Pharmpreneur of the week Nicolas Caprio: ‘The entrepreneurial journey is a constant learning process’

SnapshotEducation:BSc Chemistry University of MontrealBPharm University of MontrealRole/Title: President of RexallWhat excites you about being an entrepreneur? The passion of everything people! A mindset of what is possible and the impact one can have on people’s lives no matter the industry. We as healthcare professionals are privileged to have the ability to impact people’s lives from a health and wellness perspective, which is my driving force that energizes me on the endless possibilities. When you surround yourself with the greatest asset a company could have, it’s PEOPLE! When I first opened my pharmacy in downtown Montreal at the corner of Guy and St. Catherine, it was a surreal experience for a young pharmacist who had just recently graduated and I was smitten at the very start by the retail enthralling experience, by being part of and leveraging the team by simply empowering them! I took those lessons with me, and through my continuous learning mindset I grew what I thought was important, which was leadership skills that are critical to be a successful entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur and leader leveraging the power of the team, you can set the vision and strategy, by being creative and thinking innovatively, challenging oneself on the growth opportunities, by going out, with community outreach initiatives that will have an impact on people’s lives because one has the flexibility and independence to pursue those passions that will leave a lasting legacy.How has your entrepreneurial career evolved since your graduation? I began my career as a pharmacy student and while studying I also had the privilege and opportunity to work at Pharmaprix in the retail industry where I learned very quickly the excitement and enriching environment and the possibilities of being part of an industry that could have real reach and positive impact on people. I then graduated and became one the first two overnight salaried pharmacists at the Pharmaprix on the corner of Queen Mary and Cote Des Neiges and I was off to the races with this wonderful career as a pharmacist. Within six months, I opened my store at the corner of Guy and Ste. Catherine, which was a fantastic experience and began my entrepreneurial journey. I have never looked back. I was called upon to represent the Tell us about some of your defining early experiences.Pharmaprix associates as the SDM executive team was thinking of transforming the operating model of the company and it was an extraordinary learning experience, thrust into a real-life MBA crash course where I learned a lifetime of skills and the experience opened up my mind to what true leadership was all about. At the end of a four-year journey the executive leadership team was successful in executing a new operating model centralizing functions to be more competitive in the evolving and very competitive retail landscape. I loved the experience and continuously took my learnings throughout the transformation to my own store and team to see how we ourselves could think outside the box to better serve the community. When I was asked to join the office as a VP of Operations for the Pharmaprix division, I did not hesitate, because I wanted to share my passion and knowledge with the rest of the associate body to be a part of the growth solution by leveraging the strength of the great leaders I had the privilege of working with. SDM continued to evolve as the retail landscape evolved and I was asked to now take on a national role leading the pharmacy ops team, which I did for the same reason – which was to share my passion and admiration for what was possible by supporting the field ops and store teams. I was then asked to take on an SVP role heading up the Pharmaprix division, which was another extraordinary accomplishment that allowed me to work with incredible people, always finding solutions by empowering the teams to have greater impact across the entire team in the communities we served. SDM continued to evolve, and I was then asked to take on greater responsibilities as the SVP of Operations for SDM, which allowed me to build a legacy of what can be accomplished with the power of people who have entrepreneurial minds, through the power of the associate concept. After 28 fulfilling years with SDM, I then decided to take on the challenge of my life as the president of Rexall, where the operating model is different, however the passion, resilience, determination, and pride of the teams, all with entrepreneurial minds open to the possibilities, have been extremely rewarding and fulfilling. I’m very proud and honoured to be a part of the Rexall team that has allowed me to continue my entrepreneurial journey, so that we can continue to have an impact on the communities we serve!What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?The one constant across my career journey since my graduation is the power of people and what is possible when we create an environment where people feel respected and safe to come in as they are without any walls because the culture is one where people feel empowered to achieve the goals they set forth: making a positive impact on people’s lives, whether it be their colleagues, their customers or the community members they serve. The ability to overcome challenges with the team, by failing fast if need be and learning faster, is one of the key drivers that has propelled me throughout my career.How do you define success? The opportunity to have a positive impact on people’s lives, within the community we