Oscar Gonzalez is the co-founder of Sigma Lab Consulting LLC, a consulting firm dedicated to optimizing operations and driving innovation within the life sciences industry. With over 15 years of experience in biopharma, Oscar specializes in process optimization, workflow efficiency, and strategic planning for R&D and manufacturing. Known for his client-focused approach, he partners closely with organizations to identify and implement customized solutions that streamline operations, enhance compliance, and boost productivity. As a recognized leader in operational excellence, Oscar is passionate about empowering life sciences teams to achieve long-term success through sustainable, efficient processes.
If your business could have a mascot, what would it be and why?
A great mascot for Sigma Lab Consulting could be an owl named “Sigma.” Owls are symbols of wisdom, precision, and strategic vision—qualities that align closely with the core values of Sigma Lab Consulting. Just as owls are known for their sharp insight and adaptability, Sigma the Owl would embody the company’s expertise in navigating complex challenges, optimizing processes, and driving innovation in biopharma.
What strategies do you employ to maintain a healthy work-life balance while running your own business?
Having been mostly remote for the better part of the last 3 years, we have established clear working hours in the home to allow for full streams of creative work to flourish without interruption. With 2 small children, it is key to leave work in the office once I have shut down for the day. There may be an occasional response that requires attention, but for the most part. There are challenges when it comes to working in the business and working on the business. While working to fulfill client needs early on, effort has to be allocated to ensure the company is connecting to potential clients and establishing a healthy pipeline of planned projects. Prioritizing things that are necessary to execute a client project and things that are necessary to run a fully functioning firm, are key to finding that work-life fit. Your balance may not find you in the first month, but as you keep that goal of balance or fit, at the forefront, eventually you will find your flow.
When faced with unexpected detours on your business path, how do you pivot with grace and resilience, showing fellow women entrepreneurs the way forward?
The detours and unplanned challenges will always find a way to appear. However prepared you are, there may be something unplanned up ahead. And that’s okay. The first part to pivoting is accepting that the knowledge you had in making previous decisions may have been incomplete. Just a fact of the matter. Now as new information is obtained, and you realize there may be another option, feel empowered to pivot. This is your business. No one in this world knows how your business is supposed to look, only you. The only thing that people see is the end product. Give yourself grace, and understand that no one goes at it alone. So do not feel shy to reach out to a trusted individual (if not your business partner).
How do you measure the success of your business beyond financial metrics, such as customer satisfaction or community engagement?
At this point in our history, we are most focused on reach. Ensuring we are connecting to key players within the industry and continuing to elevate the conversation and providing content that might spur new ideas into potential clients. We often look at our repeat engagements. When we find organizations that have mutually aligned missions, we find that the relationships extend beyond a single event and can span into multiple contracts.
Can you share a memorable moment where you witnessed significant growth or transformation in your business, illustrating the impact of your services/products?
We are early in our journey, at just past 2 years servicing clients. Our memorable moment was less about a single event and more about the collective efforts internally to present our work. What is key in developing a successful service-based company is not just performing the work, but showing and discussing the work. As we became vocal past projects and the impact on organizations, we began to notice more inbound interest from a variety of sources, including potential clients.
What role do you believe mentorship plays in the success of small businesses, and how have mentors influenced your own entrepreneurial journey?
Mentorship pressure-tests your assumptions, typically with someone that has more exposure to your industry. But a mentor is more than just someone who is an industry expert; it should be a trusted confidant that can truly listen to what you need or are looking to do. You must seek a reference, a mentor, outside of your business to provide perspective and support your growth as an entrepreneur.
What’s your work all about, and how does it make a difference in the world?
Our work is about empowering the biopharma workforce to work smarter, not harder. We believe that the services we provide directly impact the ability for biopharma organizations and their teams to efficiently work through challenges and the unknown while establishing best practices with the flexibility that the biopharma industry requires. This mindset presents an opportunity for professional and organizational growth that supports efficiency in drug development, shrinking time wasted, errors, miscommunications, while improving operations, transparency, and the delivery of critical medicines and devices for patients all over the world.
