Shows / Optometrists Building Empires
Optometrists Building Empires
Welcome to Optometrists Building Empires! Each week, host Ankit Patel, explores the journey of practice ownership and leadership in optometry with some of the top minds in his field. This show is sponsored by My Business Care Team: We help increase revenue, reduce costs, and reduce staffing headaches. Let's build your empire together!
Episodes
- Optometrists Building Empires
Run the Numbers Before You Open Location Two
E116 · Republish. The full original E028 conversation with Nathan Hayes, director of financial services at IDOC. First aired February 20, 2025. 41:34. The…
Optometrists Building EmpiresHow Two Partners Turned a Cold Start Into Three Locations
E115 · Republish. The full original E041 conversation with Dr. Brian Samartino and Tyler Mills, co-founders of Premier Eye Associates. First aired May 22…
Optometrists Building EmpiresOwn Your Culture: Kyle Maxam on Building a Practice With a Mission
E114 · Republish. The full original E089 conversation with Dr. Kyle Maxam, owner of EyeDocs Family Eye Care. First aired April 16, 2026. 30:57. The short…
Optometrists Building EmpiresFrom Clinical Specialist to Multi-Location Empire: Dr. Thanh Mai Returns
Dr. Thanh Mai of Insight Vision Center Optometry (Costa Mesa, Irvine, Las Vegas) returns for a tactical second conversation. We get specific about what it…
- Optometrists Building Empires
Why Your Best People Actually Leave
Every practice owner has an instant answer for why their best person quit: money, a better offer, kids these days. The data and the owners who fixed it say…
- Optometrists Building Empires
Dr. Alex Martin: Curiosity, Grit, and the Future of Eye Care
Dr. Alex Martin: Curiosity, Grit, and the Future of Eye Care Dr. Alex Martin joins Ankit Patel to discuss access to eye care, remote diagnostic technology, and…
- Optometrists Building Empires
Dr. Nadia Afkhami: Start Before You Feel Ready
Dr. Nadia Afkhami: Start Before You Feel Ready Dr. Nadia Afkhami started sharing her experience online as an optometry student. Those connections later helped…
- Optometrists Building Empires
Your First Associate: Hire When the Number Is Real
How many more hours a week does an owner spend on patient care than the associate they employ? Most owners say ten. The best national numbers put it at about…
Optometrists Building EmpiresFrom the Catalog: Avoiding Stagnation with Harbir Sian
From the Optometrists Building Empires catalog. This is the Harbir Sian conversation on avoiding stagnation, first published as episode 34. Are you ready to…
- Optometrists Building Empires
The No-Show Math: The Leak You Can See vs the Patient Who Never Books
It is 7:42. Marcus is packing two lunches. Fourteen months ago he paid in full and said see you next year. The recall text is good. He glances at it over the…
Optometrists Building EmpiresMike Guelcher: Building a Practice That Is Profitable AND Sellable on Your Own Terms
Mike Guelcher is one of the few people in eye care who has seen the business from every angle: senior leadership at Allergan, eight years leading acquisition…
- Optometrists Building Empires
The 2:15 Problem: Missed Calls, Burnout, and the Half of Optometry That Is Running on Empty
It is 2:15 on a Tuesday. A patient sits in her car with 15 minutes before her next meeting, contacts running low, finally ready to book the exam she has been…
Optometrists Building EmpiresFrom Burnout to Building a Team of Travel Optometrists with Dr. Fred Cho
Dr. Fred Cho is not a practice owner and never has been, yet he is building something most ODs do not know exists: a team of travel optometrists serving remote…
- Optometrists Building Empires
What Your Practice Is Actually Worth: EBITDA, the 50% Rule, and the 25% Benchmark
A solo episode pulled from the iCareGrow series conversations. EBITDA gets thrown at practice owners every time a buyer makes an offer or a bank sizes a loan…
Optometrists Building EmpiresGetting Out of Your Own Way: How Dr. Nick Lillie Doubled His Practice
Dr. Nick Lillie cold-started Family Vision Optical in Allendale, Michigan right out of school in 2011. For years everything ran through him, until he faced the…
Optometrists Building EmpiresScaling True Eye Experts as a Non-OD CEO with Kevin Whaley Stefany
Kevin Whaley Stefany is a master optician and one of the few non-OD CEOs in optometry. He co-founded The Eye Doctors, which scaled into True Eye Experts, an…
Optometrists Building EmpiresGina Wesley, OD: The Private-Pay Playbook Behind Complete Eye Care of Medina
Dr. Gina Wesley cold-started Complete Eye Care of Medina in 2008 and built the practice around a clear point of view: design the care experience instead of…
Optometrists Building EmpiresBuilding 9 Rural Optometry Offices with Mike Herrera
Mike Herrera came from the defense industry with no optometry background and built Vision Now! into nine rural practices across Colorado, with about half using…
Optometrists Building EmpiresThe Warm Start - Dr. Bethany Fishbein - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 098
Dr. Bethany Fishbein returns to Optometrists Building Empires for a deep dive on warm starts — the middle path between a cold-start build and a full practice…
Optometrists Building EmpiresFix Your Staffing, Fix Your Practice - Compilation - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 097
What if the staffing challenges keeping you up at night aren't a sign that something is wrong with your practice, but a sign that you're ready to build…
Optometrists Building EmpiresBuilt Together: How Relationships, Systems, and Grit Created Three Thriving Practices - #096
