LifeSci Continuum with Bill Schick – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of LifeSci Continuum, I sit down with Bill Kenney, Founder of MEET (My Expo & Event Team), to unpack why most life science and med device trade show strategies fail—and how to fix them. 

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:28 Bill Kenney’s Work in Bio-Tech
02:30 In-Person Inbound Marketing
03:20 How We Met
03:35 How to Get High Quality Leads at Tradeshows and Conferences
07:10 The Best Approach to Messaging at Tradeshow and Conferences
13:36 AIDA Framework
14:35 Communication Anecdote
15:40 Have a Conversation with your Customer
19:27 Identifying Quality Leads
27:26 Customer Density
31:56 Founders are Stretched Thin
35:00 How to Design your Tradeshow Booth
41:26 Positioning & Messaging in Life Science Marketing
44:37 When there is a Lack of Data
47:42 Final Takeaway

Bill works with international life science and medtech companies looking to break into the U.S. market and transform events—both regional and national.

We go deep on:
Why casting a wide net leads to “prospect creep” and diluted messaging
How to design your booth and message to attract only high-value prospects
The importance of problem-first communication (not product features)
Using smaller, local events as strategic proving grounds to test and optimize before big national shows.

How customer density drives repeatable sales models—and why most startups ignore this critical early move.

Bill brings a wealth of insight from years of helping companies sharpen their event strategy, align in-person sales and marketing around a shared goal, and stop wasting time chasing the wrong leads.

Some tips on standing out at your conference or show
For founders and commercial leads looking to stand out on a crowded trade show floor and drive the right traffic to their booth, the winning combo is: interactive engagement, AI-powered tools, and a splash of unexpected delight. Here are a few expert-level ideas that go beyond the usual tchotchkes and posterboards:

1. AI-Powered Persona Match Quiz
Set up a sleek iPad or touchscreen station at your booth where visitors can take a 1-minute interactive quiz:

"What kind of researcher/clinician/investor are you?"
Use AI to match their responses to different solutions you offer—then hand them a personalized takeaway (PDF, print card, link to demo) that speaks directly to their use case or pain point.

2. Live ‘Problem Wall’ with Real-Time AI Ideation
Dedicate part of your booth to a writable wall or digital board where attendees can post their biggest pain points. Behind the scenes, use GPT-based AI to generate potential ideas or reframed problem statements in real time.

3. Augmented Reality (AR) Demos with Immersive Layers
Rather than handing someone a data sheet or trying to explain your tech on a static banner, use AR (through a phone or tablet) to let visitors overlay your product or system into their environment. 

4. Post-Event AI Concierge Follow-Up
Let booth visitors opt into a concierge-style AI follow-up. For example, after a scan or signup, they receive an email: "Hey, I saw you were interested in XYZ. Over the next 3 days, I’ll send you 3 short insights or case studies that might help."

5. Mini “Voice of the Industry” Video Booth
Offer a quick video booth experience where attendees can record their thoughts on a specific industry challenge (30 sec max). Use AI transcription + summarization to compile a post-show “State of the Industry” montage or blog.

For deeper insights on life science and med device growth, check out my linkedin newsletter, Save Yourself. Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7154518390324281344

For more specialized help with growth, check out my firm, Mesh.
https://meshagency.com/

#LifeSciences #HealthcareInn

Connect with Dave Iannetta on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-iannetta/

Interested in getting 18+ Years of Cheat Codes, Perspective, and Tips for Surviving Marketing in Life Sciences and Medical Devices? 

• Subscribe to Bill Schick’s Newsletter on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7154518390324281344

Or Connect with Bill directly on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:55 Venture Capital Investors
03:09 Challenges of a Venture Investor Partnership
04:11 Building a Business Network to find Investors
05:00 The Key to Venture Investing: Clinical Validation
06:16 How to Build Credibility
07:45 Voice of the Customer
08:25 Major Risk for Life Science Companies
10:26 The Value of Building an Audience Before You Launch
11:49 Brand Building Case Study
13:54 Marketing Opportunities for Life Science Companies

About this Episode: 

In part two of my conversation with seasoned marketing executive Dave Iannetta, we explore how life science and medtech companies must evolve their marketing strategy during the venture capital stage of funding. Unlike angel investors who often demand scientific granularity, VCs bring both capital and powerful networks—but expect startups to demonstrate growing market readiness, physician validation, and strategic focus.

