Catalyst Pharmacy Podcast

Looking to scale your business without sacrificing time, energy, and cash flow? In this episode, Johnathon Duhon sits down with Rannon Ching to unpack how independent pharmacies can scale smarter. From cutting data entry time by 80% to expanding vaccine programs without burnout, this conversation is packed with real-world strategies you can implement to grow your business today.    Hosted By: John...

Wondering if Connect 2026 is worth the hype? Take it from Joe Williams, a long-time attendee, speaker, and Connect enthusiast. In this episode, Joe shares how the in‑hallway conversations, late‑night brainstorms, and direct access to super-users at Connect drive innovation faster than any support line ever could. If you’re looking to learn, scale, or get more involved in the world of independent p...

Vaccines sit at the intersection of patient care and real pharmacy revenue—but most pharmacies never unlock their full potential. In this episode, Johnathon Duhon sits down with Rannon Ching to break down how independent pharmacies can scale vaccines year-round using smarter workflows, better systems, and a new approach to education and buying power. 00:20 – From Pharmacy to Vaccine Startup 01:50...

Behind every successful pharmacy is a support system rallying behind it. For pharmacy owners Mark Ey, Jade Ranger, and Hashim Zaibak, that support comes from NCPA. In this segment, the trio sits down with Jonathan Duhon to talk about how they’ve made the most of their NCPA memberships: from participating in the annual Ownership Workshop to the Pathways to Ownership program to steering committees,...

Joe Williams breaks down why open enrollment never really ends, how clean data unlocks hidden opportunities for patients and pharmacies alike, and how strategic Medicare enrollment support can transform community care. Plus, how one family saved over $9,000.    00:00 Open Enrollment Never Really Ends  00:50 Why Medicare Shouldn’t Be Seasonal  02:01 Building Med Smart Insurance  03:35 Identifying O...

What happens when an experienced pharmacy leader starts over with a brand-new operation after 10 years on the same system? In this episode, Rannon Ching shares real-world lessons on switching pharmacy software, avoiding common setup mistakes, and building smarter workflows from day one.    01:59 - Switching Pharmacy Systems for the First Time  02:38 - Leaving Pharmacy and Starting a New Opportunit...

This week, we’re reconnecting with Mark Ey, Jade Ranger, and Hashim Zaibak for a deep dive on the challenges facing independent pharmacies today—and how NCPA helps owners tackle those challenges confidently. We discuss real-world issues like MFP changes, reimbursement delays, and state-by-state regulations alongside NCPA’s advocacy work. When you’re plugged into a community that understands your w...

What happens when reimbursement slows down but your expenses don’t? This week, we're sitting down with Joe Williams to unpack 2026’s cash-flow crunch and the strategies he’s using to stay ahead: from navigating weeks-long MFP delays to creating a “$6 rule” that keeps his inventory lean . He also talks about how he’s used med sync as a cash-flow tactic and scaled to over 1,600 sync patients usi...

This week, we sit down with Mark Ey, Jade Ranger, and Hashim Zaibak for an honest look at the current landscape of independent pharmacy and the role NCPA plays in supporting owners across the country. Together, they share how advocacy, networking, and shared experience make a real difference—whether you're managing a single location or multiple sites. The guests open up about how NCPA shaped t...

Think ownership requires slow growth? Think again. Independent pharmacy owner Kyle Beyer joins us to discuss how he went from chain pharmacist to multi-location owner of North Shore Pharmacy in only five years. He talks about the opportunities and obstacles of ownership: from buying during COVID, building a compounding hub, scaling through partner networks, and navigating the changing landscape of...

In this episode, we sit down with Fair Jones, Owner of Sav‑Mor Drugs & Gifts in Grenada, Mississippi, to talk all things ownership and advocacy. Fair shares her experiences stepping into pharmacy ownership in 2019, navigating curbside-only operations during COVID, and why reimbursement/PBM pressures pushed her to start speaking up online — including the moment she realized she made $0.88 on si...

This week, we sat down with Valley Apothecary co‑owner Paula Shaffer to talk about building a community‑focused independent pharmacy in Ketchum, Idaho. Paula shares how their team expanded services like compounding, testing, supplements, and vaccinations—plus how they became a critical resource during COVID‑19. Along the way, she reflects on challenges facing independent pharmacies, the impact of...