Can the relationships you built in optometry school lay the groundwork for the businesses you'd build decades later? In this special panel episode of…
Optometrists Building EmpiresPeople, Purpose, then Performance - Dr. Rupe Hansra - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 095
What happens when an optometrist stops thinking like a practice owner and starts thinking about the future of healthcare itself? On this week’s episode of…
Optometrists Building EmpiresSeeing the Vision Through - Dr. Jason Klepfisz- Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 094
Can independent optometry beat corporate competition by focusing on experience, branding, and hospitality? On this week’s episode of Optometrists Building…
Optometrists Building EmpiresGrit, Legacy, and Giving Back - Diana Mae Monea - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 093
What does it take to build a legacy in optometry across nearly five decades … and keep going even when life tries to stop you? In this episode of Optometrists…
Optometrists Building EmpiresLow Vision, High Impact - Dr. Carlos Grandela - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 092
What happens when a student rotation changes everything you thought your career was going to be? Dr. Carlos Grandela walked into optometry school expecting to…
Optometrists Building EmpiresThe Partnership That Lasted 23 Years and Counting - Kerry Giedd - Episode # 091
What if building an empire had nothing to do with how many locations you own and everything to do with the life you design along the way? In this episode of…
Optometrists Building EmpiresStop Chasing Prestige - Nathan Heilman - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 090
What if the most important thing you build as a practice owner isn't the practice itself, but the life and the people surrounding it? In this episode of…
Optometrists Building EmpiresCreating the Culture - Kyle Maxam - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 089
What happens when a business major discovers his true calling on a humanitarian eye care trip to Haiti? On this week’s episode of Optometrists Building…
Optometrists Building Empires1% Better Everyday - Erika Morrow - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 088
What does it take to build an optometry practice where patients drive over an hour just for the experience? On this week's episode of Optometrists Building…
Optometrists Building EmpiresBuilding a Modern Practice - Justin Nguyen & Alyssa Pack - Optometrists Building Empires - Ep # 087
How do you grow 30% year-over-year while building a marriage, a team, and a brand in the same office? On this week’s episode of Optometrists Building Empires…
Optometrists Building EmpiresTurning Content Into Credibility - Amrit Bilkhu - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 086
Can social media really grow your optometry practice without a marketing agency or ad spend? On this week’s episode of Optometrists Building Empires, host…
Optometrists Building EmpiresThe Real Work Behind Scalable Growth - Rick Guinotte - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 085
What does it take to grow from managing one practice to leading eighteen locations and building a consulting firm that transforms private optometry? On this…
Optometrists Building EmpiresStack Your Strengths - Jennifer Tabiza - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 084
What if your next big leap in optometry isn’t about adding more locations or chasing trends, but discovering your unique zone of genius and building everything…
Optometrists Building EmpiresDon't Grow It Alone - Dave Brown and Ashley Hinde IDOC - Optometrists Building Empires 083
What does it take to stay truly independent in an industry being reshaped by consolidation, rising costs, and decision fatigue? In this special episode…
Optometrists Building EmpiresScaling a Family Practice - Hunter & Taylor Edwards - Optometrists Building Empires - # 082
What happens when a family legacy becomes a five-location optometry empire rooted in service, not consolidation? Hunter and Taylor Edwards grew up racing…
Optometrists Building EmpiresFundamentals Matter More Than New Tech - Justin Coleman - Optometrists Building Empires - # 081
How do you grow multiple practices without chasing shiny objects, burning out your staff, or losing sight of what actually works? In this episode of…
Optometrists Building EmpiresCopying Other Practices Is Holding You Back - Erich Mattei - Optometrists Building Empires - # 080
Does growing your practice come down to balancing hard data with human insight? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, host Ankit Patel sits down…
Optometrists Building EmpiresWhy Impact Matters More Than Scale - Kevin Chan - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 079
What if building an empire had nothing to do with scale, revenue, or the number of locations you own? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit…
Optometrists Building EmpiresOn the Other Side of Fear - Christopher Lopez - Optometrists Building Empires - # 078
What happens when your biggest fear comes true, and you keep going anyway? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits down with Dr…
Optometrists Building EmpiresYou Can’t Build an Optometry Empire Alone - Steve Vargo - Optometrists Building Empires - # 077
What if the biggest thing holding your practice back isn’t staffing, reimbursement, or technology, but your mindset and leadership approach as an owner? In…
Optometrists Building EmpiresA Better Way to Practice Optometry - Kara Foster - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 076
