You Don’t Need to Be a Scientist to Be Credible in BD

Sarah Sink
Nov 4
4 min read

If you work in business development long enough, you will eventually sit across from a scientist who knows more in five minutes than you could learn in a year. You will hear technical terms that make your head spin, and you will wonder if you sound credible enough to belong in the conversation.

Here’s the truth: you do not need to be a scientist to earn respect. You just need to know how to create it.

Credibility in BD has nothing to do with how many acronyms you know or how deeply you understand a formulation method. It comes from how you listen, what you ask, and how confidently you bridge the technical with the strategic.

The best BD professionals are not trying to compete with scientists. They are translating science into decisions that move programs forward. They are connectors, not chemists.

Here is what they do differently.

1. They Lead with Curiosity, Not Assumptions

When you are talking to a biotech founder or CMC lead, your credibility is not built by what you know; it is built by what you ask.

Asking strong questions signals confidence and respect. It tells the other person you value their expertise enough not to guess. Instead of pretending to know every detail of their molecule, they want to see that you understand their challenges and can help them find the right internal experts to solve them.

Try asking:

“What factors are driving your timeline for manufacturing?”
“What would make this project a win for your team?”
“Are there any risks you are trying to mitigate before selecting a partner?”

Each question does more than gather information. It shows that you think like a partner, not a salesperson.

Why it works: Curiosity levels the playing field. You are not trying to speak their language fluently; you are learning it with intent. That builds trust faster than pretending you already know it all.

2. They Translate, Not Compete

One of the fastest ways to lose credibility is to overstep your role. You are not there to challenge the science. You are there to connect it.

Your value lies in understanding how technical details fit into business decisions: cost, capacity, timelines, and risk. When a scientist says, “We are concerned about process robustness,” you do not need to jump into buffer chemistry. You need to translate that concern into what it means for scheduling, documentation, and resource allocation.

Why it works: You become a connector. The scientist on your side appreciates that you respect their expertise. The client on the other side sees you as someone who can turn technical complexity into actionable strategy.

3. They Defer to Their Experts and Elevate Them

Great BD professionals know when to stop talking. They also know how to set the stage for their technical colleagues to shine.

Bringing your SME into the conversation at the right moment is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength. It shows that you value collaboration and that your team’s expertise is deeper than one person.

Introduce your colleagues confidently: “I would like to bring in our formulation scientist on the next call. She can speak directly to the compatibility questions you raised, and she will make sure our proposal reflects the right approach.”

Why it works: You are building collective credibility. You are saying, “I may not know every answer, but I know exactly who does.” That is what partners remember.

4. They Stay Grounded in the “Why”

Technical teams speak in data. Sponsors speak in outcomes. BD’s role is to keep both sides aligned on why the work matters.

When a biotech partner senses that you understand their driver, whether it is patient impact, investor milestones, or clinical deadlines, you are no longer just another vendor. You become an ally.

Keep reminding yourself of this perspective shift: You are not there to sound scientific. You are there to sound reliable.

Why it works: People trust those who make complex situations feel more manageable. When you bring calm and clarity to the table, credibility follows naturally.

5. They Follow Up with Substance

The follow-up after a technical conversation is where many BD professionals lose credibility. They either summarize incorrectly or respond too generally.

The best follow-ups reflect both understanding and action. For example: “Thank you for sharing more about your fill-finish timeline concerns. Based on that, our team will review capacity options and confirm what aligns with your targeted start date.”

That type of response shows you heard them, understood them, and moved the conversation forward.

Why it works: Every follow-up is another chance to prove reliability. Precision in communication is as valuable as technical fluency.

The Bigger Picture

You do not need a Ph.D. to be credible in biotech business development. What you need is self-awareness, humility, and the ability to ask the right questions at the right time.

The best BD professionals are translators and advocates. They know how to make technical teams feel confident and how to make sponsors feel understood.

Credibility is not built on knowing everything. It is built on helping others connect what they know to what matters most.

If you want to strengthen your presence on calls and lead with confidence, without feeling like you need to be the technical expert, my course Ask Smarter, Close Sooner was built for business development professionals in CDMOs. It provides practical frameworks for building credibility, guiding conversations, and winning trust from both scientists and sponsors.

For more insights and personalized support in navigating the biotech-CDMO landscape, visit my website: www.yourpharmagirl.com and follow Your Pharma Girl on LinkedIn. Whether you need strategic guidance, tailored BD solutions, or expert advice on building lasting partnerships, I am here to help you and your team succeed at every stage of development.