Strategy and Planning

Among all the days of the calendar, February 29th is the rarest of them all. That's why, back in 2008, on the 25th anniversary of the Orphan Drug ACT, EURORDIS (The European Organization for Rare Disorders) designated the last day of February as "Rare Disease Day."

Maybe you noticed – 2020 was a crazy year. Like meeting the Pope or becoming a parent for the first time, the phrase "once in a lifetime" keeps popping up in conversation as a way to describe what we are all living through. Hopefully, in the case of last year, the description is on target and won't happen again, in our lifetime.

In the accelerated, high-stakes world of biopharma, thinking big, thinking fast, and thinking smart, isn’t just an option — it’s a priority. Why then, are we not tapping into our most educated generation and exploring what millennials have to offer? (A rhetorical question, for sure.)

One of the things I've enjoyed about working with The NemetzGroup is the exposure to so many organizations and the amazing work they are doing for patients. We are fortunate to work with clients of all sizes, whose products are at various stages of their life cycle. But the angst around how to achieve a successful launch is generally the same, no matter the company.

Workshops, whether in the form of a half-day strategy session, a company-wide offsite or some other configuration, have one thing in common: They represent an opportunity for a group of people to come together in real time — to establish connections, share information, generate solutions, and achieve clear objectives. When done well, they are more than just meetings — they are highly structured, interactive, rewarding, and dare I say, fun!

In just one month, life for all of us has changed dramatically. This week, we learned that the new normal would extend at least through April, probably longer.

For more than 27 years, I have been blessed to work with the same executive assistant. I know how long it’s been because Georgia started with me when my daughter, Ariel, was seven months old and, you guessed, she is now 27 (Ariel, that is).