What if you could tap into the strategies behind billions in business growth? Jay has worked with titans like Daymond John and Tony Robbins, and now world-renowned business strategist Jay Abraham is ready to help you. Join Eugene Shatsman on The Power Hour for Jay's insider secrets on explosive growth.     If you're ready to unlock the secrets of explosive business growth, this episode is unmissable!  Business legend Jay Abraham joins Eugene Shatsman on The Power Hour Podcast, spilling decades of wisdom on maximizing profits, dominating your niche, and building an unstoppable business machine.  Jay's clients include titans of industry, and now he's ready to share his proven methods with you. Get ready to discover how strategic risk, calculated expansions, and laser-focused client service can transform your results.     In this episode: - Three core strategies for sustainable business growth - Advanced tactics to find hidden opportunities - The importance of testing and data-driven decision making - Building a powerful referral system - Leveraging partnerships for maximum impact   About Jay Abraham Jay Abraham is the founder and CEO of The Abraham Group, Inc., based in Los Angeles, California. He has helped over 10,000 clients in more than 1,000 industries and over 7,200 to increase their bottom lines.    Jay focuses on helping business owners to solve complex problems, identify overlooked opportunities, and revive underperforming businesses. He has been featured in many publications, including the Investor Business Daily, Forbes Magazine, USA Today, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and many others.   Connect with Jay Abraham: Website - https://www.abraham.com/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/realjayabraham/  YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/abrahamadvantage  Connect with Eugene Shatsman: Website - https://powerpractice.com/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nationalstrategic/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/24792139/   

What exactly does the Vision Council do, and how can it help your practice thrive in the future? Join your host, Eugene Shatsman, on the Power Hour Podcast for an exclusive interview with Ashley Mills, CEO of the Vision Council, and Alysse Henkel, VP of Insights & Research. Gain actionable insights from over 60 million patient transactions and data points to make data-driven decisions for your practice's future. Learn how the Vision Council Advantage fuels industry growth with advocacy in action, education, and free marketing resources.   Unveiling the Future in Orlando: Discover why Orlando is the perfect destination for the next chapter of Vision Expo (and what to expect from the enhanced 2025 show).   Technology, Data, & Smart Eyewear: Gain actionable tips on integrating cutting-edge technology, leveraging valuable data to navigate the evolving landscape of optometry, and exploring the latest smart eyewear innovations that can improve patient care and give your practice a competitive edge. Tune in and get ready to be informed, inspired, and empowered!   In this episode: - Optical innovations and Vision Expo’s move to Orlando for 2025 - Myopia management data and trends  - Statistics on online versus in-person eyewear purchases - Data on current consumer trends in the optical industry  - The untapped potential in optical practices     Connect with Ashley Mills: Ashley Mills is the Chief Executive Officer of the Vision Council. She has served the Council as the Director of Marketing and Shows (2003-2006) and the Vice President of Trade Shows and Meetings since 2016. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-a-mills  Connect with Alysse Henkel: Alysse Henkel serves the Vision Council as the Vice President of Research and Insights. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssehenkel  Connect with Eugene Shatsman: Website - https://powerpractice.com/ and https://www.nationalstrategic.com/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugeneshatsman

Be among the 5 lucky listeners to get a FREE Practice Profitability Audit ($2400 value).Join the conversation on www.powerpractice.com/power-hour and scroll to the bottom to request a FREE audit. Dr. Gary Gerber, the founder of The Power Practice, returns in season 12 to help announce new host, Eugene Shatsman.   The two further cement The Power Hour’s commitment to maximize impact on listeners and their practices by featuring conversations inside and outside the optometric industry, highlighting exclusive insights and data, and creating panel discussions around relevant industry topics.   Gary also shares insights from his extensive experience in optometry, including the importance of taking calculated risks, investing in people, and viewing patients as lifetime assets.   He also emphasizes the need for continuous learning, innovation, and embracing technology to enhance patient care and practice growth.   The conversation delves deep into myopia management, patient education, and engagement through current technology and social platforms. If you are looking for practical ways to scale your optometry practice, this episode is for you.   In this episode: - A look back at the Power Hour Podcast - The evolution of optometry - Improving myopia management - Enhancing patient care, experience, and engagement - Leveraging technology and social media in eye care - The importance of investing in staff - Effective communication and customer retention - Improving conversions for high-price eye care services     Connect with Gary Gerber: Websites - https://treehouseeyes.com/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockyourmind  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ThePowerPractice/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/powerpractice/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/poweryourdream    Connect with Eugene Shatsman: Website - https://www.nationalstrategic.com/vision-industry/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nationalstrategic/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/24792139/ https://powerpractice.com/

How do you define success for your business? Are you making time to balance your work with personal fulfillment, or are you stuck in the cycle of chasing endless profits?  In this episode, Bethany is joined by Ali Nasser, founder and CEO of AltruVista wealth planning firm, entrepreneur, and author of the best-selling book “The Business Owner’s Dilemma” for a conversation on how to truly define success.  Together they discuss an often-overlooked aspect of entrepreneurship: the relentless pursuit of financial gains at the expense of personal fulfillment. Speaking from his wealth professional expertise, Ali emphasizes the importance of measuring success by the concept of ROLE — “Return on Life Experience” — rather than solely on financial metrics.  Nasser shares insights from his professional encounters with business owners who achieved financial success but struggled with personal issues like identity, relationships, and health. He suggests that business owners should focus on what truly matters to them, such as time management, relationships, and personal growth, rather than solely on financial gains.  If you find yourself winning at business but struggling to find purpose outside of work, tune in to this episode to learn more about how to find the right balance for your life experiences!

In this episode, join Bethany as she gives some expert insight into the confusing and complex topic of creating a successful cold start practice. Drawing on over two decades of experience, including cold starting her own practice and guiding numerous other doctors in their cold start journeys, she offers invaluable insights into effective strategies and common pitfalls. Bethany cautions against the allure of equipping a new practice with the latest gadgets and technologies from the outset. Instead, she emphasizes the importance of cultivating a solid, dependable patient base with basic needs, and progressively enhancing technological resources and treatment capabilities as the practice flourishes. It's also important to have the right motivation and acquire the necessary business skills for success, similar to optometry training. Bethany advises practice owners to be easy to do business with, deliver an exceptional patient experience, and start out with good habits and solid business practices from the beginning.  Embarking on a cold start practice can be a remarkable opportunity for professional growth. Tune in to this episode to discover the most effective approaches to achieving the success and work-life balance you've always envisioned, while avoiding the common errors associated with this challenging yet rewarding endeavor.  

Is an MBA your golden ticket to career advancement, or is there a way to invest your time and money with better opportunities?  In this episode, Bethany is joined by Dan Koontz, MBA, former Wall Street senior equity analyst, in a conversation about the pitfalls of pursuing another advanced degree to attempt to improve your business acumen.  Dan offers deep insights into the value of an MBA for optometrists and entrepreneurs. He shares his journey from an English literature graduate at Cornell University to a successful career in finance, highlighting how an MBA from Columbia University paved his way to Wall Street where he was ultimately able to retire at the age of 40.  Together they challenge the necessity of an MBA for practice owners, discussing the mismatch between academic training and real-world business needs. He emphasizes the high costs and opportunity losses associated with pursuing an MBA, especially for entrepreneurs who might not need this credential. Dan encourages optometrists to seek targeted, practical business knowledge rather than a general MBA, suggesting alternative ways to acquire business acumen relevant to their field. This episode promises to be an eye-opener for professionals contemplating advanced business degrees, showcasing the importance of aligning education with specific career objectives. Check out Dan’s Groundnut Stew recipe  

The new year is a chance for everyone to take a step back and seek out ways to improve their life for the upcoming year. Could dropping a difficult vision plan be your answer for a happier and more successful 2024?  In this episode, Bethany is joined by Steve Alexander, the marketing director at Anagram and optometry insurance expert, as they discuss an impactful New Year's resolution for optometrists: simplifying their practices by re-evaluating and possibly dropping burdensome vision plans.  While this move may seem drastic, Steve elaborates on how this game-changing move aims to increase profitability, simplify operations, and enhance patient care quality. Learn how to strategically choose which plan to drop, understand the benefits of this decision, and explore the nuances of balancing patient volume with service quality.  They also delve into the critical aspect of preparing your practice for this change, ensuring a smooth transition for both staff and patients. This episode is not just about dropping a vision plan; it's about reshaping your business model for a more effective and fulfilling practice. Don't miss these expert insights that could transform your approach to optometry in the new year!  

Celebrations, Bonuses, and Gifts — the holiday season is one of the busiest times of year for everyone. What are you planning for your staff this holiday season?   In this episode, Bethany is joined by Allison Kraemer, Director of Client Services at The Power Practice as they discuss how to best approach holiday celebrations and year-end festivities in the workplace. Together they delve into a host of topics ranging from how best to acknowledge the accomplishments of your staff for the year to the distinctions between bonuses and gifts. They also discuss the nuances of holiday decorations in the office and how to toe the line between enhancing the work environment and creating extra burdens for your employees.  Tune in to hear ideas for inclusive, team-oriented holiday celebrations with practical strategies to make your office a respite from the hectic holiday season while accommodating diverse beliefs and preferences. Whether it's crafting personalized gifts or creating new traditions, this episode is a treasure trove of insights for practice owners seeking to foster a positive and appreciative workplace culture during the holidays.  

Lease renewals are the most common real estate transaction for healthcare providers. Unfortunately, they’re also the type of transaction where optometrists lose the most money. How can practice owners flip the odds to their favor and save money?  In this episode, Bethany is joined by Colin Carr, founder of CARR Realty, the nation’s leading provider of real estate services for healthcare professionals, as they dive into the critical topic of lease renewals for optometry practices.  Their enlightening discussion reveals a common pitfall: many optometrists unknowingly lose out on hundreds of thousands of dollars by not being proactive in the lease renewal process. As a seasoned expert in the medical real estate landscape, Colin reveals strategies that the landlords don’t want practice owners to know, including: starting negotiations at least 12 months in advance, using a healthcare commercial real estate agent, and knowing your market options, whether you plan to stay or relocate. Carr emphasizes that renegotiating, even with an existing renewal option, can yield significant savings and better terms.  This episode is a wealth of information for practice owners looking to get the upper hand and turn the tedious process of lease renewal into a win-win for their office space and their balance sheet.  

