Eyetrepreneur
Eye care professionals and wizards of the eye industry discuss business, innovation, tech, marketing, glasses, contact lenses, clinical info, and hot topics to make businesses thrive in the opportunistic market we operate in. Learn new skills and adopt new ideas to implement in your workplace today to stay 5 years ahead of the competition.
See to Learn (FREE exams for kids!)
See To Learn was developed by the Eye Care Council as a preventive program to help make sure every child’s early education is unaffected by vision problems. Through See To Learn, parents can schedule a FREE vision assessment for their 3-year-old child in a participating optometrist's office.
seetolearn.com
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Ideas 41-50, practice improvement tips
Ideas 41-50 on improving your practice with actions now.
Be adamant about collecting patient emails.Utilize MailChimp or other email apps to do monthly mail blasts. Put your credit cards on autopay Don't offer half down payment on eyewear initially. Avoid staff overtime abuse. Overtime is okay if there's a reason for it, but not just to milk the clock.Throw away those crusty old magazines nobody readsKeep your pharmaceutical samples stocked. Don't waste money on branded company pens. Clean the nasty forehead grease and makeup offInvite your friends to this group for more tips!Text 913-349-5436...
Corporate OD tips to open a private practice
Interview of Perry by Dr. Maria Sampalis of Corporate Optometry Facebook group.
Many young ODs start in corporate optometry and learn so much, some will continue to grow within a sublease opportunity while others use it as a starting point to open a private practice. Listen in to learn how to start a successful optical, how to purchase frames and make lens selections in your practice to maximize profits without seeing so many patients per day!
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Text Perry at 913-349-5436 for anything eyecare.
Stop Doing Bookkeeping Yourself
Optometrist Wade Weisz, former private practice owner, started For Eyes Bookkeeping to help optometrists relieve themselves of the dreaded task. Learn why outsourcing can be cheaper, get a better ROI, and set up your business of for success with clean financial reporting.
It’s time to stop relying on an overworked staff member, an ill-trained part-timer, an expensive full-time employee, or, worst of all — yourself — for these important duties. Your resources are better spent seeing patients, growing your practice, and making the right business decisions.
Contact wade@foreyesbookkeeping.com
Learn about Opti-Xpre...
Real Estate: Lease, build or buy your practice location?
Dr. Brill leased his 1st office space in 1983. He eventually expanded the footprint and then started building his real-estate dream in 2003.
When a professional practice is combined with earning income from tenants, long-term wealth can be built. Learn how he went through the decision-making process to build a building, how he got a loan, the troubles he encountered with bad tenants, and other risky decisions.
PracticePal: Relieve Vision Plan Problems
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Corporate Optometry Facts, Fiction, & Knowledge
Interview with Dr. Maria Sampalis who's an influential corporate optometry leader. She famously created the Corporate Optometry Facebook group to give these docs and staff members a voice.
Given the choice of commercial or private, all things the same with salary and everything else, why should any OD choose corporate?Do corporate docs feel this is another form of private practice?Does practicing in a corporate setting change the morals of the optometrists in terms of how they provide care (customer vs patient)?Can someone who has worked in a commercial setting for 10 years make the transition from a tr...Ideas 31-40, practice improvement tips
Ideas 31-40 actionable items to improve your practice today:
Clean the outside windows to your office. It's a direct reflection of cleanliness. Hire someone; your time is more valuable in the lane.Employ a shredding service for PHI documents. They come monthly for a reasonable fee.Utilize an app like Dext to take pics of business receipts for purchases to store for tax purposes, audits, good bookkeeping, etc. It reads the text and categorizes purchases.Utilize a service like Compliancy Group for HIPAA compliance. I know, feels like a waste of money for this shit, but HIPAA has...Ideas 21-30, practice improvement tips
Ideas 21-30 actionable items to improve your practice today:
Dust your dusty optical shelves and rods. Patients notice.Don't bank on your old ass OCT or other equipment to last forever. Replace before you are in deep shit.Time your computers to timeout and lock. It's a privacy hazard leaving computers open to the public.Does your lab suck and frustrate you? Switch, don't be lazy. They likely won't even notice if they are shitty.Comanage your multifocal cataract referrals. The dollars add up.Comanage your LASIK referrals...many pay $800+Help staff or co-workers get their 1st credit...Subscription Wholesale Eyewear for Your Practice
Learn how a monthly payment of $179 can get you access to 80 quality frames in your office and complete Rx pairs easily made.
