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​THE BUSINESS OF THE BUSINESS: BUILDING COMMUNICATIONS PRACTICES THAT SCALE

​Biopharma communications is changing, and client expectations are changing with it. Whether you're a founder, solopreneur, agency leader, or in-house practitioner, growth demands more than strong storytelling and strategic counsel; it requires mastering the business of your business.

​In this masterclass, Andrea L. Johnston, a biopharma comms veteran, agency founder and executive with client-side, holding company and private equity experience, will share hard-earned lessons about building resilient and scalable communications practices that consistently deliver value to clients and profitability to owners. This session covers the language, levers, and business fundamentals required to thrive in our industry.

​Learning objectives:

• ​Explore packaging and pricing services in ways that reflect strategic value, and turn bespoke work into repeatable offerings that improve efficiency and margin.

• ​Build financial fluency and industry context to strengthen client relationships and sharpen your role as a trusted advisor.

• ​Develop proactive service models that support retention, adapt as client needs change, and contribute to long-term client partnerships.

​MEET OUR FACILITATOR

​ANDREA L. JOHNSTON

​Biopharma comms veteran, agency founder and executive

​Andrea Johnston is a seasoned communications professional and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in life science communications, investor relations, branding and business strategy. She is the founder of Fuel for Female Founders, a platform dedicated to empowering women in business with expert guidance, leadership positioning and peer support.

​Andrea is best known for founding Pure Communications in 2004, which she grew from a one-woman firm into a top integrated marketing partner for biotech and pharma companies. After its acquisition by Mountaingate Capital and W2O Group in 2016, Andrea led integrated communications for the combined entity in North America. She later became Group President at W2O (now Real Chemistry), overseeing $150M in revenues and a 600-person team and played a key role in the company’s sale to New Mountain Capital. She was honored with the HBA Luminary Award in 2019.

​Earlier in her career, Andrea held leadership roles at DeVries PR, DuPont Merck, Bayer Diagnostics and Ketchum PR. After a career break in 2020 to focus on family, she earned a Cornell certificate in nutrition and wellness and helped launch The Forward Fund, North Carolina’s first workforce development focused Pay It Forward Fund.

​Andrea is actively involved in her community, serving as chair of Cape Fear Collective’s Board of Directors and as a founding board member and investment committee chair of The Forward Fund. She recently completed the 2025 Timmerman Traverse for Life Science Cares (LSC), working with her fellow hikers to raise over $1 million for LSC, for which she now serves as a National Advisor.

​She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications, law, economics and government from American University. A wife, proud mom of two adult children and dog mom to an English lab, Andrea balances her professional endeavors with her commitment to family and community.