Hope everyone is doing well and is safe and healthy. Even though the year is coming to an end, that does not mean that things have slowed down at the company. On the contrary, we have been fairly busy on several fronts from trying to wrap up potential business deals and bringing some programs to a good stopping point to planning for what could be an extremely busy start to 2021. This hectic pace will really make us appreciate the upcoming holiday break. The team has continued to work so hard even through these crazy times so it is our way of saying how appreciative we are
for all they do. We are excited about what direction things are heading in (hopefully). On our end, we executed a new proof of concept R&D contract this week that should begin in January. We are waiting for final execution from the contractor’s side before I can provide some additional information about what we will be working on. There are several other contracts that are nearing execution, all covering different areas. As I’ve mentioned in several previous blogs, nothing ever goes as fast as you want it to proceed. That being said, we still need to plan for executing on these R&D plans and for providing more formal announcements (when allowed). This has resulted in a lot more meetings than I would like to have but it is a necessary evil to make sure we get this right and are able to hit the ground running.
For the final blog of this year, I figured I would outline what changes will be upcoming in 2021. I guess you could call these my ten New Year’s resolutions (for the company and myself):
1. Switching the blog to a bi-weekly release starting on January 15th. We will maintain the current format in order to keep providing you all of the information that you’ve become accustomed to reading about while taking into account some of the delays that occur with receiving new information.
2. Increasing the number of webcasts released in the upcoming year. We believe that this is a good way to learn about a specific research area or topic.
3. Enhancing our manufacturing capabilities. We have already begun to produce cell culture insert plates and will begin to expand this effort. Additionally, we have other technologies that may be ready in the upcoming year.
4. Expanding our team. We will be working on several different research programs should all go well, requiring us to add to our team.
5. Improving my ability to delegate. This is something that Tina is constantly pushing me to do, but something that I struggle with executing. We have a great group of people in place and will be bringing on some additional key people that will help me with this transition. This will allow me to focus on executing on the growing the company.
6. Growing the company. While this seems cliché, we may have some real opportunities to really grow the company in several ways. More information will be forthcoming soon.
7. Executing the plan. I have spent a lot of time thinking about path forward and what we would need to do to really make an impact. I believe that, working together with the team, that we have put together a good plan that can provide long-term stability for the company.
8. Don’t be afraid to dream. While we’ve been fortunate to be in business for over 17 years, it is hard to dream big when you are worrying about all of the things that could go wrong. We have to be able to dream how this company can be something much more.
9. Thinking big! This sometimes makes you conservative in your approach. We are pursuing a lot of opportunities that really could grow the company in a way that we’ve never seen. We need to be brave enough to take a big, bold approach.
10. Maintaining the culture. We have what I consider a great culture where everyone is a part of something special. We treat our team like part of our extended family and we do not want this to change. It will require us to make sure that this continues no matter how big we may get.
Please keep supporting your local businesses as they continue to work through these challenging times. Many other businesses are nowhere near out of the woods yet and won’t be for a long time. As the winter weather in Massachusetts continues and cases are significantly going up, more businesses are going to rely on curbside take-out. If you can, grab some take-out. Don’t forget to take care of the employees too. Please also consider donating to your local food pantry or to other nonprofit groups that are helping people who need it. So many people are hurting. Every little bit helps and does make a difference!
Hope you, your family and friends have a safe and happy holiday season! We will be back on January 15th, all rested (hopefully) and ready to dig into the New Year.
Matt
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