Baker's Dirty Dozen - Joe Baker, MBA

10/07/2026

I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Annual Convention in Kansas City this past weekend.

My session, “How to Build Wealth, Not Just Manage Money,” focused on some of the financial principles I have enjoyed sharing with student pharmacists and pharmacists for many years: starting early, taking advantage of the power of compound returns, avoiding and eliminating unnecessary debt, resisting lifestyle creep, and making intentional decisions that lead to greater financial independence.

I especially enjoyed the terrific audience participation. A presentation is always much more enjoyable when it becomes a conversation rather than just one person doing all the talking. I appreciated the thoughtful comments, questions, and enthusiasm throughout the session.

One of my favorite parts of attending a national convention is what happens outside the presentation room. I had the opportunity to meet many new people, reconnect with old friends, former students, and colleagues, and spend time with some wonderful people throughout the pharmacy profession.

A special thank you to NCPA for inviting me to be part of this year’s convention, and to everyone who attended my session and joined in the conversation.

Keep learning. Keep investing. Keep giving. And keep moving toward financial independence.

National Community Pharmacists Association UAMS College of Pharmacy YFP Wealth NCPA Foundation-UAMS Pharmacy Ownership and Leadership Academy Arkansas Pharmacists Association Blake Torres

09/26/2026

Kansas City, here we come!

I’m looking forward to speaking at the 2026 NCPA Annual Convention this coming Saturday, October 3rd.

My session, “How to Build Wealth, Not Just Manage Money,” will focus on practical financial decisions that can make a tremendous difference over the course of a career: starting early, harnessing the power of compound returns, avoiding and eliminating unnecessary debt, resisting lifestyle creep, and ultimately creating greater financial freedom.

Saturday, October 3
9:30–10:30 a.m.
Business Education Programming

If you’re attending NCPA, I’d love to have you join me. And if you can’t make my session, please message me if you want to visit. I would genuinely enjoy meeting you in Kansas City and talking about anything and everything, including finances.

See you on Main Street!


UAMS College of Pharmacy NCPA Foundation-UAMS Pharmacy Ownership and Leadership Academy National Community Pharmacists Association Arkansas Pharmacists Association YFP Wealth Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Group UAMS National Community Pharmacists Association UAMS Northwest Regional Campus - Fayetteville Joey Baker

06/17/2026

On Monday, I had the privilege of speaking once again at the Pharmacy Ownership & Leadership Academy (POLA) in Little Rock—an outstanding week-long program hosted by the UAMS College of Pharmacy and sponsored by the NCPA Foundation.

POLA brings together pharmacy students from across the country who share a common goal: becoming future pharmacy owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders. I was honored to kick off the week with my presentation, “Rx for Your Financial Wealth,” where I discussed practical financial strategies designed to help future pharmacy owners build wealth, achieve financial independence, and successfully navigate the business side of pharmacy.

A special thank-you to Dr. Seth Heldenbrand and Dr. Schwanda Flowers for the invitation and for their continued leadership in developing the next generation of pharmacy entrepreneurs. I would also like to recognize P4 pharmacy students Madison May Healy and Evelyn McHaney, along with Education Coordinator Karin Walker, for all of their hard work behind the scenes in making this program a success.

The future of independent pharmacy is bright, and POLA is helping prepare the leaders who will shape it. Programs like this are a powerful reminder that pharmacy ownership remains one of the greatest opportunities in our profession for those willing to dream big, lead boldly, and serve their communities.

As I often tell students, financial independence and pharmacy ownership can be a powerful combination when approached with the right knowledge, discipline, and long-term vision.

To learn more about POLA, visit:
https://pharmacy.uams.edu/current-students/activities/pharmacy-ownership-and-leadership-academy/

UAMS - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences UAMS College of Pharmacy NCPA Foundation-UAMS Pharmacy Ownership and Leadership Academy

05/17/2026

What an incredible week at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy! I had the privilege of teaching an intensive five-day personal finance elective to our incoming P3 students, and once again, the experience was both inspiring and rewarding.

With more than 50 students in attendance, the engagement throughout the week was outstanding. These future pharmacists were eager to learn and fully invested in discussions covering stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, 401(k)s, Roth IRAs, and the importance of building long-term financial independence. Watching students connect classroom concepts to real-life financial decisions never gets old.

A special thank you to our outstanding guest speakers who helped make the week even more impactful:

* Arkansas Student Loan Authority representatives Lavonne Juhl and Reid Hall explaining current student loan regulations.
* Realtor Angie Campbell, who shared practical insights on buying and selling a home.
* Shane Lester, owner of Wonder State Mortgage, who explained the home mortgage process.
* And our very own P3 student, Kennedi Burns, who delivered an informative presentation on Robinhood investing.

For more than 27 years, I’ve been blessed to teach personal finance at UAMS College of Pharmacy. I remain deeply grateful that the college recognized early on the importance of helping student pharmacists not only succeed professionally—but also financially.

Helping students build a foundation for financial freedom is more than a class to me. It’s part of my legacy.

UAMS - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences UAMS College of Pharmacy Arkansas Student Loan Authority Wonder State Mortgage and Reverse Mortgages of Arkansas Shane Lester Lindsey Jørdan Kennedi Burns Arkansas Pharmacists Association

04/17/2026

We’re excited to share some incredible news!
Both of our books—Start Smart, Finish Rich! and Cheat Code: How to Win with Money Before Adulting Hits Hard—are now Amazon Bestsellers.

Start Smart, Finish Rich! reached #1 in:
Financial Services
Wealth Management
Portfolio Management
Financial Engineering
Valuation

Cheat Code reached #1 in:
Teen & Young Adult Business & Economics eBooks
Personal Money Management
Personal Finance
Cheat Code was also named the #1 New Release in Business Education & Reference.

Lindsey and I are truly grateful for the support that made this possible. Thank you to all the story contributors and a special thank you to our readers—your support is the reason these books are making an impact.

UAMS College of Pharmacy Lindsey Jørdan Southern Arkansas University Alumni Association Southern Arkansas University

04/10/2026

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit last Friday to the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. It was truly an honor to serve as the featured speaker for the P3 Professional Development Program. The students were attentive and engaged, which made the experience especially rewarding.

As always, no presentation of mine is complete without sharing a copy of Start Smart, Finish Rich!

My sincere thanks to Dr. Rucha Bond, Dr. Justin Pedigo, and Dr. Siang-Hao Cheng for the invitation and for being such gracious hosts.

The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

03/11/2026

03/11/2026

LAST DAY!

Today is the last day to get two of our books FREE on Kindle!

Even if you already have a copy, we would really appreciate you downloading the Kindle version as well. Every download helps support our Bestseller Campaign.

More details are below.

And please SHARE this post so others can take advantage of the free offer. Thank you!

03/10/2026

TODAY & TOMORROW only!

Here’s a great opportunity to grab two of our books FREE on Kindle!

Even if you already have a copy, we would really appreciate you downloading the Kindle version as well. Every download helps support our Bestseller Campaign.

More details are below.

And please SHARE this post so others can take advantage of the free offer. Thank you!