2024 is fast approaching! That means that it’s time to consider making big purchases to improve your practice and avoid paying heavy tax bills — but what if there’s a better way to use your money?  In this episode, Bethany is joined by Adam Cmejla, founder of Integrated Planning and Wealth Management, a firm that does financial and retirement planning for optometric practice owners. Together they have an enlightening discussion on the best strategies to make your money work for you at the end of the year and clarify common misconceptions about taxes and managing practice finances.  While it may seem prudent to invest profits back into your business, Adam challenges the idea of reinvesting profits solely for tax benefits, advocating for a balanced approach that includes enjoying personal rewards. Tune in to learn practical expert advice on evaluating financials, understanding cash flow, and making smart, strategic decisions about savings and investments. Your practice is your most important asset - learn how to make sure that it’s working to benefit you both personally and professionally.  

Expert analysis has determined that in the competitive world of entrepreneurship, only 20% of teams reach their full potential. For the majority of business leaders trying to achieve their goals and build their dream, internal saboteurs could be the thing inhibiting their professional growth. Could your mindset be the thing standing in your way? In this episode of The Power Hour, Bethany is joined by Sarah Dau, Vice President of Business Development for the Power Practice and Business Management Coach with over a decade of experience helping optometry practices of all sizes reach their goals and potential.   Through personal anecdotes and expert insights, Sarah sheds light on the unconscious biases that shape behaviors and decisions and discusses strategies to develop ‘positive intelligence’ to recognize and conquer these internal adversaries. With practical advice on altering neural pathways and fostering productive thoughts, this discussion is a goldmine for anyone looking to elevate their workplace, enhance personal happiness, and achieve professional growth.  

Finding the right people to help your practice grow is a challenging task. No matter how rigorous your process is, misfits slip through the cracks. Your team is a vital piece to your success -- Don’t let other’s negativity impact your future! In this episode of The Power Hour, Bethany is joined by Gavin Rebello, an optometrist from the United Kingdom and renowned expert on leadership and management. Together they dive into the impact of negativity and resistance to change in the workplace and how it affects team dynamics and business success.  Listen as Gavin discusses the importance for business owners to stay self-aware and strike a balance between addressing the negativity and acknowledging its validity. He suggests practical steps, such as 'start, stop, continue' conversations and gratitude practices, to help shift someone from being a negative suck – or 'Mood Hoover' --to a positive, proactive leader. Recognizing this behavioral tendency, or better yet, preventing it from occurring in the first place, is essential to fostering a more productive, harmonious, and forward-thinking work environment that is united to for practice growth.  

The world of entrepreneurship is naturally confusing, especially in the rapidly changing and demanding field of eye care. Join Bethany and Jennifer Hudye, the founder of Vision Driven Global, a company that helps entrepreneurs connect to clarify and create their next big vision for their businesses and for life. Together they’ll discuss the spectrum of challenges that business owners and leaders face when trying to decide the future of their company and the process of solving these problems — creating clarity from confusion. Learn some of the methods Jennifer recommends and has used in her own life and find out why it’s important for leaders to develop a workflow to quickly navigate through inevitable confusion, accept the necessity of being decisive, and move their business forward.

Get all eyes from your community on you! Uncover unique strategies to build brand awareness and engage with your local target audiences as Bethany and Dr. Ryan Robison -- a partner at Southwest Vision in Saint George, Utah – discuss how he has elevated his practice to be a community asset.  Learn from his tactics to see how you can grab share-of-voice in your local market for key services that drive great ROI – Why not protect your community’s sight while providing great protection for a solar eclipse? Or how about making sure your home team QB can see the entire field with sunglasses sales and vision screenings at sporting events? You’re here to make sure everyone can reach their maximum potential, so don’t be afraid to think – and act – a little outside the box to positively impact your community.

Moving your career in the direction you need to reach your goals starts with being decisive and deliberate with your actions. Uncover key actions that help build a thriving business with Bethany and Laurie Sorrenson -- OD, owner of Lakeline Vision Source, and professor of Practice Management at the University of Houston School of Optometry. Laurie has a unique perspective on risk that gives her courage to make big decisions -- looking at "what's the worst that can happen" and realizing it's not that bad gives her the courage to proceed ahead. Discover how long-term success and personal fulfillment often begin with taking strategic, meaningful risks and shaping a positive mindset stripped of the fear of failure.

How can the field of optometry break down barriers and promote equity while addressing the complex issues of race and racism? Join Bethany and Dr. Adam Ramsey, optometrist and co-founder of Black Eyecare Perspectives, as they engage in a candid and enlightening discussion on the often challenging topic of race and racism within the optometry field, focusing on the experiences of minority optometrists. Dr. Ramsey emphasizes the importance of recognizing and embracing diversity while fostering safe spaces for open conversations about race. He underscores that discussing race doesn't inherently make someone racist; it's about the intent and context of the conversation. The episode delves into the pressures and challenges faced by minority students and practitioners, as well as the significance of building connections and rapport with patients. This insightful episode encourages listeners to reflect on their own perceptions, biases, and the need for greater inclusivity in the optometry profession.  

What steps can you take today to maximize your practice value in the future?  For many of us, our business is our most valuable asset, and yet we often overlook important opportunities to realize its full potential. Join Bethany and Erik Ferjentsik, owner of Visionary Practice Group, as they dive deep into a discussion of practice valuation and why what your practice is worth goes far beyond the numbers on your P&L.  Explore the role that tangible assets, online presence, and employee turnover have on practice value, discover what you can be doing today that will provide lasting growth for the value of your business, and learn some of the most common pitfalls that have kept successful practice owners from realizing the true potential of their most valuable asset.  

Ever wonder what optometry looks like across the world? Join Bethany and Hasnain Mamdani, an optometrist from the UK and host of the Optics Room Podcast in the first of a two-part special as they dive into a discussion comparing the life of an optometrist in the US and the UK to find out what we may be able to learn from each other.  Discover why becoming an optometrist requires a unique journey on each side of the Atlantic, and how differing patient expectations and healthcare systems play a significant role in shaping the profession. From pricing strategies to clinical practices, we'll delve into the fascinating international web of optometry and identify ways to improve eyecare no matter where you call home.  

AI is here and can help your practice.  Are you ready to take advantage of it? Join Bethany and Eugene Shatsman from National Strategic Group as they talk about the role that rapidly evolving AI tools can play in optometry and how practice owners and managers can use them to drive practice growth and innovation.   Eugene’s team has tested dozens of AI tools and he discusses how being an early adopter of some of this technology can help enhance your patient experience and give your practice an edge. He shares his perspectives on how AI offers shortcuts to humans, not replacing, but enhancing what we do every day.    Marketing your practice involves so much more than getting patients in the door. As the capabilities of AI expand every day, harnessing this exciting technology can provide strategic advantage while allowing you to analyze practice data and interact with your patients in ways you’ve never had the time or technical ability to do before.

What do AI and Dry Eye have in common? Find out when you Join Bethany and Dr. Jovi Boparai, ophthalmologist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of CorneaCare as they discuss Dr. Boparai’s journey towards building an innovative AI-based solution for treating ocular surface disease.   Learn about what the future holds for these rapidly emerging technologies, what it takes to “move fast, fail fast, iterate faster,” and what it means to build a “generational brand” in today’s world of social media.  Dr. Boparai’s perspectives on technology and TikTok alike provide a fascinating window into just how fast patient care is evolving.   

Although the pandemic's intensity has waned, do the effects on optometry practices, staff, and business strategy remain? In this episode, join Bethany as she reflects on the lingering impacts of COVID-19 on the optometric industry. Bethany delves into how the adaptations required to operate during COVID continue to affect practices to this day, often in ways that aren’t always obvious.  From positive adaptations like shifting staff dynamics and enhanced safety measures to the challenges of decision paralysis and day-to-day uncertainty, evaluating whether these changes align with your current practice mission and vision is crucial to your ongoing success. Bethany also stresses the need for ongoing staff communication and the maintenance of adaptable strategies to remain competitive in the ever-changing landscape of modern optometry in the post-COVID future.  

What are the elements of a successful trunk show? Join Bethany and Kayla Ashlee, co-founder of Spexy, in a discussion about the art of planning and putting on trunk shows — events where specialty frame vendors bring their entire catalogs to your practice for your patients to browse and shop — and how they can benefit your practice in both the short- and long-term.    Should you see patients?  Should you offer discounts?  How do you support your team?  What’s the key to getting maximum RSVPs?  What absolute mistakes should you avoid?    Bethany and Kayla dive into key do’s and don’ts and show you how your office can benefit from additional sales, branding, community exposure and patient loyalty that comes with a successful trunk show.  

Do you know how mental health is affecting you, your practice, and your staff? In this episode of The Power Hour, Bethany speaks with Dr. Dennis Pardo, an optometrist, social worker, psychotherapist, and founder of Tranquil Wave Psychotherapy, to discuss the impact of mental health issues on optometric practice owners and their staff.  Together they explore how mental health concerns affect things like productivity, absenteeism, and retention within the workplace as well as the growing awareness and reduced stigma around mental health as a whole. Dr. Pardo shares his unique journey from optometry to psychotherapy, emphasizing the importance of addressing mental health in the optometry profession and provides valuable insights on creating a psychologically safe work environment and dealing with potential mental health issues among employees.  Mental health issues can be hard to detect, but by learning how to identify and address these pervasive concerns early, it’s possible to avoid the potential problems they cause and keep your practice running smoothly.  

What’s driving today’s OD shortage? Are fewer optometry students passing their national board examinations or it just an issue of perception?  The answer may fall somewhere in between. In this episode of the Power Hour Podcast, Bethany has an in-depth discussion with Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, President of the New England College of Optometry, about emerging trends in board exam passing rates and whether or not there’s a reason for concern. In their pursuit to uncover the facts, Bethany and Howard discuss issues like the underlying numbers behind the idea that students aren’t passing their national board exams as often, potential predictive factors for higher test scores, and the potential need to rethink the support that schools provide to students to better fit their needs. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the current trends in academia and how the nation’s foremost institutions like NECO are reacting to the shifting demands of their student body.  

What gets you out of bed in the morning? What drives your team? In this episode of the Power Hour Podcast, Bethany sits down with Gavin Rebello, an optometrist and renowned expert on leadership and management from the National Health System in the United Kingdom. Together, Gavin and Bethany discuss 7 key psychological factors that drive motivation and how success as a business leader requires creating and cultivating an environment where all members of the team feel empowered to work towards common goals, have opportunities for personal growth, and understand the positive impact their work has on people’s lives.  If you have ever had trouble fueling your motivation or want to create more purpose-driven teamwork for your practice, you’re not going to want to miss this episode!  

