Healthcare and pharma agencies face a tough reality: talent is their lifeblood, but also their greatest liability. On this Labor Day 40th edition of Bald Ambition, host Mookie Spitz sits down with Sameer Duhmale and Andre de Luz, co-founders of Talus, to explore why hiring in healthcare marketing is uniquely difficult, and how their platform offers a way forward.
The Challenges
- Niche Expertise
- Regulatory Burden
- Global Fragmentation
- Time Pressure
The Solution
- Speed — find vetted freelancers in as little as three hours, not three days.
- Scalability — spin up entire teams, from medical writers and designers to account managers and strategists, across all stages of pharma lifecycle projects.
- Locality — access freelancers in seven geographies, ensuring compliance with local regulations and 24/7 global coverage.
- Quality Assurance — every freelancer is screened for years of healthcare communications experience, with detailed profiles, endorsements, and disease-state expertise down to subpopulations and biomarkers.
- AI Integration — Talus GPT-style matching will make nuanced search intuitive, while freelancers receive AI training to stay sharp in an evolving landscape.
The Guests
Sameer Dhumale is the co‑founder of Talus, a platform designed to transform how healthcare and medical communications agencies access freelance expertise. With a background at the intersection of health, technology, and strategy, Sameer brings a sharp focus on building sustainable models that benefit both clients and freelancers. At Talus, he leads on strategic growth, innovation, and client partnerships—ensuring the platform not only solves immediate resourcing challenges but also strengthens the MedComms ecosystem long term. Sameer’s approach combines entrepreneurial drive with an emphasis on collaboration and trust, the values at the heart of Talus.
Andre da Luz is the visionary founder of Talus, a platform revolutionizing how healthcare agencies connect with top-tier freelance talent in medical communications. With a deep understanding of the health communications landscape built from 10 years within OPEN Health, Andre established Talus to address the critical need for flexible, high-quality resourcing solutions. His mission is to empower both agencies and freelancers by fostering a seamless, efficient, and transparent ecosystem. Andre's leadership is driven by a passion for innovation and a commitment to elevating standards within the MedComms industry.
The Company
Talus is a dynamic platform dedicated to seamlessly connecting healthcare and medical communications agencies with elite freelance talent. Born from a deep understanding of the industry's unique demands, Talus addresses the critical need for flexible, high-quality, and specialized expertise. We streamline the entire engagement process, from talent discovery and vetting to project management and payments, ensuring agencies can rapidly scale their teams with confidence and freelancers can access rewarding opportunities. At Talus, we're not just a marketplace; we're building a trusted ecosystem that empowers both sides of the equation, fostering efficiency, transparency, and excellence in health communications.
The Resources
Website: www.talusfreelance.com
Agency sign up link:https://www.talusfreelance.com/agencies/get-started/
Email And
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