Eyewear package pricing creates affordability and pricing transparency in your office. Not everybody cares to spend $300 - $800 and be confused by add-on pricing.
Optical-X has developed a wholesale subscription eyewear program where you have ZERO inventory costs. This allows you to maintain office cash flow and provide patients with competitive pricing for private-pay patients, those tempted to shop online or hit up your nearest chain eyecare retailer.
info@optical-x.com
...
Ideas 11-20, practice improvement tips
Ideas 11-20, actionable items to improve your practice today. Perry's off-the-cuff recommendations.
Update your outside building signage. LED sign makes the difference. Old signs = old crappy businessFire your complaining staff member...they suck the energy out of everyone.Consult ABB Contact Lens Monitor publication to determine if your CL prices are too low.Clean your carpet at least bi-annually! Hire a pro.Outsource your insurance billing....for $40,000+ dollars a company can do it better and cheaper.Consider selling to private equity if your practice is $850,000 + in gross charges...don't be stupid, at least check the value before saying N...Ideas 1-10, practice improvement ASAP
10 actionable items to improve your practice today. Perry's off-the-cuff recommendations.
Clear the clutter off the front desk (looks matter)Consider charging $25 for frame/lens warranties to cover staff labor and shipping. 100 warranties a year could be $2500 in recovered revenue.Drink more water. We're all dehydrated.Assess if your EHR data is backed up to 2 different off-site locations.Drop your lowest paying medical plan if your schedule is fullGet all opticians business cards and work emailsLearn how to use a scribe in the exam roomBring in a frame line that's $100 more expensive than your most expensive line. Don't prejudge y...SpiltMilk Eyewear: Hot New Humorous Brand
There's lots of funky eyewear in the market. SpiltMilk is a new NYC brand that brings humor and laughter to eyewear design. Hear the story from start to finish of how the brand was created. Eyewear is very serious and this company just makes you laugh.
Co-founder Judge Khanna gives you all the secrets about how he budded into the competitive market and why you should consider selling this indie line.
Contact SpiltMilk Eyewear
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2 NYC Docs Make $19 Wholesale Frames
Vernon Gantry was created 5 years ago by NYC doctors Scott Tisdale and Pauline Leong, both of who co-own a private practice together in Long Island City. Warby Parker infiltrated the NYC market hard at one time and they went on a mission to create a safety net around their optical sales.
Learn about $19 wholesale frames you can sell in your office for 5-10x markup and why wholesale brands may be ripping you off.
By eliminating the sales reps, licensing fees and advertising costs that are often employed by traditional eyewear companies, they are able t...
Audio Glasses For Music & More
We've heard the hype about smart eyewear for a long time, but the products are READY! We talk with Harrison Gross, the CEO of Lucyd Eyewear about an audio glasses product this is Rx-able and also available for wholesale at ECP offices.
The e-glasses enable wearers to seamlessly play music, take phone calls and chat with their phone's assistant while keeping their ears free and clear; a true co-connected experience via strategic open-ear technology.
Buy Lucyd Eyewear wholesale here!
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Basics of Investing Money and Creating Wealth
Optometrists generate 6 figures of income. What's more important than a salary is how you put that money to work to generate more personal or business wealth. Dr. Aaron Neufeld co-founded a Facebook group called ODsonFinance to teach, mentor, and open up financial conversations with other optometrists.
Learn the basics of investing in the stock market, what is cryptocurrency, and how to plan for financial freedom now and in the future.
Inquire about online forms
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Bookkeeping 101 for Private Practice
Having accurate and up-to-date bookkeeping is peace of mind! But, do you have time for it, and can you understand the data? Is your profit and loss statement always current and bills paid on time?
We talk to a professional and certified bookkeeper about why eyecare private practices should ditch the in-house bookkeeper and opt for a pro. Your resources are better spent seeing patients, growing your practice, and making the right business decisions.
