Meet Anthony Potter Jr of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Potter Jr.

Hi Anthony, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My brother died at three months old. A heart condition. He was only home one week out of his entire life. I had no idea how much that would shape everything that came after.

For years I wanted to be a cardiologist. I didn’t understand why until one day I reflected and realized — my brother had a heart condition. His absence had been quietly directing me without my knowledge.

Eventually I accepted that my passion was helping people, not healthcare specifically. So after a decade as a pharmacy technician and one too many “I’m quitting” moments that never actually happened, I explored life insurance. I studied, learned the products, even used some to improve my own situation. I attended a boot camp event featuring a guest speaker who had been in the industry nearly two decades, earning well above a quarter million dollars monthly and teaching others to surpass even that.

At dinner after the event, three things happened that changed everything.

A stranger at the table looked at me and said “You need to help your community.” I knew exactly what he meant. I said nothing. I just processed it.

Someone I considered a friend looked at my men’s tote bag and said “You gotcha purse?” I looked at him and said “What do you mean?” There was no response. I kept that to myself too.

Then I got home and found a video of me on Instagram — someone had recorded me in my car, stuck in traffic, listening to Sade. The comments were full of speculation about my sexuality. I kept that to myself as well. But something was stirring.

The last thing put me over the edge — and gave me exactly what I needed.

My best friend and I had attended a leadership event together. Afterward, one of the brokers pulled him aside and told him to be mindful of who he was around because some people were bad for business. We both knew who they meant. This person continued to smile in my face while telling my best friend to distance himself from me.

After all three of those experiences I couldn’t keep holding it in. Instead they gave birth to my mission — Refusing to Shrink. For me, and for everyone else navigating societal projections because they’re not who other people prefer them to be. People who feel pressure to change themselves, suppress themselves, shrink themselves just to be accepted.

You don’t have to do that. You can have a successful life — with stronger boundaries, more aligned opportunities, and more authority — while showing up as your full self.

That’s what I’m building. For those of us that have felt invisible but know they have more to give themselves and the world around them.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely… not. The greatest struggle I have encountered and continue to overcome is myself. As people we can be our best supporter but also our worst enemy.

In my case it’s been things like fear, doubt, insecurity, undervaluing myself. And I felt hopeless.

Wanting the change, the shift, the forward momentum and feeling like you’re permanently stuck in the hard part.

One thing I recently shared with a colleague is that an item in a slingshot has to be pulled back first before it’s propelled forward.

What made me almost stop was getting yet another “we regret to inform you” email after applying for new job roles.

What kept me going was God showing me small (or what seemed small to me) signs during different phases. They kept me going and opened unexpected doors.

The common thread between every struggle I’ve experienced is that they were all opportunities to make me better.

By deciding not to let the challenges shrink me I became better than before. My internal dialogue shifted.

And what I know now — and still forget sometimes — is that the challenges are there to shape you. You just can’t feel it while you’re in them.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In its simplest form, I help people get their medicine. Typically people who are sick or managing chronic conditions — and while that sounds straightforward, most people have no idea what happens behind the counter before that prescription ever reaches them.

I’ve spent a decade as a pharmacy technician across hospital and specialty settings. In my part-time role it’s more call center adjacent — entering prescriptions, billing insurances, documenting, speaking with patients about their medications and benefits.

In my full-time hospital role the same goal exists but the stakes are different. It’s physically demanding, fast-moving, and when there’s a critical patient, speed matters in a way that most people outside of healthcare don’t fully appreciate. There’s also an unspoken rivalry between pharmacy and nursing that nobody puts in the job description.

What I’m known for is being detail oriented, adaptable, and not being afraid to go against the grain when something isn’t being done correctly. I notice things most people overlook. And I’m always asking how the process can be more streamlined.

What I’m most proud of are the quiet contributions. The process improvements I suggested that got pushback at first — and are now just how things are done. Nobody remembers the friction. I do.

What sets me apart is that I’ve never just done the job. I’ve always asked why, and wherever possible I’ve implemented something better.

That instinct is the same one I’m taking into business ownership. A decade in healthcare didn’t just teach me pharmacy — it taught me how to move through systems, spot inefficiencies, and keep showing up even when the environment isn’t built for people like me.

That last part is the point. I’m not continuing the expected path just because of the time I’ve put in. And I want others to know they don’t have to either.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
First and always, God. Without that foundation nothing else holds.

Dr. Jemarquise, my best friend, deserves more credit than I can adequately put into words. He is one of the few people in my life who embodies the qualities I actively work to develop in myself — honesty, integrity, and a faith that shows up in how he lives, not just what he says. He also has the rare ability to call me out when I’m wrong in a way that still lifts me up. That’s not common. I don’t take it lightly.

My mother deserves credit too, though perhaps not in the conventional sense. I love her. And I’ve also learned that you can love someone and still choose to keep them out of your life for your own peace — no matter who they are. That lesson didn’t come easy, but it shaped me in ways I’m still uncovering. I don’t share this to paint a villain or perform perfection. I share it because it’s true, and because Refusing to Shrink was built on truth.

And then there’s everyone else. The ones who believed in me and the ones who didn’t. The ones who guided me and the ones who made it harder. The ones who spoke differently about me behind my back than to my face. Every single interaction has contributed something to who I am today. I’m grateful for all of it — because all of it was necessary.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/AnthonyPotterJr
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonypotterjr/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthonypotterjr/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-potter-jr-bb88a0245/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnthonyPotterJr