What does the end of your pharmacy business look like? Will you survive the economic apocalypse?
How do you run a pharmacy in a world where many of skills and tools you rely on to earn your living are increasingly outdated or commoditized?
Fact: Unemployment in the United States is over 27 million.
Silver Lining: Unemployment is the first sign of economic growth.
The Problem isn't really that there are 27 million unemployed people. The problem is that too many of those 27 million people are unemployable.
In a recent interview with Paul Zane Pilzer, an economist, leading expert on U.S. health insurance and the health care reform, and 2012 Pharmacy Business Growth Conferene speaker, he explained to us how the acceleration of technology is changing the laws of business and economics, including which skills are necessary to be successful in the evolving world. Unfortunately, many of the unemployed have fewer and fewer marketable skills as defined by the market changes (note: if you are in a world where you don't think tech touches you, you will turn off at this point). If that doesn't convince you, how about this? Over 27 million people are unemployed and 60 million people in the U.S. don't even have a high school diploma...leaving them completely unprepared for the continuously evolving new world.
What does that have to do with independent pharmacy? Well, everything. How many owners will be successful fighting the evolution of our industry, resisting obtaining new skills necessary to compete in a new world? What got you to where you are today may not take you where you need to go in the future. And without adaptation, many independent pharmacy businesses will soon become stressed or even extinct.
Most pharmacy professionals primarily received a clinical education, as opposed to the real type of business education necessary to maximize their potential as a business owner.
Even if you have 20 years of pharmacy experience under your belt or have taken a business course or two, there's a certain skill set needed to survive and thrive in today's economic climate...and trial and error unfortunately won't cut it!
Please Share in the Comments Section: How do you plan to survive the economic apocalypse and get the business education you need to survive in today's economic climate and fierce competitive landscape?