What if dropping insurance wasn’t a risk, but the key to better patient care, happier staff, and a more sustainable optometry practice? In this episode of…
Optometrists Building EmpiresThe Power of the Unconventional Path - Maria Sampalis - Optometrists Building Empires - Ep # 075
What if the setbacks in your career were actually the fuel that pushes your practice to the next level? Dr. Maria Sampalis joins Optometrists Building Empires…
Optometrists Building EmpiresUnlock the Next Level for Your Practice- Dave Brown - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 074
What if the biggest barrier to growing your practice isn’t revenue at all, but the way you hire, lead, and support your team? In this episode, Ankit sits down…
Optometrists Building EmpiresThe Power of Purpose and People - Melissa Barnett - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 073
How can optometrists build thriving practices by leading with connection, curiosity, and purpose? Dr. Melissa Barnett, international lecturer, prolific author…
Optometrists Building EmpiresLetting Go of the Wrong Patients Helped Ryan Cazares Thrive - Optometrists Building Empires - # 072
What’s the secret to turning a local optometry clinic into a thriving specialty practice? In this episode, Dr. Ryan Cazares shares how he built Scott Eye Care…
Optometrists Building EmpiresWhat You Need to Know to Grow Your Practice - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 071
What do leading ODs say is the real key to building an “empire” in eyecare? In this compilation episode of Optometrists Building Empires, host Ankit Patel…
Optometrists Building EmpiresBuilding Your Practice Around What Lights You Up - Patricia Poma - Episode # 070
What happens when your vision for life becomes the foundation for your practice and the fuel that keeps it growing for decades? In this episode, Dr. Patricia…
Optometrists Building EmpiresAdapting, Innovating, and Connecting - Darion Horner - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 069
What does it take to build a thriving, modern optometry practice that patients actually look forward to visiting? In this episode, Dr. Darion Horner, owner of…
Optometrists Building EmpiresPatient Time Over Volume - Brandon Walley - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 068
What happens when you slow down instead of speeding up to grow your practice? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, host Ankit Patel talks with Dr…
Optometrists Building EmpiresThe Power of Saying Yes to Opportunity - Jerry Robben - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 067
What happens when you say “yes” to the right opportunities, even the ones you never expected? When Dr. Jerry Robben graduated from optometry school, his plan…
Optometrists Building EmpiresWhy Care Is the Ultimate Business Strategy - Viola Kanevsky - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 066
What happens when you build your practice on care for patients, your team, and your community? This week on Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits…
Optometrists Building EmpiresScaling with Heart - Melissa Tada - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 065
How do you grow your practice without losing your culture, or your mind, in the process? Dr. Melissa Tada, optometrist, co-owner of Mountain View Vision, and…
Optometrists Building EmpiresHow Dr. Anisha Jacob and Rony Daniel Grew from $500K to $4M Without Losing Their Vision - Ep # 064
How does mastering proactive processes help you scale smarter? This episode of Optometrists Building Empires features the dynamic duo behind Village Vision…
Optometrists Building EmpiresCoaching, Culture, and Growth - Ben Thayil - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 063
What role do coaching, mentorship, and values-based leadership play in building a thriving optometry practice? In this episode of Optometrist Building Empires…
Optometrists Building EmpiresFrom Collapse to Comeback: What It Really Takes to Succeed in Optometry - Lee Ford - Episode # 62
How can setbacks and failures become the foundation for building a thriving optometry practice? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel…
Optometrists Building EmpiresSee the Bigger Picture - Tobin Ansel - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 061
In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Tobin Ansel, optometrist and co-owner of Metuchen Vision and Somerset Eyecare…
Optometrists Building EmpiresThe Power of Focus - Sairah & Sana Malik - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 060
What does it take to turn a shared passion into a thriving specialty practice? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits down with…
Optometrists Building EmpiresAfter-Hours Urgent Eye Care - Brooks Wood - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 059
What if growing your practice was less about avoiding failure and more about experimenting? In this episode of Optometrist Building Empires, Dr. Brooks Wood…
Optometrists Building EmpiresBuilding a Thriving Referral-Based Optometry Empire - Richard Maharaj - Episode # 058
How do you build a thriving referral-based optometry practice while balancing growth, family, and future innovation? In this episode of Optometrists Building…
Optometrists Building EmpiresBuilding a Thriving Optometry Practice with Dr. Larry Golson - Episode # 057
How can optometrists grow thriving practices while balancing leadership, culture, and innovation? On this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Dr. Larry…