Never bowl alone
In 2000, Robert Putnam published the book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community.
Putnam argued that Americans had become increasingly disconnected from one another. He cited the noticeable decrease in bowling leagues as evidence of this trend.
Although he did not coin the term “social capital,” he certainly brought it to the public's consciousness. His book explores the meaning of social capital as the population's commitment to one another and to the institutions that form the fabric of civic life. Citing many examples of the decline between years 1950 and 2000, he highlights bowling leagues to illustrate his point—something most of us can relate to.
Times, they are a-changin’
Obviously, with the internet, social media, and the cocooning effect of the pandemic, the situation has worsened. While we all have adapted to these shifting environments, they can be equally blessings as well as curses in how we operate in the business world. When any executive leaves the W-2 behind to pursue independence either through solopreneurship or advisory board opportunities, they face a whole new set of challenges simply to keep up with their industry and stay sharp.
When I left corporate a little over two years ago, I felt an immediate sense of anticipation for what was next in my professional life. But I also found myself missing daily positive interactions with colleagues, partners, and leaders. I worried about becoming irrelevant without regular access to market insights and problem solving activities that come through working in a larger team; a larger network with abundant resources that accompany a corporate setting.
Then, I had an idea.
I knew I couldn’t be the only one feeling this way. So I started reaching out to my colleagues, my work friends. I had conversations. I did some research. I explored ideas on how I could help others meet this challenge.
The next thing I knew, those conversations began to stir ideas. It was time to take action. That was when my first roundtable was born.
Friends of Harry
I started bringing people together to stay connected. Just a few at first. But it grew. I referred to this group as “Friends of Harry,” which helped me create some definition to my newfound purpose. I chose to add a sense of structure and cadence to the meetings and started introducing guest speakers, and brought in Rx industry companies on the rise who were developing innovative products and solutions. What exciting times!
What happened was remarkable. Roundtable attendees began helping these companies through the simple, lightly structured meetings we were having. There were lively discussions and a sharing of ideas to help these companies better understand the market. All the while, attendees were learning about new technologies and trends in the marketplace. It began to have a life of its own.
Once I saw that I was onto something, I got a little more formal with the group. I began referring to it as, “OURx Roundtable.” Attendees of OURx Roundtable would refer other prospects to the group and it grew, and grew, and GREW.
Time to fill a gap
By the fall of 2024, the OURx Roundtable list exceeded 140 people. We had a core group of regular attendees who supported every meeting we scheduled and contributed to its evolution—and, for whom I am forever grateful. I realized it was time to get serious and invest in what I’d organically started.
I chose to take the OURx Roundtable to the next level and build a more robust platform and environment to serve the gap I’d discovered through the first year-and-a-half of our gatherings. And here it is: the RxRoundtable, with three formal membership categories, annual fees, highly curated content and more frequent events that enrich all Members who enroll.
The Membership comprises multi-dimensional elements that create their own network of possibility:
Professional Members who bring the experience, industry and marketplace knowledge to the fore,
Spotlight Companies who present their company, challenges, and invigorate their progress through discussion and ideation with all Members, and
Corporate Investors who seek opportunities to collaborate, invest, and forward the movement of all Members.
The triumvirate of these three categories further enhances the value of everyone coming together to improve pharmacy industry opportunities and positive growth.
A purpose to never bowl alone again
The purpose of the RxRoundtable is to help its Members grow and have a greater chance at success. Which, of course, can mean many things. It could mean growing your independent consultancy, or growing your network of friends and professional colleagues, or growing your knowledge in any number of directions in this rapidly changing industry. And together in that growth, we build just a little more social capital within our ranks.
Our loyal OURx Roundtablers (if you will) continue to join the official new RxRoundtable and I am grateful for their continued participation and support. I am humbled by it, frankly. But it just goes to show there’s a deep hunger for a setting where we can all come, learn, collaborate, grow our knowledge, gain insights, and best of all, never bowl alone again.
