Vardan Ter-Antonyan on using AI without outsourcing expertise
Vardan Ter-Antonyan is the founder of Ter-Antonyan Consulting, which helps pharmaceutical, OTC and dietary supplement companies develop and scale products. The conversation looks at how AI can speed technical research, why human judgment still matters, and how specialized consultants can become easier to find online.
AI can speed up research and organize technical information, but scientific conclusions, professional credibility and client relationships still depend on human expertise. For specialized consultants, useful technical content and a clear online presence can help qualified clients find and assess that expertise.
What’s the quick origin story of your business, and what makes what you do genuinely different from the other options your customers are looking at?
help companies bridge the gap between scientific innovation and successful commercialization. After more than 20 years in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cannabinoid industries, progressing from Scientist to Chief Scientific Officer and Head of R&D, I saw firsthand how promising products often fail not because the science is wrong, but because companies struggle to translate that science into scalable, commercially viable products.
What makes my consulting business different is that I bring both deep scientific expertise and executive-level business experience. I’m not just a formulation scientist who develops products in a laboratory, and I’m not a traditional business consultant who provides recommendations without understanding the technical realities.
I’ve built R&D operations, developed innovative drug delivery and formulation technologies, scaled manufacturing processes, launched commercial products, led cross-functional teams, and managed multimillion-dollar operations.
My clients work directly with someone who understands the entire journey—from concept and formulation development through manufacturing, quality, regulatory considerations, and commercialization.
My value proposition is simple: I don’t just help companies develop products. I help them develop products that can actually be manufactured, scaled, and sold profitably.
Where does most of your new business come from today, and where do you wish it came from?
Today, most of my new consulting opportunities have historically come through LinkedIn and direct inquiries from companies looking for specialized R&D and formulation expertise. My business has already demonstrated that this approach works, including generating approximately $25,000 from a single client engagement.
However, the flow of inbound inquiries has been inconsistent, and I don’t yet have a predictable client acquisition pipeline.
Where I want my business to come from is organic, inbound demand driven by my professional reputation and demonstrated expertise. I want companies searching for formulation development, drug delivery technologies, process optimization, and manufacturing scale-up expertise to discover Ter-Antonyan Consulting LLC through Google, LinkedIn, AI platforms such as ChatGPT, and industry publications.
My ultimate goal is to build a recognized consulting brand where qualified clients approach me because they already see me as an authority in my field, rather than relying on occasional inquiries or continuously pursuing new business.
In short, I want to transition from unpredictable, relationship-driven opportunities to a consistent stream of high-value, inbound consulting engagements.
What’s one thing you’ve actually handed over to AI in the last year, and one thing you tried it on and went back to doing the human way?
One thing I’ve handed over to AI is the initial research and organization of technical information. In my consulting and R&D work, I use AI to review scientific literature, compare formulation technologies, organize project information, and prepare initial drafts of technical reports. Work that previously took most of a day can sometimes be completed in a few hours, allowing me to focus more on scientific analysis, problem-solving, and client strategy.
One thing I’ve tried with AI but returned to a more human approach is professional communication, particularly when authenticity and personal credibility matter. I’ve experimented with AI-generated articles, professional commentary, and outreach messages, but the results can sound generic and lack my personal voice. I still use AI to organize ideas and improve clarity, but I prefer to make the final editorial decisions myself.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that AI is excellent at accelerating work, but it cannot replace professional judgment, practical experience, or genuine human relationships. I use it to become more efficient, not to outsource my expertise.
Have you noticed a change in how customers find you or what they already know before they reach out? Is anyone arriving through AI assistants like ChatGPT yet?
I’ve noticed that potential clients are becoming more informed before they reach out. Rather than simply looking for a general R&D consultant, they’re often searching for expertise in specific technologies, such as nanoemulsions, self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS), liposomes, and manufacturing scale-up. This makes establishing credibility and demonstrating technical expertise increasingly important.
I’m particularly interested in how AI is changing the way companies discover consultants. Traditionally, LinkedIn, Google, professional networks, and industry publications have been important channels. Now, AI assistants like ChatGPT are becoming another way potential clients can research technical problems and identify specialists.
I haven’t yet confirmed that a client has found Ter-Antonyan Consulting LLC directly through an AI assistant. However, I see this as an important emerging opportunity. I’ve already started exploring how my consulting business appears in AI-generated recommendations and how to improve its visibility.
My goal is to make sure that when someone asks ChatGPT or another AI platform to recommend an expert in pharmaceutical formulation, drug delivery, or scale-up, Ter-Antonyan Consulting LLC is among the credible names they discover.
If you were advising someone in your industry on all of this for the next 12 months, what would you tell them to actually do, and what would you tell them to ignore?
My advice to anyone running a specialized consulting business in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or formulation development industry would be to invest in building genuine expertise, making that expertise visible online, and becoming discoverable through both traditional search engines and AI platforms.
Over the next 12 months, I would focus on three things.
First, publish valuable technical content that demonstrates real expertise. Share case studies, scientific insights, practical solutions, and lessons learned from actual projects. Potential clients should be able to evaluate your knowledge and credibility before they ever contact you.
Second, make your business easy to discover and verify. Build a credible website, maintain an active LinkedIn presence, contribute to respected industry publications, and ensure your expertise is clearly described online. As more people use AI assistants to research problems and identify specialists, having a strong, consistent digital presence will become increasingly important.
Third, use AI aggressively for efficiency, but selectively for decision-making. AI can accelerate research, content development, market analysis, and administrative work. However, scientific conclusions, technical recommendations, and client relationships still require human expertise and accountability.
What I would ignore is the hype surrounding AI shortcuts. I wouldn’t spend money on services promising guaranteed placement in ChatGPT recommendations, chase every new AI tool, or flood LinkedIn with generic AI-generated content. I also wouldn’t confuse online visibility with actual business results. The goal isn’t to accumulate followers or impressions; it’s to attract qualified clients who value your expertise and are willing to pay for it.
Ultimately, my advice is simple: use AI to amplify your expertise, not manufacture the appearance of expertise. In highly technical industries, credibility is still the most valuable competitive advantage, and no algorithm can substitute for a track record of delivering results.
Thank you to Vardan Ter-Antonyan and the team at Ter-Antonyan Consulting for sharing what actually worked with Leaders Perception readers.
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