FILLING MORE THAN PRESCRIPTIONS

HOMETOWN: Mooers Forks, New York
FAMILY: Wife Virginia Siskavich-Bosley, Parents Tom and Joan Bosley, and three sisters.
EDUCATION: Northern Adirondack Central School; B.S. in Pharmacy, Albany College of Pharmacy
OCCUPATION: Pharmacist, business owner
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Various soccer, golf, bowling, and baseball, teams. Recently The Cornerstone Falcons — a Mooers soccer team.

For more than two decades, independent pharmacist and owner Daniel Bosley has creatively and responsibly diversified the offerings of his stores to support the health and well-being of area residents as well as economic growth and stability. Although Keeseville Pharmacy and Cornerstone Drug & Gift in Rouses Point feature pharmacies, each offers much more.

Calling himself a “Farm Assist” Bosley is justifiably proud of the FARMACY section of his stores which feature temperature-controlled cases of locally grown fruits and vegetables, as well as cheese and yogurt, meats, and farm-made jams, sauces, and syrups. Between the food offerings, a daily farmer’s market and over-the-counter medications, medical equipment and health products, residents have access to what they need to stay healthy.

Deeply committed to excellent customer service, Bosley offers pharmacy clients the option to have their medications delivered. His stores also include package shipment via UPS, banking at UFirst Credit Union, and printing and faxing vital services close to home. Since the pandemic, he has offered COVID tests and vaccinations. Bosley was recognized for “Best Customer Service” at the National Community Pharmacy Association conference in February 2020.

Bosley spoke to Strictly Business recently to offer his insight into business and life.

SB: What drew you to the study of pharmacy?
DB: I knew at a very early age that I wanted to be a pharmacist. My aunt and uncle, Dorothy and Real Duteau of Rouses Point, raised a pharmacy family. My uncle was a pharmacist, and now all three of their sons are pharmacists. Even as kids, we would discuss pharmacy.

SB: What are the rewards of the pharmacist’s job? Challenges?
DB: The rewards are being able to help people. Pharmacy is one of the few professions where a person can get thoughtful, science-based health care advice for free, and without an appointment. Being accessible to people and having these conversations is rewarding. The challenges are that pharmacists don’t set prices, co-payments or rules about prior authorizations. That is done by insurance companies.

SB: How would you describe your approach to management and leadership?
DB: Tough question. I grew up in a “Why put off until tomorrow, what you can do right now” family, so my management style reflects that. I like things done immediately, but this is not always the best approach. Through experience, I know that management and leadership skills can be learned and need to adapt to different people and situations. I’m in training every day.

SB: What qualities do you look for when you hire?
DB: Honesty first, then reliability and trustworthiness. If someone has these qualities, they can be taught the specifics of what we do on a day-to-day basis. I tell them I will not ask them to do anything that I haven’t and or will not do.

SB: How would you describe the culture of your company?
DB: Family—because at the end of the day, my staff and I all love each other, look out for each other, and respect each other. But occasionally we want to smack each other — gently, of course.

SB: What are you most proud of professionally?
DB: Longevity. Having owned Keeseville Pharmacy for 20 years, and Cornerstone Drug & Gift for 16, I know that pharmacy — as is any endeavor that involves health care — is a tough business. Pharmacy presents unique challenges because revenue sources are not governed by any federal or state oversight.

SB: How has your profession changed over the years? What have you needed to do to adapt?
DB: Profitability has been squeezed immensely over the past five to ten years making it very difficult to remain viable. I have instituted an additional branch of my business that I call FARMACY. I worked with not-for-profit organizations, such as Adirondack Action, JCEO and Clinton County Health Department to apply for grant funding that allowed me to purchase the coolers and other equipment needed to display, and keep fresh, produce and products from local farms.

SB: What important lessons did you learn early in your career?
DB: In terms of owning a pharmacy, I learned that I cannot compete with the chain pharmacies on pricing. While the big stores can sell over-the-counter products to the public for less than I can purchase them, the significant difference is they cannot touch our customer service. We treat every customer as a valued individual, work very hard to figure out what each one needs and then provide it. This has become especially important during these pandemic times, and with a U.S. health care system that can be, at best, confusing.

SB: What advice would you offer to someone starting their business career?
DB: Ask questions of anyone and everyone who owns or has owned a business, successful or struggling.

SB: Who (or what) was your most influential mentor (or experience)?
DB: I am going to plug a couple of my competitors and former colleagues here. Early on, it was Maggy Pharmacy where I did a rotation for college, just prior to graduating, and loved the experience. I leaned on them again several years later for advice and guidance before purchasing Keeseville Pharmacy. More recently, I would say Steve Moore of Condo Pharmacy. I have always been very fond of the Moore family and their style, but Steve is at the next level. He is a superb businessman and is probably the best-informed person I know on a local, state and national level when it comes to pharmacy practice as a whole. Mentors don’t have to be older than you.

SB: What was the best advice you ever received?
DB: Under promise and over perform.

SB: If you could talk to your younger self, what advice would you offer him?
DB: Two stores does not mean twice as much fame or fortune, just twice the work.

SB: What is something—outside of your formal educational background—that has helped you succeed?
DB: The never-ending support from my family and friends. Anyone who owns a business knows there are good times and bad times, and as owners, the bad times don’t stay at work. They travel home with you. Therefore, huge kudos to the significant others out there who constantly cheerlead and listen.

SB: What is something no one would guess about you?
DB: I have an insatiable appetite for dress shirts and sport coats, but especially footwear. All my socks are funky (strawberries, hot peppers, sail boats, palm trees, etc.) and they usually match my apparel for the day. Another little- known fact is I played the French horn all through high school and college and still dabble with it occasionally. When I can go to an orchestra performance, that is heaven for me.

SB: How would you like to be remembered?
DB: As someone who cared, and was helpful and compassionate. Most importantly, I want to be remembered as someone who made my parents and those who know and love me, proud!!

SB: What does success look like to you?
DB: Success is not something I see in myself, because I know the struggles with business ownership, staffing/employees, customer service, and so on. I see success in others. I have a lot of successful friends, but I guess when I look at myself, I see success as a work in progress and an end goal — whatever or whenever that might be.

SB: What could the North Country business community do today to ensure a prosperous future?
DB: In my most recent venture with the FARMACY, I have learned that as for-profit business owners, we need to involve our not-for-profit colleagues. Ask them for assistance when needed as well as give them assistance when we have it to spare. Recently, I was asked to speak to student organizations at Albany College of Pharmacy. My closing remarks to them go back to the idea that if we need help and don’t ask, we will NEVER get it. If we ask and are declined, we are right back where we started and not further behind. Always ask.