A Splice of Life Science Marketing Podcast

Episode 1: Stop Guessing, Uncover What Scientists Really Need

Written by Matt Wilkinson | Mar 29, 2026 1:00:25 PM

In this first episode we dig into customer needs - not the surface wants, but the deep jobs, pain points and hidden needs that actually drive buying decisions. If you are a scientist-turned-marketer building product-market fit, this one is for you: 20 minutes of practical examples, frameworks and quick tactics you can use today.

 

 

 

Shownotes

Most life science companies think they understand their customers, but they're often wrong. The real breakthrough comes when you start observing what customers actually do, not just listening to what they say.

 

This episode is for biotech startup marketers who want to build products that truly solve customer problems. Matt Wilkinson and Jasmine Gruia-Gray explore how ethnographic research reveals hidden needs that can transform product positioning and drive real growth. The key insight: use ethnographic research to uncover hidden customer needs by observing what customers actually do, not just what they say they need.

 

What you will learn:

  • How to conduct ethnographic research with life science customers
  • Why observing customer behaviour reveals hidden needs that surveys miss
  • Real examples of how companies repositioned products after discovering true use cases
  • How to identify transactional friction that blocks customer adoption
  • The difference between basic, performance, and excitement needs in product development
  • Why getting closer to customers helps predict their future needs

Keywords: customer needs analysis, ethnographic research, life science marketing, biotech marketing, product positioning, customer research, jobs to be done, product market fit, hidden needs, customer behaviour

 

Ready to transform how you understand your customers? Watch this episode, subscribe for more life science marketing insights, and visit our blog for additional resources on customer research methodology.