Business Coaching Profile: Brian Perkins
By Good Neighbor Pharmacy
Brian joined Cencora in 2020 after spending more than two decades with Walgreens in people leadership roles spanning community leader, store manager, and district manager of pharmacy and retail operations. His background as a certified pharmacy technician and multi-unit leader gives him firsthand perspective on the operational, financial, and leadership challenges pharmacy owners face every day. When he discovered the Good Neighbor Pharmacy business coaching opportunity, it immediately resonated. “The business coaching role has a lot of the areas that I’m interested in — working with business owners, setting goals, and building more profitable businesses,” Brian shared.
What drew him in wasn’t just the chance to advise — it was the opportunity to partner. Brian had seen firsthand how overwhelming it can feel to run apharmacy while juggling reimbursement pressure, staffing challenges, and constant change. Business coaching offered a way to help owners move from reacting to planning, from stress to strategy.
Why Brian Believes in Business Coaching
What surprised Brian most after joining Cencora was the depth of resources available to independent pharmacies — and the role business coaches play in making those resources usable, not overwhelming.
“There are so many solutions and resources that Cencora and Good Neighbor Pharmacy offer,” Brian explained. “A lot of times, the business coach is the one making sure the owner knows what’s available and how to actually use it.”
Brian’s coaching philosophy is grounded in realism. He knows pharmacy owners aren’t resistant to change because they don’t care — they’re resistant because they’re stretched thin.
“It’s not about the change itself,” he said. “It’s more about time. There’s so much on their plate.”
That understanding drives his approach: Simplify the noise, focus on what the pharmacy can control, and build clear, achievable action plans. Instead of chasing ten priorities at once, Brian helps owners identify one or two goals that matter most right now — then breaks them into practical steps that fit into real life.
Turning Focus into Results
Brian has seen how clarity creates momentum. Once owners experience early wins, confidence builds — and progress accelerates.
One recent example involved a pharmacy owner focused on improving overall Rx margin. Brian partnered with the owner to design a plan centered on growing immunizations through targeted education for both prescribers and patients, while ensuring the operational readiness to support demand.
At the same time, Brian identified an opportunity within a pay for performance adherence program, guiding the owner through program rules, timelines, and sustainable refill workflows. The combined effort paid off: immunizations increased, adherence performance improved, and Rx margin exceeded expectations — surpassing the original goal by more than 300 basis points year over year.
For Brian, those outcomes reinforce why business coaching works when it’s grounded in focus, education, and execution.
Leading the Business Coaching Program Today
Today, Brian serves as Program Lead – Business Coaching, where he leads and aligns a team of Good Neighbor Pharmacy business coaches across the country. In this role, his impact extends beyond individual pharmacies to shaping how coaching is delivered at scale — ensuring consistency, quality, and measurable outcomes.
Brian’s leadership centers on empowering coaches to meet pharmacy owners where they are, prioritize what matters most, and translate goals into action. His own journey — from operating pharmacies to coaching owners to leading a national program — gives him a unique perspective that resonates with both his team and the customers they support.
“I really enjoy working with pharmacy owners by focusing on the things we can actually impact,” Brian said. “Once that momentum starts, everything changes.”
For Brian, business coaching is about more than metrics or programs. It’s about helping independent pharmacies regain control, confidence, and clarity — and building stronger businesses that can thrive in an increasingly complex environment.
Want a clearer plan to grow profitability, strengthen operations, and navigate change with confidence? Learn more about how Good Neighbor Pharmacy business coaches can support your pharmacy.
