What we have also noticed with the industry in general is that in 2022, newly established owners, young pharmacists and first-time buyers are competing with larger “corporate” pharmacy groups. In a time when the values are significant and as is typical of our industry, there are always more buyers than there are supply of pharmacies.
As an advisor I need to understand your strategic plan - why you are in business and your long term goals to ensure you have a structure that gives you the best opportunity for asset protection, risk limitation or for tax purposes – noting here that we have put tax last as whilst an important consideration, it shouldn’t be the primary reason a particular pharmacy structure or transaction is entered into.
You can have the best advisors (accountants, lawyers, financiers etc) within your A team and they will be extremely supportive. However, more times than not, it is your support network (significant other and family) that will be there in the good times but also the dark times. Don’t forget they are usually the reason you are considering this journey and they should be involved in this journey of pharmacy partnership at every stage.
When two or more people are coming together to buy a pharmacy, we have a bit more freedom of choice about what legal entity we choose. However, if a partner is being admitted into an existing pharmacy business, the incoming partner is restricted to the legal entity the current owner has. Meaning the incoming partner is either buying shares in the company, units in a unit trust, or is in partnership with the other owner. However, it is important that we carefully consider some critical issues.
Considering pharmacy partnership? With careful thought, bringing in a junior business partner is an exciting time for everyone. It is a great honour to be able to mentor and guide a pharmacist making their first entry into business ownership. The focus of course must be on business success and protecting the business.