Is there a formula for successfully building a specialty practice? In this episode of the Power Hour, Bethany sits down with Thanh Mai, O.D., who shares his inspiring story of building a “super-specialty” practice focused on myopia management, scleral lenses & vision therapy.     Dr. Mai is the founder of Insight Vision Center Optometry and has been involved with Treehouse Eyes scaling their myopia management business. He shares insights about building a specialty practice from scratch, and provides doctors with resources to go from “dabbling-in” specialty care to jumping right in.    His conversation with Bethany offers a unique perspective on what it takes to fight imposter syndrome, stay accountable to your own goals with realistic timelines, and find the right support to help you along the way to help you make your dreams a reality. In discussing his journey, Dr. Mai shares a formulaic approach that includes setting the vision, identifying the “how”, picking your supporting “whos”, and building systems that replicate your success.    This advice has helped him, and many other practice owners build their cash-based specialty practices. Listen in to get inspired and take action towards the practice of your dreams.   

How do you build a successful practice? Are you ever done growing as a business leader? Join Bethany and Dr. Nick Despotidis, founder and partner of Eye Care Professionals, for a discussion on practice leadership and the role of consulting services leveraging customized solutions for support navigating the constantly shifting landscape of practice ownership.   When Dr. Nick Despotidis, founder of Eye Care Professionals, realized that he needed a new kind of support, it led to a conversation with Bethany about how to reassess — and address — changing needs in the shifting landscape of optometry. Discover the importance of seeking guidance (no matter your experience), and the role of technology in shaping the future of the industry! Every practice owner wants their business to grow — learn about the journey of practice growth and how to find fulfillment as not only an entrepreneur but also as a leader in the optometry field.  

Is Negativity Bias draining profits from your practice? Join Bethany and Bill Belanger, founder of Integrated Mind Training, in a discussion about negativity bias — the subconscious tendency of individuals to focus more on negative emotions and experiences rather than positive ones — and how it might be damaging to your practice. Of course, it’s not possible to keep everyone happy (including yourself!) but focusing on negative feedback from your patients and the stressful parts of your day may result in lower job satisfaction, a worse patient experience, and a business that stagnates instead of thriving.

If you’re looking for an edge in your optical, consider the words your opticians use every day.  In this episode, Bethany interviews Mark Hinton, an optician and founder of eYeFacilitate, a consulting group focused on growing optical sales. Together, they explore the impact of language and communication on optical sales discussions and outcomes.  They discuss the importance of carefully choosing words to avoiding negative or money-focused terms that may discourage patients. Mark shows us how to lead patients with effective dialogue and questions, highlighting the significance of emotions in purchasing decisions. He shares his personal journey from a background in psychology to becoming an optician and how his understanding of human behavior influenced his approach to patient interactions. Reflecting on the evolution of the optical industry, they address the challenges posed by managed care and commoditization of eyewear and practical strategies for using positive language to engage patients and enhance their overall experience.

How much do the exact words we choose matter? In this episode, Eugene Shatsman from National Strategic Group joins us to show us how saying the same thing in two different ways can make a huge difference in your results. Which words pre-program patients to buy? What is the psychology behind some of the highest performing marketing wins? We discuss Eugene’s insights around split-testing and how his team has helped drive double-digit increases from marketing by simply adjusting the words used. By becoming aware of these proven language patterns, you can help drive more prospective patients to your practice and make your existing patients more profitable.

Dr. Charlene Henderson joins Bethany on the podcast to talk about her experience owning a practice with a partner.    

Becca Starks joins Bethany to talk about who today's graduating ODs are and what they're looking for in their careers. If you're looking for a new associate, this is a can't-miss!

Bethany talks about simple marketing strategies to attract new patients to your practice.

Discover how stepping outside conventional boundaries can transform your practice into a thriving hub of engaged patients. Bethany joins Adam Cmejla on the 20/20 Money to talk about how making tiny improvements in your practice can lead to remarkable financial results.

Join Dr. Bethany with Bart Foster, Founder of BusinessOutside and Managing Director of Sanitas Advisor. Bart is also the author of BusinessOutside: Discover Your Path Forward, a book that offers a science-inspired philosophy that reimagines corporate culture by bringing business outdoors. In this episode, Bart will share how leaders can leverage the power of nature to build stronger teams and transform their company culture. BusinessOutside: https://www.businessoutside.com/ BusinessOutside: Discover Your Path Forward: https://www.amazon.com/BusinessOutside-Discover-Your-Path-Forward/dp/1544530749  

Welcome to Today's episode where we discuss the Great Game of Business and how it can impact an optometry practice. With Dr. Danny Clarke, Owner of Clark Eye Care Center in Wichita Falls, Texas, and Co-Founder of Modus Practice in Motion. We'll talk about a game-changing approach that can help businesses achieve their goals and increase transparency. So, if you're an optometry practice owner looking to improve your business, the Great Game of Business might be worth exploring.

As a team, it's essential to prioritize team building and developing a strong culture. One of the best ways to do this is by going on a trip together. Not only does it provide a fun and exciting opportunity to get away from the office and experience something new, but it also helps to build stronger relationships and foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration. Join Dr. Bethany with Dr. Andrew Peter and the Team of Homer Eyecare as they share the benefits of going on a trip with your team and how it can help you build an amazing culture.

In this episode, we explore the Power of Online Reviews and how they have revolutionized the way businesses operate. From Google to Yelp and Facebook Reviews, we discuss the impact of these platforms on consumer behavior and how businesses can leverage this powerful tool to improve their bottom line. Our guest expert, Eugene Shatsman, Managing Partner & Business Growth Strategist for National Strategic Group, shares insights on how businesses can effectively manage their online reviews and turn them into a powerful marketing tool. Whether you're a business owner or a consumer, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the fascinating world of online reviews.

Dr. Bethany shares an innovative approach that can help optometrists revolutionize wages and pay their staff more. This method creates a win-win situation for both the practice and the staff members and has been shown to increase staff motivation, productivity, and revenue.

In this episode, we explore the importance of customer service in optometry with Dr.Jennifer Stewart. She is the Editor of Independent Strong, Founder of OD Perspective, Co-Founder and Chief Vision Officer of Performance 2020, and an optometrist with almost 20 years of experience. Dr. Jennifer shares her insights on how to create a welcoming and comfortable environment for patients, the role of technology in enhancing customer service, and the benefits of investing in staff training and development. If you're a healthcare professional looking to improve your customer service skills, this episode is for you. 

It's essential to acknowledge that financial stress can have a significant impact on an individual's mental and physical well-being. As a Practice Owner, it's vital to recognize this and take steps to support your staff. In this episode, Dr. Bethany and Evon Mendrin discussed a range of topics related to employee financial situation, including 401(K). It was a fascinating discussion, and we learned a lot from Evon's insights and perspectives. If you want to learn more about Evon and their work, you can visit their website at https://optometrywealth.com/. 

Do you have trouble organizing your days for success? Steve Alexander, Head of Marketing, Strategic Partnerships at Anagram, shares his actionable tips and tricks to maximize productivity and enhance time management. 

Take control of your finances and achieve your financial goals through small, manageable changes. Founder and CEO of Integrated Planning & Wealth Management Adam Cmejla shares actionable strategies and real-life examples to apply to your financial situations.

Join Dr. Kyle Cheatham Chief Executive Officer at KMK Optometry Board's Review and Vision Specialists, as he shares his journey from helping one person to becoming the #1 Trusted Leader In Board Exam. In this episode, Bethany and Kyle discuss the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship in optometry, as well as the personal and professional growth that comes with taking the leap to go for it and pursue your dreams.

 Join Wendy Buchanan, Owner of Perceptions Eyewear Inc. and the creator of the Be Spectacular Eyewear Styling System, as she shares her proven strategy that will make your patients feel special and makes your practice stand out.

A good understanding of where your Practice is making money and the costs associated with running a business are important for long-term success. Join Bethany as she shares insights, lessons learned, and tools to improve practice profitability. 

There's a fun and engaging Theme, a Team Goal that everyone sets and track, a Scoreboard for progress, and a Reward for winning! COO of Clarke Eyecare Center and Co-Founder of Modus Practice in Motion Joely Anderson, shares how you can start MiniGames and how it can affect a change in your practice.

Building the right culture takes time and thought, and frankly, it’s not a one-size-fits-all deal! Today Dr. Jennifer shares how important culture is in her practice and how she succeeds.

Your inner voice can be either a powerful stepping stone or a major obstacle to reaching your goals. Our first episode for 2023 with Kim Boudreau Smith, Leadership and Speaking Coach, talks about how you can conquer your inner critic, strengthen your real self, and fuel your success.

How much do you want to earn in 2023? Bethany talks about how to use your financial statement to make sure you get there.

What are you planning for your staff this holiday season?

EOS implementer Beth Berman is back to talk about a powerful tool to get you organized for 2023

Bethany continues the conversation with practical ideas to Pumpkin Plan YOUR business.

Mike Michalowicz shares the steps and strategies you can follow to get the best out of your practice using his Pumpkin Plan system.   Learn more about Pumpkin Plan: https://mikemichalowicz.com/ 

Are you ready to take the risk or chance to improve your communication? Join Bethany and Lisa Little, Artistic Director of ComedySportz San Antonio and Professional Improviser talk about Improv and how it can change and better your communication in your practice.

Bethany's appearance on Nick Despotidis's podcast.

How do we learn to make good financial choices? Join Founder and Lead Advisor of Optometry Wealth Advisors LLC Evon Mendrin, as he talks about the different mindsets and how it will impact your future financial success.    Get in touch with Evon Mendrin at https://optometrywealth.com  The Wealthy Barber is a financial plan book that will show you how to take control of your financial future!

What can fine dining establishments teach us about running a great optometry practice? Matt Rosner and Dr. Fishbein talk about some interesting parallels between these areas and some actionable advice for running the “Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse of eye care practices.”

Learn how you can make your practice LGBTQ+ inclusive for both your patients and staff as Dr. Bethany and Kirsten discuss it in today’s podcast. Want to get to know more about our guest Kirsten Bunch? Visit her website: www.kirstenbunch.com  

Erik Ferjentsik, CEO and Founder of Visionary Group talks about what it looks like to sell your practice in today's market.

If you want to learn the What, When, Who, Why, and How’s of the Power Practice, this podcast episode is for you. Dr. Bethany and the team discuss what clients can expect if they consult with The Power Practice. Learn more from these clients turned consultants because this is a discussion you wouldn’t want to miss.

