3 Ways to Build Thought Leadership Without Losing Focus on the Science

Hello 👋

I totally appreciate how overwhelming it can feel to juggle everything as a biotech founder—leading the science, pitching to investors, and building your team. Often, the idea of “thought leadership” gets pushed to the side because it seems like a time-consuming, non-essential luxury (speaking from personal experience here too!).

But here’s something I’ve seen and heard often: investors want to hear from and trust the leader behind the science. When a CEO or founder takes the time to be visible and share their story, ideas and perspectives, it can make all the difference in getting noticed—and funded.

The good news? Building thought leadership doesn’t have to take hours out of your week. Here are three steps using only LinkedIn I’ve found that work for busy biotech CEOs:

1. Post short, actionable updates on LinkedIn
   For example, I recently worked with a founder who posted about reaching a preclinical milestone. The post took 10 minutes to write but attracted engagement from potential partners and investors. Sharing updates—even small ones—keeps your network engaged and positions you as a leader.

2. Engage with others to stay visible
   I recommend dedicating 30 minutes a week to commenting on posts from key investors, industry leaders, or collaborators. Create a focused list of ‘targets’ so you can navigate directly to their profiles. We’ve found this helps build visibility and relationships without needing to create a constant flow of your own content.

3. Humanise your leadership
   Investors and partners want to connect with people, not just companies. A CEO I’m working with recently shared a few simple videos about why he and his company are passionate about developing a new treatment for solid tumours—and they became their most-viewed LinkedIn posts. Using your “why” to build trust and relatability can be a powerful approach.

How to Start Today: Pick just one of these steps to try this week. It doesn’t need to be perfect—just start showing up and engaging.

If you’re ready to build your thought leadership on social media that attracts attention and investor interest, I’d love to help. Book a 30-Minute Strategy call here.

Warm regards,
Chris
Founder
Make Business Social
Strategic Communications | PR | LinkedIn

I help life sciences leaders cut through the noise, humanise their science, and secure the visibility and investment they need to scale innovation.