Talk to a bookkeeper now!
Get your FREE Vernon Gantry frame.
Out-Of-Network Medical Reimbursement for Patients
Filing out-of-network health insurance claims should not be so hard for patients, right? But it is.
Using a mobile phone app called Reimbursify, you can help your patients get quick and easy OON reimbursements. Save time, money and the administrative hassle of helping your patients file their claims and give them the confidence that they will get the correct reimbursements for your office visits.
Vatsal Thakkar, MD developed the idea for the app as he saw many OON patients in his private practice in NYC. Patients wanted to see him but found the paperwork process...
How to Outsource Administrative Tasks
You probably feel like a task rabbit many times just checking off the to-do list and never really getting to the meat of your projects and workweek. Small business owners (and big) many times have trouble delegating. We feel we are the person for the job and can get it done quicker and better. However, it's important we learn how to outsource small things in life.
You will learn how to hire a "virtual assistant" who you can teach to do almost any task that involves a computer and a phone. We're talking with the CEO of Un...
Dr. Brill Interview | Dry Eye Diagnosis and Treatment
Did you know there's a Facebook group called Dry Eye Syndrome Support Community with over 14,000 members from across the world that advise patients on diagnosis, treatment, and mental support?
Dr. Brill is religious in this community about participating and providing his professional medical advice. Many of these patients do not have access to quality dry eye care and are faced with self-diagnose and treat themselves. Dr. Brill shares his philosophy and approach to advanced dry eye care.
Dr. Travis Zigler along Dr. Jenna Zigler run this community and work hard to spread awareness of proper...
Made in USA Eyewear & Chemistrie Clips
USA made frames! There are a few companies doing this already, but Eyenavision in Pittsburgh, PA just launched their factory. Joe Zewe, the CEO, tells you how to buy their new brand of frames called Northpoint and soon build your own USA-made frame line for your office in small easy-to-buy quantities.
Joe goes through the whole story of coming up with the concept and also putting it into execution.
You will also hear about Chemistrie Clips, which are magnetic sun and reader clips custom made for frames. You will learn how they were invented and...
Achieving a 6x markup on eyewear
What's the easiest way to make more money in optical? NO, it's not to increase the volume of eyewear sold. That's going to take a skilled sales-based optician.
It's much easier to source OVERSTOCK eyewear and instead of the usual 3x markup, you can achieve 6x or more.
The reason Warby Parker, Vision Works, Stanton, and Costco are powerhouses, is because they have low costs of goods because they buy in bulk. Small optical locations like ours can't buy 50,000 pairs of frames at once.
This is why you need a source for affordable high...
Returning eyewear costs you money
We have been brained when a frame rep visits our offices, we are forced to return the "old" eyewear that will be discontinued. The rep comes in quarterly and writes us an RA form and we ship the discontinued frames back for credit.
This act of returns is really really bad for everybody! Eyewear has to be priced higher by frame manufacturers so they can give you the ability to do returns.
Discontinued frames are NOT BAD. That's all in your head. Learn how to NOT return frames and create profits in your office and g...
Your Brand Eyewear (private label)
Mark Graham, CEO of Your Brand Eyewear, has built a company around the seamless creation of eyewear brands for the independent ECP office. They allow low-quantity orders of frames, logo creation, easy color selection, and more straight to your office door within about 27 days.
It's really hard to make optical profits today selling brand names and relying on lousy 3x margins. Many opticals are opting to create their own brand via private label frame companies.
Resources:
https://yourbrandeyewear.com/
Click To Join Perry's Eyewear Garden Text Message Buying Club
G...
Creating a YouTube Channel and Video Content
Video content rules the internet. However, most eyecare businesses, both clinics and wholesalers, rarely put out any video. Being a video content creator in your professional business does not mean you have to do silly TikTok dances or be a good editor, you just need to spend some time actually doing it.
Dr. Joey Allen, host of the Doctor Eye Health channel on YouTube has over 340,000 subscribers where the public goes to for really good and entertaining education.
