T2B Monthly | October 2024

Saying there’s a lot happening right now is an understatement. Halloween. Fall-back time changes. Elections. Earnings. JPM prep. 2025 planning.

And on our list there’s one more giant thing: Making T2B sustainable. We need funding and infrastructure to continue providing you content, resources, and insights that can’t be found anywhere else.

Today, we’re introducing T2B Pro membership as we transition to a freemium model, part of our 2025 revenue strategy. Read on for details re: a special discount for the first 50 Pro members.

We hope you’ll consider allocating part of your professional development budget next year to go T2B Pro, and to keep our community flourishing.

Today's email is 1,922 words, an 8-minute read.

In This Edition

🗓️ T2B Programming Snapshot

» November T2B Comm Convo: Demonstrating Corporate Affairs’ Value by Measuring Impact - Tuesday, November 12th, 1-2 p.m. ET / 10-11 a.m. PT | Zoom

» T2Bmeet @ London - Wednesday, November 20th, 18:00-20:00 GMT (Q&A at ~18:30 with special guest Rey Castañeda, Deputy Editor, Endpoints News) | The Sekforde, 34 Sekforde St., London EC1R 0HA, UK | Hosted by POP Health Communications & GIG Health

» Deadline for 2025 Peer-Learning Practicum Cohort Leads to Apply - Saturday, November 30th | Details here

» Zen Before JPM Yoga Event  - Sunday, January 12th, 3-5 p.m. PT | Divine Yoga Studio, 406 Brannan St., San Francisco

» T2Bmeet @ JPM 2025 Reception - Monday, January 13th, 4:30-7 p.m. PT (come and go) | FleishmanHillard, 720 California St., San Francisco

Preparing Our Community for a Future as Strategic Corporate Advisors

We started planning our first Leadership Lab executive coaching series with Carly Goldsmith eight months ago and kicked off in September. This month we wrapped up and received a Net Promoter Score of 💯 from the inaugural cohort!

We designed this program to elevate the role of senior biopharma communicators in corporate affairs. This series fostered critical business advisory skills and decision-making abilities, equipping participants to lead within complex regulatory environments and effectively guide their organizations.

Based on the success of this series, we look forward to bringing it back to the T2B community for the next round in 2025!

Join Our Final 2024 Comm Convo on November 12th

November is "Measurement Month" — not just here at T2B, but it's an actual, recognized month! Wish we could say we planned it that way, but it's really a happy coincidence.

The real reasons we invited measurement researcher Angela Dwyer to be our featured speaker next month are to give us communicators a boost as we:

1. Advocate for our 2025 budgets and

2. Consider how to show in year-end reviews all the ways we've added value in 2024.

Join us on November 12th for our final(!) Comm Convo of 2024, Demonstrating Corporate Affairs’ Value by Measuring Impact.

But don’t worry — we have a few more complimentary virtual programs planned for December up our sleeve. Stay tuned for those announcements.

Crossing the Pond for Our First International T2Bmeet

We're proud to be a truly global community and are chuffed to launch T2Bmeet @ London, hosted by our friends, POP Health Communications and GIG Health, on 20th November! Admission is free but exclusive to members of the T2B community.

In addition to mixing and mingling with local biopharma communicators, special guest Reynald Castañeda, deputy editor at Endpoints News, will be in attendance for an informal Q&A.

Tacos, Margaritas, and Life Sci Comms Pros

⬆️ That’s what we call a great night. What more could one ask for?

The T2B In-Person Meetups Continue at JPM 2025

The JPM events are starting to roll out, and ours are no exception!

Throwback Thursday: Our JPM 2024 event, which was our FIRST T2Bmeet and also our FIRST in-person gathering. Very exciting that we’re now doing “second annual” editions of our signature events!

Keeping T2B Sustainable With Pro Membership

We have bold ambitions for this community. To ensure sustainability and bring you even better offerings next year, we’re transitioning to a freemium model.

Current members will automatically switch to T2B Free in mid-January, retaining access to our private Slack workspace and select resources. To unlock all of our bespoke programming, you’ll need to actively join T2B Pro.

The $1K T2B Pro annual membership fee grants access to peer-coaching groups, in-person networking meetups, member-led events and resources, and targeted webinars. Student rate details below. We’ll release the 2025 programming calendar at JPM, and T2B Pro goes into effect on January 15th (after T2Bmeet @ JPM).

We hope you’ve found T2B valuable this year and will consider dedicating $1K of your professional development budget to your annual Pro membership.

Introductory Discount for First 50 T2B Pro Membership Spots

50 for 50 — the first 50 people to put down a nonrefundable $50 deposit will receive a 15% discount on their first year of T2B Pro dues. This offer is available until the end of November or until all spots are filled, whichever comes first. T2B community membership eligibility requirements apply.

When T2B Pro launches mid-January, you’ll have until the end of Q1 to redeem your spot by paying the remaining $800. The $50 deposit holds your discount but doesn’t obligate you to purchase a Pro membership next year.

Students! The T2B Pro student rate is $100 annually for anyone pursuing a biopharma communications career and enrolled in a full-time undergrad or graduate program, or within one year post-graduation.

The 50 for 50 promo of 15% off your first year of T2B Pro membership is for you, too! By paying the $50 deposit now, you’ll only owe $35 in January to claim your first year of T2B Pro.

Lead the Pack: Become a T2B Pro Certified Employer With a Group Membership

As the only official network of biopharma communicators, T2B provides industry-specific content, resources, and insights you won’t find anywhere else.

The most discerning talent will seek T2B Pro membership as a standard part of their professional development. Demonstrate your commitment to advancing our profession by becoming a T2B Pro Certified Employer, showcasing our certification badge on your Careers page and benefits materials.

Employer Certification Eligibility and Benefits:

Organizations covering T2B Pro memberships for ≥80% of their employees—whether that’s an in-house comms team, boutique firm staff, or a larger agency’s health/life sciences team—are eligible to become certified. Certified Employers will receive:

Please note that certification is renewed annually to ensure all orgs continue meeting the T2B eligibility requirements. Badge use is limited to company materials and is specific to the agreed certified organization.

Custom Partnership Packages:

We’re also keen to establish long-term partnerships with leading employers through customizable packages that include not only group membership, but also sponsorship opportunities for T2B events, meetups, and other programs. We seek to help you advance your goals and elevate your organization’s presence within our space.

Reply to this email to discuss custom packages, or to confirm your eligibility and secure your group membership discount for 2025.

Going Beyond Medical Marketing at the New MM+M

October’s Biopharma Beats Bulletin feature’s MM+M’s new editor-in-chief Jameson Fleming.

“MM+M is here to celebrate and explain the pharma industry. I want to talk about being braver as marketers. The creatives in these agencies are brilliant. I want to encourage them to be even more creative, braver — and the pharma brands need to be braver with them,” he says.

Special thanks to Betsy Yates for taking the lead on this edition of our monthly bulletin and to Becky Vonsiatsky and Ron O'Brien from our Media Minds Roundtable for interviewing Jameson!

When It’s OK Not to Stay in Your Lane

Tyler Gagnon recently transitioned back in-house as associate director, corporate communications at Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals after some time agency-side. Given how common it is for biopharma communicators to go from agency to in-house and vice versa, we wanted to dig a little deeper with someone who's recently had this experience.

“‘Don’t be afraid to outgrow your role’ is some of the best advice I’ve received,” says Tyler. “Staying in your lane will only hinder your ability to expand your skill set.”

👀 Seen on Social

If you’re not following advertising genius Zoe Scaman, you’re missing out.

Her reports connect tons of research and insights, and her latest project is no exception. The Motherload: The Truth About Motherhood In Adland is what she says is “part essay, part survey of 200+ women.”

Although only a handful among our T2B community may consider themselves true advertisers, the take-home message is unquestionably applicable across marketing and communications more broadly:

The Motherload is worth a read, regardless if you’re a mother. And as a bonus (which couldn’t have been timed more perfectly for this newsletter), see T2B member and Media Minds Roundtable Chair Becky Vonsiatsky’s take on mom guilt and tips for working parents.

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