motivational leadership style with a record of building and retaining highly motivated large sales teams and distributor networks has made him a qualified business leader recognized for reliability and “getting the job done” through persistence and a strong work ethic. Most recently, he has launched his own blog, Networking 3.0 [
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], where he muses on networking. Here, he offers us tips on how to be the most effective networkers in our chosen fields.
Last month, Santiago brought us an introduction on networking and why, in this most difficult economic era, networking is now more important than ever. This month, he brings us an intricate exploration of “The Six Dimensions of Networking.”
Be clear on what Networking is. When you look for a definition on networking, it’s almost better to look at what networking isn’t.
- Networking is not bothering others.
- Networking is not to take advantage of or use people.
- Networking is not being on top of your contacts.
- Networking is not a contest to see who can accumulate the most business cards at a meeting, nor is it who can shake hands with the most people at a social event.
- Networking is not asking people you know for a job.
True networking is based on relationships that you cultivate and care for, that produce a mutual exchange of information, advice, references, and help.
The key is to develop relationships where the benefit goes both ways. The most academic definition of networking would say: networking is the process of creating and cultivating personal (and of course professional) relationships which is beneficial to both parties. If we do this well, we can ask for help from our contacts when we need it, and offer help when they need it. When we speak of networking, a lot of times it is said that, “the important thing is not what you know, but who you know.” This is only partly true. Michelle Tullier is an expert career consultant, and has enlarged the definition of networking into six parts:
- It’s important who you know. There is no doubt that this is one of the pillars of networking. The more people you know, the greater the likelihood that you will advance professionally.
- It’s important that who you know knows what you need to know. Here is where the quality of contacts comes into play. Quality is more important than quantity. When we are explaining outlining our strategy of contacts, we must take note of which contacts has the information, knowledge, and experience that we need.
- It’s important what you know. If we know something, we have to share it. When someone asks us (out of interest in our field), we have to answer them and take note of this, we know what we are talking about.
- It’s important that the people you can contact know that you know what you know. This means that however visible we are, our contacts must know that we exist, and they must know a little about the knowledge, information, and experience that we have in our specific area. Here is where we will be seen. When we are the most visible we can possibly be, it’s more likely that we will have more professional opportunities.
- It’s important to know people who can help you. The beginning of generosity is what many authors put before any act of networking. The one who gives is the one who receives the most benefits. We cannot ask for anything from anyone if we are not sure that we have helped this person before in triple of what we are thinking of asking. In the end, our generosity has to be sincere, genuine, and not self-motivated. If it is these three things, it will multiply and our contacts will be indebted to us. We don’t have to wait until these people ask for help. We must be proactive and assess their needs beforehand, calling them and offering them help. This exercise will be much more rewarding further down the road.
- It’s important that the people you know (and can help) know what you need. Like everything in life, now has come the moment of truth. In any moment you have to ask for help from others. And to ask for help can sometimes be the hardest thing, but we shouldn’t fear it if we have practiced sincerity in its genuine form. It makes no sense to have all of these hundreds of contacts, cultivate and care for relationships, if these people don’t expect that we will ask for something that we need at some moment in our lives. It surprises us a lot when the people like helping. There’s an altruistic principle in everyone that when someone asks for help in an honest and sincere form, it’s very difficult to say no if we can actually help.
But before we ask for help, we should be sure that we have followed the basic rules: we have to have cared for, contacted, and given help to those from whom we seek it. What sense would it make to call an old classmate from college after 10 years if we have made no effort to get in touch before, only to ask him for something? It is precisely because of this that we have to start, create, cultivate, and make grow a net of contacts. We can’t wait until we are out of work and have an acute need for our contacts. Then it will be too late.
Nancy J. Levy, Ph.D. In our travels around Spain and Europe we hear the same complaint - There is never enough time, never enough money and never enough trained people and expertise to build your businesses. So we asked - how can we help you take advantage of the global nature of the biopharmaceutical industry to address and begin to solve these problems of growth. The solution we would like to suggest is to offer a monthly column to address various issues facing you, the Spanish and European biopharmaceutical industries. And to offer suggestions to address your problems based upon the experience and expertise of more mature biopharmaceutical industries such as that in the USA.
