Multiple hats

Beyond the Leaky Pipeline: Redefining Success and Keeping Women in STEM with Cassie LeonardThe episode of Multiple Hats, hosted by Angelique, addresses why women leave STEM,.Citing a global survey where 50% leave due to burnout and lack of support, 40% for greater fulfillment, and 30% because of bias in career advancement, the authors of beyond the pipeline argue that the real challenge is retention rather than recruitment. The host introduces a three-episode series on the “leaky pipeline” with authors of Beyond the Pipeline, a collaborative book carrying insights from 25 women in STEM worldwide and grounded in lived experience. Guest Cassie Leonard, an aerospace engineer who left a senior management role at Boeing, discusses her identity shift in decoupling self-worth from paycheck and title, her FIRE-based financial choices, and how the book rejects the outdated pipeline metaphor in favor of a Rubik’s-cube model of complex, non-linear careers, organizing chapters around values/thriving, drivers of attrition, and solutions, and building an ongoing community via LinkedIn and Slack.00:00 Why Women Leave STEM00:46 Beyond Cupcakes Real Support01:24 Series And Guest Preview03:25 Meet Cassie Leonard03:50 Why Write Beyond Pipeline05:15 Rethinking Leaky Pipeline06:54 Leaving Boeing Identity Shift09:05 Redefining Success And Money12:29 How 25 Authors Wrote Together16:56 From Pipeline To Rubiks Cube18:48 Community And Book Tour20:01 Biggest Attrition Factor Bias21:26 Ideal Worker Parent Paradox24:17 Closing Takeaways Next Episode

Why job descriptions are narrow by design, and how to read between the lines to shape a bigger role.This is my takeaway episode from my interview with Catherine O’Mahony, the founder of OnQ Recruitment (Recruitment in Life Sciences).If you are delivering well but still feel boxed in, is the problem really you, or the way roles are designed? Either way there are ways to expand!🔍 What You’ll Learn:This Quick Win episode is for STEM professionals who are no longer struggling with competence, but with scope. You know how to do the job. You meet the criteria. Yet the work feels too narrow, and the frustration keeps growing.In this episode, you will learn:Why job descriptions are written narrowly, and why that does not automatically mean the role will stay narrowHow ownership, vision, and visibility change what is possible inside a roleWhen to shape breadth where you are, when to change environments, and when entrepreneurship becomes the right answerAction:Press play if you want a practical way to stop fighting job descriptions and start using them as an entry point instead of a ceiling.🧠 About the Guest:Catherine O’Mahony is the CEO and founder of OnQ Recruitment. With over 25 years hiring across the life sciences, Catherine brings a hiring-side view on why roles are designed the way they are, where flexibility really exists, and how careers actually move forward in real organisations.This Quick Win episode is drawn from the full-length Multiple Hats conversation with Catherine, where we go deeper into beyond-the-box careers, hiring risk, salary transparency, advocates, and entrepreneurship.📌 Episode Highlights:00:00 When competence is no longer the problem01:30 Why job descriptions optimise for delivery, not vision03:00 Ownership, why your career is not your line manager’s job05:30 Vision and visibility, seeing opportunities and being seen08:30 Advocates vs mentors, who actually opens doors11:30 Reading between the lines of narrow job descriptions14:00 De-risking yourself, depth first, breadth second17:00 Where breadth is structurally possible, small vs big companies21:30 Portfolio careers and not asking one job to meet every need24:00 When entrepreneurship becomes the answer29:00 The real signal behind feeling boxed in🔗 Resources Mentioned:Full interview episode with Catherine O’Mahony on Multiple HatsOnQ Recruitment Salary Survey – https://www.onqrecruitment.com.au🤔 Reflection Time:Where do you currently feel boxed in, and what capability of yours is going unused?Are you waiting for permission to grow, or actively shaping visibility and advocates?If this role cannot stretch further, is the next move redesigning it, changing environment, or building something of your own?

