Cleinman Connect Podcast

Kehna Kelly is the Team Lead of Creative Services at POD Marketing, a company specializing in innovative branding and marketing solutions for businesses in the eye care industry. With over 10 years of experience in branding and design, Kehna has led creative strategy for brands such as POD Marketing, Free Smile Shop Dental Marketing, and recently spearheaded the successful rebrand of Cleinman. She is known for her unique strategy-first approach, empowering her team of designers, writers, editors, and videographers to elevate the creative experience for clients.

In this episode…

Sometimes a business outgrows the story it’s be...

Claire Laurie is the Team Lead of SEO at Marketing4ECPs, a company that specializes in developing and executing digital marketing strategies for eye care professionals. Over the past four years, Claire has helped numerous practices increase their online visibility and attract more patients, contributing to the company's impressive reputation in the optometry marketing space. She combines creativity with data-driven insights from her background in content creation, focusing on making SEO accessible and effective for local businesses.

In this episode…

Most business owners know they should be doing something about SEO, but what does that ac...

Al Cleinman is the Founder of Cleinman Performance Partners, a leading consulting firm that has served as optometry's trusted business advisor for over 35 years, specializing in practice transitions, growth strategies, and innovative solutions for eye care professionals. Under Al’s leadership, the firm has helped hundreds of optometry practices navigate complex transactions and succession plans, resulting in significant increases in business value and successful ownership transitions.

Megan McCarthy, Senior Director of Practice Transitions at Cleinman Performance Partners, leads a team that delivers custom consulting, financial analysis, and practice valuation services, guiding clients through every stage of the tr...

Kimberly Friedman, OD FAAO, is an optometric physician and serves as Vice President of Education and Scientific Affairs at PRN Vision Group, a company that provides evidence-based omega-based nutraceuticals and ocular health products to support eye care professionals and patients worldwide. Under her medical education leadership, PRN Vision Group and its brands (including EyePromise) hold the top-selling dry eye nutraceutical product in the US, are distributed in over 20 countries, and have achieved rapid sales growth through high-quality education. Dr. Friedman is also a Founding Partner of Moorestown Eye Associates, a recognized media consultant, and one of the nation’s fe...

Andrew Davis is a Commercial Placement Broker and Account Manager at Wilson M. Beck Insurance Services Alberta, a boutique insurance brokerage specializing in customized insurance solutions for commercial clients across Canada. He brings extensive experience in policy placement, risk management, and client service, with a growing focus on supporting optometry practices. Andrew helps business owners navigate complex insurance requirements, identify coverage gaps, and find cost-effective solutions. He focuses on making insurance clear and manageable so optometrists can concentrate on patient care and growing the practice.

In this episode…

Running a successful optometry practice means balancing pa...

Kate Virzi is the Director of Sales & Client Success at Marketing4ECPs, a digital marketing agency that helps eye care professionals grow their practices. With over 15 years of experience in sales, advertising, and client strategy, Kate has extensive expertise in helping businesses grow. She leads initiatives focused on driving patient acquisition, strengthening brands, and increasing revenue across North America. Dedicated to building long-term, value-driven relationships, she works closely with clients to create strategies that deliver measurable results.

In this episode…

Marketing in optometry is evolving faster than ever, from traditional ads to digital platforms that me...

Dennis Evans Jr. is the Director of Professional Relations at DryEye Rescue, a company that helps eye care providers expand their dry eye services and supply doctor-recommended products. He leads provider development and practice implementation initiatives to support doctors in boosting patient compliance and revenue. Under his guidance, DryEye Rescue offers turnkey solutions like kiosk displays, product referral systems, and drop-shipping to simplify in-office sales. Dennis also works on partnerships and marketing programs to funnel patients into local providers.

In this episode…

Dry eye disease is one of the most common yet misunderstood challenges in op...