serve, and with our colleagues who together are part of the entrepreneurial journey. To set team goals and strive to achieve those goals. Achieving a balanced life, where one manages personal, professional, and family responsibilities, maintaining a healthy work-life balance that will drive long term fulfilment, and most importantly loving what I do at work as reflective of my happiness.As a successful entrepreneur, what continues to drive you? What drives me and fuels my passion everyday are the endless possibilities of the impact we can have with an entrepreneurial mindset.The entrepreneurial journey is a constant learning process that is driven by the challenge of acquiring new leadership skills, evolving, and embracing innovative new technologies. The other motivation is the opportunity that I get daily throughout my career to mentor and develop the team talent that will shape the future of our industry. The sense of achievement and fulfillment because of the team is the one of the driving motivators that makes all the hard work and efforts worth the journey! What are the biggest challenges to being an entrepreneur? The biggest challenge any entrepreneur has is building a competent team and surrounding oneself with people who are passionate and then creating a culture that helps retain and nurture the talent. This is the critical element in being able to overcome and face the financial pressures because of the evolving competitive pressures that create uncertainty at certain junctures. As a leader one must find the right balance between personal and professional life because the pressures of running a business can take a toll on the mental health and managing these effectively by building a tool belt of solutions is crucial to be successful and fulfilled.How do you manage work/life balance? Everyone has a different work/life balance, however, what is critical is that one set time for oneself, whether it be getting on a bike, whatever type of bike (I have both a Pinarello and Peloton), or treadmill or weights, or boxing or meditation, or running outside or simply taking long nature walks. What becomes crucial is that you make time to actually do an activity on a daily basis no matter how tired you may be and not make excuses. The other important element for myself that I would highly recommend finding a way to deliver on it is: “Choose to be Happy” no matter how difficult life may seem and all the curve balls that life may throw at us! Spending quality time with loved ones and taking it all in when we have those special moments is absolutely crucial in finding that balance. Viewing the world through the lens of a glass half full has its rewards for oneself and the team because I have found throughout my career that this has impact on people’s lives. From a work perspective the other advice I can provide is the importance of prioritizing tasks and leveraging the team to focus on the most important tasks that will have the greatest impact. Learn to say “NO,” which honestly, I am still trying to figure out, however have learned to say NO to tasks or projects that don’t align with my priorities.I would recommend regularly assessing one’s work-life balance. What works for you may change over time, so it’s important to be flexible and make adjustments as needed. Remember, achieving work-life balance is not a one-time task, but a continuous journey that requires ongoing attention and adjustment. It's also important to recognize that perfect balance every day might not be feasible; instead, aim for a reasonable balance over a longer period, like a week or a month.What advice would you give to colleagues who want to become entrepreneurs?Understand your why, what will fuel your passion so that you will feel like it’s a labour of love. Evaluate the skills and experience you currently possess but don’t be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone so that your learning curve accelerates. Develop a strong culture where DEI is the foundation of that culture that will help one hire and retain strong people who share and believe in the vision and mission and then leverage those individuals by empowering them to be a part of the journey no matter how challenging. Constantly network with other entrepreneurs and industry professionals who can provide valuable insights and opportunities to bounce ideas off one another. Seek mentorship opportunities with people who can offer guidance based on their own experiences. Entrepreneurship is rewarding, but it also comes with challenges. Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for setbacks and be ready to adapt and persevere. Which leads to my final advice because of the toll that may be exerted on leaders, it is critical to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Take care of your physical and mental health and make time for family and personal interests so that at the end of your journey, you have left a lasting legacy and you will feel fulfilled because of the impact you have had on people’s lives. It can be very rewarding! If there is one TedTalk, I would love for you to watch is the Drew Dudley’s lollipop moment and you will understand!Entrepreneurship is a journey that requires dedication, resilience, and continuous learning. I encourage you to take calculated risks, be prepared for a learning curve, and remain adaptable to change and new opportunities.LinkedIn: @SherifGuorguiInstagram: @SherifGuorguiFacebook: @Sherif Seif GuorguiTwitter: @Sherif_Guorgui

Pharmpreneur of the week Nicolas Caprio: ‘The entrepreneurial journey is a constant learning process’

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