The Ripple Effect: How One Conference Meeting Led to a Lifelong Mentorship

By Ishika Jain, Communications Coordinator, BCPhA

“So, what do you think?”

Pourya Eslami, then a second-year student at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, jumped at the unexpected question. 

It was 2018, at the BC Pharmacy Association’s annual conference in Vancouver, and Eslami had been examining research display posters of pharmacy business proposals put together by his fellow students during a lunch break.

For a second-year student like himself, attending the BCPhA conference was a rare experience. Most attendees were third- or fourth-year students nearing graduation, eager to network and explore career opportunities.

“I simply attended out of curiosity,” Eslami said. “I remember paying for the event myself and walking in without any expectations, just a genuine interest in learning more about the profession and the people shaping it.”

Eslami turned toward the voice behind him, and found himself face-to-face with Pindy Janda, Division General Manager at Imperial Distributors Canada Inc. at the time.

He knew Janda was a leader in pharmaceutical distribution across Western Canada. The two began talking.

“I sensed I would work with her someday,” he said. “She was kind, and I could tell she was genuinely a good person.”

Today, Eslami is the owner of YNP Dunbar Pharmacy in Vancouver. His pharmacy focuses on a wide range of services to the community, everything from dispensing and pharmacist-led prescribing to public and private immunizations, travel vaccinations, compounding, and more. 

“Pourya is authentic,” Janda later recalled. “He was really curious and very polite. I was so impressed. He was extremely warm as a pharmacy student. I instantly knew that one day, he would start his own pharmacy and his own journey.”

The conference wouldn’t be the only time they encountered each other. 

One of Janda’s other roles was at UBC, where she worked as a guest lecturer and a pharmacist facilitator. She taught Integrated Activities (IA) — a hands-on, interactive component of the curriculum that bridged clinical knowledge and real-life pharmaceutical care scenarios. It was during these sessions that their paths crossed again. 

“She was highly active within the pharmacy faculty,” Eslami recalled. “She joined all sorts of student activities, and was always approachable and encouraging. In my first year, I would often see her around the faculty, and we’d exchange brief greetings.”

It didn’t take long for Janda to recognize that Eslami stood out among his peers.

“As a student, Pourya exhibited traits that made me even more impressed than when I first met him,” Janda added.

“His energy was electric. He was sharp and entered university at just 16. When he spoke, you could hear his excitement and passion. I’ve taught many university students before, and there’s always a clear difference between those who become innovators versus those who don’t. Pourya, without question, was one of the former.”

This growing connection led Janda to think of Eslami when an opportunity arose to host two pharmacy students for an internship. And as their bond grew stronger, during one IA session, Eslami confided in her about a deeply personal struggle.

“I was dealing with the grief of losing my grandmother, who I was very close to, and worrying about my results,” Eslami shared. “When she shared the good news about an internship opportunity, it was the first piece of good news I’d received in a long time. I thanked her, telling her how much it meant to me — it felt as though my grandmother had somehow sent her into my life.”

Janda also had very close relationships with her grandparents, especially her maternal grandmother. 

“When he lost her, he confided in me and also expressed how much he misses his parents,” she said. “Throughout our conversations, he often spoke about the importance of values and how he aims to incorporate them into his career. This, I believe, is what makes him truly memorable. There are students I continue to hear from, those who make the effort to stay in touch, and I always make sure to respond kindly. Pourya is one of those individuals.”

“When he lost her, he confided in me and also expressed how much he misses his parents,” she said. “Throughout our conversations, he often spoke about the importance of values and how he aims to incorporate them into his career. This, I believe, is what makes him truly memorable. There are students I continue to hear from, those who make the effort to stay in touch, and I always make sure to respond kindly. Pourya is one of those individuals.”

Their relationship was one of mentorship, one of mutual respect, and one of a more experienced generation of pharmacists passing on the torch to the brightest of the new generation.

“This made all the difference during some of the toughest times in my student journey. I was navigating uncertainties about the profession — questions around prescribing rights, vaccination limitations, and the PharmaCare compensation — but Pindy’s encouragement gave me the confidence to keep going, she created an environment where I felt safe to grow, and that’s stayed with me as a guiding principle in how I approach my work and my team,” Eslami said.
 

Perhaps by chance, just two years later, and unbeknownst to Janda, Eslami decided to apply for a pharmacy manager position at a community pharmacy on Vancouver Island — a location where Janda had strong professional connections. While speaking with one of those connections for an unrelated business matter, Janda learned about Eslami’s new position. 

“He told me that Pourya was working there,” Pindy recalled. “I was so happy to hear this and said to Pourya, ‘You’re going to learn so much.’ He would then periodically send me messages to check in, share career updates, and keep me posted.”

By this time, Janda had been elected to the BC Pharmacy Association’s Board of Directors, where she served as one of the board members responsible for deciding the strategic direction of the organization. The Association represents more than 3,600 pharmacists across B.C. and is among the strongest voices supporting the community pharmacy profession in Canada.

During this period, Janda also accepted the position of General Manager at UniPHARM, a top wholesaler to independent pharmacies in British Columbia, Alberta, and the Yukon. It was while she was at UniPHARM that Eslami shared that he was ready for the next step of his career — starting his own pharmacy. Eslami shared his vision on how he wanted to create a pharmacy that would make a real impact on patients’ health, and shared with her the type of services that he hoped to offer.

“I outlined what UniPHARM could offer him, especially since we’re entering our 45th year next year. He really liked the model,” Janda said. She invited him to meet with other independent pharmacy owners, and soon, he was convinced.

“Once again, we found ourselves working at the same place,” Eslami said. “Through everything, I’ve known she’s someone I can trust and learn from. I value my work with her, not for money or products, but for the people we work with and our shared goals. We complement each other, and I’m increasingly integrating myself into collaborative work with her.”

On March 28, 2024, Pourya had the grand opening of his pharmacy, YNP Dunbar. Reflecting on his own journey, he said that working with Janda helped him realize that he wanted more autonomy than industry or hospital positions could offer, and how community pharmacy provided the independence he valued most.

To this day, Janda and Eslami continue to connect regularly, whether over the phone or coffee.

“As seasoned pharmacists, we have a responsibility to give back to the profession. Some pharmacists might feel that mentoring isn’t their role, but for me, I believe that we should never underestimate the influence you will have on your colleagues and the students who are where I was 10 to 15 years ago. I still remember the pharmacist who made a difference in my life.” Janda said. 

“Mentors can make a significant impact even by just having a quick virtual coffee chat, and students should feel encouraged to reach out. A respectful message can go a long way. At a conference, for example, engaging with a curious student and offering support is entirely reasonable. I know meeting this bright, young student probably wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been at that conference — it creates the perfect environment for meaningful conversations to unfold.”

Sometimes, Eslami also wonders if he had chosen not to attend the conference in 2018, if his career’s trajectory may have been different. Thinking back, he wouldn’t have planned it any other way.

“Exposure is key. The more you engage with opportunities, the more knowledge and experience you gain, which empowers you,” he said.