Gary Kaufman of ABI-LAB joins the Wicked Connected crew to talk about the challenges of the current funding environment in biotech and the role networking plays.

Gary's Message:

Work in an environment where you are passionate and you will always be networking

Gary's Bio:
Mr. Kaufman serves as Chief Operating Officer at ABI-LAB. Along with his partners at ABI-LAB Mr. Kaufman is an angel investor in a multitude of biotech ventures, and he is currently in the process of creating an investment vehicle to fund an additional two to four companies a year. For over 30 years he has been a successful entrepreneur, with expertise in consumer-related businesses ranging from residential and commercial real estate to automotive and consumer vending. Mr. Kaufman is the president of Shelby Enterprises Inc., a commercial and residential real estate firm. In addition to his real estate background, Mr. Kaufman has played a significant role in the Metrowest startup community as co-founder and vice chairman of the Metrowest Life Sciences Network, an organization whose mission is to foster awareness of and promote professional networking opportunities among the regions scientific and entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Metrowest region. He has a BS in Management Science from Bridgewater State College with advanced studies at Tel Aviv University and Harvard University.

Links:
www.linkedin.com/in/abi-lab
abi-lab.com

Karol Mendoza and Jeralmi Canela join the Wicked Connected crew to talk about their experience as networkers in the early days of their careers.

About Karol:

Hi! I am Karol Mendoza, and I am a second-year journalism student at Northeastern University, minoring in International Affairs. I originally came from Colombia and moved to Boston some years ago. Initially, my English proficiency was limited; however, through dedication and practice, I graduated as valedictorian of Excel High School in May 2024. The BUILD program has been crucial in enhancing my storytelling and public speaking abilities. Currently, I am a Development and Communications intern at BUILD and a Fellow in the BUILD Youth Fellowship. I aspire to travel the world, connect with diverse cultures, and engage with unfamiliar narratives!

About Jeralmi:

Jeralmi Canela is a computer science student at Northampton Community College, a BUILD alum and a Communications & Development Intern at BUILD Boston. Raised in the Dominican Republic and later Boston, his interest in games began by secretly playing Brick Breaker on his aunt’s phone. Years later, a middle school programming class using Scratch connected the dots and he’s been hooked on game development ever since. Today, he’s focused on creating and releasing original titles.

Links:
build.org/boston/

Jashin Lin of Growbie joins the Wicked Connected crew to share thoughts on the ins and outs of networking for 1st generation immigrants in Boston.

Jashin's Message:
"Always be networking and use LinkedIn effectively to achieve your goals"

Jashin's Bio:

A dynamic leader and trailblazer, Jashin stands at the forefront of social entrepreneurship, community building, and career education. As the founder and CEO of Growbie, the first career development platform focused on networking skills and community-building for first-generation immigrants, she is dedicated to addressing the challenges of cultural differences and fostering career readiness. Highly regarded as a speaker, Jashin shares strategies to navigate the unique hurdles faced by first-generation immigrants at over 40 corporations, conferences, and universities worldwide.

In addition to Growbie, Jashin currently teaches Career Toolkit at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, where she has been ranked the top instructor for four consecutive semesters by over 200 students, recognized for her energy, empathy, and career expertise. Prior to Growbie, she was an early employee at ByteDance, helping TikTok expand into more than 30 countries, a management consultant at GEP working with Fortune 500 companies to improve their bottom line, and an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. Jashin holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.

Links:
www.linkedin.com/in/jashinlin/
www.growbie.com