The rain-making, 2X exit founder

Dr Andrea Wagner’s story is a masterclass in grit, reinvention and unapologetic entrepreneurship. She’s built not one but two successful sterile manufacturing companies from scratch, both to exit. And now she’s back at it again, tackling engineering downtime with her new venture, PharmaPhixx.

When I sat down with Andrea, I walked away with three big lessons.

What I Learnt

Never stop learning. Even with two exits behind her, Andrea still takes sales courses and leadership training. That humility to keep improving is what separates the great from the good.

Decision making is a tree. A brilliant analogy: leaves make quick calls, branches handle bigger choices, trunks focus on direction, and only the roots decide the fate of the tree. It’s leadership clarity in its simplest form.

Refuse to quit. Whether weathering 2008 or restarting again in 2014, Andrea shows that courage to go again is what defines true founders.

What I Liked

Her raw courage to go again — and again. Her belief that there are riches in the niches. And her attitude of “keep making new mistakes.” Andrea reminds me that entrepreneurship is messy, emotional and addictive. Her humility, humour and honesty made this one of the most inspiring conversations I’ve had.

Reflection

Andrea’s ethos — to keep learning, stay humble, and never stop solving — is a mindset every founder should live by. Her tree analogy made me think about leadership differently, and her openness about the grind of being a repeat founder was refreshing.

Hear the full episode: Apple | Spotify

Big thanks to our amazing sponsors Bora Pharmaceuticals, Charles River Laboratories and Lead Candidate for supporting the pod