Business Coaching Profile: Adnan Yoonas

Today, Adnan is applying that experience in a new way: working alongside independent pharmacy owners to help them strengthen their businesses, solve everyday challenges, and identify opportunities for sustainable growth. 

A career shaped by pharmacy operations

Adnan began his career at Walgreens in 2006 through a management training program. At the time, he expected the role to focus mainly on front-end retail management, general merchandise, and store operations. Although Adnan is not a pharmacist, he quickly became immersed in the operational side of pharmacy, working closely with pharmacy teams and learning how strong execution could support both patient care and business performance.

For over 17 years, he advanced from the management training program into district leadership, taking on stretch assignments and operational projects focused on workflow, customer service, and pharmacy services.

Leading through change

One of the defining periods of Adnan’s career came during a time of rapid change for retail pharmacy. He helped lead an immunization program across approximately 81 stores and became a district manager as COVID reshaped the role of pharmacy teams across the country.

Testing, immunizations, and new patient care demands require pharmacy teams to adapt quickly. For Adnan, that experience reinforced the importance of clear operations, strong communication, and practical problem-solving.

“It was a really steep learning curve, and you had to climb it really fast,” he said.

That perspective continues to shape how he works today. Independent pharmacy owners, he knows, are rarely focused on just one part of the business. They are balancing operations, human resources, accounting, patient relationships, clinical services and long-term strategy — often all in the same day.

Returning to meaningful work

He later worked in pharmacy operations within a hospital and health system setting, where he also used his operational background to help bring structure to a neurosciences department. That experience further confirmed what he valued most: helping teams and businesses work better.

His path eventually led him to Cencora and to the business coaching team supporting Good Neighbor Pharmacy. For Adnan, the role felt like a return to the work he finds most meaningful — helping pharmacy businesses identify problems, act on opportunities and better serve their communities.

Partnering with independent owners

What energizes Adnan most about his current role is the opportunity to work directly with independent pharmacy owners who are personally invested in their businesses.

“These owners and operators are all bought in because it is their businesses,” he said.

That ownership mindset creates a different kind of coaching relationship. Rather than pushing change from the outside, Adnan sees his role as a partner and resource — someone who can listen, ask questions, share perspectives and help owners find solutions that fit their specific goals.

He described the opportunity as feeling “like I’m a kid in a candy store,” because he can apply nearly two decades of operational knowledge in a setting where owners are ready to act.

Meeting owners where they are

Adnan’s coaching philosophy starts with flexibility. He understands that every owner has different priorities, comfort levels, and community considerations. His approach is not to bring a one-size-fits-all recommendation, but to work with each owner to identify what is practical and achievable.

That mindset came through in a recent conversation with an owner who was hesitant to expand immunizations because a local health department was nearby. Rather than dismissing the concern, Adnan listened. Together, they narrowed the opportunity to one vaccine that aligned with the owner’s comfort level and business goals.

By focusing on one profitable vaccine and a realistic goal of one or two vaccinations per week, Adnan helped the owner see a path that could potentially add $7,500 to $15,000 in profitability without creating a major shift in the pharmacy’s identity.

Finding value in the details

Adnan has also helped owners uncover opportunities that may seem small at first but can create meaningful value over time. In one pharmacy, he reviewed cash pricing with the owner and identified that a state health plan’s cash price had been set too low. As a result, the pharmacy was not capturing the minimum amount the plan was willing to pay.

For Adnan, those details matter. Incremental improvements can help an owner cover rent, support employee raises, invest in the team, or move forward with priorities that may otherwise be delayed.

Looking beyond the numbers

While Adnan is focused on business performance, his coaching is not limited to revenue and margin. He also helps owners think through employee engagement, customer experience, and daily operational decisions.

In one conversation, an owner asked whether placing a motivational quote near the drive-thru would have value. Adnan encouraged the idea, with one practical recommendation: refresh the message regularly, so it remains meaningful rather than becoming stale.

It was a small example, but it reflected his broader coaching style. Adnan serves as a sounding board, helping owners evaluate ideas through both operational and human lenses.

Driven by impact

What motivates Adnan most is the opportunity to bring real value to the businesses he supports.

“I get excited being able at the end of the day to show that I brought value to a business,” he said. “If I can bring value to a business, then that means that I’m doing my job well.”


Learn more about how Good Neighbor Pharmacy supports independent pharmacies today.