Bethany's Appearance on The Optometry Money Podcast.   www.optometrywealth.com

What are Insurance Audits and how important are they? Dr. Bethany and Dr. Viktoria discuss what the factors are for an Insurance Audit and how we can be ready for them.

Bethany shares her insights on how good communication and consistent discussions with patients and staff, whether a practice is doing well or not, can make a huge difference.

Keeping your patients happy and detailed records can prevent untoward incidents at your clinic. Bethany and Joe DeLoach discuss how we can prevent Medical Malpractice from happening and how to deal with them.

Everything is going fine for your business, or is it? This is Part 2 of Bethany and Char Watson’s discussion on the remaining stages of the Predictable Success Growth Model. Learn more about Predictable Success: Amazon.com: Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization on the Growth Track-And Keeping It There

Ever heard of Fun, Whitewater, and Predictable Success? Char Watson and Bethany discuss the first four stages of the Predictable Success Growth model and how you can go through them and scale your business. Learn more about Predictable Success: Amazon.com: Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization on the Growth Track-And Keeping It There

From discussions about medical emergencies, theft, and to a possibility of a shooter, Officer Tom shares with us practical advice on how we can keep our practices safe.

Do you truly know how your practice is performing? Today Paul Ferraro talks about the Profit and Loss statement and how you can plan to make your practice more profitable. Learn how to do bottom-up forecasting to get the Net Income you want to achieve.

Join Bethany on her first Solo Podcast and talks about some of the changes that you can make in your Practice. And how you can evaluate your practice and make sure that you are where you want to be and on a path to get where you want to go.

Live from Vision Expo East: Adam Cmejla talks to Bethany about her perspective on why they both love the model of private practice in Optometry, why it’s important to surround yourself with a good community as a business owner and OD, the importance of learning about leadership and business, and ways in which you can take action on the areas that we discuss.

Discouraged by all of the doom and gloom on optometric social media? Dr. Nick Despotidis talks about having the courage to make your practice a place you love to be.

Join Bethany as she talks with International Myopia Institute Co-Founder Dr. Monica Jong about Myopia Management and the Importance of Proactive Treatment.

Beth Berman talks about EOS and how it could work to help you get what you desire from your practice!

Former Power Hour host and Power Practice CEO Gary Gerber talks about ways to prepare your practice for an upcoming recession

We've talked about the benefits of having a virtual assistant. Hear what it's like to BE a virtual assistant from professional VA Joanah Mandilag  

Guest Brian Spittle talks to Bethany about sustainability.

Visually Impaired runner Jennifer Herring just completed her 19th Boston Marathon and shares some life lessons on the Power Hour.

Dr. Chris Lopez helps optometrists with contract review and negotiations. Listen to find out more about what associates are looking for. 

Kayla Ashlee, founder of Spexy,  shares her secrets for success and the importance of training your new hires.

Daniel Rostenne, Founder and CEO at EyeCarePro, speaks with Bethany about AI and how you can use it to train your team.

Bethany talks to Debby Feinberg about Binocular Vision Dysfunction and how becoming NeuroVisual Specialist can help you change lives.

Harbir Sian talks to Dr. Bethany Fishbein about how to build a personal brand. Check out Habir on Ted Talks

Topher Hall, Founder of Sprolo, talks about how to set your practice apart from the rest

Dr. Eric Hammond supervises 12 4th year interns every year. Learn how he makes this a success for his practice.

Author Jonno White joins Bethany to talk about developing as a leader.

Adam Cmejla returns to the podcast to talk about disaster planning. Disaster Planning Checklist

An interesting and inspiring conversation with 5x Paralympic medalist and world record holder, Lex Gillette.

Bethany and Steve Alexander talk about the process of gaining freedom from insurance in your practice.

Background checks for new hires are critically important to protect your patients and your practice. Bethany and Tommy Huhn, CEO of National Applicant Screening, talk about what's available and how to easily run these checks.

Adam Cmejla speaks to Bethany about her decision to leave patient care

Dr. Kerry Gelb spent 3 years creating a full-length documentary to educate the public about the important role of optometrists in disease prevention. Learn more in this episode of the Power Hour Optometry Podcast! Open Your Eyes Trailer

Join Bethany as she talks with Dr. Nate Bonilla-Warford of Bright Eyes Kids and Bright Eyes Family Eye Care about how he followed his passion for pediatric eye care and created a great practice for kids

Joe DeLoach of Practice Compliance Solutions tells us what practice owners need to know about the No Surprises Act.

Dr. Howard Purcell, President of NECO, talks about the school's innovative Hybrid OD program.

Dr. Janelle Davison talks about how responding to her patients' needs led her to create a spa within her practice.

Our guests Dr. Amie Gisbert and Dr. Tim Lynch talk about why service is such a high priority for them and how they give the gift of sight to others. https://sightisaright.org https://greatshapeinc.org https://www.sdvosh.com https://eyelovethesun.com/pages/eye-love-cares-foundation https://www.guerreroclinic.org/ https://www.ramusa.org/ https://www.lionsclubs.org/en/resources-for-members/resource-center/recycle-eyeglasses    

Adam Cmejla, certified financial planner and founder of Integrated Planning & Wealth Management, LLC talks about how to plan your practice to serve your personal financial goals.

Hear from Jennifer Hudye, Founder and CEO of  Conscious Copy, about how to create your own Vivid Vision and set yourself up for future success.

A conversation with Salus resident Dr. Anthony Boyd about finding his passion for optometry.

Visible Genomics, is on a mission to arm you with critical information that helps you and your patients look into the future.  Learn more about DNA Testing for Macular Degeneration from Dr. Barry Eiden.

Aaron Neufeld, the founder of ODs on Finance, talks about the importance of financial education to further the profession of optometry and help optometrists achieve financial freedom.

Dr. Viktoria Davis, a Power Practice consultant, and the brains behind our Power Audit, talks about how to minimize audit risk and maximize reimbursement by ethical and accurate coding and billing.

In this episode, Ken Jorgenson of Carr Realty discusses important things to consider when leasing or buying a space for your practice.  Going into a real estate transaction armed with knowledge can save you tens of thousands of dollars!

Dr. Thanh Mai and Dr. Prapti Chandrani talk about virtual assistants and how they fit into their practices.

Dr. Bethany Fishbein, CEO of the Power Practice, talks to Dr. Carly Rose about decision making and what could be holding you back.  

Drs. Thanh Mai and Valerie Lam discuss what it takes to have a thriving myopia management practice. The doctors talk about the importance of “not dabbling”; creating a strong brand; and ensuring staff culture and commitment, technology, and processes in order to succeed. With the rapidly growing myopia epidemic, now is a great time to add this specialty to your practice.  

Were Gary's predictions for 2021 correct?  Listen to this previous episode from January 6th to find out.

Daniel Rostenne from EyeCarePro goes all in on online marketing on this week's Power Hour. Get ready to learn about strategy, Google Ads, social media, and more. Daniel explains why ODs need to market their practices and how to ensure ROI on their efforts.

Think back to Vision Expo - March 2018, Jacob Javitz Convention Center, New York City.   This week we are time traveling to 2018 to listen to Power Hour Live at Expo, what's changed since then and how has the pandemic helped you adapt to that change and become a better practice owner.

Join LandrumHR General Counsel, Amie Remington, as she discusses hot topics affecting employers today, including the effects of the executive orders that President Biden has signed, how the transition to the Biden Administration will affect employers and the workplace, and the state of the workforce.

Angela Eastman from Pacific Apex Law Group, LLP joins Dr. April Jasper this week on the Power Hour. Angela is a health law and regulatory compliance attorney providing counsel and advice to healthcare providers. During this week’s episode, we will discuss interviewing, hiring, and managing employees. Specific topics of discussion include how to ask legally appropriate interview questions, checking applicant references and providing employee references, worker classification, disciplinary action, and termination. To find out more about Angela and the legal services that she offers, please visitwww.pacificapexlawgroup.com. You may reach Angela by email at [email protected] or by calling 888-607-8718.

Check out Dr. Scott Jens, and Dr. Ali Khoshnevis from ClinicCover on the Power Hour with Dr. April Jasper. They discuss the emerging eyecare gig economy and how social values are changing the way optometrists work. Hear all about new and developing work trends for OD's, and the movement to work life balance for doctors.

Optometry's most watched weekly podcast recorded live from West Palm Beach, Florida with Dr. April Jasper and David Jasper. In this episode join us with special guest Dr. Tsontcho Ianchulev, MD MPH Professor of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, Innovator and technology developer he will inspire you to follow your dreams.

Daniel Rostenne from EyeCarePro goes all in on online marketing on this week's Power Hour. Get ready to learn about strategy, Google Ads, social media, and more. Daniel explains why ODs need to market their practices and how to ensure ROI on their efforts.

Joseph Nezgoda, MD, MBA, joins April & Gary on Power Hour this week.  They discuss cases they have seen during shutdown and how technology has and continues to make eye care better for patients and doctors.  

Frederic Jouhet, founder and CEO of MacuHealth, joins Power Hour this week. He discusses career changes, inspiration for entrepreneurship, and how ODs can best help their patients.

Connect, Inspire, Lead—these are the core values of OWA - Optical Women's Association. In recognition of International Women's Day, Power Hour sits down with OWA President Robyn Crimmins and members Janna Neal, vice president of operations for Zyloware, and Trudi Charest, cofounder of Marketing 4ECPS, about how OWA inspires and supports its members.  

In 1983, entrepreneurs Jeff White, Larry Roth, and Al Berg set out to create a new eyewear company with a $2 million loan and a passion to succeed. The company they created was Marchon Eyewear. In his memoir Making a Difference, the late Al Berg relates his story of eyewear fashion, groundbreaking marketing. and the company’s mission to go global. April and Gary talk with author of Al’s memoir, Frank Giammanco, formerly of First Vision Media Group, about how the project came about and the rise of Marchon and the modern eyewear industry.

This week on Power Hour, April and Gary focus on the vision for 2021. They discuss what ODs should be thinking about, and how to plan and focus on this year and going forward.

Neil Blumenthal, cofounder and coCEO of Warby Parker, joins April & Gary this week on Power Hour. Find out what ODs can learn from Warby Parker, especially the company's COVID-19 response. Plus, how would Neil compete with Warby Parker if he were an OD.

