Why the Durable B2B Media Moat Starts With Following the Reader

Beginning his career as a sales representative at a family-owned B2B print publishing company, Jon learned early that sustainable growth comes from creating exceptional value rather than competing solely on price. While many competitors relied on scale and larger budgets, he focused on understanding customers, delivering deeper insights, and building long-term relationships. That approach enabled him to thrive while many competitors disappeared from the market.

A defining moment in Jon's career came when he was reassigned from a successful territory he had spent years building into an entirely new market with no existing customers and little relevant editorial content. The move forced him to start from scratch and gain a comprehensive understanding of his audience, products, and business model. The experience shaped a leadership philosophy that continues to guide him today: focus on what you can control, build rather than simply manage, and embrace change as an opportunity for growth.

Today, Jon leads Life Science Connect through a period of significant expansion following its acquisition by Latticework Capital Management. Backed by private equity funding, an accomplished executive leadership team, and a high-performing board of directors, the company is executing an ambitious growth strategy focused on building the most comprehensive media, events, and digital solutions platform in the life sciences sector.

Under Jon's leadership, Life Science Connect is expanding its portfolio of trusted media brands, growing its live events business, developing digital tools that simplify supplier discovery and procurement decisions, and pursuing strategic acquisitions across media, events, data, and software businesses. He believes the future belongs to organizations that successfully combine trusted content, engaged communities, and practical technology solutions to create meaningful value for customers.

Known for his growth mindset, operational discipline, and ability to build high-performing teams, Jon remains passionate about helping businesses adapt, evolve, and succeed in rapidly changing markets. His career reflects a consistent commitment to innovation, resilience, and creating lasting value for customers, employees, and stakeholders alike.

Heather Holst-Knudsen is a distinguished figure and expert in the events, media, marketing and technology sectors. Using her extensive experience, she guides clients in adapting to structural economic and market changes, seizing the chance to innovate and evolve. She specializes in digital and data disruption and opportunity, exploring how these overarching factors can impact revenue growth,customer-centricity, operational efficiency, profit margins, and the overall valuation of companies in both public and private markets. Her journey began at her family business, Thomas Publishing Company, where she honed her skills. She further expanded her expertise by holding positions at early industry giants Miller Freeman, Reed Elsevier, and IDG. Returning to Thomas Publishing, Heather founded and spearheaded Manufacturing Enterprise Communications, an integrated media portfolio connecting buyers and sellers in the manufacturing and technology sectors. Starting in 2015 and spanning the next seven years, she leveraged her expertise as a revenue and business leader in various SaaS businesses, including Feathr, Gleanin, Brella and Edflex. Heather is deeply passionate about digital innovation, data monetization, and AI and how these strategies fuel revenue growth, profitability, and company valuation. To serve and create value for clients in these areas, she launched H2K Labs, dedicated to generating and leveraging value through data for media, business information, events, and adjacent technology and service markets.