You will learn:
Using YouTube to grow your clinic or businessUsing video to advertise your clinic on...Doc Fill-In App | Uber For Optometry
Serial optometrist entrepreneur Ali Khoshnevis does it again by developing a website and app that helps optometrist find fill-in coverage. No more are the days of posting things on Facebook and emailing your local society for help.
ClinicCover is a technology-enabled service that connects Eye Care Professionals (ECPs) with Eye Care Businesses (ECBs) that aim to hire doctors for short-term patient care opportunities, particularly for single-day patient care.
There are many uses of ClinicCover technology. Whether you want to take a vacation or get in a backlog of patients to produce more revenue, the choice...
Perry Gives Cooking Tips
Perry has always loved cooking...so, we're taking a 1-week break to speak with his best friend Erika and master Chef about how to be badass cook in the kitchen and the importance of salt in your food. (YOU WILL LAUGH YOUR PANTS OFF).
Salt is a mainstay in every kitchen you've ever been in. From your grandma Felicia's kitchen to your favorite French bistro down the street with that cute chef. Ever wonder why? Salt not only helps to balance tastes and flavors (on a scientific level, sup Bill Nye), but it brings out each ingredient's...
6 Eyewear Company's Formula For Success
Stop being a sheep and following the optical herd buying the same branded frames every other office has. Learn how to grow your optical profits by selling indie eyewear.
You will hear from 6 eyewear brands: Kala, Ziena/7Eye, Gazal, Swissflex, Tempo, and Article One. They will share how they got started, how they made their product, and what ECPs need to do to be successful today.
Learn how frames go from pencil sketch to a physical productHow to train staff to sell non-branded productHow to market yourself as that office that sells niche productWhat makes indie p...Online Forms, Scheduler, Payments and Other Contactless Solutions
Our dedicated front desk team members really have it hard. So much stupid paperwork, typing, and just crap. Why not automate some of this?
Learn how the new start-up Opti-Xpres is adding customization to your office's patient communication system that can replace Weave, Solution Reach, Prime Nexus, 4PatientCare, Demand Fore and more.
Stop using LAME "appointment request" functions and get a real online scheduler that feeds into your EHR.
Stop using LAME "online forms" where the front desk has to retype. Get ones that feed into your EHR.
Comply with the NE...
Doctor Referral Networks
Start receiving and tracking referrals through a secure, HIPAA-compliant web portal. Introducing The Chiasm! No more chasing paperwork!
Save staff time by eliminating phone calls, faxes and preventing undeliverable faxes or unanswered phone calls. The system provides a simple and quick way of managing referrals by receiving instant appointment times for your patient. It also tracks every step of the referral process, from canceled appointments to completed visits with detailed reports of clinical outcomes. Provide optimal health services to your patients and doctors in need of further clinical evaluation.
Get more info about The Chiasm
Automate Insurance Verificiation | Medical + Vision
Save hours a day from searching the web for patient vision and medical plan info.
See how ABB Verify’s intelligent software solution integrates with almost any EHR system, freeing you from tedious health and vision benefit verifications and authorizations.
Increase office visits with automated email/text alerts reminding patients about unused benefits.
CLICK TO SIGNUP FOR FEB 16TH WEBINAR
RFID Tech | Optical Inventory Management
Optical inventory is such a pain in the ass to do. In fact, most opticians and offices don't even bother doing it! It's time-consuming and frankly a very manual process.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is making optical inventory so much easier. It's the same tech used to get into hotel rooms or cars when you are nearby and holding a card / keyfob.
Just imagine being up to do an inventory of 1000 frames in 10 minutes by simply walking around waving a smartphone at frame displays and inventory being done rapidly fast! No pen, no paper, no exc...
Live Chat | Your Online Receptionist
You have an in-person receptionist, but do you have an online receptionist? It's the premier concierge experience your patients deserve. Listen as Ryan Hungate, DDS shares how he developed chat software for optometrists, dentists, and any doc that wants a great online experience to drive patients to your office.
Simplifeye is the first and only 24/7 Live HIPAA Compliant Web Chat. The live chat team are trained to qualify patients to YOUR specifications (insurance, procedures, products etc.). Patient appointment info is passed to practices via an end-to-end encrypted, HIPAA-secure portal.