April and Gary talk cybersecurity on this week's Power Hour, and Mark from CrystalPM joins the conversation. How can ODs prevent hackers in their practice systems and keep data secure? April, Gary, and Mark will discuss how often it happens in practices, how often it happens overall, and how to protect data.

This week, Gary welcomes his new Power Practice co-chief dream officer and Power Hour cohost, April Jasper. Plus, learn from Gary and April how to fill your exam schedule this spring into summer. A special guest from SolutionReach joins the show to weigh in.

Join Gary on Power Hour this week for a surprise guest and big announcement for Power Hour listeners!

Kimberly Friedman, OD, vice president of sales at PRN, discusses the barriers ODs face to helping their patients and adding a potential revenue stream to their practices. Listen to this episode of the Power Hour to find out more about optometry's role in nutraceuticals, and bring your questions!

This week, join Gary and industry executives while they discuss winners and losers for 2020, along with predictions for 2021. What are YOUR winners, losers, and predictions?

This week, Gary discusses how to create a budget for 2021 in the face of a crazy 2020 and still looming uncertainty.

With a vaccine on the horizon, learn how to prepare for the "new normal" this spring, summer, or whenever it might happen.

COVID-19 cases are rising around the country and around the world.  If another COVID shutdown affects your practice, are you ready?

What will optometric education look like post COVID? Find out from Howard Purcell from New England College of Optometry, David Heath from SUNY Optometry, and Michael Twa from The University of Houston College of Optometry.

COVID fatigue...we are all feeling it. COVID isn't going away any time soon, so join Gary this week for tips on how to beat the fatigue. From creating new holiday traditions to spending time outdoors every day, Gary has more suggestions to keep your sanity during this challenging time.

This week on Power Hour, Gary outlines how to best use manufacturer reps and consultants —with new considerations during COVID.  Join us for this episode of the Power Hour to make sure you're getting the most out of your industry relationships.

It's that time of year...you're staring down the end of 2020.Gary outlines prepping for year-end: what's the same, what's different.  He covers bonuses, holiday parties, flex spending notices, and more.  Tune in so you don't tune out to ending the year on a high note.

From research to clinical practice: What goes on behind the scenes to allow you to take care of your patients?  Fuensanta Vera-Diaz, OD, PhD, FAAO, and Anita Gulmiri, OD, FAAO, from New England College of Optometry, explain how an idea becomes a study, how study results become clinical treatment, and more!

2020 has been quite a year on many different levels. As we go into Q4, find out how you can close out the year strong. Gary has the details. Tune in to find out on this episode of the Power Hour.

Following up on last week's show about what optometry has learned from COVID, this week we turn our attention to industry. Weighing in: • David Friedfeld from ClearVision Optical • Jim McGrann from Healthy Eyes Advantage • Dr. Jamie Rosin from Rosin Eyecare • Tom Burke from ABB Optical Group

Sure, it hasn't been a great time, but ODs can learn from adversity. Gary outlines key takeaways for optometry from the pandemic. Find out Gary's pandemic lessons on this episode of the Power Hour.

Drs. Jeff and Susan Kegarise grew their Nashville eye care practice to seven times the national average…in less than 10 years. Their strategy? Putting patients first and differentiating the care on the basis of relationships and service.  Find out more about the practice and their book One Patient at at Time on this episode of the Power Hour.

Learn how to use manufacturer myopia management consumer campaigns to your practice’s benefit. Jerry Warner and Melissa Kiewe from CooperVision discuss the company's latest strategy, and Gary weighs in on how it can help YOUR practice.

Dr. Joseph Allen is the host of Doctor Eye Health YouTube channel. This week, find out what inspired him, which is his most-watched topic, how he built his audience, and what advice he offers ODs about using YouTube.

Learn how a refocus on AMD can help improve outcomes and satisfaction for your patients and drive additional medical, optical and nutraceutical revenue for you practice. Guests Greg Jackson Ph.D, Chief Technology Officer, MacuLogix and Victoria Dzurinko OD, MBA, FAAO, Director of Professional Relations, MacuLogix, will discuss AMD updates in science and technology and talk about how you can create a successful AMD program in your practice.

In case you haven’t heard, there is a new FTC contact lens rule.Dr. Michael Mayers, director of U.S. advocacy at Johnson & Johnson Vision, joins the show to tell you what has changed and what you need to do about it.

Drs. Thanh Mai and Valerie Lam discuss what it takes to have a thriving myopia management practice. The doctors talk about the importance of “not dabbling”; creating a strong brand; and ensuring staff culture and commitment, technology, and processes in order to succeed. With the rapidly growing myopia epidemic, now is a great time to add this specialty to your practice.

Is another shutdown coming?  The number of COVID-19 infections is rising.  This week, hear more on: • Deciding if/when to close • How to communicate to patients • How to use learnings from the first shutdown to inform your actions now Find out more on this episode of the Power Hour.

Mike Neal from Build My Team joins the show this week to discuss hiring during COVID-19.  Find out what is the same...and what is different.

Tonight, find out more about the challenges and opportunities unique to young ODs. Drs. Justin Bazan, Will To, Kirk Kaupke, and John Nguyen dive into more!

ECP practices throughout the country are faced with increasing pressure to differentiate their business while delivering quality care. As new technologies and services emerge, innovative ECPs are leveraging both to enhance their patients' experience, deliver valuable services, and increase their revenues. Listen to this episode to hear from Pierre Bertrand, Neurolens; Dr. Michael Pier, Cognivue; John Walborn, Sanitas Advisors; and Matt Oerding, Treehouse Eyes.

Find out more about Global Myopia Awareness Coalition, their Game On campaign, and how ODs can capitalize on new research data and get involved.  Matt Oerding, Dr. Millicent Knight, and Dr. Juan Carlos Aragón share exciting updates.   

Find out what's on the horizon for myopia management and how ODs can choose the best options for their patients and practices. CooperVision President, Dan McBride, weighs in on the state of myopia management in the U.S.

Tune in to this episode of The Power Hour and hear our best advice, tips and techniques to ensure that you can sustain your practice’s viability for what experts agree, will be a long and bumpy road ahead. If you’re busy now, that might just be because of pent up demand. If it is, what will happen in a few months? If you’re not busy now, what can you do about it? What if there is a second COVID wave? As important as it was to successfully and safely reopen your practice, your path to sustained prosperity has only just begun. On the next episode of the Power Hour, learn the essential steps necessary to be able to maintain your practice’s livelihood in the weeks, months and years to come.

COVID-19 has rewritten the rules on practice valuations and growth. Is now the perfect time to think about expanding or consolidating your practice—or is it the worst time? Jamie Rosin helps to run Rosin Eyecare, a 31-location group in Chicago. He weighs in on what to look for in both situations and offers advice to ODs considering making a change.  

Reopeneyecare,  a new digital platform designed to help eyecare providers navigate the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on their businesses, launched about a week ago and the response to the site has been overwhelmingly positive. The website features content specially curated by a taskforce of vision community leaders and is sponsored by The Vision Council. The site is intended to serve as a comprehensive, relevant and up-to-date resource to help eyecare providers navigate the complex journey from shutdown back to ‘new normal’ business conditions - and beyond - with practical insights and a collection of best practices, protocols, tools and tips for reopening a practice and maintaining its health until conditions improve. On this episode of the Power Hour, task force members discuss how you can get maximum benefit from each of the main areas of the site. Now more than ever, it is important to come together as a community. Click here to watch an introductory video about the site, spend some time on it, then tune in to voice your opinions and suggestions to make this incredible resource even better.  

Dr. Lyndon Jones from the Centre for Ocular Research and Education (CORE) at the University of Waterloo weighs in on contact wear amid COVID-19. From a peer-reviewed paper to what patients what to know to resources for ODs, Dr. Jones has you covered.

Crisis counselor Lori Bran—and wife of Power Practice consultant Dr. Eric Bran—discusses coping mechanisms, battling fatigue and impatience, and addressing anxiety. Put your mental health on the front burner by joining us!  

A panel of experts discusses topics such as how to bring back staff and communicate to patients, how to address patient needs for convenience and safety, and more. Dr. David Holler, Dr. Robert Davis, and Erika Jurrens from ABB Optical Group weigh in.

What are you doing now to retain and engage your patients? Even while your practice is closed, others are going after your patients. This week, a panel of experts offers best practices for retaining patients during a crisis. Find out key steps to take for survival.

It seems that most practices did not get financial relief from the SBA. What happens now? Is it, “Game over?” Or, can you still re-open with a rapidly dwindling bank balance?Tune in to Power Hour with Power Practice consultant, Bethany Fishbein, OD, to discuss how to set up your “Practice 2.0 Business Plan.”If you’re like many of the thousands of ODs out there, this is an episode you literally cannot afford to miss.

Patient communication and online selling strategies with Brianna Rhue, OD, FAAO; and Tom Burke, ABB Optical CEO. What are you doing now to continue with patient engagement? What are the most important tasks for you to retain your patients? Are you setting goals for your staff for patient outreach? How are you balancing patient communication and convenience?

The COVID-19 crisis has doctors in a frenzy trying to keep their practice’s viable while preparing to re-open at the same time.  The information overload nonstop and daunting and putting an execution plan in place seems like a Herculean task.  Listen to the next episode where we’ll share strategies to get a realistic re-opening plan in place that any practice can use.

On our last two episodes, we heard thought provoking comments and strategies from leading industry experts.  In that spirit of collaboration, we will continue the dialogue and let our listeners, the doctors who will need to reopen - and do it right, quickly and profitably - help each other.  Our Power Hour staff is asking listeners to call in and share their best ideas and techniques for things their doing right now, as well as what their plans are for after they open.  Be ready to take notes as we continue the effort to minimize the effect COVID-19 will have on your practice.  #Save2020Eyecare

#Save2020Eyecare - Night #2   A special Town Hall: How the eyecare industry is uniting to power through the impact of COVID-19 On Wednesday March 25th and Thursday March 26th at 9 PM, seventeen of the biggest industry players in optometry will come together in solidarity of eyecare practitioners. Through a huge and speedy collaborative industry initiative, seventeen of the biggest companies in eyecare have agreed to discuss how they can help your practice get through the crisis by working together. This isn’t about special pricing promotions or deals they may have available. Far from it. These companies know it will take more than that and have been tasked to share how their big business acumen can apply to your practice. Think of it as pooling the resources of the best business minds in eyecare going to work for your practice. Panelists will include presidents and CEO’s from ABB, Alcon, Bausch +Lomb, ClearVision, CooperVision, DeRigo Rem , Essilor, EyeMed, HEA, Johnson and Johnson, Luxottica, NECO, Sanitas Advisors, Visioneering Technologies, VisionOne, VSP, and Walman.

