To be great, it is best to learn from greats. Doesn’t matter if they are a pharmacy owner or a gold medalist. Greatness often has a pattern, and here are some lessons pharmacy owners can learn from some sports legends. Let’s get you thinking with a sports pharmacy mindset!
Let me ask you a question: When was the last time you did something for the first time? When did you push yourself past your comfort zone, even though you’ve been in the game for years? I’m talking about that mindset that drove legends like Michael Phelps, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan to become the best of the best—and they didn’t stop once they “made it.” What does this have to do with you as a pharmacy owner? A whole lot more than you might think.
These athletes didn’t just achieve greatness—they kept pushing for more, honing their skills, and staying coached, even when the world was already applauding their success. And trust me, that’s the kind of mindset you’ll want to adopt if you want to thrive in today’s ever-evolving, razor-thin margin pharmacy world. Let’s take a glimpse into these greats’ mindsets. Perhaps you can adopt a similar one to keep improving, and yes, keep working on your pharmacy, no matter how successful you become.
Michael Phelps: The Power of Consistency and Never Getting Comfortable
Let’s start with Michael Phelps, the man who has more Olympic golds than most of us have trophies from little kid soccer. Now, Phelps isn’t just known for his athletic ability—he’s also famous for his insane work ethic. This guy was in the pool training every day for years. He is famous for saying that he went through a 5-year period where he swam every day, 365 days a year, even when he was already at the top of his sport.
What’s the lesson here? It’s simple: Consistency is the key to success. You see, even after dominating in the pool, Phelps continued to work, push his limits, and get coached. He didn’t rest on his laurels—he strived to get better each day.
As pharmacy owners, this mindset should be ingrained in everything you do. This is where many pharmacy owners get stuck. Many people think that only new tactics and products will bring success. They get bored and shift attention to a shiny new object. Greatness is doing the boring work better than anyone else. Getting your fundamentals as perfect as they can be and consistently doing that over and over and over.
The key here? Stay in the pool. Continuously evaluate your services, operations, and team. Keep improving. If you’re not sure where to start, start with your customer experience or optimizing your workflow. There’s always room to get better, and that’s what will set you apart from your competition.
Kobe Bryant: Relentless Work Ethic and Embracing Continuous Learning
Kobe Bryant, aka “The Black Mamba,” is known for his tireless work ethic and relentless pursuit of greatness. What a lot of people don’t realize, though, is that even after winning five NBA championships and achieving legendary status, Kobe continued to work on his game. He would arrive hours before practice to work on his shots, study film, and talk to his coaches about how he could improve.
Even though he was already an all-time great, Kobe knew that if he didn’t keep pushing himself to improve, someone else would. This is the kind of mindset every pharmacy owner should adopt—don’t wait for the competition to pass you by. Be proactive, take charge, and always look for ways to elevate your game.
Here’s a practical tip: Look at your pharmacy like Kobe looked at his basketball career. Constantly learn, adapt, and experiment with new ways to serve your customers. Whether it’s implementing new services, optimizing your inventory management, or improving your marketing efforts—keep honing your craft. Don’t stop growing just because you’re doing well enough. There’s always another level to reach, and your pharmacy can keep pushing the envelope.
It doesn’t always have to be about the pursuit of greater profits (if it is, that’s ok!). You can be working on growing yourself out of the business. Changing your position to more of a president and not a day-to-day leader. You could even be working on optimizing your pharmacy for maximum selling value.
Michael Jordan: The Master of Mental Toughness and Never Letting Up
Ah, Michael Jordan. The GOAT himself. You know someone is a true legend when both a 95-year-old and a 5-year-old know your name. The man who changed the game of basketball and became a global icon. What was his secret? Mental toughness. Jordan didn’t just rely on his physical gifts; he had an unshakable mindset that fueled his success. He didn’t just work hard—he worked harder than everyone else. And even when he was at the pinnacle of his career, Jordan still sought out coaching to make himself better.
So, what does this teach us as pharmacy owners? Well, you’ve got to have that same drive and resilience. There will be tough days—trust me, I’ve had plenty. The question is: How do you bounce back? Do you dig deep and push through, or do you get discouraged and let those challenges hold you back?
Think about this: Michael Jordan didn’t stop practicing free throws just because he was already a legend. He made sure his fundamentals were solid, and he kept refining his game. As a pharmacy owner, that’s exactly what you need to do. The business world is always changing, and you’ve got to be ready to adapt and evolve. Work on your “free throws” every day, whether it’s improving your operations, investing in team development, or getting creative with your marketing. The most successful pharmacy owners are the ones who never stop learning and never stop improving.
The Sports Pharmacy OTC Revenue Opportunity: Serving Athletes and Performance Needs
Now, let’s take a little detour into one of the most profitable opportunities for your pharmacy—catering to athletes, also known as Sports Pharmacy. I know, I know, you’re thinking, “My pharmacy isn’t exactly a sports clinic.” But hear me out—athletes, whether they’re professional, high school, or just weekend warriors, have unique needs that go beyond just medications. They’re often looking for supplements, recovery aids, and performance-boosting products to help them stay at the top of their game. And guess what? That’s where you come in with Sports Pharmacy.
Sports Pharmacy Is A Mindset & A Department
By offering over-the-counter (OTC) products that cater to athletes’ needs, you open up a whole new revenue stream for your pharmacy. Think protein powders, electrolytes, joint supports, energy boosters, and muscle recovery aids. In addition to unique tests like micronutrient, food sensitivity, genetic, and others, that will help athletes perform their best. You can position your pharmacy as the go-to place for sports supplements and health products tailored to athletes of all levels.
Now, I’m not saying you have to become a full-fledged sports nutrition center, but adding these types of products to your offering can generate significant additional profits. And just like the greats—Phelps, Kobe, and Jordan—you can continuously refine and improve how you serve these customers. Start by talking to your athletes about their needs, offering personalized recommendations, and hosting in-store events or workshops on sports nutrition. You’ll find that with the right mindset, you can become the go-to source for health and performance products in your community. Hello Sports Pharmacy Love!!
Sports Pharmacy is also a sexy thing that is easy to market. So many times, I hear from pharmacy owners that they don’t know what to post about. Every town has high school sports and weekend warriors. So even if you don’t have a pro team, there is ample opportunity to boost your profits and help your local athletes with a sports pharmacy focus.
Keep Pushing, Keep Learning, Keep Growing
Even pharmacy owners can learn from and admire the work ethic of legends like Michael Phelps, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan. They didn’t settle for greatness—they kept working, kept improving, and kept learning. As pharmacy owners, we can adopt that same mindset. Never stop innovating. Never stop learning. And most importantly, never stop working on your business.
Adopting a mindset of continuous growth doesn’t just make you a better pharmacy owner—it makes you a better leader, a better problem-solver, and a better entrepreneur. Plus, by tapping into the OTC revenue opportunities with athletes and performance products, you can increase your profits and build a stronger, more diverse pharmacy business.
So, are you ready to dive back into the pool like Michael Phelps? Are you willing to keep grinding like Kobe? Can you push yourself to new heights like Michael Jordan? I think you can. And when you do, your pharmacy will not only thrive—it will dominate.
Stay fierce, my friends, and let’s go crush it!
If you’re ready to crush it in your pharmacy, consider joining Pharmacy Badass University. Between our revenue-generating programs, time-saving trainings, and cost-saving discounts, it truly is a no-brainer for every pharmacy owner.