Kevin Wilhelm is the CEO of Cleinman Performance Partners, a consulting firm that helps optometry practices grow their business operations and drive performance. He also co-founded POD Marketing, which acquired Cleinman in 2025. In his role, he sets the firm’s strategic vision and oversees all consulting, HR, and practice transition services to help independent optometry practices grow. He is an Amazon best-selling author of Click: Transform Your Business Through Digital Marketing. Additionally, Kevin frequently speaks on entrepreneurship and the power of combining marketing strategy with strong business systems.

In this episode…

Running a successful optometry pract...

Sarah Vinson is the Owner and CEO of Lunette USA, a woman-owned company that imports and distributes luxury eyewear exclusively to independent optical boutiques across the US. She emphasizes building genuine partnerships with these independent opticians and helping them distinguish their practices. Sarah brings considerable experience in small-business operations to her leadership role. Under her direction, Lunette USA curates exclusive frames and supports its partners with competitive pricing, bespoke service, and designs not widely available locally.

In this episode…

Building loyalty in optometry means more than just offering quality eye exams. Practices must find ways to...

Amanda Van Voris is the Senior Director of Client Solutions at Cleinman Performance Partners, a consulting firm that helps independent optometry practices grow through strategic, operational, and people-focused support. With over 20 years of experience, she leads her team in delivering solutions in areas like finance, systems, and organizational effectiveness to help clients achieve both large-scale growth and incremental improvements.

In this episode…

Growth is the dream of every independent practice owner, but the path to achieving it is rarely straightforward. From navigating financial hurdles to managing teams and creating systems that actually work, the challenges ca...

Optometrist and former Practice Owner, Dr. Patrick Wellick of Apple Valley Eye Care in Apple Valley, MN, discusses his private equity practice divestiture journey and how he overcame a serious setback during the process. Practice owners will get great advice and tips on planning a successful exit.

Practice Administrator Sherri Kelly of Crystal Vision Clinic in Crystal, MN discusses how she and the Practice Owner, Dr. Chase Endres approached growing revenue by enhancing practice efficiencies and broadening their team’s financial literacy while maintaining exceptional patient care.

Dr. Dori Carlson, owner and optometrist at Heartland Eye Care, P.C. in North Dakota talks about the unique challenges and rewards of providing eyecare to elderly patients and shares strategies for optimizing optometry practice efficiency.

Dr. Dwight Barnes, co-owner and optometrist at Cary Family Eye Care in Cary, North Carolina shares his leadership journey and the important lessons he learned. Listen to hone your leadership skills.

Dr. Melanie Weiss, owner and optometrist at Weiss Eyecare Clinic in Watertown, SD reveals her in-depth strategies for establishing a successful dry eye clinic utilizing Intense Pulse Light (IPL) and Radio Frequency (RF) treatments. Learn the secrets to success!

Cleinman Performance Partners’ Senior Director of Client Solutions, Amanda Van Voris weighs in on best practices for finding, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding the right people to join your private optometry practice team. This episode is filled with proven success methods.

Michelle Devito Marinello, Attorney and Partner at Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP, discusses the top 5 common legal issues faced by private optometry practice owners and how to avoid them.

Join us as Dr. Billy McMillin of McMillin Eyecare in Kingsport, TN, shares his journey from Associate Doctor to partner, and ultimately, owner of his own practice. He offers valuable strategies and insights into succession planning to help ensure a seamless transition for any practice.

Our guest, optometry practice co-owner, manager, and veteran optician, Kari Whitehorne, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, shares her tried-and-true strategies that lead to second and multiple pairs of eyewear sales. You’ll walk away with real solutions to put into action right away!

Listen for exclusive tips as Dr. Dora Adamopoulos, President and Founder of Eye2Eye Optometry Corner and SomaSou MedSpa in Alexandria, VA details how she developed a very successful business featuring aesthetic services to enhance her private optometry practice.

Listen for great tips to improve your private optometry practice revenue! Guest Heidi Cass, operations manager for a two-location practice, Reed Optical in NH, reveals her successful methods for getting the most for a practice from frame and lens sales representatives.