A rapid-fire reality check on why STEM professionals stay stuck, and how to move anywayWhat if the real thing holding your STEM career back is not your skills, but the story you keep telling yourself?🔍 What You’ll Learn:This short Fire Chat is for STEM professionals who know they have more range than their current role allows, but keep hitting the same mental brakes. In a fast, no-fluff format, we tackle the beliefs that quietly stall momentum.You will learn:Why “I’m just a scientist” is one of the most limiting stories STEM professionals repeat, and what actually transfers across roles and industriesHow to tell when perfection matters, and when it is just procrastination in disguiseWhy waiting until you have more time, money, or certainty is still a decision, and often the riskiest oneAction:Press play if you want a sharp reset on how to stop overthinking and start moving with what you already have.🧠 About the Guest:Catherine O’Mahony is the CEO and founder of OnQ Recruitment. With 25 years of experience hiring across the life sciences, Catherine has seen firsthand why capable STEM professionals underestimate their value, and what actually helps people break out of narrow career lanes.📌 Episode Highlights:00:00 The self-limiting beliefs STEM professionals carry01:10 Why science skills transfer further than you think02:40 Analytical thinking, process discipline, and communication as hidden strengths03:30 Working smart vs working hard, and when to stop doing everything yourself04:40 Done vs perfect, how to judge what “good enough” really means05:30 Will your work speak for itself, or do you need to advocate?06:40 The first step, de-risking action and why inaction is still a choice🔗 Resources Mentioned:OnQ Recruitment – https://www.onqrecruitment.com.auFull interview episode with Catherine O’Mahony on Multiple Hats🤔 Reflection Time:Which excuse do you default to most often, time, money, skill, or certainty?Where are you aiming for perfect when acceptable would be enough to move forward?If not acting is still a decision, what is that decision costing you right now?

You are a STEM professional and you tick every box on paper, so why do you still feel boxed in, underused, or quietly restless at work?🔍 What You’ll Learn:If you are a STEM professional who has done everything right but feels stuck in a narrow lane, this episode is for you.We unpack the dynamics shaping recruitment and job seeking and how you can find breadth beyond the job description and when to build your own box with insights from Catherine's own founder journey.You will learn:What actually makes a STEM candidate stand out beyond the job description, and why EQ, delivery, and motivation matter more than endless upskillingWhy most companies hire you to stay in your lane, and how to deliberately create breadth without burning trust or credibilityHow to take ownership of your career, whether that is shaping a role internally, choosing the right company size, or stepping into entrepreneurshipHit play if you want practical, grounded advice on how to design a STEM career that fits your life, not just your CV.This episode was recorded in July 2025 but Catherine's word are as relevant today as they were a few months back. 🧠 About the Guest:Catherine O’Mahony is the CEO and founder of OnQ Recruitment, which she started 25 years ago. With a background in science and decades of experience placing talent across the life sciences, Catherine brings a rare dual perspective, how careers are built inside organisations, and how creating your own business can be a deliberate career move rather than a leap into chaos.📌 Episode Highlights:00:00 Why high-performing STEM professionals still feel underused03:45 How STEM recruitment has changed since 1999, from fax machines to LinkedIn07:00 What makes a stellar candidate beyond technical skills10:41 Learning fast vs delivering value, where many STEM professionals trip up15:00 Employer value proposition, power shifts after COVID, and what changed back22:00 Salary transparency, equity, and what the data really shows in life sciences27:40 Why women are still underrepresented at the top, and the role of advocates32:10 Beyond the job description, breadth vs depth and choosing the right company size38:00 Why career ownership is not your manager’s job45:00 Catherine’s founder story, the real first step to starting a business52:00 Rapid-fire truths on transferable skills, perfectionism, and taking action🔗 Resources Mentioned:OnQ Recruitment Salary Survey – https://www.onqrecruitment.com.auCompany Directors Course (AICD) – https://aicd.com.au🤔 Reflection Time:Where in your current role are you delivering value, and where are you quietly bored but staying silent?Do you want more depth, more breadth, or more control, and which environment actually supports that?What is one conversation or small action you could take this month to stop waiting and start shaping your path?

Reinventing STEM Careers: Unscripted Stories of Courage and Creativityif you're looking for a podcast to find your vision and make it happen, that's for you. In the inaugural 2026 episode of Multiple Hats, host Angelique Greco reintroduces the podcast dedicated to STEM professionals who seek to reshape their careers and find meaningful work. Angelique highlights her journey and the essence of the show—monthly unscripted interviews with science professionals who have engineered their careers to match their vision. Listeners gain insights into starting businesses, handling self-doubt, and redefining roles. The episode also touches on personal branding and thought leadership as crucial tools. Packed with inspiring stories of innovation and perseverance, this podcast encourages professionals to think outside the box and create their own paths.00:00 Welcome to Multiple Huts in 202600:29 What This Podcast is All About02:20 Angelique's Personal Journey04:13 The Power of Unscripted Interviews06:08 Inspiring Stories of Career Reinvention08:27 Special Series and Final Thoughts

