C-Student Builds Biotech Empire

A story about how Jess Ma, despite being a C-student in biology, built a successful biotech company by systematically learning from experts and not being afraid to start as a beginner.

"I was talking to Jess Ma about how she's building these biotech companies with technologies I could barely understand. I asked if she was a science genius or if this was her background. She said 'No, I was a C student in biology, and now I have a biology company that's valued over $100 million.'

When I asked if she was faking it till she made it, she explained her systematic approach. She partnered with experts and focused on commercializing while learning the science. She hired a biology tutor, watched podcasts and TED talks. She would meet with experts, ask them a thousand questions, do research after they answered, and then come back with 10 more questions. She just kept doing that until she felt like she had a handle on things.

She approached it by asking herself key questions like 'What would I do if I wasn't afraid to fail?' and 'How will I deal with being an absolute beginner?' She acknowledged that being a beginner would be uncomfortable, especially after being on magazine covers and having people think highly of her, but she pushed through it anyway."