March 30, 2022
Name: Steve Grant
Role in Otter: Business Development Director for Liviri
Tell us about where you volunteer: I work a lot with organizations that are focused on women in science and women in STEM and using my professional experience to help young people in bioscience, life sciences and STEM. Two months ago, I had 6 high school groups It's just a lot of fun. It doesn't seem like work, it's just fun to do.
Why do you volunteer?: I think I get the volunteering side from my mom. She was the chair person for the American Red Cross in the New Haven area where we grew up. She was always volunteering. I remember going to the blood drives with her when we were little. She was big into that. I think I get that from her.
What is your favorite part of volunteering?: It is amazing to me how smart some of these kids are. It boggles my mind. In high school they're coming up with unbelievable, sophisticated technologies. How do you come up with that stuff?! I love seeing the kids finally realize what it all means and being successful and getting a product to market. And actually talking about the first sit down with an investor. They're just bouncing off the walls they're so excited about it. It's really fun. I like the questions. I've become more aware of women in science, women in life science. I've always been a big believer of that, I don't know why there aren't more women CEOs of biotech companies. To watch this grow and evolve, now its really a focus. Being in the biotech hub of the world in the Boston-Cambridge area, within two years, these groups have spun out for women in science, women in life science, women in STEM. Two years ago, it wasn't even there, no one even paid attention to it. And to me, that's really cool.
What is the most fulfilling part of volunteering?: Seeing the success from all of their hard work come to fruition. They've gone through four years of college, two years of masters, two years of post doctorate work. I mean you work hard at this. And to see them finally get success and get the right direction is really satisfying.
What do you think about our Company's mission of "We Grow to Give"?: It's huge, I think it's huge. I love doing that. It makes me feel more connected to the community, the industry. There's so many different levels to it now. I think it's important. Very few companies do this and I think this is a really huge gift for Otter as a company and for everybody that works for Otter.
What would you tell others about volunteering?: We all have different levels of expertise and different levels of knowledge that other people don't have that would benefit getting from us. If you have knowledge, specifically about business, how do you get to that level? That is the kind of experience that a lot of people don't have that really would love to listen to how to get there. And it's a simple as that - it's not really rocket science, it's sharing your expertise and experience, real life, with people who haven't had it yet. As my friend John Morris said, send the elevator back down because that is what it's there for.