This is part of a series of profiles showcasing the talented entrepreneurs of NCRC’s Community Development Fund. NuPathways Rx Pharmacy is a minority and woman-owned small business started by Geraldine C. Okwuonu, B.S, PharmD, President/Pharmacist in Charge.
Can you share a brief overview of your business and what inspired you to start it?
NuPathways Rx Pharmacy is an independent retail pharmacy located at the heart of an upcoming community in Paterson, New Jersey. Our mission is to provide comprehensive pharmaceutical services to help improve the current conditions that are plaguing the City of Paterson such as infectious disease, chronic disease and opioid abuse. The inspiration to open my own pharmacy came from working for other companies. Through the lens of an employee, I witnessed that patients were treated as “cash cows” and “numbers” rather than human beings. When creating NuPathways Rx Pharmacy, I vowed to make my patients feel like they are a part of my family.
What products or services do you offer, and how do they benefit your customers?
We offer prescription filling, medication therapy management, one-on-one consultations as needed in our private consultation room, a free medication disposal service and an on-site patient navigator to follow up with our patients on a monthly basis. Our medication disposal service is a huge favorite among our customers because many of them have a lot of old medications they are unsure of how to safely dispose. With our service, they are worry free because all they need to do is hand us their old medications and we take care of the rest! In addition, most pharmacies do not have a patient navigator on the premises. At NuPathways Rx, we care about our patients so much, we check up on them on a regular basis. This service makes them feel special and they greatly appreciate it.
How has NCRC CDF supported your business in achieving its goals?
NCRC CDF provided the capital I needed in order to make my dream come true. They also provided support in other ways through Daniella Djiogan, who is the Director of Small Business Support Services at NCRC, to see if my business needed assistance with anything. Traditional banks rarely support small businesses in that fashion, so I was grateful to have NCRC CDF in my life!
How did you learn about NCRC CDF? Was there anything in particular that drew you to work with NCRC CDF specifically in achieving your goals?
After several disappointments, a friend of mine encouraged me to apply for a loan through Citi Bank. She told me that their portal will allow my profile to be viewed by multiple lenders at once, rather than applying to so many banks individually. Within one month, I was contacted by Patrick Dixon from NCRC CDF! I was so happy and felt that everything was too good to be true. Although skeptical at first, I realized that NCRC primarily funds small business owners based on their mission, devotion to their community and character. Everything else is secondary.
What challenges have you faced as a business owner, and how have you overcome it?
One of our biggest challenges was finding reliable and honest employees who believe in our mission. We are overcoming this issue by being very strict with our hiring process.
How do you envision the future of your business?
We aim to be a staple in Paterson: the number one pharmacy in the city! We will strive to achieve this by constantly putting our patients first and continuing to treat them like family rather than just revenue. We will continue to give back to our community by participating in neighborhood events such as health fairs, fundraisers, etc!