#Save2020EyeCare - Night #1 A special Town Hall: How the eyecare industry is uniting to power through the impact of COVID-19 On Wednesday March 25th and Thursday March 26th at 9 PM, seventeen of the biggest industry players in optometry will come together in solidarity of eyecare practitioners. Through a huge and speedy collaborative industry initiative, seventeen of the biggest companies in eyecare have agreed to discuss how they can help your practice get through the crisis by working together. This isn’t about special pricing promotions or deals they may have available. Far from it. These companies know it will take more than that and have been tasked to share how their big business acumen can apply to your practice. Think of it as pooling the resources of the best business minds in eyecare going to work for your practice. Panelists will include presidents and CEO’s from ABB, Alcon, Bausch +Lomb, ClearVision, CooperVision, DeRigo Rem , Essilor, EyeMed, HEA, Johnson and Johnson, Luxottica, NECO, Sanitas Advisors, Visioneering Technologies, VisionOne, VSP, and Walman.

Telehealth may be one tool to help your practice and patients get through the COVID-19 pandemic—and it will help the business side of the practice as well. Paul Karpecki, OD, joins the show to discuss the current state of telehealth solutions, best practices to use the technology, explaining it to patients and staff, and how to bill for it.

Private equity is a big topic in optometry today.  Dr. Richard Edlow, the Eyeconomist, joins the show this week to dive deep into the topic.  Join us....you know you have questions!

Paul Levine, president and membership committee chair of the American Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control joins the show this week to talk myopia control with Gary.

Gary shares the 6 best business decisions he ever made in private practice, The Power Practice, Treehouse Eyes, and his music career.

Gary shares the five obvious opportunities to build your practice—that no one focuses on. They are staring you in the face every day, but few ODs see them.

Back in early November, New England College of Optometry hosted the NECO Industry Collaborative (NIC), spearheaded by Dr. Howard Purcell. This week, Gary catches up with Dr. Purcell about What, Why, and What's Next after industry professionals explored how to prepare today's optometrist for tomorrow's optometry.

Dr. Blake Hughes talks with Gary about entrepreneurship in optometry. He started his own surfacing lab and will share how that came about and other opportunities in optometry.

Would you consider no longer selling soft contact lenses at your practice?  One practice did, and we find out why and how it worked out.  Nick Despotidis, OD, joins Gary to share his thought process behind contact lens disruption and its effects on his practice.

C. Randall Harrell, MD, is founder, chairman, and CEO of Regenerative Processing Plant, the manufacturer of Regener-Eyes, a first-in-class biologic eye drop to treat dry eye.  Dr. Harrell joins Gary to discuss how biologics are used in dry eye and why ODs should get involved with them. Listen to this episode to learn more about a new treatment option to help your dry eye patients.

You can't build it, then forget it. Websites require content updates and maintenance. This week, Gary examines 9 ways to help your practice website look more professional. On this episode, find out how to add website tweaks to your holiday break to-do list.

Is it time to rebrand your practice? How do you know if it is? This week, Gary outlines 4 ways to know when it's time.

If a restaurant consistently delivers food and customer experience the same way every time, why is it so hard for staff to consistently answer the phones? Don Fox, CEO of Firehouse Subs, grew from 65 restaurants to over 1180 since becoming CEO in 2009—and franchises value consistency. Find out how to apply this advice to your practice on this episode of the Power Hour.

Get into the holiday spirit! It's the time of year for staff wanting time off around the holidays, considering an office holiday party, and deciding on bonus distribution. We discuss it all this week!

Gary outlines 9 practice management habits you have to break—things you’re doing that you think are OK but really aren’t. Here's a hint: One is spending too much time with patients. Tune into to hear the rest!

Make a big end of year push! It's that time again....year end is staring us in the face. It's time to make the BIG PUSH to make the numbers for 2019.

Student advocacy leads to running for Congress. Meet Bimal Patel, OD, and learn how he will offer his constituents a new lens and a new vision in 2020.

Art Epstein, OD, FAAO, joins Power Hour once again for a wide-ranging, no-holds barred conversation on: Hubble Private equity Online refraction Too many meeting/schools/students Cost of technology Healthcare politics VSP’s end game Refractive optometry’s future Be sure to join us because chances are we will talk about more!

It might seem elementary, but being able to communicate effectively to your patients may be the most important factor in building a practice. Communication skills can have a major influence on the success of a practice.   

Ripped from the headlines! David Friedfeld from ClearVision Optical discusses how tariffs are affecting optometry. Will your practice feel it? What can you do? Tune in to find out!

Gary digs into the details about bringing on an associate. You need to think about it BEFORE you're ready!

6 things you’re doing you should stop right away – and the last one is likely to shock you!  Tune in to find out more.

Dr. Richard Shuldiner is the Founder and President of The International Academy of Low Vision Specialists. The IALVS consists of 39 low vision optometrists throughout the USA and Canada personally trained by Dr. Shuldiner. Dr. Shuldiner is Clinical Director of Low Vision Optometry of Southern California and has seen over 10,000 low vision patients in his 45-year career. His impressive patient list includes the late actress Jane Russell, automaker Carroll Shelby, as well as Margie Durante and Frances Cagney. He received his OD degree in 1970 from Pennsylvania College of Optometry and has been recognized as a Low Vision Diplomate by the American Academy of Optometry since 1988.

After staff salaries, the optical may be one of the most expensive parts of your practice. Many ODs are looking for ways to maximize their ROI, especially with frames.This week, Gary outlines the best frame board strategies you're likely not using.

Listen to the replay of this widely listened to episode from August 15, 2018. It’s that time of year again…back to school. If you haven’t already ramped up your marketing, this week’s show will offer tips on making eye exams part of the back-to-school routine. Don’t forget contact lenses, sports goggles, and more! Kick-start the back-to-school season with the Power Hour!

The person who answers the phone at your practice is more important than you think. The voice on the other end of the line is a patient's first introduction to your practice.  Don't you want to make that first impression a good one?

Gary and his consultants have talked with many private-practice ODs and visited many practices. Although all are different, there are trends in the challenges these doctors face. Tune in to Power Hour this week to learn the Top 5 challenges Gary and his consultants have seen. Chances are YOUR practice is experiencing them, too.

Jim Thomas, editor of Optometric Management, joins Gary this week to discuss his favorite articles, topics, and trends.Did you know that Jim is also a stand-up comedian? He shares how to use humor in the office and in life.

Dr. Gary Gerber and Dr. Dwight Akerman discuss Myopia Management. Topics to be discussed will include: • Axial length – is it really necessary? Why not watch for changes in Rx? • Is myopia management a specialty service or part of “core” optometry? • What’s so bad about being a low myope? What about the optical advantages? People will be calling in on both sides of these and other questions so make sure to listen in or call in with your own thoughts!

This week, Gary discusses taking advantage of failing and why ODs shouldn’t be afraid to fail. Fostering a culture of creativity means that sometimes plan will fall apart and things don’t work out.

Patient testimonials can work for your practice…but only if you use them to your advantage. Gary gives you the scoop on how to get better patient testimonials and what to do with them.

Scleral expert, Dr. Elise Kramer, shares her tips on how to bring this specialty into your practice.

In what may be the shortest Power Hour episode ever, in only about 5 minutes Gary will discuss a 5-minute technique that will have a profound and lasting impact on your practice. Many practices have reported this simple 5-minute technique is one of the best things they’ve ever done in their practices!

Looking to kick your marketing into high gear? Learn what DOESN'T work. Find out the top marketing blunders seen in most practices. This week on Power Hour, Gary outlines the most common marketing tactics that don’t work.

Both options have pros and cons. This week, Gary outlines the pluses and minuses of buying a practice and opening cold.

Find out how fear of failure and resistance to change can take a toll your practice. This week, Gary talks about the top 7 "should haves" and how they can lead to regret.

Guest Stephen Hamilton from Walman Instruments in a previously recorded episode gets you up to speed on: • New vs. used • Extended warranties: good or bad idea? • Workflow considerations • ADA compliance • Effect of recent company mergers • Best time to buy

Asking staff answer the phone with a script is a mistake. No matter how skilled, they will sound like they’re reading from a document instead of delivering personal information. Instead, staff who take phone calls should know the practice intimately enough to respond to any calls. Find out how to train your staff to answer the phone like a human, not a robot.

It might seem elementary, but being able to communicate effectively to your patients may be the most important factor in building a practice. Communication skills can have a major influence on the success of a practice.

What 3-minute free technique can increase eyeglass sales by 32% and contact lens patients by 20%? A contact lens trial! Find out how and why this works on this week's show.

You bought a practice. Now what? Tune into this week's Power Hour to find out what changes to make (and not make) and how to transition doctors.

Considering buying a practice? Tune in to this week's Power Hour to know how to avoid buying the wrong practice. Do you know what in the negotiations process should immediately raise a red flag? Get the insight you need to avoid making a mistake.

If you have considered implementing discounts or incentives for your patients, think twice. They usually aren't successful due to the impact they have on the bottom line and the question of whether a professional service benefits from such incentives in the first place.

Looking to attract a different kind of patient? Wanting to expand into boutique-or budget-services? Or even need to change patients' perception of your practice? Listen to this week's show to learn 8 ways to change your patient base.

Having a hard time saying no to employees? Should you maintain a proper distance or be ‘one of the guys?’ Effective management skills often impacts on the bottom line. Find out how to be a better boss on this episode of the Power Hour.

If a staffer is out, do other staffers pitch in? Or do they say, "That's not my job?" Every person in the office needs to do whatever it takes to keep all the balls in the air--and that means understanding the job BEFORE they have to do it. This week, learn 5 reasons to cross-train your staff.

Do you ever think about the person accompanying your patient to the office? Make a good impression, and you might get a new patient! Patient escort are spending time in your reception area. You should be working to wow them just like you wow your patients. This week, learn 9 ways to make your patient's escort happy.

If you're planning advertising for the year, be sure you answer these 8 questions first. As with most things in life, much lies in the details and the preparation. Advertising is no different. Tune in to this episode of the Power Hour to find out more.

Why did your practice miss the mark in 2018?  This week, look back on what didn't work and why, then figure out how to fix it for 2019. Remember, hope is not a strategy. As consultants, we've seen many goals that haven't been reached. Gary discusses the top 5 reasons goals aren't attained, so when you plan for 2019, you may a better shot at attaining your new goals. Tune in to this episode of the Power Hour to learn from 2018's failed goals.

