From Medical Expert to Business Leader: Liberian medical entrepreneur creates 14 new jobs

Dr. Nicole Cooper founded Wellness Partners Clinic in Monrovia, Liberia, in 2021 with the vision of creating a chain of clinics that offer high-quality healthcare services.

The clinic initially offered specialty care, laboratory services, pharmacy, imaging, and overnight facilities. Despite her medical expertise, Dr. Cooper struggled with the business aspects of running a clinic due to her lack of formal business training.

To address these challenges, she enrolled in the AMI Aspire programme delivered in partnership with Stanford Seed, seeking to enhance her business management skills.

The programme provided a structured learning environment that bridged the gap between her medical knowledge and the necessary business acumen to manage and grow her clinic effectively.

During her time in the Aspire programme, Dr. Cooper gained insights into corporate governance which prompted her to establish a board of directors and initiate regular quality reviews.

These changes were crucial for periodic assessment of the clinic’s performance, allowing for timely adjustments and improvements.

“Establishing a board was a game changer for us,” Dr. Cooper shared. “It allowed for a structured approach to governance that helped us tackle our challenges more systematically.”

A key tool she utilised from the programme was the nine-box analysis, which significantly enhanced staff management by identifying underutilised resources and better distributing workloads.

“The nine-box tool was instrumental in reshaping how we manage our team. It helped us ensure that everyone was in the right place, contributing effectively,” explained Dr. Cooper.

The mentorship provided within the programme also played a critical role, especially during the major financial restructuring and pricing scheme review at the clinic.

“The mentorship I received was invaluable. It provided a sounding board and practical advice that was crucial during our restructuring phase,” Dr. Cooper remarked.

In the last year, Wellness Partners Clinic was able to create 14 new jobs and increased their revenue by 71% which allowed them to offer new services at the clinic, such as overnight support or X-ray services.

Looking ahead, Dr. Cooper is enthusiastic about the future prospects of Wellness Partners Clinic.

To read more stories in our 2023 Impact Report click here: ‘10 Years as an African Champion for Africa’s Business Champions’.