Innovator: Breaking barriers

Nneka Ezurike has always aspired to inspire others. Be it pharmacy teams as owner of multiple Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacies in Toronto, or future pharmacists as a preceptor at the University of Toronto and University of Waterloo. But it doesn’t stop there. With a firm belief that the profession will benefit from having diverse perspectives in leadership, she is heavily involved in initiatives supporting women in pharmacy and recently co-founded a new organization, Black Pharmacy Professionals of Canada (BPPC). The fact that Ezurike owned her first two pharmacies at the tender age of 23—and has been challenging the status quo ever since—is testament to her courage and commitment to evolving the profession. She tells us more about her motivation for tackling new challenges and why mentoring is such a big part of running a successful pharmacy.Was pharmacy always your passion?I wanted to be a pediatrician after pharmacy school, but once I finished my degree at Dalhousie University in Halifax, I took a job with a Shoppers Drug Mart east of Toronto and enjoyed it so much I stayed. (Ezurike did an internship at a Shoppers in Halifax during her first year of pharmacy school and has stayed with the chain ever since.) I always wanted to have an impact on the health and wellness of people and I realized I could do that as a pharmacist. I expected to be a staff pharmacist for several years when I came to Ontario, but when the owner left to pursue another endeavour, I took the opportunity to take over his two stores, literally weeks after I’d gotten my pharmacy license. Now that’s jumping right in! Was it difficult?I was lucky to have worked at the stores already so the staff were supportive. The Shoppers associates in the district and my store administrator really took me under their wings to guide the process. Honestly though, it was still very challenging and a huge learning curve. But I’m always looking for opportunities to grow and challenge myself; it ended up being really rewarding and helped to catapult my career. I now own four pharmacies in the greater Toronto area with a staff of 160 full- and part-time employees. I still spend at least one day a week in the dispensary at each location because it helps me feel more engaged with my stores too. Looking back, what else helped you to become a successful owner?I’ve been doing this for 13 years and I’m still learning new things, but I’d say it’s all about surrounding yourself with supportive and like-minded people. It’s also about finding staff whose strengths are your weaknesses and not being afraid to ask for help. Rather than trying to do everything myself, I lean on coaching, training and motivating staff to do their best. I also look for untapped potential I can help foster, so I have more time to focus on building my business and my career. I think what I’m most proud of is being able to help others realize their potential while still being a leader.Being a franchise owner with Shoppers has also given me the ability to provide a variety of services, such as on-site POC testing for A1C and lipid cholesterol, travel assessments, opioid agonist therapy, vaccinations and now treatment for minor ailments. I’m a certified diabetes educator and health coach and I always encourage my staff to pursue continuing education and additional certification. I think when staff members are happy and fulfilled, that’s reflected in their customer service. All said, I’ve definitely suffered from imposter syndrome at times, but I’ve come to accept I’m going to make mistakes along the way. I look at challenges as opportunities to grow and become better.Speaking of challenges, why were you inspired to help women and minorities in pharmacy?I started my career in a very small town in Ontario where there were few black people. I’ve had patients refuse to speak to me when they found out I was the pharmacist, or just assume I’m the assistant and reiterate their queries to other staff. These experiences have made me feel overlooked and devalued because of the colour of my skin. I’ve also come to events where I’m one of the very few black women present; it makes me feel like I’m representing all black women because others’ interpretation of my ability may affect how they interact with black women in the future. It’s a heavy burden that I don’t take lightly so I always strive to do my best and be a leader. To help mitigate barriers preventing more women from becoming leaders in the profession, I’ve become involved in various women-focused initiatives. For example, I am a mentor with Shoppers’ Preparing Outstanding Women for Excellence in Retail program and put my hand up to become the regional lead and co-chair for the Shoppers’ Women in Leadership for Associates (WILA) program. I want to help create a strong network of female pharmacists and owners who can support and help empower each other because I think that’s invaluable. This past September with WILA, I organized a seminar called Empower (Educating and Mentoring Pharmacists to Optimize Willpower and Enhance Relationships) for the second time where we almost doubled attendance from the year prior. This charitable event raised $10,000 for the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto.Tell us about your new organization BPPCThis past Black History Month, my colleague and I really noticed the lack of engagement among pharmacy organizations nationwide and realized there was no organization representing this segment of the profession. We created BPPC, which officially launched November 1, 2023, to promote equity in practice for black pharmacy professionals and patients—and to provide an empowering environment for black pharmacy professionals to really grow their leadership and mentorship. It’s just the beginning and we have some great ideas for upcoming events in the pipeline. Watch for more information on Instagram @blackpharmacycanada and our website bppcan.com.What’s your advice for becoming a successful pharmacy owner?I wish I’d established a mentor earlier in my career. Later when I was paired with another pharmacy owner through a Shoppers’ mentorship program, it was amazing. We had some honest discussions that made me feel I wasn’t alone, and she really helped me think outside of the box in terms of what I could do as an owner. Now I’m a mentor in the same program, as well as a preceptor at two pharmacy schools. I participate in various outreach programs with youth in the community and encourage other pharmacists to do the same. It’s very rewarding. It’s also important to show appreciation for your staff on an ongoing basis. On Canada Day, we had a barbecue for staff and their family and friends. I have an employee of the month program where recipients get a $50 gift certificate, and I always acknowledge birthdays and other work milestones. It’s a little thing that goes a long way. With all you do, is work/life balance an issue?I’m still a work in progress on that front. I’ve learned that you can’t pour from an empty cup and that maintaining my mental and physical health needs to be a priority if I want to perform to the best of my ability. Rosalind Stefanac is a Toronto writer specializing in pharmacy and retail journalism.

Innovator: Breaking barriers

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