Dave shares hard-earned lessons from his work in venture-backed firms, emphasizing that your messaging must shift from scientific promise to clinical credibility and commercial potential. We unpack the importance of engaging advisors early, not just as formal board members but as trusted text-message-level sounding boards. We also get into how continuous, informal feedback from KOLs and physician stakeholders strengthens your credibility with investors and sharpens your product roadmap.

Whether you're building your first advisory board or rethinking your investor pitch, this episode offers a blueprint for transforming market conversations into momentum—before your next funding milestone.

Featured Pro Tips: 

One thing I’ve found while working as a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer for life science and medical device manufacturers that doesn’t get talked about enough is just how early you should start building relationships with your future KOLs. And I’m not talking about scheduling six-month advisory board meetings and waiting around for feedback. The smartest companies I’ve worked with treat those advisors more like co-conspirators—looping them in while ideas are still half-baked. Even a casual “Would this even fly in your world?” text can save months of wasted effort. It’s not formal yet, but that low-friction, ongoing cadence is what builds trust.

Another underused tactic? Taking KOLs out of the usual echo chamber. Instead of just showing them a slide deck, have them walk through your onboarding process, or react to messaging in the context of a real clinical workflow. When they experience it in the environment they actually operate in, you get feedback that’s 10x more actionable. And it signals that you care about more than their name—you care about their insight.

And here’s one more that’s deceptively powerful: co-creating early artifacts. Invite your most aligned advisors to help shape a single line of your positioning, a headline, or a product value statement. It doesn’t just make the messaging better—it builds a sense of ownership. When you eventually ask for a quote or support during a launch, they’re already invested. You're not asking them to sign off on your story—you’re asking them to amplify a story they helped shape.

For more specialized help with growth, check out my firm, Mesh.
https://meshagency.com/ 

#MedTechMarketing
#ProductMarketFit
#HealthcareStartups

Follow Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/
Contact Bill: https://meshagency.com/lets-connect/

Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO
Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430

Follow Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalmktggeek/
About Marc: Marc is a veteran digital marketing and communications professional with a proven record in medical devices, consumer goods, and industries ranging from industrial robotics to liquor and wine. He is shamelessly scientific & unapologetically passionate.

Follow Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/
Contact Bill: https://meshagency.com/lets-connect/

Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO
Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430

Follow Kathleen Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/canadiankate/
About Kathleen: She is a Strategic marketing executive with 20+ years of experience leading growth and innovation across start-ups, nonprofit associations, mid-market companies, and global enterprises.

In this episode, I sit down with Kathleen Mitchell, a talented senior marketing leader, to explore the launch of a healthcare virtual pharmacy app in the Canadian market. We dive deep into omnichannel marketing strategies, discussing how to be ubiquitous and make an impact using all media channels. From social media to paid media to account-based marketing (ABM), learn how to master marketing in healthcare and maximize visibility in a competitive space.

This episode is particularly valuable for life sciences companies launching new products because it explores how to effectively reach a diverse and specialized audience. The strategies Kathleen shares—are critical for creating impactful, targeted campaigns that drive awareness and adoption. Life sciences companies can learn how to market their products in a highly competitive market, ensuring they're visible across all relevant channels and engaging key decision-makers with precision and relevance.