On the last Power Hour of the year, Dr. Art Epstein weighs in on the challenging future of optometry.

With the end of the year approaching, many of doctors buy that opto-toy they've always wanted. Unfortunately, this time next year - many of them regret their purchase. Learn ways to avoid buyers remorse as well as a unique way to nearly ensure new equipment is right for your practice and will be profitable.

Ever consider holding a staff meeting off-site? There are good reasons why should. Learn why and tips for executing a good meeting on this week's Power Hour.

Posed with common problems, like patients wait too long to see the doctor or patients complain about our fees, we usually come up with common solutions.  If we still have the same problems year after year, then those solutions didn’t work!  How can you and your staff devise genuinely novel solutions to chronic management problems?  Listen to the next episode of the Power Hour to learn how to use this special two word thought starter approach.

It's that time of year again!  Do you have a plan for employee bonuses? Do you give them? Should you give them?  What about Christmas/holiday gifts? And let's throw sales spiffs in the mix, too.

What to do NOW to make sure you close out a strong year

Interested in integrating scleral contact lenses into your practice? Find out how to jump start your scleral lens fitting on this episode.

What happens when two ODs marry? And what if they work together? Or what about an OD and an office manager or optician? Being part of a double OD couple presents its own set of opportunities and challenges. Find out how to navigate them on this week's Power Hour.

If you're thinking about opening your own practice, this next episode is one you don't want to miss.   Pulled from the files of clients who have successfully opened cold and those who were rescued after a less successful opening, learn the hits, misses wins, losses, mistakes, and regrets-and steps to avoid them.   The errors seemed insignificant and inconsequential at the time but gave them years of heartache afterward.

Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, president and CEO of New England College of Optometry, joins the show to talk optometric education. Are there too many schools? Is student debt too high? Is today's education still relevant to reality?

Ever consider corporate optometry? Dr. Maria Sampalis, founder of Corporate Optometry Facebook group and website , joins the show this week to provide an insider's view.

If you had to do it all over again...would you choose optometry?  While you can't turn the clock back, you do have control over your practice's destiny. Tune in to this week's show to find out how to redo those things you'd do over.

The cash-paying model in optometry is alive and well. Is it in your office?  Andy Corley joins the show to explain why. Andy is a 40-year veteran of the eye care industry from a start at Allergan to a move to AMO, then co-founding Chiron Vision and eyeonics. He is currently chairman of the board of RX Sight, Equinox, and eyeBrain Medical.  

Looking for an associate or partner for your practice? On this episode, Gary offers tips on how to hire an associate and what to look for in a potential partner.

This week, Gary offers up the 5 best hiring and firing tips. Be sure you are bringing on and moving on staff in ways that help your practice.

Want to learn how to trim costs?  Listen to this episode of the Power Hour.

It's that time of year again...back to school. If you haven't already ramped up your marketing, this week's show will offer tips on making eye exams part of the back-to-school routine. Don't forget contact lenses, sports goggles, and more! Kick-start the back-to-school season with the Power Hour!

Although ODs have different practices, their concerns are similar. This week, find out the top 5 questions ODs have for practice management consultants.

Considering buying a practice? Do you know where the pitfalls lie? Caveat emptor or buyer beware. Learn what to watch for when buying a new practice. Find out now what you need to know before making an offer.

Do you know what 4 things every practice owner must do to sell a practice? All practice owners need this information...regardless of when you plan to sell. Find out now what you need to know to sell your practice.

Want new ways to market your practice? Of course you do! Tune into the show this week to source ideas from optometry's out-of-the-box marketer Warren Modlin who hails from legacy CIBAVision and Oakley.

Want to look into optometry's future? Bart Foster, managing director at Sanitas Advisors, outlines what is inevitable in eyecare in the next five years.

Ever wonder if Staffer A might be better at Job B? You might be right. This week, Dr. Laurie Sorrenson gives the scoop on profiling staff personalities and putting them in the best roles.

Travis Rush, founder and CEO of Sightbox , talks about entrepreneurship, online contact lens retailing, and how things have changed (or not) now that Sightbox is part of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care.

We're close to the midway point of the year. It's a great time to refresh your thinking. Gary outlines his favorite business books for your practice on this episode of the Power Hour.

How do long patient wait times affect your practice? Find out how...and what you can do about it...on this week's Power Hour.

Building on the previous show about staff meetings, this week Gary motivates you to figure out what motivates your staff--and what doesn't. 

Your staff feeling blah? Your staff meetings not generating excitement? This week, Gary helps you learn strategies to energize your staff meetings and engage your staff.  

Learn all about trunk shows! Find out why "trunk show" is a bad name, and discover how to have a great one in your own office. 

Step right up this week for an update on myopia from Dr. Thomas Aller.

It's April...time to close the books on Q1. Look back at your Q1 data to better forecast 2018 and plan your year. Tune in to Power Hour this week to hear Gary's suggestions for a Q2 reboot.

Contact lenses, the FTC, and optometry...what do you need to know? The deadline to weigh in is fast approaching. Get the scoop so you can make your voice heard. Find out more on this week's episode of the Power Hour.

Vision Expo was last week. As always, it was a great meeting with lots of classes & a lot going on. This week on Power Hour, we'll discuss some great things we learned at the meeting. Call in with what you brought home! Let's talk about it on this episode of the Power Hour.

Filmmaker Jane Weiner has turned to myopia for inspiration. She talks with Gary this week about her latest film. Losing Sight, her documentary on myopia, looks at how technology advances are put into practice. The story explores visual development throughout life and what factors trigger myopia.  Losing Sight is planned for a theatrical and TV release. Watch the trailer here: https://vimeo.com/jpweiner/myopia7mnsample.   

Vision by Design, THE country’s premier myopia meeting of the year is coming up fast.  Joining the show from VBD will be Drs. Cary Herzberg and Tom Weshefsky to talk about what’s new at this years’ meeting and why you should attend!

Join Jeffry Gerson, OD, FAAO on this week's show as he gets us up to the second on what's new in ARMD diagnosis, management and treatment.  Also joining the show will be Greg Jackson, PhD from Maculogix to discuss research around the link of dark adaptation and ARMD.   www.maculogix.com/powerhour

It's Valentine's Day! Let's talk about what you love...to hate about optometry! Gary discusses the top 5 things you love to hate about the profession and how to turn your thinking around to opportunity. Find out more on this episode of the Power Hour. 

With industry trends leading more doctors to provide specialty care (dry eyes, glaucoma, vision therapy, low vision, TBI care, specialty contact lenses etc), communicating with other professionals is a significant opportunity for practice growth.  Unfortunately, optometry has long been the "outcast" in the medical community making it difficult to break through to this group of doctors. On this episode of The Power Hour, Gary discusses how to configure your specialty practice from the ground up to ensure this large source of prospective patients is accessible to your practice.

Why did you become an OD?  Are you achieving your “why?”  Gary discusses his own personal journey on the road to his “why” and talks about how you can use the same technique to have your practice work for you instead of you becoming a slave to your practice.

Yes, at one time or another, uncollected fees, or accounts receivables that languish over time, are the same as working for free. On this episode we discuss ways to avoid this from happening and talk about how to “mop up” any existing receivables. You did the work, so how about getting paid for it?

Time? Money? Cell phones, cars and TV’s aren’t the only thing changing at warp speed. The technology we use in our practices is doing the same thing at the same speed. How can you afford to keep up when the least expensive piece of equipment you might buy can be same price as a nice car! On this episode of the Power Hour Gary gets directly to the point and offers up suggestions and strategies to help with this tech dilemma.

Can you succeed by seeing patients only 3 days a week? Dr. Nicholas Despotidis not only says yes, he discusses how he cut patient days from 6 to 3 days a week...25 years ago! If you want to earn more money and have time to enjoy it, working harder or longer hours is not the answer, says Dr. Nicholas Despotidis. Working smarter, begins with working with a good coach.

This time of the year, we all have the best intentions of improving our practices and personal lives. Yet somehow, no matter how hard we try, our best intentions get side tracked and derailed. Listen to this first episode of 2018 where Gary shares his consulting teams' strategies for setting goals and actually getting them done. Remember - SAYING you want to increase your practice revenues, cut expenses, see more (or less!) patients or for that matter lose weight is one thing. DOING any of those things is another! This episode will get your year jump started and show you how to keep the momentum you establish going throughout the course of the year!

On this last show of 2017, and as the Power Hour closes in on half a million downloads, Gary recaps 2017’s most listened to shows along with his own top five favorites!

With all the rapid changes going on in optometry, is a residency still necessary?  2015 graduate Dr. Kevin Cornwell joins the show talking about his experiences and viewpoints on the benefits of a residency as well as his thoughts about OD’s practicing in the prison system.  Tune in for this very interesting perspective on this episode of the Power Hour!

Try as we may, things still occasionally go awry in a practice.  What you do after that happens can be the difference between losing a patient, their family and all their friends – or making them lifetime practice cheerleaders.  Learn Gary’s view on service recovery in your practice and what you should do when things don’t quite go as planned.

What is often talked about, easy to calculate and rarely used?  That would be "chair costs."  This week, Gary discusses exactly what the terminology means, how to calculate yours and what to do with the numbers you get.  If you want to learn what GOPPAR and RevPAR mean, and how they affect your practice, and what they've got to do with chair costs - you'll want to tune in to this episode!

Enchroma’s web site says their glasses, “ . . . open up a world of color for people with color blindness.  Our products provide vibrant, accurate color . . .” Seems straightforward enough, until you discuss the lenses with doctors.  On one side are doctors who say, “Patients report they see better, and that’s what matters” and on the other, “If they can’t see any extra Ishihara plates, what’s the point?” Listen to this episode of the Power Hour when Enchroma supporters, optician Barry Santini and Dr. Justin Bazan explain why they prescribe the lenses – and listen to callers and others who explain why they don’t.  Then, you decide if Enchroma is right for your practice!

“My staff just doesn’t get it!  It’s hopeless and training doesn’t work!” Sound familiar? It certainly does to us! On this episode of the Power Hour, Gary digs into why so many practice owners say that so often – and what you should do about it!  There is hope – but you’ll only get the advice you need if you tune in!

In what will probably be the shortest episode ever, Gary reveals the atomic powered tool the every entrepreneur has, and never uses.  It’s one of those “I can’t believe it was this obvious and staring me in the face all the time” things that you WILL be able to use right after the show.  Short, to the point and powerful – on this episode of the Power Hour!

