5 Questions With Melissa Lawrence, Founder and CEO, Your Worthy Career, Pharma / Biotech Career & Leadership Coaching

This article is part of our 5 Questions With series, one of our ongoing People & Places Features. We love it because despite the consistent questioning, the answers are all unique. Be sure to FOLLOW us on LinkedIn to tell us what you think.

1. What did you want to be when you grow up? How’d you get from there to here? 

Growing up I wanted to be a Kindergarten teacher, an Art teacher, and a Social Worker. My very first job was a party hostess at Chuck E. Cheese. I loved helping to make a little kid’s day special… and I’ve always been up for a dance party.

You could say teaching, bringing people together, and helping others thrive is embedded in who I am. 

Everything I wanted to be has led me to my current career. The theme of my interests has been in scientific and regulatory expertise, helping others and being creative. I spent almost a decade in child welfare as a consultant to the State of Wisconsin in various leadership roles. When I discovered coaching and development, I moved into a training role within the Pharma/Biotech industry with a Contract Research Organization, Covance Laboratories. I loved being part of such an intelligent community that was doing good for the world. Within the industry I followed my passion of helping others learn and develop by working and leading in various roles in training and talent development. I was fortunate enough to lead teams and work on a global scale throughout my career. I earned a Masters in Organizational Psychology and moved into a leadership role in Talent & Development while I worked with AstraZeneca. In 2020 I decided to take my coaching practice full time and work in service of women in Pharma/Biotech to get access to meaningful roles of influence and have a job they love.

What has been apparent to me is that our careers can be a vehicle to demonstrate who we are, not the thing we chase to define us. Being clear on my purpose and who I am as a person has allowed me to step into my dream role and help others do the same.

2. How are you helping to build a more connected community? 

BioBuzz’s mission is simple: to be more connected. Our regionally-focused storytelling, programs, events and experiences create, connect and amplify impact across the life science workforce in growing biohubs. We vibe with people who value community and connection like us. We’d love for you to share how you’re building a more connected community… and any support that you need from our community to continue to accomplish this mission.  

The industry is so connected that building relationships and having community doesn’t just make work more enjoyable but it’s essential for career success and growth. This is something I share with my clients consistently. To bring the community together I reinforce this message through podcast episodes, volunteering, training, and role modeling.

I have volunteered my time with several organizations like Women in Bio, AWIS, and ISPE. I make an intentional effort to be an active and positive member of the community. I have volunteered to prepare high school kids for interviews, to encourage STEM interest in women and girls early on, and have led a network of women employee resource group. Now that I have my own business, I find it really rewarding to give back and support the industry I serve through sharing my expertise by mentoring others and providing training and workshops. I also highlight members of the industry on my podcast, Your Worthy Career, to connect more people together and introduce diverse voices.

My coaching programs have been built to bring women in the industry together in a safe space to connect on workplace issues and skyrocket growth. It’s so rewarding for me to see friendships and long term connections made with women from the industry all over the world.

3. What are you currently buzzing about? Anything and everything…   

Personally I’m buzzing about summer! We just got back from Mexico to celebrate our wedding anniversary and next month we are heading to the Outer Banks and Nashville. It’s fun to travel again! Quality time with my family is a big priority for me.

Work wise, I’m really excited that my Stand Out Leader Incubator program is opening up again in July. The first round was really successful and I’m looking forward to continuing the journey with the next round of women later this summer. I am also busy working on a new coaching group for women in Pharma/Biotech who are looking to identify their best career move, make more, and stress less that will be opening for enrollment in September. I love the work that I do and this industry so much that every day you can find me buzzing around fulfilling my mission to help women break the glass ceiling that exists in the industry and the one we have internally that keeps us playing small.

4. If you could travel back in time – what early career advice would you give yourself?

OR What career advice would you shout from the rooftops now?  

• You can’t turn down a job you haven’t been offered – take the leap! Apply for the job. Go after what you want. There are a million micro decisions that are made from where you are now to the scary “what if” scenario. You can always decide what you want (or what you don’t) along the way.
• Decide what you want and be the person who has that now. If you want to be promoted, start acting like you would if you had the promotion today. If you want to be healthier, start making healthier decisions today. If you think there is a better job out there for you, figure it out.
• Feeling confident is a state of mind. The more you put yourself out there and do things when you feel uncomfortable, the more confident you will be. Don’t wait to feel ready to go after what you want.
• You can identify exactly what impact you want to make with your career, don’t settle for good enough. It’s never too late to pivot.

5. FUN question. What meme perfectly summarizes you?