Success Story
Scaling a Specialized Sales Force for a Cardiovascular Launch
Story background
Building on a partnership that began years prior, this pharmaceutical innovator re-engaged Mix Talent to lead their inaugural cardiovascular sales build. After a strategic pause in the initial engagement due to an FDA-issued CRL, the client returned to Mix to architect a high-precision field team of 104 Cardiovascular Account Specialists (CAS) for their latest market entry.
To kick off the project, the client needed support with:
Navigating shifting timelines
Building specialized field teams
Identifying high-performing talent with deep cardiovascular and rare disease experience.
Ensuring leadership alignment
Maintaining a seamless partnership with frontline leadership (ABMs) across diverse territories.
Our approach
To meet the client’s goals, Mix implemented a customized hiring strategy:
Consultative Wave Strategy
Co-designed a "Waved Approach" with the client leadership team to manage two separate hiring classes, ensuring field readiness aligned with the revised launch date.
Behavioral Assessment Integration
Administered proprietary SPARQ assessments to measure candidate resilience, ensuring the team possessed the "grit" necessary to succeed in a demanding cardiovascular launch environment.
High-Touch Candidate Experience
Managed a large-scale live hiring event in Dallas, registering 189 candidates and preparing 378 interviewer packets to ensure a professional, culture-aligned experience.
Customized Warming Plans
Developed two distinct candidate warming strategies, spanning up to 15 weeks, to maintain engagement and minimize back-outs during a long runway.
The results
104 Cardiovascular Specialists hired
98% with Cardiology experience., 97% with Specialty Pharmacy experience, and 95% with sole territory experience within the last 5 years.
Exceptional retention
Wave 1 achieved a 100% start rate, and Wave 2 saw fewer than 1% of candidates back out during a 15-week warming period.
Client feedback:
"Mix did an amazing job building relationships with our ABM team and customizing specifics for the needs of each territory. They provided detailed insights to compensation expectations and walk-aways throughout the entire process." — Talent Acquisition Lead