From The Bench to Business

Welcome to another weekly edition of Leapfrog Scientist!

In this issue, we are delighted to feature a guest author and good friend who will share their career trajectory and experiences with personal branding. Jon’s story is a great example of transitioning from a science background into the dynamic world of business and using your network to get a foot in the door.

For scientists exploring new horizons beyond the lab or academia, this transition can present both challenges and opportunities. We’ll explore how leveraging personal branding strategies can be instrumental in navigating this transition, helping individuals effectively communicate their scientific expertise, adaptability, and transferable skills to thrive in the competitive landscape of business.

Prepare to be inspired as we embark on their unique journey and glean valuable lessons for our own paths ahead in bridging the gap between science and business.

Happy reading!

-Bonnie

From The Bench: Navigating the Transition into Business

by Jon Dice

I walked into the building for my first professional job and immediately had to avoid stepping on a golden spittoon. A spittoon is a receptacle made for spitting, especially by users of chewing and dipping tobacco.

Right out of undergrad as a young chemist, I was passionate about discovery and innovation, but this was a weird sign. In 2002 I interviewed with my future boss, a West Virginia alumnus, and decided it was the right fit.  If you don’t have a large network, use the university network to identify individuals and potential opportunities.

So I packed up my TV in the back of my Cadillac along with the money my parents gave me and headed to Nashville. Such a country song! 

I ended up spending several years at US Smokeless Tobacco in Nashville, TN learning how to work at a lab bench, run gas chromatography and build LIMS (Laboratory Information Management Systems) systems. Diving in cure bins was also a perk of the job. This job taught me how to basically show up and work in a way that school did not.  However, I soon found myself hitting a ceiling in my career. Despite my skills and dedication, I realized that to truly move forward in my career I needed to broaden my horizons beyond the confines of the laboratory.

This realization led me to embark on a journey of self-discovery and a sort of reinvention.

I decided to pursue an MBA at Belmont, a choice that was met with skepticism from some quarters. Yet, I was determined to break free from the constraints of my current path and explore new opportunities. As I later found out, the MBA was created with people like me in mind, science-oriented professionals who wanted to shift to learning the fundamentals of business.

Obtaining my MBA opened up a whole new world of possibilities. I discovered a passion for finance and accounting, fields that allowed me to apply my analytical skills in a different context. This transition was not without its challenges. I spent many nights and weekends at school while working full-time during the day. I collaborated with classmates from very different industries from mine, which broadened the possibilities of what defined ‘work’. 

The MBA eventually brought me to Altria in Richmond, VA where I transitioned into a finance role and learned how business is conducted outside of a lab or manufacturing plant. After more than 20 years of navigating various departments and roles, I found my home in regulatory affairs. Here, I found the perfect blend of my scientific background, business acumen, and regulatory expertise. This journey taught me the value of perseverance, adaptability, and the importance of constantly evolving to meet new challenges.

My journey is a testament to the fact that the path to career fulfillment is not always linear. It requires courage to step out of your comfort zone, and the willingness to embrace change.

Change is a constant in the nicotine and tobacco industry, and recognizing this fact has been reassuring amidst the occasionally frustrating environment. You can’t control much of what happens in your industry or company, but you can control your actions and reactions.

If you find yourself at a crossroads in your career, remember that it is never too late to reinvent yourself and pursue your purpose. I believe that passion follows competence. Focus on what you are good at and you will eventually find contentment and success in that work.

If you’re doing something you don’t enjoy, it’s almost impossible to find fulfillment. For example, from early in my career, I have enjoyed building systems to make things more efficient, from LIMS databases to knowledge bases that enable finding information easier. I spent the last several years at JUUL helping them build systems for PMTA and knowledge management and it was incredibly satisfying. It felt like the culmination of many years of experience brought to bear.  

There is almost unlimited opportunity available to build now, with costs approaching zero. The only cost is the opportunity cost of waiting and doing nothing.  From artificial intelligence to e-commerce to digital transformations, there is so much opportunity to affect change. At this point in my career, I am focusing on building knowledge bases in the nicotine and tobacco space.  There is immense potential in using large language models to coalesce information in the nicotine and harm reduction space as there are decades of data to build upon. As examples, I’ve been building bespoke chatbots and collecting information as a resource for the community on my website. These are things I never would have considered doing even 4 years ago. 

Are you feeling stuck in your career? Do you want a change but are unsure where to start? Take inspiration from my story and dare to make the change. I assure you that most people are interested in helping you succeed but you have to articulate your vision.  Everyone is a brand now and your journey is the story. With the right mindset and determination, you can overcome any obstacle and find fulfillment in your professional life…And avoid the spittoon. 

Author Spotlight

About Jon Dice

Regulatory affairs and intelligence professional with over 20 years’ experience in the nicotine and tobacco industry. Jon has been involved with regulatory efforts at Altria and JUUL for over 10 years. Prior to that, he worked as a bench chemist for 10 years in support of R&D and quality at UST. He worked on the first substantial equivalence (SE) authorizations for Altria as well as helping build out their premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) and modified-risk tobacco product application (MRTPA) programs.

Jon provides consulting services encompassing these various areas:

• PMTA strategy formulation

• Crafting application key messaging

• Designing and coordinating preclinical testing programs

• Developing style guides, along with implementing submission publishing programs

• Generating Investigational Tobacco Product (ITP) applications

• Submitting product listings, establishment registrations, ingredient reports and HPHC reports through TRLM-NG and CTP Portal.

• Establishing a regulatory surveillance program that provide access to an extensive regulatory intelligence database, encompassing thousands of PMTA, MRTPA, and SE application-related documents. 
  

Thanks for reading, and I hope you found inspiration for your personal branding journey! Stay tuned for more personal stories highlighting diverse experiences in career transitions and personal branding. And be sure not to overlook our upcoming issue on the concept of ikigai, coming next week.

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