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Increasing FSA / HSA Spending in Your Office
FSA / HSA dollars spent in your office can result in a significant end of your financial boost for your practice. How are you communicating to your patients via email, social, and in-person to make them aware they can spend dollars at your office on eyewear and other goods and services.
As you know, Flex Spending accounts expire making this a busy time of the year. Most plans expire on December 31st. Some extend into Q1, however, reminding patients this time of year maximizes your revenue. We're talking about tactics, tools, and communication methods to get spending to h...
How To Get Medical Refferals from MDs, Urgent Care, and others
Face it, most MDs think optometrists are quacks or just the person next to Walmart or Target doing glasses and contact lens eye exams. We all know that ALL optometrists have nearly the same schooling and are qualified to treat medically.
What happens is MDs refer to OMDs where the patient is typically seen by an OD for non-surgical stuff. It's time we get MD to OD direct referrals and we'll show you how with a proven formula of outreach and marketing.
Learn more at riseoptometry.com
Register for the December 10th webinar...
Optical E-Commerce for Optometrists and Opticians
In This Episode:
[2:39] Guests introduction.
[8:13] Optify
[18:43] Signing up with Optify.
[23:08] Fitting a patient virtually.
[26:02] Buying process and shipping.
[39:14] Preselecting the glasses.
Zocular Okra Product for Dry Eye Treatments
In This Episode:
[3:05] What is Zocular?
[12:29] Okra and polysaccharide.
[24:10] Supplies for irrigation.
[26:44] Zest procedure.
[30:59] Other products.
[41:53] Tea tree oil.
[45:56] Stocking products.
The Guest:
Peter A. Pham, MD
Dr. Pham is a chemist, entrepreneur, and practicing ophthalmologist in Houston. He received his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis after graduating summa cum laude with a degree in chemistry. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the Doheny Eye Institute in Los Angeles, and as a resident, co-developed the first online visual field t...
How Frames Are Made in Japan
You will learn:
--Difference between Chinese and Japanese acetate
--How frames are polished
--How to determine if a frame is good quality
--How Asian fit frames are made
--The manufacturing steps
--Why frames cost so much to make
--How to design your own collection
--What made in Japan means
--The different types of equipment used
Guest: Christopher Esposito
In This Episode:
[2:44] Guest Introduction.
[9:17] Workshop tour.
[11:38] Acetate production.
[28:34] The design software they use.<...
Credit cards, payroll, bookkeeping, insurance (fees fees fees)
In This Episode:
[8:08] Guest introduction.
[13:43] Credit card processing
[15:08] Tiered pricing.
[29:35] Reprogramming terminals.
[32:32] Chip vs Swipe fees.
[41:01] Background check.
[44:59] Payroll.
[52:17] Bookkeeping.
[01:05] Employee health insurance.
Tim Emerson
Tim has 28 years of experience in the financial service industry. He founded Emerson & Co. in June of 2006. His firm provides: Payroll, Merchant Services, and Insurance, working with public organizations and businesses to cut cost and provide efficiencies. Tim is currently a Deacon at Country Club Christian Church, President of Waldo Brookside Rotary Club in Kansas City, and a member of m...
Buy Now, Pay-Over-Time Technology
Discounting eyewear or any services is the best way to give profit away.
You essentially are apologizing for your prices when you offer 30% off. This sets a presidence for people to always expect a deal. We already make enough "phantom income" in eyecare with vision plans.
Change the way you offer payment options... Offer Sunbit payment plans. They are new to eyecare and give patients peace of mind with transparent application process and fees.
The best part! Scan state issued ID, and get application complete in nearly 30 seconds.
Webinar for more...
Make Your Practice More Profitable
In This Episode:
[2:24] Eyetrepreneur team introduction.
[6:05] The current state of private practice and profitability..
[21:13] Common bottleneck in the exam room and the optical when it comes to creating a profitable practice.
[44:56] Streamline check-in / check-out.
[47:08] Exam room hacks.
[52:44] Tweaker hack.
[56:34] Converting someone asking for prescription.
Resources:
Learn about Perry's consulting business at www.eyerockit.com
Perry's e-book: eyerockit.com/ebook
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