Episodes

3 Private Practice Lessons That Took Me 13 Years to Learn | E232 Highlights from this episode: 00:42 - 3 Private Practice Lessons That Took Me 13 Years to Learn 23:01 - Closing Thought: No Shoes The end of the year is a great time for reflection and as is said so often "hind sight is 20/20". Let me share some lessons that I have been learning the past 13 years but have really come into clarity the past few months. These are some big picture things that I hope will give some encouraging perspec...

3 Things That Should Be at the TOP of Your To-Do List For the Year End |E231 Highlights from this episode: 3 Things That Should Be at the TOP of Your To-Do List For the Year End (00:32) Closing Thought: F the Side Hustle! (13:36) As the year draws to a close I know as a practitioner, your to-do list is a mile long. However, there are 3 things that I believe you need to move to the very top of that list that are incredibly powerful in setting you up for success in the coming year. These are th...

3 Steps to Effective and Empathetic "Selling" | E230 Highlights from this episode: 3 Steps to Effective and Empathetic "Selling" (00:36) Closing Thought: You can Suck but you can't Skip! (17:38) "Selling" leaves a lot of people with a yucky taste in their mouths but once we realize the key to patient compliance is just that, a new level is unlocked! A good way to know if you actually believe in something is if you aren't scared of discussing the cost - because you believe that strongly that it ...

Reflections on Perception & Passion in Your Practice | E229 Highlights from this episode: Reflections on Perception & Passion in Your Practice (00:43) Closing Thought: Is it a "hell yes"? (19:12) In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am reflecting on all that we have to be thankful for in private practice and optometry as a profession. In this episode we are discussing some of the perceptions staff/patients/etc tend to have when you start making moves. While these perceptions may or may not be posit...

3 Perspective Shifts for Long Term Success | E228 Highlights from this episode: 3 Perspective Shifts for Long Term Success (00:57) Closing Thought: Have You Earned What You Deserve? (19:04) I am just coming back from a week spent with my P3 Mastermind group in Nashville and I have gained some incredible perspective on what the future holds for not only our industry but my journey as well. Being in a room with people that are doing what I plan to do was an invaluable experience and has given me ...

4 Steps to Creating Lasting Connections in Your Practice | E227 Highlights from this episode: 4 Steps to Creating Lasting Connections in Your Practice (00:36) Closing Thought: A man can never step in the same river twice (21:06) A successful business is all about relationships and connections. It is even more relevant to our profession. You not only need to connect with your patients, but with your entire team. These are 4 steps that I've utilized to help me cultivate a dedicated patient base ...

Key Leadership Principles You NEED to Build a Great Team | E226 Highlights of this episode: Key Leadership Principles You NEED to Build a Great Team (00:11) Closing Thought: You can lead a horse to water (20:14) Looking back at my externship with Dr. Martin Carroll over 13 years ago, I can see the genius in how he operated and led his team. I have tried to implement some of these in my own practice and though I still have much work to do, I can see the fruits of these principles already worki...

Learning the Art of Solving Problems in Private Practice | E255 Highlights from this episode: Learning the Art of Solving Problems in Private Practice (00:31) Closing Thought: Now is not Forever (15:37) There is inherent risk in ownership. Then, growth requires you to up your risk tolerance even more (ie. no risk, no reward). That's where a good business owner needs to have discipline. Managing the risk is crucial. If you are constantly chasing the next opportunity - which are going to come wi...

Top 4 Factors Contributing to My Growth the Past 2 Years | E224 Highlights from this episode: Top 4 Factors Contributing to My Growth the Past 2 Years (00:36) Closing Thought: Everyone Wants the View, No One Wants the Climb (16:08) An extreme amount of growth has happened for both my practice and myself personally the past few years and while I believe there are many things that have contributed to it, I have 4 that stick out as having the biggest impact on my trajectory. Had I known or learn...

The Secret to Achieving BIG Goals in Private Practice | E233 Highlights from this episode: The Secret to Achieving BIG Goals in Private Practice (00:42) Closing Thought: The easiest part of private practice (18:39) 2024 has been a big year for my practice! In light of the recent milestones we've hit (new location, adding a doctor, etc.), I thought I would take us back to where this vision was born back in 2022. That was the year I sat down and created my BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal) for 1...

Moving Locations Recap: Stress & Success | E222 Highlights from this episode: Moving Locations Recap: Stresses & Successes (00:42) Closing Thought: Stacking Rice (19:21) It has been a busy week, my friends! In this episode I give you the play by play on how our moving week went with our practice. We are a few days in to a packed schedule week and I'm happy to be a case study and share my story of how it's going/where my mind is at. If you want to see how the new office turned out, take a look...

Are You Stuck in Textbook Mode? It's Time to Get in the Arena! | E212 Highlights from this episode: Are You Stuck in Textbook Mode? It's Time to Get in the Arena! (00:40) Burst the Bubble! (14:11) In this episode we are talking about taking the next step in our practices. Whether that is adding a specialty, building a new location, or entering private practice for the first time, it's time to get in the arena. Let my experience be an encouragement! It's time for those goals and aspirations to b...

