Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Boyd.
Hi Monica, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
While growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, I was always intrigued with the medical field. I never felt the urge to attend medical school, but I knew I wanted to have a positive impact on the health care of the community. Upon graduation from high school, I made one of the most significant decisions of my life. I enrolled at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a Biology major, and attending this prestigious Historically Black College and University (HBCU) had an astounding impact on my educational and personal development. The HBCU experience is indescribable, and the experience truly prepared me for successful navigation from a professional and social aspect!
Upon graduation, I worked for the state of Louisiana as an Environmental Scientist, and believe it or not I worked in the oil field as a field engineer. Both of those work environments were great learning experiences, but I never felt passionate about the work. I was accepted into pharmacy school at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) in 2008, and I graduated with my Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2011. My matriculation at MCPHS was met with numerous challenges, but I remained lasered focused and disciplined because failing was not an option. Upon graduation, I was offered a position in Massachusetts, but I’m a true Southern girl, so I accepted a position in Fort Worth, Texas with a large corporate retailer. I dedicated ten years of my professional career to this company, and after marrying my caring husband MB and having my two intelligent and beautiful daughters, Faith and Naomi, I knew the position was no longer a fit for my family. I also knew that I had more to offer the world than what that position allowed me to showcase. My mindset began shifting towards entrepreneurship, but I could not figure out what type of business I wanted to pursue.
During one of my multiple daily phone conversations with my sister, she casually said, “why don’t you just open your own pharmacy?” Initially, I hesitated on the idea due to preconceived notions of the success of independent pharmacies in a market dominated by major retail pharmacies, but then I thought to myself that my passion is embedded in pharmacy. Usually, when there is passion behind an initiative, it will gain success! Compass Pharmacy opened in October 2020 amidst a global pandemic, and I am thankful to my family, friends, and patients for their unwavering support. I am able to provide a holistic approach to patient care while building a business model that suits the needs of my community and, most importantly my family lifestyle. Also, I now have the flexibility to focus on my passions outside of pharmacy which are real estate investing and community service by acting as a Clinical Expert and Advisory member for a local non-profit organization. I cannot conclude my story without highlighting my parents. Benny and Annie Boyd are two high school graduates from Coushatta and Gloster, Louisiana who didn’t have the opportunities to dream as big as their daughter, but the core values they instilled in me have led me to the level of success that I am currently at today and for that, I honor and respect them. My goal is to one day pass the baton to Faith and Naomi and to provide them with the capital and resources to take our family legacy to a higher level.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to opening a pharmacy has been as smooth as driving down a farm road deep in the woods of Texas. There were numerous barriers to entry from drug vendors continuously increasing capital requirements after I provided proof of funds and commercial property owners blatantly asking if I would be able to pay the monthly rent before reviewing my financial documents. Some days I questioned my decision to leave a comfortable salary and benefits provided from my previous employer to open Compass Pharmacy, but I would regroup and think about the “why” behind pursuing this business venture. The reasons WHY I opened Compass Pharmacy is to provide affordable medication to the community and most importantly, to serve as an example to my daughters that being an entrepreneur is achievable and not a daunting task as previous generations have led us to believe.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Compass Pharmacy?
Compass Pharmacy is your one-stop shop for all things pharmacy! We offer full prescription services, including free same-day prescription delivery, immunizations, compounding, in-depth consultation, and personalized care to you and your family. We also provide COVID 19 resources such as COVID 19 testing and antibody testing, PPE, and other prescription and non-prescription COVID 19 treatments. Our mission is to provide outstanding patient care and affordable healthcare solutions which will lead to improved healthcare outcomes in the community.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Strive for PROGRESS not PERFECTION! Also, the mentality you have regarding entrepreneurship will determine your success, so it is highly unlikely that you will become an entrepreneur if you continuously doubt yourself. In my opinion, betting on yourself and believing in your business model is more valuable than having a large amount of capital because people will trust and support your business if you exude confidence behind your services and products. In addition, entrepreneurship does not equate to working alone. Successful expansion of a business begins with building a professional network and a highly effective team.
Contact Info:
- Email: monica@compasspharmacytx.com
- Website: www.compasspharmacytx.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compasspharmacy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Pharmacy—Drugstore/Compass-Pharmacy-101097915053990/
Image Credits:
Karla Lewis Photography
