How do you create successful campaigns that land in the Oprah Winfrey show, Time, Wall Street Journal, and CNN? We’ll find out today!
In this episode, we have a great conversation with Sharon Golubchik, Senior VP of Healthcare at Antenna. We go through the importance of distributing reliable information and the factors that enabled her company’s long term relationship with clients. We explore ideas on what business leaders should strive for like fulfillment, connection, productivity, and positive experiences for both teams and clients.
We discuss digital health and its possible impact in the future due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the extraordinary advances in technology, and the benefits of teaming up with marketing agencies like Antenna Group.
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How to Elevate Your Company to Be One that Doctors and Patients Actually Care About with Sharon Golubchik, Senior Vice President of Healthcare at Antenna was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the latest audio-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Sonix is the best audio automated transcription service in 2020. Our automated transcription algorithms works with many of the popular audio file formats.
Saul Marquez:
Welcome back to the Outcomes Rocket. Saul Marquez here and today I have the privilege of hosting Sharon Golubchik. She’s the senior vice president of health care at Antenna. She has over 15 years of experience working with health care companies from conglomerates to startups, whether it’s launching a new drug or bringing life to a 100 year old brand. She builds targeted strategic communication programs that drive business objectives, managing a wide variety of campaigns, including media relations, thought leadership, social media, digital marketing and beyond. Sharon builds integrated marketing programs that target priority audiences with compelling messaging across relevant platforms from FDA approvals to campaign and product launches, her clients span the health care sector, including oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, neurology and many more. She is focused on bringing results, and her campaigns have landed in outlets including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Time, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNN and the list goes on. But the bottom line, she’s hyper focused. She and her team are hyper focused on health care and helping companies like yours exceed expectations in how you communicate to the public. So, Sharon, such a pleasure to have you here with us today.
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah. Thank you so much for having me, Saul.
Saul Marquez:
So you guys do some some incredible work, Cherone And we’ve obviously had the pleasure of of working with some of your clients on the health care side of things. But before we dive in to the secret sauce, that that helps Antenna have so much success with with your client campaigns and projects. Tell me a little bit about what has inspired your lifetime’s work in health care.
Sharon Golubchik:
Sure. So the fact that I can do what I love to ultimately help people working with companies that improve health and enhance quality of life is really the biggest inspiration and driver behind everything I do. My first job out of college was at a midtown Manhattan PR firm in their corporate communications division, and I had one health care client and one non health care client. And it was really serendipitous because that one health care client that made me was was what made me realize how passionate I am about health care. I realized then that I can do all the things I love, build strategies and counsel clients and pitch media draft content for companies that are literally changing and saving people’s lives. So it’s really amazing how, you know, you can end up in a place where, you know, you didn’t expect and that’s not where you were going. But that really ended up shaping my entire career.
Saul Marquez:
That’s awesome. And that contrast, right. between that one client and the other. You just felt that you knew it. And you’ve been going at it since.
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, exactly. The other client was a tourism client, which was fun and interesting, but but nothing that as passionate about.
Saul Marquez:
Totally. Totally. And so here we are today. And and as you know, Sharon, we’ve got a fantastic audience of entrepreneurs, company leaders, executives really that have so many things in their portfolio that improve lives and make things better as they listened to us today. What would you say is, is what Antenna health group? What what are you guys adding to the health care ecosystem that could benefit them with what they do?
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, absolutely. I think that we really live in a content driven world. You know, now more than ever before, people really rely and consume a ton of content. Before the pandemic, but especially now during the pandemic with people screentime skyrocketing. And while there’s a lot of good content out there, there’s also a ton of misinformation and scary and inaccurate information. Well, we do an Antenna as partner with really innovative and just unbelievable companies to disseminate solid, helpful, accurate content. On behalf of our clients, we’re talking about really important issues like mental health, effective cancer treatments, pain management, therapies for neurological disorders like the telehealth revolution, especially now during the Covid-19 pandemic and other Koban 19 related issues. And so on and so forth. And no matter what issues we’re addressing, we work with our clients to deliver reliable information so that patients know how to find the treatments that are right for them. Doctors can better communicate with their patients, insurance companies, with their members and so on. The value that we bring to the ecosystem is really doing our part and ensuring that people have content that they can rely on.
Saul Marquez:
Mm hmm. Yeah. You know, that’s that’s great. That reliabilities is key. There’s so much stuff out there that is just noise and, you know, it distracts rather than attracts. And that’s not what we want as as company leaders, as practice leaders. And so tell us a little bit about what makes you guys different, Sharon and then what’s available today.
