Student launches her own nutrition business
As a full-time pharmacy student, there usually is not much time in the day for anything other than classes, studying and trying to figure out when to wash that ever-growing pile of laundry, much less sticking to a healthy diet. But for Alexandria Coleman, Class of 2025, who has a degree in kinesiology with a focus on nutrition, taking care of her body is such a priority that she turned her passion for nutrition into a successful business.
Coleman wandered into the business world initially by taking part in the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center’s business plan competition. While she did not win in the competition, her mentors encouraged her to enter the SC Innovates competition in 2023 where she placed as a semifinalist.
“Dr. Patti Fabel and Pamela Hite guided me to improve my business plan, to help me navigate what I should change,” Coleman says. “I never thought I could put together a business plan, and now I have pitched to investors who have helped make this a reality.”
This is the future of pharmacy, a new way of looking at food as medicine ... I want to help patients make a plan and give them the tools to follow that plan.
In 2022, Coleman applied for a business license and opened the doors to her company, Beyond Pills, offering nutritional counseling, weight management consultation and grocery mentoring, along with juice cleanses and meal preparation services.
“This is the future of pharmacy, a new way of looking at food as medicine. I want to help patients make a plan and give them the tools to follow that plan,” says Coleman. “If you uncover the root causes of preventable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol, you’ll find that many of them are related to food and weight management.”
Coleman and her team offer flexible options including both in-person and virtual appointments. She hopes to expand the business once she completes her pharmacy education.
“I believe that there is more that you can do as a pharmacist than traditional roles. I envision pharmacists going beyond to address the root causes of patients’ diseases,” Coleman says. “I aspire to be the pharmacist that patients turn to when facing new health challenges and to help them take control of their lives.”
Topics: Pharm.D. Program, Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center, Business Education