Pharmacy

As pharmacy leaders and professionals, adding value should be at the heart of every interaction in our lives, both working and non-working. It’s what makes you meaningful—far beyond your title or physical (or virtual) business card.

One of the most significant challenges in my advocacy work has been navigating the complex landscape of policy change amidst varying stakeholder interests. Achieving consensus among government bodies, international organizations, and local communities requires persistent effort and strategic communication.

I’m not sure when, or where, or from whom I stole the phrase “eagles who fly in formation.” But, as a teenager, I certainly learned the foundation of successful leadership as a Little League coach and then running restaurants and leading independent retail pharmacies.

I remember working on a medication adherence program with colleagues who, while supportive of the idea, raised concerns about the required effort. I left those meetings feeling frustrated. I wanted things to be better for our pharmacy teams and the patients we serve, but I couldn’t make that change alone.

Over the past two decades as a pharmacy worker, I have held many jobs, from a 16-year-old cashier who cleaned the toilets to becoming a pharmacy owner, and I have experienced the growing responsibilities in our profession from all vantage points.

Many pharmacy owners have the means and the desire to loan money to their children for a variety of good reasons. This post considers some of the pitfalls you may wish to consider. We encourage you, as pharmacy owners, to speak with your accountant and estate lawyer before loaning money to your children. You’ll be glad you did!

In my career I’ve been able to witness value creation firsthand. A powerful example of it came when we, in the pharmacy where I was working, were scaling our immunization program and discovered a significant gap in our training. Reports indicated that our CPR training—a vital skill for pharmacists—was highly inconsistent.

I strongly believe that when we make the decision to hire someone, that person becomes part of the family and needs our support and resources until exiting. The first priority of a leader is to take care of staff, then staff can take care of customers and customers can take care of business.