What keeps a drug alive when the science is fragile, the funding dries up, and the company name changes four times?A 20-year survival story of near-death science, offshore funding, and final impact.🔍 What You’ll LearnIf you want a real look at how drug development and STEM careers work behind the scenes, this episode gives you the straight version, not the polished one.You’ll learn: • Why drugs are designed, not discovered, and what that means for your STEM career choices • Why starting with a strong target matters more than starting with an indication • How the financial crisis and investment landscape pushed this Australian project offshore • Why Momelotinib survived multiple handovers when it could have died at any stage • What it takes to grow from lab scientist to CEO, and the people you need around you Press play to hear the real story behind a drug that survived science hurdles, funding shocks, and corporate chaos to finally reach patients.🧠 About the GuestDr Chris Burns is the CEO and Managing Director of AmpliaTherapeutics. He is one of the few scientists who has watched a drug he helped design reach FDA approval. While he was heading Cytopia, Chris co-led the creation of Momelotinib, a JAK2 inhibitor approved for myelofibrosis in 2023 after two decades of stops, starts, handovers, and near-failures.📌 Episode Highlights00:00 Why very few scientists see their work reach patients 02:00 Designed, not discovered: the truth about drug creation 05:10 The creativity behind medicinal chemistry 08:15 How Momelotinib got its name 09:45 Preclinical wins, metabolic failures, and early near-death moments 12:00 The JAK2 discovery that shifted the entire program 15:20 Running across lily pads: designing drugs at the edge of knowledge 17:45 The metabolic wall that nearly killed the compound 20:00 Entering the clinical valley of death 21:10 The handover chain: Cytopia → YM Bioscience → Gilead → Sierra → GSK 27:00 Why Australian innovation keeps leaving the country 29:30 Practical funding advice for early biotechs 32:00 Winning the Prime Minister’s Prize 33:00 From scientist to CEO, step by step 36:00 The leadership habits that matter most🔗 Resources Mentioned• Ampio Therapeutics • Momelotinib FDA approval • Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation • JAK2 mutation discovery • Cytopia historical research(If you want direct links added, send them through.)🤔 Reflection TimeWhich part of your own work would survive longer if you treated it like a design process instead of waiting for inspiration?What’s one area in your STEM career where timing, allies, or better funding could shift everything?If your work went through four handovers, what would keep it alive?

Derisk you biotech assets with 3 key coniderations. Learn from drug development expert Angelique Greco and medtech-biotech founders and investors with tangible examples that show how real de-risking plays out. 🔍 What You’ll Learn Drug discovery feels like a maze when you're early in your career, especially when you're trying to build a biotech path without wasting years or cash. This episode gives you a clear way to turn solid science into something fundable.You’ll learn: • Where to find real support, from incubators to honest VC advice • Why early commercial input matters and how to fix your market slide • How smart entry points like animal health or adjacent indications de-risk your program and boost your funding chancesAction: Press play if you want 20 minutes that cut months of guesswork.🧠 About the Guest This episode brings insights from ShanShan Wang (RoamTech AI), Anushi Rajapaksa (Misti), Maryam Parviz (SDIP Innovations), Mike Lamprecht (Tenmile), and Ben Wright (Mimetic MedTech Foundry) on how founders can derisk and resource their team. Plus why you do not always need an indication at the start, with lessons from Dr Chris Burns, whose team discovered Momelotinib in Australia before its FDA approval.📌 Episode Highlights 00:00 Why de-risking matters for early biotech founders 00:20 Two angles: advice and smarter indication choices 01:00 How drug discovery fits a STEM entrepreneur path 01:40 Upskilling vs burning cash and time 02:10 Three pillars: compass, investors, venture studiosRoadmap & Upskilling 03:00 The value of a commercialization roadmap 03:45 Han Wang on first seeing the map 04:30 Anushi Rajapaksa on IP, regulatory and evolving the plan 06:00 Where to find training, Bridge program, NSW program 07:00 Why programs matter for network and support 08:00 Maryam Parviz on global doors opening 09:30 What you cannot Google: real conversations 10:30 How informal mentoring happens 11:00 Using tech transfer offices even if you're externalInvestor Advice 12:00 Why VC advice matters before fundraising 13:00 Mike Lamprecht on critical early experiments 14:00 What a realistic market conversation looks likeBridging Your Gaps 15:00 When to stop upskilling and bring experts 15:40 Ben Wright on scaling support instead of solo learning 16:00 How investors view founders who learn on the job 17:00 How venture studios derisk early biotech and medtech 18:00 Why structure and clinical champions matterSuccess Exists 18:45 Momelotinib as a real success story 19:10 When starting with the molecule works 20:00 Dr Chris Burns: from discovery to 2023 approvalSmarter Entry Points 22:00 Why some programs need a side door 22:30 What to check before picking an entry point 23:00 Ivermectin from livestock to humans 24:30 Ketamine and S-ketamine into severe depression 26:00 How new IP opened new paths 26:40 The semaglutide pivotFinal Takeaways 27:00 Do not do it alone 27:15 Get advice early, including from VC 27:30 Philanthropy can be a real path 27:45 Be realistic and optimistic, success exists