#HealthcareMarketing
#LifeSciences
#OmnichannelMarketing
#VirtualPharmacy
#CanadianHealthcare
#AccountBasedMarketing
#PharmaMarketing
#NicheMarketing
#DigitalPharmacy
#LifeSciencemarketingagency
#HealthcareTechnology
#ABM
#MarketingStrategy
#TargetedMarketing
#lifesciencemarketing

Follow Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/
Contact Bill: https://meshagency.com/lets-connect/

Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO
Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430

Follow Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/
Contact Bill: https://meshagency.com/lets-connect/

Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO
Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430

Follow Russ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russouellette/
Russ's Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@RussOuellette  @RussOuellette

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Russ Ouellette, founder of Sojourn Partners, an executive coaching and leadership firm. We explore how to work with highly intelligent individuals, build strong leadership teams, and transform top contributors into effective leaders. With over 10,000 people coached, Dr. Ouellette shares key insights into building a culture of trust and accountability. Whether you're leading a team of bright minds or developing leadership within your organization, this episode offers practical strategies to help you succeed.

Dr. Ouellette offers powerful insights into creating a leadership culture in your organization, especially when working with smart, high-performing individuals. He explains why trust and accountability are the foundation of strong teams and how even the brightest contributors can struggle to transition into leadership roles without the right mentoring. 

For life sciences companies, where innovation often depends on collaborative work across diverse teams, these lessons are key and often missed. Whether you're scaling a startup or running a large enterprise, fostering leadership at all levels helps ensure sustainable growth, adaptability, and success in competitive markets. Dr. Ouellette’s practical advice will help life science companies of all sizes build resilient leadership that drives both individual and organizational success.

#LeadershipDevelopment
#LifeSciences
#ExecutiveCoaching
#BuildingTeams
#StrongLeadership
#TeamCulture
#TrustInTeams
#LifeSciencesLeadership
#OrganizationalGrowth
#LifeSciencesInnovation
#LeadershipInAction
#AccountabilityInLeadership
#SmartTeams
#TransformationalLeadership
#LifeSciencesSuccess

Follow Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/
Contact Bill: https://meshagency.com/lets-connect/

Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO
Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430

Follow Kate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-king-french-pmp-b14a7716/

In this episode, I’m joined by Kate French to explore the critical process of business case development in the life sciences industry. Whether you're conceptualizing a new product, enhancing an existing feature, or considering your next acquisition, developing a solid business case is the first essential step. 

Kate, with her wealth of experience, shares insights on how to build business cases from the ground up—both organically for product development and inorganically for acquisitions. This episode is packed with practical tips for product managers and marketers working to secure investment and drive growth.

Kate breaks down the fundamentals of business case development, explaining its importance in securing internal investment for new products, features, or acquisitions. She shares her experiences in navigating the delicate balance between innovation and market needs, including how to justify or challenge ideas from R&D. 

This episode offers practical advice for life sciences professionals on how to effectively present a business case that aligns with user demand and business objectives, making it an invaluable guide for driving product and company growth.

#BusinessCaseDevelopment
#LifeSciences
#ProductManagement
#MedicalDevices
#ProductMarketing
#InvestmentStrategy
#BusinessStrategy
#AcquisitionStrategy
#ProductGrowth
#InnovationStrategy
#R&DInnovation
#MarketingInLifeSciences
#ProductDevelopment
#BusinessCase
#StrategicGrowth

When it comes to product launches, we tend to hyperfocus on just simply getting everything to launch and we tend to leave the exit strategy to the end. On this episode of LifeSci Continuum, we are joined by David Iannetta as we learn that it is truly never too early to start preparing for your exit. 

Follow Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/
Contact Bill: https://meshagency.com/lets-connect/

Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO
Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430

Follow Dave: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-iannetta/

Launching a product is a rollercoaster for product managers and marketers. But jumping in right before the finish line is a different type of ride. In this episode, we are joined by Christi Unger as we discuss her experience launching life-science products and the lessons she learned.

Follow Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/
Contact Bill: https://meshagency.com/lets-connect/

Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO
Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430

Follow Christi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiannunger/

Without two important team traits, your team might be missing their mark. On this week's episode, Kate French joins us to talk about her experience working with engineering and what goes into building effective, high-performing teams in your life sciences company. 

Follow Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/
Contact Bill: https://meshagency.com/lets-connect/

Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO
Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430

Follow Kate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-king-french-pmp-b14a7716/