Q&A with LabConnector Nicole Baker, Vice President, FSP Solutions

Tell more about your role and how has it evolved over time since you’ve been with the company?

When I joined LabConnect in the role of Vice President, Strategic Scientific Services, I brought with me 20 years of industry FSP (Functional Service Provider) experience and my mission was to grow and package our FSP Solutions.

For my first couple of months in this role, I dedicated myself to absorbing and learning about my department and our role in the business before focusing on ensuring we had the necessary infrastructure to grow our services. Our team has undergone a rebrand and we are now called FSP Solutions and my role has evolved to the point where I’m now able to strategically focus on our growth, which is always the fun part!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy that I get to work at a company where my colleagues are fully engaged as we grow the business. Throughout the various departments at LabConnect, there’s a feeling that everyone is on the same page. It’s also a nice change of pace working for a company the size of LabConnect where I feel like I can make an impact on a day-to-day basis and new ideas can be implemented fairly quickly versus larger companies where things move more slowly.

How do you carry out LabConnect’s values in your daily work?

Partnership, Excellence, Execution, Forward-Thinking, Collaboration, Accountable, Informed, Nimble. The very idea of FSP Solutions in laboratory services is not necessarily an industrywide model, which means that potential clients are not even aware that LabConnect offers these services. Our team must be forward-thinking since our clients might not be aware they have a need for these services until someone helps them identify process or resourcing gaps. Historically, the reach of LabConnect FSP solutions has grown by word of mouth as people move from a LabConnect FSP partner to new companies and pull in FSP Solutions – but to grow our reach, we need to market our services and the forward-thinking benefits we bring to sponsors, simplifying the lab process, driving shorter development timelines and an easier patient experience.

What is the best piece of advice you would share with a new LabConnector?

My best piece of advice is to ask the questions! Chances are, you’re not the only with that question. Also, besides building relationships with your manager and team, make sure to get to know other people in the company, because the overall culture is fantastic and collaborative and people are always willing to help and work together.

How do you like to spend your free time – hobbies, volunteer, other?

In my free time, I love to hike. I live in Georgia and regularly take advantage of the hiking trails near my home, but I also love to incorporate hiking into my travels. I’ve gone hiking in places like Glacier National Park, Redwoods and the Grand Canyon.