Every path is winding, and most of the time it goes up and down.
In this episode of the Pathways in Life Science podcast, we sit down with Sarah, Sales Manager at Atelerix, to talk about the reality of finding your place in the life sciences. Sarah opens up about her "chaotic" background—starting with a biotechnology degree and a year-long stint testing dishwashing pods that made her never want to step foot in a lab again.
We explore her transition into teaching and recruitment, where she spent over a decade learning the "professional nosiness" required to build deep relationships. Now, she’s leading the charge for a game-changing technology that preserves cells and tissues at room temperature, eliminating the need for complex cold-chain logistics.
00:00:00 - Introduction: The winding paths of life science careers
00:01:03 - The Biotech Degree: Hopes for medicine vs. reality
00:01:41 - The Dishwasher Phase: Formulation science at Proctor & Gamble
00:03:58 - The "Why" Gap: Why the lab environment wasn't a fit
00:04:42 - Graduating in a Crisis: Working as a support worker in 2009
00:04:55 - Teaching Science: Re-engaging teens with vocational science
00:06:51 - Soft Skills: Learning the "Business Email" and Outlook
00:08:12 - ADHD and Career Fit: Why repetitive work is a dealbreaker
00:09:18 - Breaking into Recruitment: From job seeker to headhunter
00:10:30 - The "Sales" Stigma: Transitioning from retail targets to consultative partnerships
00:11:43 - The 15-Pound Holiday: Selling bed linen and electricity
00:13:15 - Discovering Adalierix: Why the "Hedgehog" technology blew her mind
00:16:20 - Room Temperature Logistics: Solving the cell-shipping nightmare
00:17:29 - Scaling Global Business: Replacing hand-delivered cell models
00:19:18 - Sales Strategy: Persistence and the "Volume Game" in disruptive tech
00:22:50 - Advice for Graduates: Exploring roles beyond the bench
00:24:31 - The Weirdest Encounter: Recruiting for a "fragrance house" (The armpit sniffer)
00:26:43 - Condom Quality Assurance: The reality of customer returns
#LifeSciences #CareerJourney #Biotech #SalesStrategy #Recruitment #CellPreservation #CareerAdvice #STEMCareers #NorthStarScientific #WomenInScience