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, I’d say what what makes us do different and better work really comes down to determination and passion. Of course, there’s tremendous strategy and creativity that goes into everything we do. We do great writing, great media pitching that actually derive real results, which is harder and harder each day in this climate. Great digital campaigns. But what brings our work to the next level is our determination. The notion that we will figure out the path to success no matter what it takes. And it may not be the path we initially envisioned. It may take more digging than we had expected, but we won’t give up until we figure it out. And the other important piece is our passion. We genuinely care about our clients missions. I chose health care because of my passion for it. And that’s the same for every member of my team. When we’re pitching the story on a clinical trial and pancreatic cancer, we deeply care when we’re creating a social media campaign for Mental Health Awareness Month or writing about the explosion of telehealth during the Covid-19 pandemic or, you know, medical device companies that are now pivoting to manufacture ventilators. These are all issues that are really important to us. And I really believe that it’s our determination and our passion that enables our clients to rely on us for long term relationships. Ultimately, our goal is always for our clients to view us as extensions of their marketing teams, as counselors and strategists. And I think that that not only makes our job very fulfilling, but it also enables us to deliver better results.
Saul Marquez:
And, you know, there’s there’s no doubt you’ve got your finger on the pulse. A lot of things happening today require that additional attention, that additional focus, an extension of your marketing team. You know, just to think that you have, you know, in a team that you could call on to help give perspective direction or gain access to to different outlets that potentially you didn’t have before. Is all great. And as you as you reflect on some of the engagements and customers that you guys have had for a while. Can you point to one that tells a story about the results that you guys deliver?
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, picking one, you know, for 15 years is tough. You know?
Saul Marquez:
One or couple.
Sharon Golubchik:
But I thought I’d say there’s no thinking back to, you know, some of the strong, strongest client relationships. There is nothing I love more than when I’m at a point in a relationship with a client where they’re calling me up for counsel or for advice with that has nothing to do with anything that, you know, within the scope or something specifically that we’re specifically working on. Because what that communicates to us is that they value our strategic counsel. And so when clients call me up and say, hey, you know, I’m working on X, Y, Z. Can you help guide us? You know, there’s nothing that’s more fulfilling than that, you know? And then as far as results go, I think looking right now at the you know, during the pandemic is a great example. Securing earned media is difficult. I mean, over the last 15 years, it’s gotten harder and harder. And I think during the pandemic, it’s even harder because, you know, a lot of reporters don’t want to talk about anything but the pandemic. And so some of the successes that we’ve gotten now, I’m incredibly proud of my team for because, you know, they’ve gotten super creative, super strategic, and they really, really show their unbelievable knowledge of what reporters are covering and tapping into that to be a resource to reporters while delivering real results and value for our clients. And I think that that’s been really phenomenal.
Saul Marquez:
Yeah, that’s that’s a good call. You know, in the environment, always changes. Like today it’s covered. And tomorrow is going to be something else. But there always are challenges. And, you know, having the perspective, the understanding of the channels for news is so critical. What about setbacks? You know? Can you share with me a setback that you guys have experienced and what made you guys better as a result?
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, you know, I think setbacks on a personal level, I’ll touch on for a little bit. I joined Antenna five years ago to launch and to grow the health care practice. And there have certainly been hurdles along the way to get to where I am. And each hurdle taught me something else. You know, when I thought I mastered one area, I realized that there’s a whole new challenge that I needed to overcome. The whole journey has really enhanced my resilience. And I’m really grateful. You know, as much as I wasn’t necessarily grateful for the challenge while I was in it. Looking back, it definitely has strengthened me as a person, as an individual and as a marketer, as head of the health care practice. I think the most important thing I learned is always keeping the big picture in mind, as challenging as it can be at times. It’s not enough to just bring in new clients to grow the practice, but it’s even more important to keep our current clients happy and to ensure that my team is as productive, fulfilled and connected as they can be. I really believe that ultimately, when looking back at our experiences in life, we won’t necessarily remember the dollar sign associated with every deal, but we will remember the experiences with our mentors, our colleagues, our clients. And it’s really my goal to create and enable as many positive experiences as possible for every person I interact with, whether it’s my team or my clients. And that’s really one of the biggest lessons I learned from some of the setbacks over the years. You know, it’s not, oh, I should have done this to bring in more money, but it really is, you know, how could I enhance my relationships with people?
Saul Marquez:
Yeah. You know, and you mentioned fulfillment, connection, productivity. Those are things that all of us as as leaders of businesses strive for. And so maybe you could dive into one or two things that you do Sharon around how you do that effectively.
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, I think it really comes down to understanding and listening. So whether Ed’s a team member that’s struggling with something instead of, you know, just jumping to conclusions, understanding why they’re struggling so that you can actually address the source and help them as opposed to, you know, jumping 10 steps ahead. And that’s the same thing with clients. I think really the most important thing is listening you know. So when dealing with a client, listening to what their needs are and what their goals are without having your assumptions so that you can actually bring the most value to them.
Saul Marquez:
That’s a great one. Two ears, one mouth, right?
Sharon Golubchik:
Exactly.
Saul Marquez:
So, Sharon, as you’d think about health care today and the opportunities at hand, what would you say you’re most excited about?
