Tag: Lessons

CEO & Owner, John Cassar, Shares Life Lessons in Celebration of SuperCare Health’s 50th Anniversary

Honoring SuperCare Health’s 50 Year Legacy

The story of SuperCare Health starts with my parents, Gabe and Micheline Cassar. Fresh off the plane from chilly Montreal, Canada, they landed in Los Angeles with big dreams… and even bigger winter coats. They swapped the snow for sunshine and set up a tiny retail pharmacy in the San Gabriel Valley called Super Rx. Little did I know, I was about to be enrolled in the most unconventional business school ever, taught by Professor Mom and Dean Dad.

Fast forward to my very young teenage years. Forget after school activities. My brother Tony and I had a different practice. We would scrub shelves, hand out flyers in the heat, unpack items throughout the day, deliver prescriptions at night, and do whatever we could to keep the business afloat. Our childhood memories are a unique blend of nostalgia and perpetual work. 

This taught me my first valuable life lesson: There is no substitute for hard work and grit.

In the beginning, SuperCare Rx was a David facing a whole army of Goliath-sized apothecarychains.  But we had heart, hustle, and some pretty creative marketing strategies within our community.  We offered free blood pressure checks, sponsored the local little league teams, and our church bulletin promised a prescription in under 10 minutes. And of course, there were always those flyers that conveniently needed to be distributed on the hottest days of the year. We played to our strengths and never stopped fighting for our customers. 

That’s how I learned another valuable lesson: Always think like an underdog and win with a little creativity.

My father was fiercely committed to patient care, even if it meant going toe-to-toe with doctors and insurance companies. He knew it wasn’t about the bottom line. It was about doing the right thing for the people we served. This commitment to integrity has always been a core value with me and SuperCare Health. We’ve had opportunities to partner with high-performing sales reps and contract out with certain health entities, but if their character and values did not align, the door hit them on the way out.

That’s how I learned this key lesson: Build a business with heart and integrity, and you will build a legacy.

Take Measurable Risks 

At 18 years-old and still in college, I obtained a real estate license. Later, I sold some commercial properties, allowing for a little nest egg. This entrepreneurial spirit led me to invest in assisted living facilities, a perfect blend of helping people with my newfound skills in real estate. Now, not every risk was a slam dunk. Let’s just say some of those early investments wouldn’t exactly make the cover of Forbes magazine. But hey, you win some, you lose some, and you learn a whole lot along the way. 

This is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in business: Take measurable risks early on and doors will open in the future. 

Build Exceptional Teams

Perhaps the most valuable lesson of all is the power of teamwork. My parents showed me that success isn’t a solo act. It’s a collaborative team effort fueled by people who believe in a shared vision for success, supporting and trusting each other along the way. This lesson has been central to my own journey at SuperCare Health. As the company has transformed, I’ve come to understand the critical importance of surrounding myself with talented individuals who complement my strengths and fill my knowledge gaps. It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about building a team in which everyone’s unique skills and perspectives come together to create something truly remarkable. Each and every one of SuperCare Health’s team members – from leadership to our frontline respiratory therapists, techs, and patient representatives – play a vital role in our company’s success. Their hard work, passion, and commitment make the biggest difference in our ability to serve patients with excellence.   

Here’s the ultimate lesson: Know your weaknesses and fill those gaps with exceptional team members.

Stay True to Your Vision

Looking back, it’s clear that having a defined vision from the very beginning set me on the path to success. At our core, SuperCare Health was built upon pursuing innovation, improving lives, and reducing the cost of care. Anything outside of our vision was left in the periphery. A nice to have, but not a need. It’s a testament to the power of dreaming big, setting ambitious goals, and chasing them relentlessly to make a positive impact on the world. Through it all, I’ve learned that success isn’t just about the bottom line.

This final lesson comes from the heart: If you want to be a genuine innovator and help people along the way, it’s all about staying true to your purpose, your people, your principles, and your vision.

By John Cassar, CEO & Owner, SuperCare Health