From pitch decks to de-risking strategies — how to turn promising research into an investible opportunityYou’ve got strong data and maybe even a breakthrough idea, but can you convince an investor or pharma partner that it’s worth their millions?🔍 What You’ll Learn: In this second part of the Drug Discovery Roadmap series, we move from the bench to the boardroom. If you’re a STEM researcher or biotech founder wondering what turns great science into an investible opportunity, this episode unpacks it straight from investors, pharma veterans, and researchers who’ve been through the process.You’ll learn: • How to pitch your science to investors — what to include, what to leave out, and how to get a second meeting. • Why a realistic, conservative market size matters more than billion-dollar dreams. • The smart ways to de-risk your project — from alternate indications to veterinary and agricultural applications.🎯 Play this episode to learn how to make your science fundable and credible in the eyes of those who write the cheques.🧠 About the Guests: Recorded live at the 2025 ARCS Drug Discovery Forum, this episode features insights from industry investors and researchers who’ve lived the highs and lows of drug translation:Mike Lamprecht, Investment Manager at Tenmile, on what catches his eye in a biotech pitch (and what sends red flags).Dr Wolfgang Jarolimek, Head of Drug Discovery at Syntara, on why you should never bet everything on one indication.Dr Daniel Beard, Founder and CSO of Shearflow, on how feedback from the Forum reshaped his strategy for stroke therapy.Tim Boyle, CEO of ARCS Australia, on why collaboration and “asking the right questions early” are key to commercial success.📌 Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome back — what makes a project investible 02:00 Tim Boyle on building the bridge between research and industry 03:45 The number one startup killer: running out of capital 04:00 Mike Lamprecht on how to pitch science to investors 06:00 Market size myths — why “$10B market” slides backfire 08:00 The antibiotic paradox: when life-saving drugs still fail commercially 10:00 Diagnostics, payers, and the hidden gap between science and buyers 11:00 Daniel Beard on differentiating his stroke therapy 14:00 How to reframe your science for clarity and investor appeal 16:00 What clinicians need to see before trials 17:00 De-risking your project: alternate indications and sectors 19:00 The case for parallel applications — human, veterinary, agriculture 20:00 Why every biotech needs backup plans 21:00 Closing takeaways: the intersection of science, strategy, and story♻️ Share this episode with researchers and biotech scientists and anyone trying to get their science to market.

You’ve got strong data and maybe even a first-in-class idea, but do you know what it really takes to get your molecule from the bench to the bedside?🔍 What You’ll Learn: If you’re a STEM researcher, biotech founder, or academic thinking about commercialising your work, this episode breaks down the unseen steps between great science and a viable medicine.You’ll learn: • Why promising discoveries often fail — and how to spot the strategic blind spots early. • How to define your target product profile and use it to align experiments, reduce risk, and attract funding. • The “adjacent” essentials that make or break translation: IP timing, manufacturing readiness, and regulatory strategy.🎯 Hit play to learn what investors, regulators, and industry partners really want to see before backing your science.🧠 About the Guests: This episode features insights from the 2025 ARCS Drug Discovery Forum, where early-stage researchers pitched their projects to a panel of industry veterans and investors. You’ll hear from:Tim Boyle, CEO of ARCS Australia, on why upskilling and connection across the ecosystem are critical for success.Dr Wolfgang Jarolimek, Head of Drug Discovery at Syntara, on the importance of early pharmacokinetics and target engagement.Mike Lamprecht, Investment Manager at Tenmile, on designing “fail fast” experiments that protect capital and credibility.Dr Pegah Varamini, University of Sydney, and Dr Daniel Beard, University of Newcastle, on the real-life questions and lessons from taking lab discoveries closer to market.📌 Episode Highlights: 00:00 From promising data to the maze of translation 02:15 Tim Boyle on why ARCS bridges research and industry 05:00 Why there’s no one-size-fits-all roadmap 08:00 Why “good science” isn’t enough for commercial success 10:00 The Target Product Profile — your map from lab to market 12:30 The art of “fail fast” and defining go/no-go experiments 13:45 The non-negotiables: pharmacokinetics and target engagement 16:00 When $500M fails: the Simtuzumab story 18:00 How Pegah Varamini prepared for investor questions 21:00 The GMP vs non-GMP debate — what founders should know 23:00 Parallel priorities: IP, formulation, and manufacturing 24:00 Key takeaways and what’s next in the series🤔 Reflection Time:If you had to define your Target Product Profile today, what would your “no-go” experiment look like?Which adjacent area — IP, manufacturing, or regulatory — could derail your science if ignored too long?Who do you need in your circle to ask the right questions before it’s too late?♻️ share this episode with researcher and biotechs scientists.