The Power of Perspective: How Diversity Drives Innovation at BioSurfaces
- Matthew Phaneuf
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
Hope all is going well. Summer is truly flying by. Normally, we are able to catch our breath a little during the summer as businesses have people heading on vacation which tends to slow things down a little. This year, we have not seen this pause. On the contrary, I cannot remember a time when we’ve been busier. Please do not think I am whining, I am not complaining in the least. It is better to be busy than the opposite. I’ve been on that opposite side of where we are right now and it can be extremely scary.
As a business owner, it is so challenging because there are many times that you really do not control your own destiny. Sure, you can try to work even harder to market your products or technology, but there are many times when that isn’t enough. Science products are unlike a consumer product. Consumer products can typically provide the company fairly quick feedback as to the potential success. For our IVRT products, for example, it takes time for a new investigator to really get to evaluate the product. For these products, it can take months to get the first feedback and because it is a new product, it can take some tweaking to make it work for their specific application. Medical devices can take several years to determine if they will work in people. Scientists as well as doctors also tend to be creatures of habit so trying a new product can take some convincing, which typically occurs through reviewing data. Marketing new products can also be a challenge as there is no one specific mass media that all scientists or physicians view. As you can see, there are many areas to consider. We have taken all of these into consideration as we continue to execute on our plan to bring our IVRT products to the people that need to use the next-generation of 3D tissue scaffolding. More to come on this approach.
I am sure you are wondering what the inspiration is for today’s blog. Sadly, the word diversity has been getting a really bad rap as of late in the US. I always ask the question, “who doesn’t like diversity?” The reason I bring this up is that diversity has been a main reason why BioSurfaces has been able to remain in business all of these years. I have been told by a few folks that diversity in not a good thing, and that the company should be single-focused. Take one of our devices or products and solely focus on this. I’ve also been told that investors won’t understand having a diverse product profile, that we’ll appear to be unfocused. I have always believed that while we have a diverse set of products, it all stems from one single process.
The reason I am really focused on our diversity was something that Tina mentioned to me over the last few weeks. She told me to take a few moments to really look around the lab and see all of the different studies going on. While I know what is going on in all aspects of the company, it sometimes hard to take stock as I am living the grind and you forget to really look at the big picture going on all around you. After she reminded me, a took a walk down the hallway. I came into the lab and noticed one part of our team working on evaluating our Bio-Spun™ materials using histology, a process where we can look at how the body’s cells interact with the material. I look to another part of the lab and see another group working on a study focused on evaluating production of a target anti-HIV antibody from cells enclosed in our Bio-Spun™ Cell Chambers as we look to explore different configurations of the device that might be used one day in people. I move down the hallway and see someone from our team working on developing new equipment required to perform our electrospinning study. Several members of our team are working on developing the testing and protocol development important for moving our technology from research to manufacturing. I then return to our office and see how Tina is focused on setting up for paying our team and bills of the company before I hop onto a call with our business team, which are evaluating several opportunities that the company is pursuing to move several of our products forward.
Diversity has allowed us to survive some really uncertain times. While some of the technologies we have developed over the years can go quiet for a period of time, it is amazing how fast interest can reignite. For example, some groups are starting to “kick the tires” on our vascular graft technology (this is my baby and the reason for starting the company 22 years ago). You never know which product offering will come to the forefront. I love the diversity that we have, from our product offerings to the different backgrounds that our team brings to make the company what it is today. I am always proud when someone says to me, in amazement, how can this little company make so much progress. That’s truly when I appreciate the diversification of our material and process.
Hope everyone gets a chance to get a little break over the next month and enjoy the remaining summer weather. Looking forward to reconnecting with you next month!
Matt