Wisdom From The Top with Guy Raz

From Intern to CEO: Greg Wasson (Walgreens)

Jun 26, 2024

Former Walgreens CEO, Greg Wasson, shares his journey from pharmacist to CEO, discussing strategic decisions, challenges, and acquisitions. He reflects on personal risks, leadership qualities, and balancing charisma with humility in leadership.

36:36

Episode guests

Greg Wasson

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Quick takeaways

Wasson's rise from intern to CEO showcases the value of seizing opportunities and hard work.

Strategic shifts at Walgreens under Wasson's leadership highlight the importance of adapting to market trends.

Deep dives

Greg Wasson's Journey from Pharmacy Student to Walgreens CEO

Greg Wasson started as a pharmacy student with dreams of owning his own pharmacy. However, an internship opportunity at Walgreens shifted his career trajectory, leading him to eventually become the CEO of the company. Wasson's modest upbringing and family experiences shaped his work ethic and approach to leadership.

Learning Hard Work and Having Fun

00:58

Intro

3min

From Aspiring Pharmacist to CEO of Walgreens

10min

Strategic Decision Making and Pricing Promotions

2min

Journey to CEO from Modest Beginnings

3min

Navigating Challenges and Strategic Acquisitions

5min

Exploring the Balancing Act of Charisma and Modesty in Leadership

2min

Tough Decisions and Strategic Partnerships in Walgreens' Leadership Journey

15min

Greg Wasson jokes that he wanted to be a pharmacist because his two great uncles, both pharmacists, drove big Cadillacs. The Indiana native was, though, seriously inspired to enter the pharmacy school at Purdue. But before he even finished his degree, he started climbing the corporate ladder at Walgreens. New opportunities kept coming his way, and he eventually made it all the way to CEO during a tough time for the company. In this 2020 conversation, Guy explores with Greg the strategies Wasson used to evolve and grow the company into a set of community-focused health destinations. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Wisdom From The Top with Guy Raz

From Intern to CEO: Greg Wasson (Walgreens)

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Greg Wasson's Journey from Pharmacy Student to Walgreens CEO

Strategic Shifts at Walgreens under Greg Wasson's Leadership

Challenges and Major Decisions Faced by Greg Wasson as Walgreens CEO

Leadership Reflections and Future Endeavors of Greg Wasson

Learning Hard Work and Having Fun

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts