Ask any parent which child is their favorite, and you’ll get the same answer every time: none of them, and all of them.  

I have three kids and each one is my favorite, just for entirely different reasons. One makes me laugh endlessly. One challenges me to think differently about the world. One reminds me what it feels like to see things for the first time. What makes each of them special isn’t something I could reduce to a single quality; it’s the combination of who they are.  And yet, what I admire most in each of them isn’t so different.  

That same perspective carries into my work. After years of partnering with a range of life sciences companies, from young biotechs to big pharma, I’ve noticed the same to be true of our clients. 

We don’t have a favorite. And we absolutely have favorites. They’re not necessarily the largest or the best-funded; they’re the ones who are as committed as we are to promoting change. They are the ones who work just as hard as we do to ensure we are employing the best verbiage and meeting our deadlines, and who understand that breakthrough science deserves breakthrough communications. What makes them our favorites isn’t one thing, but it’s always some version of the same things.  

They Push Scientific Boundaries 

Our favorite clients are the ones advancing innovative science that matters. We are all fascinated by the advances being made in life science, and it’s invigorating to use our backgrounds and creative thinking to drive our client’s communications and highlight the hope they can offer patients. Whether they’re exploring healthcare solutions in Space, developing first-of-its-kind or next-generation therapies or theranostics, pioneering novel drug delivery platforms, or making meaningful incremental improvements, they’re confronting the pressing issues that patients and healthcare professionals face every day, and we provide the springboard that helps our clients achieve their goals. Their scientific ambition and passion for improving patient lives energizes us. 

They Embrace Fresh Perspectives 

Being open to new ideas is important not just in research, but also in how it’s communicated. Our favorite clients recognize that life sciences communications is evolving as rapidly as the science itself, and our creativity and efforts can drive change.  

We thrive on creating unique angles for LinkedIn articles and media outreach efforts, developing creative ideas for social media, and designing logos, websites and materials that wow audiences. Within legal and regulatory parameters, our favorite clients are willing to embrace the new and evolving features on social platforms, consider creative approaches to garner media attention, employ unconventional patient-focused approaches, and reach audiences where meaningful healthcare conversations are already happening. Sometimes, gaining internal acceptance among peers in other departments (particularly in companies new to the US) takes understanding, research, persistence and commitment, and we embrace this challenge with them. When clients trust us to collaborate with them in exploring new territory, we can’t help but continue to bring fresh ideas that expand their reach. 

Leadership Understands the Investment 

Most often, our favorite clients are the companies with executives who see the value in what we do. They view communications not as a necessary evil or afterthought, but as a strategic function that amplifies their scientific achievements and accelerates their business objectives. 

Helping executives see their vision translated into a personalized social media plan, a booth at a medical conference or news coverage is incredibly rewarding.  

These leaders understand, or come to understand, that excellent science can languish in obscurity without excellent communications. They give communications teams the resources, access, and authority needed to succeed, and invest appropriately in telling their stories. When the C-suite is aligned on communications priorities, every initiative becomes more effective. 

They Are True Collaborators 

Finally, our favorite clients are genuinely collaborative. They treat us as an extension of their team, sharing context, providing honest feedback, and engaging in strategic dialogue about priorities and challenges. This collaboration means engaging in productive dialogue when we question their guidance and activities, and when they question ours. They’re open to our criticisms and fresh perspectives, even when those insights challenge their existing approaches. 

The productive push-and-pull that emerges, built on mutual respect and shared objectives, consistently allows everyone to better understand and pressure test the opportunities, challenges, strategies and tactics in order to achieve better outcomes.

The Result: Communications That Makes an Impact 

When all these elements align – innovative science, openness to experimentation, executive buy-in, strategic boldness, and true collaboration – we find both joy and success. Communications evolve beyond messaging to create movement. Stories don’t just get told; they get remembered, shared, and acted upon. 

Our favorite clients are the ones we’re excited to answer the phone for. Just like with my kids, I couldn’t tell you it’s any one thing. But I know it when I feel it, and so do they. Together, we’re not just promoting products or companies; we’re advancing the cause of better treatments, better outcomes, and ultimately, better lives. 

That’s our favorite client. We hope it sounds familiar.