Starting with an Exit in Mind
Why thinking about what comes after your PhD isn’t premature — it’s strategic
This is what entrepreneurs do when they start a new startup and need to raise funds.
They don’t just show investors that they have great science. They show that they can take the project towards a well-defined exit strategy – clear in both timeline and outcomes. They may have only just launched the venture, but from day one they know what kind of exit they are working towards.
Not because they’re planning to “sell and run”, but because clarity about the end point shapes every decision made along the way.
And you can do the same.
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with a few scientists who had either just started their PhD or, in one case, were about to start in January.
They were fully aware that the next 3–4 years would be intense, demanding and absorbing. Yet they reached out anyway, because they already knew that, in the long term, an academic career wasn’t for them. And let’s be honest – even for those who want it, there simply aren’t enough academic positions available.
We talked about the state of the biotech industry, about how a PhD would shape them as scientists (they didn’t need any reassurance there – they were committed to completing it), but also about something that often gets postponed far too long:
what could come next, and what they could start doing now to maximise their chances later.
“Isn’t it too early?”
It can feel too early to think about what you’ll be doing in 3+ years.
One of them even apologised, worried they were wasting my time.
But the reality is quite different.
First of all, I’m always happy to talk to people who are curious about biotech. If you’re thinking, reflecting, asking questions – you’re not wasting anyone’s time. Don’t be afraid to reach out.
Second, and more importantly, this early stage comes with something job seekers often don’t have:
the luxury of time.
Time to build a network.
Time to explore different roles and paths.
Time to talk to people who are already doing the jobs you’re curious about.
Time to reflect on what actually motivates you.
All while you’re still earning a stable wage and staying intellectually engaged.
That combination doesn’t last forever.
Why this impressed me
Frankly, I was impressed by their foresight in taking action so early. I found it very mature.
I certainly wasn’t in that headspace at the same stage. For a long time, I still saw myself deeply engrained in academia – even though I knew, deep down, that I didn’t want to become a PI.
Clarity rarely arrives all at once. But starting to think intentionally about your direction early on makes an enormous difference later.
Starting with an exit doesn’t mean rushing the journey
Thinking about an “exit” doesn’t mean obsessing over the next job or rushing through the present.
It means being intentional.
Just like startups, careers benefit from having a sense of direction – even if the exact route changes along the way.
So, hats off to the young scientists who already have that level of clarity.
And if you’re wondering whether it’s too early – or too late – to do something about your future, let’s have a chat.
Sometimes, all it takes is starting the conversation.