A Peek Behind the Scenes at Impactiviti

So, what’s it like to run a professional network to share resources and recommendations in a business vertical?

Well, it’s immensely rewarding, for one thing. What could be more gratifying that connecting clients with outsource partners, job opportunities, and each other?

Let me describe 4 recent opportunities here at Impactiviti – just so you know what goes on behind the curtain here at our middle Tennessee HQ. All of these interactions revolve around the commercial life sciences industry:

1. A client e-mailed with a need for a vendor that would do a creative job with some product learning modules. This client did a great job describing what he was and wasn’t looking for, so I knew immediately which vendor he needed to contact for a discussion. Connection made – done! Of course, it’s not always that easy….
2. Another client described a need for some live role-play training at an upcoming sales meeting. Since I’ve had less demand for this type of supplier, I only knew of one such company – so I turned to my client network for input and recommendations. This led me to new relationships with two dynamite, well-established suppliers that had been quite under the radar. I love finding these niche companies!
3. A high-level training professional in career transition had gone through some clarity coaching, and now had a solid direction – but how to expand exposure? What about recruiters? That question led me to turn to my network for recommended recruiters (why I hadn’t done this before, I simply don’t know…duh!) to better understand how they can help with job transitions and openings. This led to productive collaborations with three outfits that I can now recommend*, with potential to work with them on promoting THEIR open opportunities to my network. A fruitful network expansion that I didn’t see coming…
4. A very small pharma company had an obscure need, not in training, but in marketing. I barely grasped the nature of the need (getting drugs listed in on-line platforms), and had no knowledge of potential suppliers, but I reached into one corner of my network – pharma marketing folks – and asked for input. I confess that I had very little anticipation of results. Within a couple hours, I had multiple helpful responses that I was able to pass along – turns out those marketing folks are quite happy to share their knowledge, too.

Here’s the point: Impactiviti succeeds because of YOU.

A network of great people is a huge value-add to my business (and my clients). Not only do I get to make recommendations, my clients and partners give input and make connections for me, and everyone benefits in the process. Yes, it’s labor-intensive to build and maintain these relationships over time, but the reward is exponential.

I tell people that I certainly don’t know everyone or everything, but my network pretty much does – so let me reach out and find what you need (email: AskSteve@impactiviti.com).

And that, friends, is why I love my job!

*if you’re a pharma/biotech/med device training professional, let me know if you’d like to have the list of recommended recruiters and I’ll forward it to you.