RENOWNED as the wealthiest Jamaican-born woman, Dr Tricia Bailey is extending guidance to young women navigating investment decisions.

Leading a triumphant trajectory in the medical industry as the CEO of Bailey’s Franchise in the United States, her journey to affluence, outlined in the autobiography Unbroken, traces back to a pivotal event 13 years ago. Emerging from an eight-day coma, unable to recall the events leading to her near-death encounter, her last memories were of an encounter with a man while visiting Los Angeles. The aftermath found her disoriented in an airport, in a wheelchair, ultimately inspiring the inception of Bailey’s Medical Equipment and Supplies in 2011, dedicated to providing medical supplies to Medicare patients.

Today, Bailey’s franchise encompasses Bailey’s Medical Equipment and Supplies, Bailey’s Pharmacy, and Bailey’s Scrubs, all strategically located in Florida. With an estimated net worth ranging between US$ 600-750 million, Dr Bailey holds the distinction of being one of the wealthiest black women in America and the most affluent woman in Jamaica.

In an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer, Dr Bailey shared insights into her path to success and offered guidance to aspiring investors in the health sector. She highlighted the possibility of investing in pharmaceutical or pharmacy companies through the stock market or even venturing into building one’s own organisation. She also shared her personal experience, having started in pharmaceutical sales, and leveraging the knowledge gained to propel her pharmacy venture.

“I recommend learning as much as you can in regards to health in the specific area that you like, whether through your schooling or your individual research, and once you have learned enough at that point, you can determine in which direction you want to go, whether you want to go into gastroenterology, whether you want to go into cardiology, whether you want to do health care or hospital systems themselves,” she told the Business Observer.

Addressing local investment opportunities, Dr Bailey pointed to the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), where she was recently conferred with a Doctor of Humane Letters degree. She revealed that the university is currently seeking investors for its medical school and new campuses. She also advocated for investments in hospital systems and electronic medical records to streamline health-care processes and enhance patient care.

“I believe that investing in hospital systems and electronic medical records will allow all the hospitals to speak to themselves; that way, if a patient is in a Kingston hospital or a MoBay hospital, they don’t have to redo all the tests,” Bailey shared with foresight.

However, the beginning of any investment has been preached over and over again by many investment coaches and financial experts, “the first stage of any investment is diversity,” Bailey stressed.

Dr Bailey, a veteran in the investment world, says her own portfolio reflects meticulous planning and includes investments in areas such as rocks.

“In the United States, a $270-billion bill was passed to address the repair of most roadways, with 97 per cent of the fixing process involving rock. As a result, I invested in miners,” she disclosed to the Business Observer, highlighting the need for meticulous and thoughtful investment strategies.

Sports also feature prominently in her diverse investment portfolio. In navigating the challenges of an industry historically dominated by men, Dr Bailey offered valuable advice to young women investors, encouraging them to persevere despite encountering gender biases.

“The sexism is going to be there, it is, and the higher you climb, oftentimes the more you feel the sexism, but you have to keep your blinders on because if you’re in the room where it’s all men and you’re by yourself, guess what? You are more likely three to five times better than they are,” Bailey asserts. “So you continue practising your excellence to make sure that you are growing, and it’s going to happen, so use their level of somewhat ignorance in some cases and use it to your advantage to continue to propel yourself in spaces that you want to be.”

Looking ahead, Dr Bailey revealed to the Business Observer plans for real estate investments, evaluating various opportunities but yet to make final decisions. Bailey currently owns an island off the coast of Jamaica, where she envisions building a resort. Beyond that, Dr Bailey also boasts ownership of the largest horse farm in the state of Florida, showcasing her unparalleled success and multifaceted accomplishments.