From Struggle to Success, the Journey of Leveling Up My Practice | E220 Highlights from this episode: 00:46 - From Struggle to Success, the Journey of Leveling Up My Practice 18:39 - Closing Thought: Our Circumstances Shape Our Views We are one week away from moving into our new office and let me tell you, it has been a whirlwind! In this episode we are talking about the perspective shifts that had to happen to get to this point - to take the leap and just get on the rollercoaster. Join in the...

3 Things You Need to Manage as the Head Coach of Your Practice | E219 Highlights fom this episode: 3 Things You Need to Manage as the Head Coach of Your Practice (00:32) Closing Thought: Should Have Wanted More Quote (19:23) For all intents and purposes, as the CEO's of our practices, we are basically the "head coach". It's our job to manage our staff, our patients, and our business. To do that we have 3 levers we can pull: people, culture, and numbers. Listen to find out how all these things...

How to Spot Growth and Maintain Momentum During Difficult Seasons | E218 Highlights from this episode: How to Spot Growth and Maintain Momentum During Difficult Seasons (00:46) Closing Thought: The World is Better When People Try to Improve (16:54) If you've listened to this podcast for any amount of time you'll know it's no secret that things are not always easy. In fact a lot of things are difficult and if you aren't focusing on the right thing, that can and will burn you out. In this episod...

My Secrets to Maintaining Energy for My Practice & Avoiding Burnout | E217 Highlights from this episode: My Secrets to Maintaining Energy for My Practice & Avoiding Burnout (00:36) Closing Thought: Removing Yourself From the Emotion (16:39) What we do for our professional can be a grind for some people. We do the same thing day in and day out and then a new year hits and we start all over again. Over the years I have found some amazing ways to help refresh, refocus, and get juiced up for the ...

Emotions 101: How to Capitalize on Pain and Discomfort in Your Practice | E216 Highlights from this episode: Emotions 101: How to Capitalize on Pain and Discomfort in Your Practice (00:27) Closing Thought: Make the most of this moment (17:09) Emotions are powerful things. They can take you to great heights or drop you to great depths. In private practice we definitely experience the extreme highs and lows of this rollercoaster. The skill we need to master however is to make those lows (pain an...

Growth & Obstacles: How to Manage the Chaos of Private Practice | E215 Highlights from this episode: Growth & Obstacles: How to Manage the Chaos of Private Practice (00:45) Closing Thought: You'll Always Wish You Started Younger (20:53) Just as in any other business, private practice experiences seasons of "ease" and "chaos". We are currently in the "chaos" season in our practice. While we are bursting at the seams with a bigger location on the very near horizon, we are also dealing with the a...

How to Figure Out if Your Staff is Overworked or Just Doesn't Care, And What To Do About It | E214 Highlights from this episode: How to Figure Out if Your Staff is Overworked or Just Doesn't Care, And What To Do About It (00:52) Closing Thought: Don't get stuck in the wrong room (16:05) Staffing is a never ending project within a practice. We have had to replace several staff members over the last few months and obviously there's a learning curve with new hires and they are going to make many...

Quick Hitter: 3 Reasons to Love Being a Business Owner - E213 Highlights from this episode: Quick Hitter: 3 Reasons to Love Being a Business Owner (00:37) Closing Thought: Consistency (16:52) I was recently asked what I loved about being a business owner. There are 3 big reasons for me that relate back to my sports background growing up. This is an often overlooked aspect of being in private practice but I believe it's one of the greatest sources of growth and development. Join in the conver...

Quick Hitter: How to Turn This Dirty Word into Your Practice's Super Power! - E212 Highlights from this episode: Quick Hitter: How to Turn This Dirty Word into Your Practice's Super Power (00:33) Closing Thought: Embarrassment is the Price of Entry (12:21) OD's tend to cringe at the the word "sales". As much hate as it gets, when you boil it down, it really is just communication. Your ability to be a great doctor depends on you being able to communicate with a patient: explain your findings, ...

Quick Hitter: The One Mistake that Will Change the Trajectory of Your Practice - E211 Highlights from this episode: Quick Hitter: The One Mistake that Will Change the Trajectory of Your Practice (00:37) Closing Thought: A Higher Calling (20:02) There is one thing that can cause your practice to either sink into the depths of despair or catapult into the stratosphere: the story you tell yourself. This is true for not only your practice but life in general. You want to go places and do big thin...

Quick Hitter: How to Not Let a Bad Situation Go To Waste - E210 Highlights from this episode: Quick Hitter: How to Not Let a Bad Situation Go To Waste (00:44) Closing Thought: The Magic Pill is in the Work You're Trying To Avoid (17:02) As private practice owners, there are going to be times when the crap hits the fan and things go sideways. It could be issues with your lab, being short staffed, your frame vendors aren't getting things to you, etc. The trick to not only surviving these issues ...

Quick Hitter: Customer Service vs. Hospitality - E209 Highlights from this episode: Quick Hitter: Customer Service vs. Hospitality (00:39) Closing Thought: What would you tell your 20 year old self? (18:30) The term "customer service" carries a lot of weight in business. Everyone claims to have it but few actually do. Today we are talking about the difference between that and hospitality and what we should take from each to be better doctors and practice owners. Join in the conversation and s...