The Podcasting Pivot
On The PharmacyCrossroads podcast Bruce Kneeland talks with the people making an impact in pharmacy. And the big benefit to you is that you get to listen in! | Kneelands Notes
by Bruce Kneeland
It is amazing how hard it is to remember COVID-19. Just a few years ago we were trying to figure out how to work, play, and worship in large groups. Some wondered what social custom would replace the handshake. But today shaking hands is commonplace, and it is almost as if COVID never happened.
During the pandemic the one “new” word that was heard in many business conversations was “pivot.” And in 2020 my personal consulting business took a major pivot. For the previous decade the backbone of my career was the pharmacy road trip. These trips provided the opportunity to personally visit remarkable pharmacies, interview the owners, and document their best practices. The findings of these visits were published in prominent publications and shared in live continuing education programs.
During COVID personal visits to pharmacies became impractical. In June of 2020 I got a call from Todd Eury, founder of the Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN), inviting me to start a podcast. He came up with the name for the show, PharmacyCrossroads, and offered to coach me on the process. And thus the pivot from road warrior to podcaster occurred.
Listen In to Hear Pharmacy Success Stories
Now, instead of driving and staying in cheap hotels, I hear the same kind of success stories I heard on the road. I now get to talk with the same kind of people over the internet. And the big benefit to you is that you get to listen in. The PharmacyCrossroads podcast is published in audio and typically lasts about 30 minutes. We avoid video and keep the episodes short, so people can listen while jogging, shopping, or commuting. One fan told me he thought PharmacyCrossroads was the smartest 30 minutes in pharmacy.
Here are three examples of why that may be true.
My most recent program featured Ken Thai, Pharm.D. Thai is the co-founder of K&B Pharmacy Associates and owner/partner in several dozen 986 Pharmacy stores in California. He shared information on how and why he and his partners started this boutique GPO (group purchasing organization). Doing so saved him and other members of the group significant sums on their pharmaceutical purchases. But just as important, according to Thai, is the group’s focus on collaboration. Working together, they have formed specialty, DME (durable medical equipment), and LTC (long-term care) pharmacy operations that bring in new sources of revenue.
Just prior to that podcast I spoke with Shane Reeves, Pharm.D., Tennessee state senator and owner of a dozen infusion pharmacies. We discussed ways pharmacy owners can be more effective in dealing with elected officials. He was joined by Jay Phipps, Pharm.D., a multistore owner and past president of the Tennessee Pharmacists Association. In part, due to these two Tennesseans’ efforts, their state recently passed a PBM (pharmacy benefits manager) protection bill. They shared valuable insights on ways pharmacy owners can be more effective as advocates by sharing stories on how PBM abuses affect voters, not mostly telling them how these practices hurt pharmacy profits.
In a previous podcast I spoke with Dave Falk, owner of 15 pharmacies in Illinois. Falk told listeners how contracting with a professional, pharmacy-focused ad agency allowed him to spend less on advertising and get better results. One tool the agency has used to accomplish this is geofencing, something Falk says he and his team just didn’t know how to do.
Podcasting has exploded over the past few years. It has a low barrier to entry. All you need is a laptop, a microphone, and an internet connection. One article I read said that if you got more the 400 listeners, you’d be in the top quartile of entrepreneurial podcasters. PharmacyCrossroads typically reaches a thousand. Changing from being the Road Trip Guy to becoming a podcaster is how I pivoted. The goal of the show is to inform and inspire pharmacies and show them how they can do more and be better. PTMR
Bruce Kneeland is an independent pharmacy veteran, author, and podcaster. He can be reached at BFKneeland@gmail.com and listened to at www.pharmacycrossroads.com.