In 2018, a pharmacist and a pharmaceutical sales rep joined forces with a simple vision: make healthcare more straightforward and patient-focused. They founded a compounding pharmacy in a modest 2,000-square-foot strip-mall space in Gilbert, Arizona. Fast forward to today — that small startup has ballooned into a national operation with nearly 1,000 employees, and it’s now ready for its next big phase.
According to the Phoenix Business Journal, Strive Pharmacy recently signed a 223,442-square-foot full-building lease in Mesa’s Gateway area that will serve as a massive increase in capacity for manufacturing and corporate operations.
From Humble Beginnings to Nationwide Reach
Co-founders CEO Nathan Hill and President Michael Walker built Strive with their own capital — the company remains self-funded and carries no outside institutional money. As Hill told, Strive is already “very profitable,” generating “multiple nine figures” in revenue — a notable feat for a firm that started with just three employees.
With licenses in all 50 states and nine locations operating nationwide, Strive’s growth trajectory is steep and ongoing.
Scaling Up: What the Mesa Headquarters Will Bring
The new Mesa facility — located at the Hub @ 202 complex on E. Warner Road — will significantly expand the company’s capacity. According to Strive’s Chief Operating Officer Patrick Schinzel, the site will allow the firm to adopt advanced technologies and dramatically increase production.
Currently, Strive fills “millions” of prescriptions per year; once fully operational, the company aims to produce prescriptions on a monthly basis at the new facility.
Combined with Strive’s acquisitions — including a manufacturing site in Florida — the company now controls more than 700,000 square feet of real estate devoted to pharmaceutical manufacturing and fulfillment.
Workforce Growth and Economic Impact in Arizona
Strive’s headcount has surged: from just three people in 2018, to 241 in 2023, and now closing in on 1,000 employees — with projections to exceed that number by the end of 2025. COO Schinzel estimates the workforce could double in 2026.
Industry data backs up the broader growth in bioscience manufacturing in Arizona: between 2019 and 2024, employment in the sector rose by 19%, now employing nearly 18,000 workers statewide. That makes Strive’s expansion part of a larger trend in Arizona’s rising bioscience and advanced-manufacturing ecosystem.
Local economic-development leaders have praised the expansion. The CEO of the state’s commerce authority called Strive “a standout Arizona success story” and said the growth helped reinforce the region’s reputation in bioscience manufacturing.
Navigating Challenges: Innovation, Regulation & Industry Pushback
Strive’s rise occurs at a time when compounding pharmacies are under increasing scrutiny. As a compounding pharmacy, Strive fills an important niche — especially when commercial supply chains fail or when patients require customized dosages not provided in pre-made medications. Their Chief Marketing Officer, Zach Shurtleff, has argued that compounding pharmacies help “fill critical gaps in the healthcare system” and restore flexibility and affordability for patients.
At the same time, large pharmaceutical manufacturers have pushed back. For instance, after shortages of certain medications (like GLP-1 injectables) ended in late 2024, companies such as Eli Lilly have filed lawsuits against various pharmacies. In 2025, the manufacturer filed a lawsuit against Strive in an Arizona federal court, alleging that the company’s compounded “Tirzepatide Blend” was marketed misleadingly and lacked proper FDA approval or clinical testing.
Strive executives say they remain committed to navigating regulatory scrutiny and legal challenges, viewing these as part of the risk of challenging the status quo — and defending the rights of patients and providers to access personalized medicine when it’s clinically justified.
Looking Ahead: Building for the Future
Strive Pharmacy’s journey — from a 2,000-square-foot Gilbert strip mall to a future 350,000-square-foot Mesa headquarters — offers a glimpse at the potential for compounding pharmacies in America’s evolving healthcare landscape. The move signals more capacity, more jobs, and a stronger foothold for personalized medicine.
As Strive continues to grow, expand geographically, and adapt to industry headwinds, one thing seems clear: the company is betting on a future where flexibility, innovation, and accessibility in medicine matter more than ever.
