Pam recently sat down with Dana Tennis of RetirementDNA to discuss how she came to San Diego, started up her company, and lends some good insights for conference exhibitors.

Well, that's an interesting question because for me, it was a stroke of good luck. I was an expatriate working on an outsourcing banking project in England for the Royal Bank of Scotland when I met my future husband, Kevin. He had lived in San Diego prior to moving to England and he said it was the best place in the world to live and suggested we move there after our overseas assignments in England and South Africa had completed. We have now been here for over 7 years and have no plans to move!

Q2: Tell us about your background and your reasons for starting Biotech Vendor Services.

I previously worked as a project manager running large scale banking and software implementations for Electronic Data Systems. Four years ago, I met someone in the life sciences industry that said there was a need for the types of services we now offer, so I put together a business plan, tested the market, and started the business in this niche area. I found out very quickly that there was definitely a market interest.

BVS continues to offer nationwide supplier management services that help biotech, medical device, pharmaceutical companies, and even hospitals spend less time and money on managing suppliers via on-site product shows and technical seminars arranged by BVS. This frees up the employees' time, saves companies money and increases productivity in many key areas of the business when this function is managed by BVS because our services are provided at no cost to the company.

Q3: What were some of the perils in starting your own business centered around an already volatile industry?

Even though we knew BVS offered a valuable service to the industry, initially it was very difficult for us to obtain the time to explain our services and for companies to make the paradigm switch in how they managed their suppliers, much less getting people to return our cold calls! So it required a lot of perseverance and persistence on our part. With all of the merger and acquisition activities, staff reductions, and company closings in parallel with new startups this has made for a volatile client list. Staying abreast to the latest company news has been critical to ensuring our services are focused on the companies that need our services the most.

Q4: Share with us some the biggest exhibitor mistakes you have seen with Biotech Vendor Services?

Every exhibitor has an equal chance to engage with the attendees at our events but sometimes the exhibitors do not look approachable or do not go out of their way to engage with the attendees. Often times, these vendors will say if the researchers are interested they will stop by. This type of thinking really limits some opportunities that could otherwise have been made.

Q5: Going even further, what would you say are the top do's and don'ts for exhibitors to be aware of to maximize ROI?

Approachability coupled with a keen interest in helping the client is the key to being successful in connecting with potential clients. The most successful exhibitors have a smile on their face, look approachable and do not necessarily sit behind their table the entire time. These people try to engage the attendees in a friendly way with small talk and discuss how they can help them. They will achieve the interest in coming to their table by asking non-invasive questions. The highly successful exhibitor will also follow up with any information that they committed to providing.

Talking on a cell phone or with another rep, sitting down, or being on your PC definitely makes an exhibitor seem unapproachable and impacts business - plain and simple. You would be surprised at how often this behavior is displayed. It is a definite no-no if you would like to attract continuous traffic to your table and generate new business.

Q6: How important are sponsorships in conferences and how do they affect the industry?

Sponsorships are extremely important and most organizations especially non-profit companies depend on them heavily. As dynamic as the Biotech industry is, it is critical for researchers to have access to the latest industry advancements and trends. BVS has collaborated with many organizations such as BIOCOM, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Sino-American Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Professionals Association (SABPA) and most recently Georgia BIO to help them with raising additional sponsorships or obtaining exhibitors for their events so they can continue to provide this information.

In addition, BVS has held several successful Biotech Days in La Jolla and just recently a Biomedical Day in Orange County and we will also be holding a Research Triangle Park Research Appreciation Day on October 23rd. These type of events provide the local community with seminars and round table discussions on these cutting edge advances and trends in the industry and also provides the avenue for local companies to network and talk about possible collaborations.

Q7: What is your take on the growth of outsourcing in business today and more specifically in the biotech and life science industry?

Outsourcing has existed for many years, but has recently become more highlighted because it has now become more common to outsource parts of a business offshore. Many companies find it necessary to outsource parts of their business to other companies so that they can focus on core areas of their business. Often smaller or cash strapped companies can not afford to have dedicated staff to take care of certain aspects of their business and thus it is more affordable to outsource certain components of their business to companies that have the expertise in that area.

An example where it would be beneficial for both small and large companies to outsource would be in the area of vendor management. Companies such as BVS provide a free service to life science and medical companies to assist in this area, saving companies both time and money by streamlining this process.

Q8: In what ways have you seen outsourcing change and grow in recent years?

With the global explosion of the Internet and high-speed access at a low price, a truly global economy has evolved where increasingly more sophisticated tasks are able to be performed virtually. Once a task can be performed virtually, it can be performed anywhere. With the vast differences in labor rates around the globe, a larger percentage of this work force is being located in low cost labor pools. Initially India was the major focus of this effort. Then countries like Hungary, Malaysia, and even New Zealand entered the mix. China is also a significant player. More companies are outsourcing to stay competitive in the global marketplace. In terms of the tasks performed, this has expanded from the original low-skilled tasks such as data entry and help desks to administrative services, accounting, and research. In some cases, the 'off-shore' laborers are required to possess doctorates and master degrees due to the complexity of their functions.

Q9: Pam, you're a parent, so perhaps this question is already on your mind. What do you feel we need to do in this country to catch up to other countries and instill a passion for math and science in our kids?

Many in our country take for granted the benefits that we enjoy here in the US. We need to continue to reinforce the drive to excel that made this country what it is today. Parents need to start instilling the importance of math and science at home and to make it fun and to make them aware of the career options out there for them. By buying educational books focused on math and science at any early age this will help to instill interest in this area. Also, using real life examples on how to count or figure out a recipe will make it more enjoyable. I think children learn best by doing things that get the point across versus just memorization.

Q9: San Diego has many great places to escape to your thoughts. Where do you go to get away and think?

I really like to go to Del Mar and sit at one of the restaurants and have a good glass of wine or café late and just look at the ocean.

Q10: When you want to enjoy a quiet dinner in town, where is your favorite place?

Our favorite place by far as a couple, family and when folks come into town is Island Prime or the attached C-Level Lounge off of Harbor Island Drive. We have gotten to know all of the management, staff and the chef Deborah Scott quite well. They also treat our daughter Isabel so special each time! The views of the bay and city are to die for, the service and food excellent and we always feel quite relaxed while dining there.

Q11: Pam, it's time for our classic question. What is the signature Gardner dish to prepare?

I had to laugh on this one and so will my husband as cooking is not my thing to do. I would say my classic dish to cook would be lasagna but my husband would quickly point out that it has been almost a year since I cooked lasagna! He would tell you that I make reservations the best.

Q12: What wine would accompany your dish and what music selection would be playing in the background?

I really like a good glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and my favorite brand at the moment is Truchard. "Hotel California" is my favorite classic 70's song and I really enjoy listening to classic 70's music.

Thanks, Pam.