In this episode of CPhT Connect, host Mike Johnston, CPhT-Adv, sits down with Fred Shakeshaft, CPhT, an on-site pharmacy consultant for Liberty Software, to trace a career that started as pure necessity and turned into two decades of hands-on expertise in retail pharmacy, compounding, and pharmacy technology.
Fred shares how he stumbled into pharmacy while doing freelance web development as a new dad who just needed a steady paycheck and health insurance—and how the on-your-feet problem solving of the job unexpectedly activated the same part of his brain as his tech background. We dive into his 15 years at the same independent pharmacy group, how he built an intranet portal connecting multiple store locations without ever being asked to, and how that self-driven initiative eventually opened the door to his current role helping independent pharmacies nationwide install new software, optimize workflow, and get back on their feet.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Necessity to Passion: How Fred entered pharmacy purely to support his family, and unexpectedly discovered it fulfilled the same problem-solving itch as his original tech career.
- Be Indispensable: Fred’s philosophy of volunteering skills outside your job description—and how that mindset, not a formal promotion path, is what actually opens doors at smaller organizations.
- From the Bench to the Software Side: How years of living through software conversions as a tech planted the seed for his eventual move into pharmacy consulting.
- You’re Not “Just a Tech”: Fred’s take on the transferable skills techs build every day, and how to identify the parts of your job you love as a starting point for finding a niche career.
- Never Burn Bridges: Why pharmacy—like any small industry—rewards long-term relationships, and why timing a career move means deciding to go for it instead of waiting for the “right” moment.
About Our Guest:
Frederick Shakeshaft, CPhT, brings over 20 years of experience in retail pharmacy, compounding, and management. He now serves as an OnSite Pharmacy Consultant for Liberty Software, a pharmacy management software company, where he leads software installs, staff training, and workflow optimization projects that help independent pharmacies improve efficiency, streamline operations, and position themselves for long-term success.
Listen now to hear Fred’s take on why every pharmacy technician has a hidden skill set worth discovering—and his advice for anyone waiting for the “right time” to make a move: decide, and go for it.
