Choosing an Independent Review Board for your drug development company usually isn’t a choice at all – You're most likely using a company you've contracted for years. If your past clinical trials went off without a hitch, it’s pretty likely you will continue to use the same IRB again and again.

Have you ever seen the movie, Groundhog Day? If so, that is the best way to describe what some might compare to that of a researcher. For those of you that have not watched the movie, it’s about a weatherman stranded in a town he loathes and wakes up with the strangest sense of déjà vu: he seems to be living the same day over again.

As a lead generator I work directly with the B2B community on my top priority – supporting the client relationship by securing new business leads. But what drives me is representing the CROs on the cutting edge of science and technology. It's their innovations that lead directly to helping sick people live better lives.

Your company has hired a lead generation firm and you feel the leads are not moving into sales fast enough. You may be wondering what should be done. Opportunities may be overlooked or passed on because of basic missteps in internal communication or practices.

On July 4th we will celebrate the Independence of this great nation. It's an occasion to recognize and honor our courage as a people. This holiday I was reminded again of the strength of men like my father who served in the Marines. My entrepreneurial spirit has been shaped by his steady, but adventurous spirit.

Last month I wrote about how the pharma/biotech professional should begin a social media campaign, and although many professionals are engaging in the social landscape, many are not fully utilizing their accounts as tools for networking and lead generation.

Technology has grown by leaps and bounds, but the 'art' of selling has become clouded as savvy sales teams feel the daily pressure to close deals. Because advances in the internet have made communicating so convenient, many with sales responsibility are not practicing basic rules of engagement, building core relationships or courting the sales prospect.

In 1950, my Dad, Al Payer (pictured on the far right), was in Cannes, France as a young Marine. The training he was exposed to then had a profound affect on me and my siblings. That training also carried over into his professional life working as a civilian for the Department of Defense as an Army Transportation Freight Specialist.

Social media marketing can be a foreign set of words to any business owner, but for professionals in the pharmaceutical, biotech and life science sectors the term can be especially nerve-racking. Where do I start? Will I be divulging too much information? What products can I mention? Can I ask my followers questions? Will fan comments get me in hot water with the FDA?

Today’s passionate pharma/biotech entrepreneur often commits to working agreements with various service providers without understanding their knowledge, reach and commitment to deliverables. With greater connectivity, thanks to social media and global partnerships, more information/knowledge is being demanded of the small guy in order to quickly move projects forward.