# 259 - The Career Lesson I Learned the Hard Way in Pharma

- Show: [Let's Combinate](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate)
- Published: 2026-10-19
- Length: 5m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2026-10-19-259-the-career-lesson-i-learned-the-hard-way-in-pharma
- Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/letscombinate/episodes/259---The-Career-Lesson-I-Learned-the-Hard-Way-in-Pharma-e3qdlm2

## Summary

Subhi Saadeh, a Quality Professional and host of Let's Combinate, recounts a career lesson from his time as a quality lead at a large pharma company managing a sterile, vial-based drug-device combination product program. He explains how he shifted from seeking personal visibility to focusing on his team's technical needs, specifically regarding sterility and bioburden, which earned their respect and influence. Saadeh emphasizes the importance of being coachable, asking questions, and adopting a 'their cookie, your crumb' mindset to build credibility and trust with technical experts.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2026-10-19-259-the-career-lesson-i-learned-the-hard-way-in-pharma#t=0) Introduction: The lesson that it's not about you
- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2026-10-19-259-the-career-lesson-i-learned-the-hard-way-in-pharma#t=0) Early career: Seeking exposure and visibility

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Combination Products Coalition (other)
- ASTM Committee E55 (other)
- AAMI (other)
- ASQ (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#352: Fundamentals of Quality & Regulatory](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2024-01-18-352-fundamentals-of-quality-regulatory) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#421: Mastering MedTech Influence: The Power of Communication in Quality](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2025-08-25-421-mastering-medtech-influence-the-power-of-communication-in-quality) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#435: ICYMI (In Case You Missed It!) Becoming a Regulatory Affairs Professional](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2025-12-01-435-icymi-in-case-you-missed-it-becoming-a-regulatory-affairs-professional) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#354: Advice for MedTech Regulatory Affairs Professionals](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2024-02-07-354-advice-for-medtech-regulatory-affairs-professionals) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#440: ICYMI (In Case You Missed It!) Fundamentals of Quality & Regulatory](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2026-01-05-440-icymi-in-case-you-missed-it-fundamentals-of-quality-regulatory) (Global Medical Device Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2026-10-19-259-the-career-lesson-i-learned-the-hard-way-in-pharma. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Let's Combinate.