TORONTO — When Nneka Ezurike opened the email, she had to read it more than once.
She was sitting in her office when the news came through that she had been named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winners. At first, she was in shock. Then came gratitude.
“It was one of those rare moments where everything seemed to slow down,” she said. “I found myself reflecting on the journey that had brought me there, the opportunities I had taken, the challenges and setbacks I had navigated, the people who had believed in me, and the many moments when I simply kept moving forward without knowing exactly where the path would lead.”
Ezurike said some of the proudest moments of her career have been watching people she has mentored, coached or encouraged recognize their potential, find their confidence and step into leadership. Whether through pharmacy ownership with Shoppers Drug Mart, co-founding Black Pharmacy Professionals of Canada, advocating for women’s health, or mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals, creating spaces where others can grow, lead and thrive continues to fuel my why. There is something incredibly powerful about that ripple effect—when we help one person rise, we may never know how many others will rise because of them.
Healthcare was always part of the plan for Ezurike, though the path changed along the way. Growing up, she imagined becoming a pediatrician and completed her pharmacy degree with the intention of eventually going to medical school, but after an unsuccessful first attempt at the MCAT, she began working as a pharmacist.
During her internship, something shifted. She began to see how closely pharmacists are connected to the people and communities they serve.
“I realized I could have the kind of impact I had always envisioned, just through a different path,” she said.
That path soon led to ownership. Shortly after becoming licensed, Ezurike was offered the opportunity to become an Associate-Owner at the store where she was working. Suddenly, she was responsible not only for patient care, but for a business, a team and a community.
“Looking back, what initially felt like a change in plans was actually the beginning of a career that allowed me to bring together healthcare, entrepreneurship, leadership and community impact,” she said. “I've learned that sometimes the path you didn't plan becomes the one that was meant for you.”
Today, as an Associate-Owner of four stores, when Ezurike thinks about what she has built, business growth is part of the story, but the people are what make her proudest.
“I’ve always wanted to create environments where people feel valued, challenged, supported and able to grow,” she said.
Ezurike has watched team members grow into managers and leaders. She has mentored a pharmacist who went on to become an Associate-Owner. She has worked to create stores where people feel welcomed, supported and genuinely cared for.
That commitment extends beyond her stores. Nneka co-founded Black Pharmacy Professionals of Canada to help address gaps in representation, mentorship, advocacy, and health equity. She also created EMPOWER through Women in Leadership for Associates, known as WILA, to support women in pharmacy, and serves on the Board of Directors for Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health.
Her idea of power has changed over time. Earlier in her career, she associated it with position or influence. Now, she sees it as the ability to create positive change.
“For me, power isn't about how many people you lead. It's about how many people are empowered because you led,” she said.
That belief guides what comes next. Ezurike wants to keep creating opportunities at the intersection of healthcare, entrepreneurship and innovation, while continuing to champion women and develop the next generation of leaders.
And when she looks back one day, she hopes her greatest accomplishment will not simply be what she built, but what others were able to build because she helped create the opportunity.