Listen for great tips on incorporating luxury eyewear into an optometry practice from Dr. Joelle Zagury in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She’ll share how she reached her luxury retail success quickly and how other practices can too.

In this episode, Dr. Robert Goerss and his manager, Josh Lefholz, from Tomasino Goerss Vision Source in O’Fallon, MO, share their journey of overcoming a staffing crisis and rebuilding their eyecare practice culture from the ground up.

For private optometry practice owners looking to break free from the limitations of vision plans and grow revenue, this episode features Dr. Kyle Ross of North Shore Eye Health and Wellness, who shares strategies for opting out of them and cultivating a thriving practice.

For an eyecare practice to grow, it’s essential to continuously find ways to motivate your team to foster that growth. Business partners Dr. Christine Hayes and Dr. Kimberly Brown at Wildwood Vision Specialists in Wildwood, MO, share their methods for successfully motivating their team.

Dr. Nathan Heilman, a practice owner in Northfield, Minnesota, shares his step-by-step journey to successfully integrating a long-term Associate Optometrist into his practice.

Learn how Dr. Michael Feeser and practice manager Angela Feeser of Feeser Eye Care in Odessa, TX tackled staffing challenges by hiring virtual assistants for their independent optometry practice. Discover the challenges, benefits, and insights gained.

Guests Dr. Joshua Woodland and Dr. Corey Kelly, optometrists and business partners at the Woodland Eye Clinics in Iowa discuss how essential benchmarking has become in their eyecare practice and how they effectively developed a system across their three locations.

Dr. Melissa McCulley, optometrist and owner of McCulley Optix Gallery in West Fargo, ND talks about what she and her team experienced during and following the move of their practice into new construction. You'll learn about the process, potential issues, and tips to make it easier.

Dr. Reed Jarvis, owner of Jarvis Vision Center in Murray, KY, shares his journey from becoming a practice owner right out of optometry school to running a high-performing eyecare practice, highlighting lessons learned along the way. 

Dr. Andy Howard and Dr. Liz Howard, former optometry practice owners in Jacksboro, Tennessee, discuss their exit journey and share how they ensured a smooth transition into retirement.

Optical Director Heidi Brooke and Optometric Technician Director Shelby Oster of River Valley Eye Professionals in Northfield, MN, share their ideas on creating a positive practice culture within their optometry practice to foster a desirable working environment and retain staff.

Clinic Operations Manager Brittany Codrington and Optical Manager Jason Barret from Eyes on Sheppard in North York, Ontario, discuss how they collaborated with OD/Owner Dr. Kerry Salsberg to create a positive work culture at their practice, highlighting the key ingredients involved.

Dr. Kim Skyles and Dr. Jeff Binstock, a young married couple and owners of Redmond Eye Clinic in Washington, have had an adventurous journey developing their optometry practice. They openly share their experiences, including taking bold risks that ultimately paid off.

Doctor of Optometry, Dr. Pamela Brown of Chili Vision Group in Rochester, NY speaks on adopting DigitalOptometrics technology to conduct virtual eye exams at her practice. She details the entire process, including her unique ways of utilizing this technology and the financial impact on her practice. 

Dr. Anthony Smith, Optometrist and Owner of Jonesville Eye Care in Jonesville, MI speaks candidly about how he was able to rebuild his practice after losing it to a devastating fire in 2018. Listen in as Dr. Smith shares his incredible journey since that blaze.

Dr. Pamela Brown of Chili Vision Group in Rochester, NY, discusses her experiences with adding Neurolens prism lens technology to Chili Vision Group and the impact it had on her optometry practice. Learn how she utilized it to enhance patient care and practice growth.

Jenna Gilbertson, Office Manager at McCulley Optix Gallery in West Fargo, North Dakota speaks with Leslie Parmerter of Optometry consulting firm, Cleinman Performance Partners about transitioning that eye care practice into a much larger space and what that journey entailed.

The post A Bigger Optometric Practice Space Means Growth Opportunities! appeared first on Cleinman Performance Partners.