Alec Ginsberg, COO of C.O. Bigelow, takes us inside America’s oldest pharmacy to share its 187-year history (and why it’s still thriving today). From celebrity customers to the fight against PBMs, Alec shows how independent pharmacies can survive and why he launched Drugstore Cowboy to educate consumers and push for change. If you care about the future of healthcare, this is a conversation worth h...

Autumn-Kyoko Cushman “AK” joins the Catalyst Pharmacy Podcast to share her journey from Navy hospital corpsman to co‑founder of ShiftRx. She talks about overcoming personal challenges, building a pharmacy staffing marketplace, and unveiling Holly, their new AI healthcare administrator launching in January. This episode is about resilience, innovation, and reimagining the future of healthcare.    L...

Join us for an exclusive conversation with NCPA President Jeff Harrell, where we talk about the future of pharmacy and the leadership that’s shaping it. Jeff shares how he and the NCPA team are working to reshape pharmacy education, advocate for fair reimbursement, and foster unity among owners everywhere. He also shares how he’s scaling his own business, Cascadia Pharmacy Group, throughout the Pa...

What does the future of pharmacy look like, and who’s leading the way? In this episode, Madeline Clark shares how she’s redefining what it means to be a pharmacist through a career that blends residency training, fellowship experience, and leadership across Moose Pharmacy, CPESN North Carolina, and CPESN USA. She also draws on her work with the NextGen pharmacist group to offer insight into how th...

In this episode, Kate Riddell shares how she bridges the classroom with real-world practice. From prescribing authority and patient accessibility to competing with mail order and fighting misinformation, Kate offers an inspiring look at the evolving role of community pharmacy and the next generation of pharmacists.    00:00 – Introduction: Kate’s dual role in academia and practice  02:49 – Expandi...

When tragedy struck his family, Ritesh Shah asked himself a simple question: “How do I continue the oath I took as a pharmacist?” The answer became opening New Jersey’s first (and only) charitable pharmacy alongside President Joseph Howe, which has provided thousands of free prescriptions to uninsured and underserved patients since 2022. In this episode, Ritesh opens up about the loss that changed...

T.J. Woodard didn’t set out to become a voice for pharmacy reform. But from his base in Baton Rouge, LA, he’s helped lead the charge against PBMs and protect independent pharmacies across Louisiana. T.J. joins us to share how his career has evolved from filling scripts to shaping state policy and how he sees the industry moving forward. He offers us a front-row view of Louisiana’s recent PBM victo...

Nearly 9 in 10 pharmacists are at a high risk of burnout, but how do affected pharmacists find a path forward? In this episode, we sit down with Devan Conley, Pharmacist at TrueCare Pharmacy in Concord, NC, to find out firsthand. Devin discusses his journey with burnout—which crept up during COVID and kept on for years, culminating in a struggle with prescription misuse. But, more importantly, Dev...

Specialty pharmacy is one of the most critical areas of care—especially for patients with complex and chronic conditions—but scaling the business isn’t always easy. In this episode, Lori Maraist shows how pharmacists can do both. Lori, the Chief Operating Officer at Professional Arts Specialty Pharmacy, shares how she scaled her team from a small operation to a nationally recognized pharmacy with...

What does it really mean to question the status quo? This week, we’re sitting down with Dared Price, a pharmacy owner who’s taking PBM reform from South Kansas all the way to Capitol Hill. Dared’s resumé is extensive: he’s started multiple pharmacies, built impressive clinical programs, and created a transparent PBM model that helped over 100 employer groups cut prescription costs. Lately, though,...

Live from the Connect 2025 conference, PioneerRx superuser Rannon Ching shares how he and his pharmacy team are tackling new opportunities in the industry—all by getting their workflow right. He discusses how Texas legislation is opening doors, how you can leverage your team (and residents) to create new programs, and most importantly, how you can make practical workflow fixes to implement those p...

If there’s one name to know in the fight for PBM reform, it’s Benjamin Jolley. As Co-Founder of Apex Consulting and Senior Fellow at the American Economic Liberties Project, Ben has spent years exposing what’s been broken in the pharmacy system—and what can still be fixed. Most recently, he addressed 20,000 attendees at a rally in Salt Lake City to advocate for Breaking Up Big Medicine ( breakupbi...

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill is making headlines—and it could change the game for independent pharmacy forever. In this episode of the Catalyst Pharmacy Podcast, Mark and Josh break down what’s inside the sweeping budget bill passed by the U.S. House, including a national ban on spread pricing and a push for fair, transparent Medicaid managed care reimbursements. They dig into how these changes coul...