Today’s topic – What does value creation mean? You have raised money for your company but you know it is not enough. You will have to go back to your investors and others to ask for more money sooner than you would like. They are going to expect to see what value creation has occurred since the last investment. Unfortunately, this is the only measure available to help them make the decision to open their checkbooks. Investors are looking to see that a significant number of specified milestones have been achieved and as a result the technology has moved forward toward commercialization. Unfortunately, value creation is subjective and can depend on the person evaluating. But there are some steps you can take to be certain that you have created objective value necessary for the next round of investment. First, you need to define value creation for your specific technology. Value creation can be many different things – depending on the technology. But it should be measurable and well-accepted by others in the industry as a significant milestone. Some of the most common examples are early proof of concept studies, regulatory filings, or technology deals with well-respected larger companies. Second, you need a well-formulated plan to achieve these value creation steps including a budget. Do not start unless you have identified the source of money for the project. And finally, you need people with the experience and expertise to help achieve value creation. As you move further into the development of your technology, people will become more important than money. To help secure the next round of funding you should review the list of value creation steps with your investors and board if they are experts in your particular area. If not – find outside advisers with sector expertise to review your value creation plan. It will be time well spent. (Next month’s topic- What is an entrepreneur?)
Nancy Levy is an American biopharmaceutical entrepreneur. She has financed, managed, and built many companies including her own. Her expertise is focused at the interface between science and business to create significant, financeable business value from scientific technology. She is based just outside of Boston and spends a significant amount of time using her expertise in Spain to help build Spanish biopharmaceutical companies. Her website is
www.biohealthmanagement.com. She can be contacted at:
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Confianza - by José María Gasalla and Leila Navarro In uncertain, complicated, and trying times, it’s difficult to negotiate and even harder to control our business. So you have to get back to basics say the authors of this book. In order to regain the trust that can bring your future to the present, you have to maintain personal relationships. José María Gasalla and Leila Navarro are conscious of the difficulty of this task, and in the book they work together. Navarro works on building personal relationships and trust, while Gasalla works on a more organizational scheme. Together, their relationship and complimentary roles are fruitful and a lesson for entrepreneurs everywhere. To purchase the book,
click here.
Hoy Es Marketing 2009 May 21, 2009 Barcelona; Palacio de Congresos FIRA Presented by the Business and Marketing School ESIC, this conference takes place in Barcelona and seven other Spanish Cities. Attended by over 9,000 professionals and directors of Spain’s most important businesses, this conference is a can’t miss. Highlight guest speakers in Barcelona include: Jose Maria Vilas, President of Unilever Spain; Vicenc Martí, Chief Marketing Officer, Vueling Airlines; and Vincent Termote, General Director for Nespresso Iberia. For more information, and to register,
click here.
Pharma In Spain Group Content Marketing is the next step for all business in the current technological era we live in. What better way to get yourself out there and prove yourself as an expert than by joining this LinkedIn Group, Pharma in Spain? With over 1100 members and daily discussions on current Pharma events, you can participate in relevant discussions, get advice, and make new contacts. There’s no reason you shouldn’t already be a member. To find Pharma in Spain, search in the 'Groups' category on
LinkedIn.
The Welch Way www.welchway.com The official website of Jack and Suzy Welch, The Welch Way is dedicated to responding to current business news events and giving advice to various business people in myriad fields of concentration. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE Enterprises, is now a business writer of a widely read weekly column The Welch Way, which he writes with his wife, Suzy Welch. This column appears in BusinessWeek magazine and is published by the New York Times syndicate in more than 45 major newspapers around the world, reaching more than 8 million readers. The Welches are also the co-authors of Winning, a #1 Wall Street Journal and international bestseller, and its companion volume, Winning: The Answers. Suzy is a regular contributor to O, The Oprah Magazine. Jack also has a blog which can be linked to from the site, in which he and Suzy dialogue about hot topics.
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