Meet Aimee Catalan, the Queensland female founder of Catalan Group.
Catalan Group specialises in helping clinicians, scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs to present and convey their own science stories to broader non-scientific audiences in areas like philanthropy, industry and government.
Science communication is not a soft skill, it is a set of core principles that when applied, help others to understand complex health and science messages.
Catalan Group assists health and science professionals to learn and refine important science communication skills so that they successfully communicate more broadly. Those skills may also help them become more accessible and credible sources of expertise in their area.
We chatted to Aimee to learn more about her business and journey as a Queensland female founder.
What inspired you to start your business?
For many years I worked in organ donation and transplantation. Part of my role was to relate complex stories multiple times to different audiences like specialist clinicians, scientists and sometimes, the Coroner, police or even members of government. Each time I would tell the story to one of them, they would prioritise and filter information I was giving them based upon what elements they felt were most valuable to them. I found how I communicated with each person had to remain consistent and true but also cater to the requirements of my audience.
This led me to research how the reception of critical information in health and science is driven as much by the listener as by the storyteller. I decided to create a business that provided a pathway for those with complex health and science stories to tell them effectively to audiences outside of their own discipline.
What milestones have you reached?
I am never sure what I love most – health, science or communication. When I started Catalan Group two years ago, I wanted to demonstrate how each of those areas could work together. I set a goal of working with scientists and researchers in as many areas of life science as I could. So far, some of those experiences include working with scientists on a research ship in the Great Barrier Reef, with engineers who are creating innovative ways to improve hearing and sight, and with clinicians who have developed novel ways to monitor patients in the operating theatre. Each new opportunity reminds me that when scientists communicate effectively, science thrives.
What business achievements are you most proud of to date?
I have been very fortunate to work with some truly amazing people and organisations. Some experiences permit me to see from the perspective of those who have either invented something new and or those who are researching ways to help us live better, healthier, more sustainable lives. Those are the stories that I love to tell others.
Recently, I was able to spend some time visiting high school students who have shared interests in health, science, sustainability. They had an incredible awareness of the value of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and the role each may wish to play as future scientists and researchers. It was a privilege to be able to discuss with them, as one who is also ethnically diverse and female, that tenacity and hard work are key, and that it is possible to carve out a personally and professionally rewarding career in science, health, and communication.
Have you participated in any Advance Queensland programs, or received any support from Advance Queensland to date?
Not yet, but it is wonderful to be able to share my story through Advance Queensland.
What’s your advice for other female entrepreneurs and businesses starting out on their entrepreneurship journey?
Those little ideas that start out in the back of your mind as a whisper have the potential to grow into successful and innovative businesses. Be resilient, be diligent and try not to get stuck in your own head. We are often too quick to convince ourselves that we cannot succeed, when in fact, we most certainly can and do.
