We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Denise Bronner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Denise, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

Empactful Ventures isn’t just a name. I combined EMPATHY (the core of how I approach work and people) and IMPACTFUL (because good intentions mean nothing without results). I knew from the start that whatever I built would center people, whether patients, professionals, or partners and challenge the status quo in ways that actually drive results. So Empactful was born and Ventures well that speaks of the many paths I’m building, testing, and empowering financially every day.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My journey started in the lab with a PhD in microbiology and immunology, but I quickly realized that to truly change health outcomes, I needed to step beyond the bench. Over 15 years, I’ve worked across academia, pharma, startups, and VC, helping mission-driven organizations bring bold ideas to market and underserved communities into focus. I’ve done the research, sat in the boardrooms, and seen what happens when business forgets its why. That’s why I started Empactful Ventures: to help organizations lead with empathy and deliver results that matter.

At Empactful Ventures, I help clients (Fortune 500s to early-stage startups) rethink how they engage patients, vendors, and data. My consulting services span clinical trial enablement, investor strategy, and innovation matchmaking. I specialize in turning assumptions into action, building equity-minded trial strategies, and ensuring that vendors move beyond execution and deliver value.

What makes me different? I connect the dots others miss. I bring the data and the narrative. I listen closely not just to what’s said, but what’s unsaid. I know the science, I speak the language of business, and I never lose sight of the people at the center of it all.

I’m proud that in just over a year, I have worked with 15 clients (73% lead to client conversion), helped reshape how equity shows up in trial operations while sparking powerful partnerships that have led to millions in signed contracts & investments. Overall, I am ensuring that the industry is smarter and more human.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The two biggest drivers of new clients for me have been LinkedIn and speaking engagements and I haven’t spent a single dollar on ads.

Thanks to an active, intentional presence on LinkedIn, clients are finding me organically. My metrics show that 48% of traffic comes from my posts, while 42% comes from my comments on others’ content. That means people see me adding value even in conversation and reach out because they feel a connection.

Speaking engagements have also been a major source of visibility and credibility. From conferences and webinars to podcasts, online articles, and guest columns, these platforms have allowed me to showcase my expertise live and in context. Clients get to see how I think, how I work, and how I can help, which shortens the trust-building phase significantly.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’ve made four major pivots in my career: from academia to consulting, then to big pharma, and now to entrepreneurship. Each pivot came with the same internal signal: “I’ve outgrown this pond. There’s more I’m meant to explore.” But I didn’t leap blindly. With every pivot, I paused to reflect: Was I truly growing or just getting comfortable? Was I running away, or stepping toward something bigger?

My final pivot to entrepreneurship was the most deliberate. I gave myself the gift of runway which was savings to fully cover 6–8 months of living expenses so I could build without panic. I told myself: Give it three months. If it’s not working, you still have time to pivot back. That cushion gave me the space to grow and the grace to bet on myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.empactfulventures.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dnbronner/
• Other: https://innovationgathering.network/main-stage-talks/v/denise-bronner

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB6BclQ89ik&list=PLGHWsPGjDe4MYhcuQHrbvvFR7UOogY-36&index=14&t=190s