David Speak, 777 Group Founder and Chair, shares his wisdom on what it takes to be a community pharmacy leader. He sees a progressive vision for the industry, where pharmacists are empowered to work to their full professional capabilities through coordinated multidisciplinary care – starting with clear direction and the right team.
When I look at pharmacy owners who build businesses that become a legacy, I notice they spend a surprising amount of time thinking and focusing on the long term.
Not about what they are dispensing next or creating the next promotion, but instead:
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- What does my pharmacy look like when it is perfect?
- Who do I need around me to make that happen?
Simple questions. But how often do we stop and think about them?
Most pharmacy owners work really hard. The challenge is not a lack of effort, but making sure that effort is moving the pharmacy in the right direction.
If I asked you to describe your pharmacy 5 years from now, could you do it?
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- What would patients say about their experience?
- What services would you be providing?
- What would your team be known for?
- What would you be spending your time doing?
Most people can tell you exactly what is frustrating them today. Very few can describe what success looks like in enough detail that they could start building it tomorrow.
Without a clear destination, how do you create a plan? Without a plan, how do you decide where to invest your time, energy and money?
I have seen pharmacy owners spend significant resources chasing improvements, only to discover later that they were busy but not necessarily moving closer to what they really wanted their business to become.
Perhaps that is the difference between change and transformation.
Change is thrust on us and happens whether we like it or not whereas transformation happens by design and starts with deciding where we want to go.
Then comes the second question.
Who will you need to help you get there?
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- Do you have people around you who believe in the same future?
- Do they challenge your thinking?
- Do they bring strengths that you don’t have?
- Do they make you better?
- Would your team be able to describe the vision as clearly as you can?
- If they can’t, whose responsibility is that?
One of the lessons I admire from elite teams is their focus on preparation.
Before they attempt something difficult, they prepare themselves and they prepare the people around them. The same principle applies in pharmacy.
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- Are you building the skills required to lead your business into the future?
- Are your people building the skills required to support that future?
- Are you creating the trust, accountability and shared purpose that great teams need when things become difficult?
Because things will become difficult. Every worthwhile vision will eventually run into obstacles. That is where relationships matter. That is where mentors matter. That is where learning from others who have already faced similar challenges becomes so valuable.
Imagine being able to benchmark yourself against pharmacy owners who have already travelled the path you are considering.
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- How much faster would you learn?
- How many mistakes could you avoid?
- How much more confidence would you have making difficult decisions?
The best pharmacy owners I know are rarely trying to do it alone.
They are curious, ask questions, seek advice and they surround themselves with good people. Most importantly, they continue developing themselves while they are developing their businesses.
Community pharmacy is entering an exciting period of change and opportunity
The question is not whether opportunities exist. The question is whether we are preparing ourselves and our teams to take advantage of them when they arise.
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- What are you trying to build?
- Who is helping you build it?
- What support would make the biggest difference to your journey?
At Pharmacy 777, these are the conversations we enjoy having every day.
‘From my role as intern to Professional Services Pharmacist, to manager, then to pharmacy owner – 777 have supported me with a structured career pathway framework every step of the way,’ Mitchell Briotti, proprietor at Pharmacy 777 Applecross explained.
‘777 brings independent pharmacists together through a supportive network, which enables us to share knowledge, leverage collective expertise and access the resources we need to thrive. It’s about building a team that shares the same vision.
‘That support has given me the confidence to develop a clear direction for Applecross, build a strong team around me and continue looking for opportunities to grow and evolve the pharmacy.’
Sometimes clarity comes not from finding the answer yourself, but from exploring the possibilities with people who have walked the path before you.
True support for your pathway
Through collaboration, professional development, and tailored business support, we empower pharmacists to develop their knowledge and capabilities, grow their businesses, and enhance their clinical services.
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✔ 777 Academy – interactive training platform and education programs. |
Discover more. True support for your pathway: view careers.
Contact our team: heretoserve@pharmacy777.com.au
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