Anjalee: So, Asad, what got you interested in entrepreneurship?

Asad: I always wanted to run a business. My dad was a bus driver, but he also ran his own small business and I really admired that. This line of work is exciting, and I like that it always gives me opportunities to meet new, interesting people.

Anjalee: What do you think first drew you to the medical marketing and communications industry?

Asad: Well, I have a science background – I did my degree in Biochemistry. Then I went into medical sales for six years. I really enjoyed the job – especially building relationships with healthcare professionals. I was actually named as rep of the year in my first year in the industry!

I then moved to the marketing side, and launched a few products on the epilepsy market. It was really useful to have the years of sales experience behind me because it meant that I knew what healthcare professionals were experiencing, and this really informed the way I worked. I liked the added layer of complexity in med comms and marketing, in that science plays such an integral part of how you approach things.

Anjalee: So why did you decide to set up your own med comms agency?

Asad: It was a twist of fate, really. In 2008, the company I was working for decided to move their offices out of London, so my role changed, and they took me on as an independent consultant instead.

It was then that I really started thinking seriously about my dream of setting up my own business. It felt like a big risk – my wife and kids were on my mind, especially as the kids were really little then! I was also determined not to encroach on any clients from the company I was consulting for – I wanted to find brand new clients. But I took the plunge and did it, and that’s how Iceberg Medical began.

Anjalee: And it was clearly worth the risk! How did you keep yourself going, despite your doubts?

Asad: Yeah, I think it’s all about having faith and confidence in your own abilities. I also relied on the relationships I had with my support network. Many people went out of their way to help me in those early days, and I’ve never forgotten that.

Anjalee: Did you have any employees at that point then?

Asad: Not at first. I started as a one-man band! I did everything myself, including, you know, all the nitty gritty details and the manual tasks. But I like to focus on one thing at a time*, so multi-tasking was a challenge!

Three months in, I got my first assistant. They had marketing experience, but were a non-science grad. I thought nothing of that at first, but then I employed someone who did have a science degree, and there was just such a difference. It showed me once again that, in the pharmaceutical industry, having a scientific background can be such a strength. From that point on, I made it a priority to have a more balanced team: marketing and design skill on one side, and scientific expertise on the other.

We’re still a small team, but we’ve grown slowly year on year. They’re all fantastic. I’m lucky I’m surrounded by clever people, like you!

*The author can confirm this!

Anjalee: Aw, I don’t really know what to say to that, that’s so nice!** So, you mentioned design expertise. How did you start working with our Studio?

Asad: We’ve known Ian Kennedy, who is now our Creative Director, since the very beginning, as he worked with us as an external supplier.

Our first project together was designing a slide presentation platform called ProView. Nowadays we have Veeva and iBooks, but back then, there weren’t many options other than Flash, so that was a really successful project.

We continued working together over the years and built up a strong relationship, so when Ian decided to formally partner with an agency in 2017, he chose us. Now he heads up our Studio, and it’s been a game-changer to have that level of design expertise in-house.

**Apologies for the abrupt change of subject. The author was both embarrassed and rather pleased.

Anjalee: We know you love the team, but apart from that, what gets you up every day?

Asad: It’s important to me to see my clients happy. I love seeing people smile. Honestly, there’s nothing better at the end of a project than getting a message from a client to say we’ve done a great job.

And I know I already said it, but I really do think our team is amazing. We have a lot of fun! I’m grateful to have a bunch of exceptionally talented individuals who, most importantly, are decent people.

Anjalee: I’ll second that. So, what’s next for Iceberg?

Asad: I’d like to grow the company and add a few more members to our team. But I have to say, I don’t want to expand just for the sake of it. Being small has its advantages – clients recognise that a smaller agency can provide a lot more flexibility than a large one, and give service that personal touch.

I take recruitment really seriously because it’s important to me to both preserve the best parts of our culture, and change the parts we need to. I want to take on people who can uphold our values as a company, you know? But who can also challenge us in the areas we need to grow. I want my legacy as an entrepreneur to be that I created a company that was not just successful financially, but that also treated people well and did some good in the world.

Anjalee: I feel like you’ve already achieved that, but it’s exciting to hear you want to take it to the next level. Last question — how do you handle the pressures of being boss?

Asad: I actually quite enjoy the management side of things. Things like making sure everything is in place, communicating with the team, and sorting out issues when they arise – it suits my personality. And I think one of my personal strengths is ensuring other people play to their strengths.

But at the end of the day, I don’t take my work home with me. Once I walk through my doors, I’m home, you know, and I try to switch that work part of my brain off completely. Going for a run helps too – I run every day. And I love going out for a nice meal – for me, good food is one of life’s greatest treats!***

*** I have to hand it to him, he does pick really good restaurants for our team days!

Interested in hearing more about Iceberg’s story?