Dr. Richard Huysmans' Podcast Dr Richard Huysmans

The steps for building a research group or lab are vague and unclear. For people with a great idea, hoping to build a business on it, there are coaches, start-up programs, business information sessions, incubators, co-working spaces, mentors, seminars, workshops, and more. Yet for research there is very little. In this blog I look at the business advice and translate that into advice for researchers.



Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/how-to-build-a-research-group-2/

Have you turned your PhD topic or experiences into a small business? How did you do it?

I was an entrepreneur before it was cool. Before being an innovator or being agile was a thing. I was an entrepreneur when it was called owning your own business. Being self-employed. For some, there’s an attraction to the idea of turning some or all of your PhD into your job. And that was what I did. Here, I talk about the steps that I think are necessary to go from PhD to business.



Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/turning-your-research-into-your-business-3/

What are your tips for being more competitive and organised when it comes to writing a grant? Here are 6 from me:


Prewrite.
Know your funding sources.
Prepare your application based on those funding sources and their preferences.
Say “no” – Not all people, grants or situations are equally worthy.
Plan ahead (a year calendar will help).
Practice – You cannot improve without practice.



Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/six-steps-to-a-more-competitive-and-organised-grant-application-3/

We are constantly told to self-reflect. But if you’re not in the practice of it, reflection can be really hard. In his book 20 Questions for Humans, Craig Harper helps readers do just that – answer 20 questions that will help them self-reflect. In this blog, I look at each question Craig poses and suggest the equivalent in the context of your PhD or research.



Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/twenty-questions-for-humans-who-are-studying-a-phd-3/

Are you thinking about leaving academia but finding it hard? Why not write a good-bye letter?

The transition from one sector to another is difficult. So is a change in job or a change in a career. But when you’ve had your heart set on a career – like many in academia – that transition is even harder.



Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/why-you-should-write-a-good-bye-letter-to-academia-2/

Five transferable skills for all PhD students:


Problem solving.
Project management.
Written communication.
Oral communication.
Presentation skills.

Be careful when identifying your transferable skills from your PhD – not all are created equal.

Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/five-skills-i-can-use-to-develop-my-career-beyond-my-phd-2/