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, I’m really excited that I think that we’re actually living the future of healthcare. Digital health, while it may have gone off to a slow start, is really being put to the test during the pandemic in all aspects of health care. Right. doctor visits and prescription deliveries and clinical trials and drug development. And while many of the things we’re experiencing during the pandemic will hopefully CNN, with businesses reopening and schools reopening, there’s no question that certain behaviors will be permanently changed following the pandemic. The penetration of digital health, I think, is really going to be one of those things. While many people were previously reluctant to try various digital health applications, they’re now forced into it during the pandemic and many will never go back once they’ve experienced that convenience. The ease cost savings of many of the solutions out there. And I think technology in general will continue to evolve. Drug development with better trial designs, more effective and personalized treatments. So I’m really excited about that.
Saul Marquez:
I am too, Sharon, you know. It’s it is extraordinary, you know. I mean, even two years ago before this pandemic, the advances in digital health have been extraordinary. And now after the pandemic, it’s just like, wow, we just were being forced to evolve. And I love it.
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, it really is. And every time I think, you know, I’ve seen that, I’ve seen it all. I’m learning about new technologies like we’re working with a company right now that can detect vitals through video of a person’s face. So you don’t need any device. It’s just on your phone and you put it you know, you put your face to your phone and they can tell you your different vitals. You know, that’s just unbelievable. And I’m seeing just a ton of technologies like that.
Saul Marquez:
And listeners, if you haven’t had a chance, Sharon is referring to David Mamman at Binah.ai.. He was a guest on the show. If you haven’t listened to that interview, you have to.
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, I definitely a speck in that.
Saul Marquez:
It is extraordinary what they’re doing. And I mean from from video to know your vitals, it’s just it’s just fascinating. Binah. That’s Binah.ai. Check out that in the in the podcast archives, but I couldn’t agree with you, Sharon. It’s exciting. I’m super pumped about it too. And, and, and so if you’re a health care digital health care company, now’s your time. Don’t let your message get lost and focusing on an on teaming up with folks like Sharon and Antenna. By the way, it’s antennagroup.com/health to figure out what they’re doing and how they could potentially become an extension of what you’re doing to be heard and found is key. Sharon, what? What are you reading lately or what would what would you say is your favorite book that you would recommend to us?
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah. So one bug that I love that was actually recommended by our CEO, Kit Zakheim is Loonshots by Safi Bahcall. But it really is just an…
Saul Marquez:
L o o n.
Sharon Golubchik:
Yeah, like moonshots, but with an l – loon shots.
Saul Marquez:
Okay. That’s really cool.
Sharon Golubchik:
Have you read it all? No, no. I mean, I know moonshots, but I haven’t heard of Loonshots.
Sharon Golubchik:
So super cool book. There are ton a… It’s not biotech specific, but he does have a but a lot of biotech examples. But basically the idea of the book is how to foster really creative ideas. And it goes through different companies and health care, but also on tech. You know how some amazing ideas really just exploded and some ideas were completely shut down. So it really talks about how to it’s a book about, you know, managing a team and fostering your team and and really getting the best of your team. So, so highly, highly recommended for any any manager out there.
Saul Marquez:
Love it. Loonshots and folks, you know where to go. Outcomesrocket.health in the search bar, type in antenna. That’s Antenna and you’ll find our entire interview with Sharone and show notes, full transcript links to the book and antennagroup.com/health, everything that we’ve discussed. All the important links go there. Sharon, what a what a great conversation with you. I mean, I’m just inspired to do to do better in my marketing strategy. Before we conclude, I love if you could just share a closing thought and then the best place for the listeners could get in touch with you or continue the conversation with someone on your team.
Sharon Golubchik:
Absolutely. So one closing thought I’ll share is a mantra that I try to live by. One that my team has heard from me many times is that great things don’t come from comfort zones. I’ve been using it for years. I can never find the original author of that quote, but I absolutely love it because I think it’s just so true and so real. In order to achieve real success, you have to push past your own boundaries and your own limits pushed past what you’re comfortable with. Put your sweat, blood and tears in until you hit your breakthrough. And I think and then, you know, once you’ve made that breakthrough and have gotten comfortable with it, it’s time to push for the next one. But I always keep this as a goal and remind myself of when achieving a specific success feels especially challenging. And I think that this applies not just to my professional life, but also to my personal life. But definitely something that I that I really try to live by.
Saul Marquez:
Great message gave me goosebumps. So good.
Sharon Golubchik:
But yeah. Thank you so much. I absolutely love your podcast. So it’s a real honor and pleasure to be a guest. How to reach me? Anyone can find me on LinkedIn. I can almost promise that I’m the only Sharon Golubchik on LinkedIn. So I’m super easy to find. And my email. I welcome anyone to email me. As Sharon@antennagroup.com. So that’s sharon@antennagroup.com.
Saul Marquez:
Outstanding Sharon. And again, you know, folks, you’ll have the LinkedIn contact for Sharon as well as her email in the podcast show notes so be sure to check those out. And again, a reminder antennagroup.com/health is how you find out more about what they’re doing over there. Sharon, thank you for the encouragement to work outside of our comfort zone and strengthen our message. Appreciate all the insights you’ve shared with us today.
Sharon Golubchik:
Thank you so much for the opportunity Saul.
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