Favorite Parts of Being a CFO and Non Profit Founder at Biomerica and Forge Optima
Gary enjoys the building aspect of the role, particularly the journey of commercializing new products, understanding the consumer, and navigating both direct-to-consumer and doctor's office sales. It's also rewarding to be part of a mission-focused team that's "trying to solve for problems, we're trying to help people," and the importance of positive human interaction and a supportive team culture is another key element of satisfaction.
Commercialization, Direct to Consumer, Mission Focused, Teamwork, Human Interaction
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Gary Lu
CFO / NPO Founder
Biomerica and Forge Optima
UCLA
Economics
Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Finance
Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Enjoyment in building and commercializing new products, including understanding consumer behavior in both direct-to-consumer and doctor's office channels.
2. The satisfaction of working for a mission-focused company in the med tech space that aims to solve problems and help people.
3. The importance of a positive work environment and team culture, emphasizing that people often leave companies due to issues with their manager and overall team dynamics, rather than solely for monetary reasons.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your role?
There's a lot to enjoy. I think building is great. As I mentioned earlier, we're trying to commercialize a new product and go to market. We're trying to figure out how the consumer will take it.
The consumer for us is twofold. We have a new direct-to-consumer website, which is pretty cool. It allows us to be part of that creation.
The other part is trying to get into doctor's offices. When you try to sell something, you have to understand your product and, more importantly, who you're selling to. That's always an interesting journey.
Another component I really love is being part of a mission-focused team here. It's not just about making money. We're in the med-tech space; we're trying to solve problems and help people.
I also really enjoy being around people who care. That's really important. Fun fact: the number one reason people leave a company isn't money; it's their manager. That largely influences the culture, your group, and how everything works.
So, I think that's one of the most important parts as well, from a human interaction standpoint. That's one of my favorite parts.