How are frames designed?  Get the inside scoop behind the design process of the John Varvatos Eyewear Collection. The company's creative director Nico Roseillier joins the show to discuss how this cool process takes place. 

Listen to this episode for an entertaining discussion with Gary and Brian as they talk about the difference between UK and US optometry.  Opticians scope of care, OD education, UK practitioners emphasis on glasses and being ahead of the curve in contact lenses are discussed along with differences health insurance systems and the state of the industry.  Brian also talks about his important work with the BCLA, his fun presentation style and . . .  shoes (listen for details!)

Managed vision care, telemedicine, online shopping for eyeglasses or contact lenses... are these things that will hurt or help your practice? The answers and discussion may surprise you when you listen to this episode of the Power Hour!

Private Equity is getting more and more involved in optometry.  What is private equity, why are they so interested in eyecare, and is private equity something you should look at for your own practice?  Jeff Fronterhouse and Bret Davis, two experts in private equity, join Gary on this episode of the Power Hour!

During a staff training session you tell your optician, “When you sell AR lenses, say X.” We’ve all tried training our staff this way, and whether “X” is effective or not, invariably we have trouble making it stick. Is the problem “X” or the way we’re training and teaching our staff? Frank Pigneri, Sr. Manager of Customer Training and Development at Essilor is the guest on our show. He discusses some of the finer points of optical training, what should be included in a good training program, when to do it, how to make it stick as well as a host of other great topics related to staff education.

You practice in an area that is very conservative. Your long time trusted, well known receptionist who had brown hair yesterday, shows up with purple hair today. What should you do? What can you do? Your optician shows up with a therapy dog. Your insurance biller is afraid of dogs. Now what? Attorney Julia Goldman is the guest on the Power Hour.  

We have all watched kids scroll through life, with their rapid-fire thumbs and a six-second attention span. Physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston saw that with her own kids and learned that the average kid spends 6.5 hours a day looking at screens. She wondered about the impact of all this time and about the friction occurring in homes and schools around negotiating screen time—friction she knew all too well.

Years of scientific research and intensive study of real-world applications have led to incredible breakthroughs in the way businesses large and small identify and hire top talent in their fields. Optimize Hire, a leading Internet-based pre-employment testing company focused on helping organizations hire better, joins Local Eye Site on this episode of the Power Hour to discuss this important topic.  

The CDC, in close collaboration with industry partners, has organized Contact Lens Health Week as a strategy to increase public awareness and promote healthy contact lens wear and care.  Jennifer Cope, MD, MPH from the CDC and  Joseph P. Shovlin, O.D., F.A.A.O., the President, American Academy of Optometry, join the Power Hour to discuss the fourth annual Contact Lens Health Week. This year’s campaign theme is “healthy habits mean healthy eyes” with a focus on encouraging youth to start healthy habits early, for healthy eyes later. Increased awareness about the importance of proper contact lens hygiene can encourage contact lens wearers to adopt healthy habits that can reduce their chances of getting an eye infection. 

Five years ago the first Power Hour episode discussed the future of optometry. What's has and hasn't come true since that show? The dialogue will probably surprise you!

It’s as constant and inescapable as gravity.  Yet, most of us only focus on the downside of the 80-20 rule and don’t look at how it can actually help our practices.  That changes on this episode of the Power Hour when Gary discusses how this powerful principle can help you build your practice.  Marketing, staffing, accounts receivable, and scheduling are but a few of the areas that can be improved once you understand how to leverage this natural law.

While Google Glass “1.0” certainly had enough challenges that prevented it from becoming mainstream in optometry, other companies (including Google) haven’t stopped developing new and better products.  Listen to this episode of the Power Hour as we bring back industry expert David Friedfeld, the president of ClearVision and Dr. Richard Clompus, the VP of Communications for PogoTec and we visit the current state of wearable eyewear and how it can work in your practice.

What’s the secret number of dollars that should trigger you to start thinking, “I need help and need to hire an associate?” Does such a number even exist? Regardless, when the time comes and you decide to bring an associate into your practice, how should you do it? On the next episode of the Power Hour, Gary discusses the nuances and best practices to bringing on an associate doctor. When you should do it, how to it and why you should (or shouldn’t) consider it. Like all the practice building topics discussed on the show, you can expect this discussion to be thought provoking with very different information you’re likely to hear anywhere else!

Listen to this episode as we discuss the current state of telemedicine, what Smart Vision Labs (www.smartvisionlabs.com) has learned since their last appearance and why they have re-released their latest device. Two of the newest clinical studies will be discussed on the show. Smart Vision believes OD’s can work well with them instead of having an adversarial relationship and welcomes your calls on the show. So, is it really an eye exam in an iPhone or something else? Tune in and find out!

Treehouse Eyes opened about a year ago.  Founded by Dr. Gary Gerber and industry veteran Matt Oerding, with two centers already open in the DC area, Matt and Gary discuss how and why the company launched, what the results have been so far and what their future expansions plans are.

Erik Lilligren from Eyecarevideo.tv joins the show and talks about why and how practices can effectively use video in their practices.  Learn the tips and tricks the pros use to promote your practice and make you stand out from the crowd!  An overlooked medium, and often used poorly, video can be a great tool to position your practice, especially in crowded markets.

Whether it’s Google ad words, boosting a Facebook post, or a recall snail mail postcard – the basics of marketing still apply.  Ignore any of these and your attempts are sure to fail.  Use all of them and you’re sure to succeed.  Gary covers all you need to know about this important topic on this episode of the Power Hour.

Two weeks ago, the Vice President of Operations for the Power Practice, Paul Ferraro, was our guest on the show.  Paul discussed the first steps in recruiting top talent – job posts, telephone screening, etc.  Tune in to this episode of the Power Hour as the discussion continues.  Topics include the actual in person interview – questions, flow, structure, working interviews, the onboarding process, staff retention and why staff members really leave and an array of other important topics.

Tune in to this episode of the Power Hour when Gary invites listeners to share their most “off the wall” customer service tricks and tips.  He also brings many of the strategies he used in his own practice as well as those of very successful practices from around the country.

Harvard Business Review estimates that 80 percent of turnover is due to bad hiring decisions. The consequences of a wrong hire can go beyond turnover costs.  Listen to this episode of the Power Hour to learn how you can minimize the “bad hire” occurrence, on your way to building a happy and productive staff.  

We surveyed ODs to find out!  Learn which ODs are the happiest, what makes them unhappy, and what you can do to increase your own professional satisfaction. Tune in to the Power Hour to hear Gary discuss this interesting topic with Dr. Bethany Fishbein.  

Continuing and building on last weeks’ episode on how to elevate your customer service, Gary discusses innovative techniques to empower your staff.  Tune in to this episode of the Power Hour for strategies that allow your staff to help you, are welcomed by them, last beyond one office meeting and immediately add to your bottom line.

What can optometrists learn from the latest United Airlines customer service debacle?  A LOT!  Tune in to this episode of the Power Hour where Gary discusses great ways to amp up your customer service, a simple technique to measure it, and what to do when things go horribly wrong – which at some point, they absolutely will!

There’s more to cutting costs than squeezing your sales reps for better deals.  Gary discusses his top five ways so add to your practice’s bottom line on this episode of the Power Hour.

Do you look forward to office meetings, or do you dread them and then ultimately cancel them?  Tune in to this episode of the Power Hour where Gary discusses new ways to effectively and efficiently hold staff meetings that are productive and add to your practice’s bottom line.

Decreasing revenues with increasing expenses and regulations, online eyeglass selling, “generic” contact lenses and online refraction – to name just a few things – are going to fundamentally change and possibly eliminate optometry as we know it.  Gary talks about why that’s a GOOD thing and how you can leverage the tsunami of change NOW to position your practice for whatever the future holds.  Tune in to this thought provoking episode of the Power Hour!

Vision by Design, the country’s best meeting on myopia control is right around the corner. Get a snapshot of myopia control in general and the meeting in particular from Dr. Paul Levine, President of the American Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control. Paul gets listeners up-to-date on what’s new in myopia control and talk about why it’s important for your practice.

Drs. Mark Rosner and Debby Feinberg are back on the show to discuss some of the latest work they’ve been doing with minute amounts of prism.  On the previous show they discussed how they have had literally life changing results for their patients by carefully prescribing minute amounts of prism.  Get caught up on some of their latest work on this  episode of the Power Hour.

Mike Hundert is the current Chairman of The Vision Council, as well as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Creative Officer of De Rigo Rem, part of the world's fourth largest provider of eyewear.  Mike joins Gary for a discussion on the Power Hour to give his thoughts on what is arguably the biggest merger – ever - in the eyecare industry, and how it will affect consumers, other frame and lens manufacturers and your practice.  Don't miss this thought provoking and interesting episode.

On last week's show, Gary talked about successful strategies to externally market your practice.  This week, the show focuses on internal marketing.  Learn to turn last week's prospects into patients, who then become practice evangelists on this informative and entertaining episode of the Power Hour.

Gary rolls up his sleeves and gets into a discussion about some innovative external marketing strategies you should be using at your practice.  What works, what doesn’t, how to budget and plan your marketing and how to create compelling campaigns are all topics to be covered on this show.  

Barney Dougher, President of HOYA Vision Care, Americas, joins the show to give his opinion on how eyecare’s biggest merger ever may affect your practice and the industry. Our last show on this topic had our largest listening audience ever and we expect this episode to be even BIGGER!

You’ve worked really hard to get patients to come into your practice.  Are you working as hard to make sure they never leave . . . and come back when they should?  This episode of the Power Hour is dedicated to what Gary calls, “the lifeblood of EVERY business and practice.”  Learn why it’s so important and then how to make yours better – regardless of how you actually do it!  Which are better?  Postcards or text messages?  Robo-calls or real people calling?  Does pre-appointing matter? Be ready take notes for this episode!  What you hear Wednesday night, you’ll start using Thursday morning!

Inventory is a major expense for a practice yet one that rarely gets any attention beyond – “There’s a hole on the board – I guess we need to fill it with something.”  On this episode of the Power Hour, Gary takes your calls and shares easy strategies to help you control what for most practices, is arguably the biggest potential profit generator – or potential profit loser – in a practice.

On a recent Power Hour episode, Gary shared strategies for hiring a great team. But what happens after they're hired? Learn how to get alignment with your practice values and ways to get procedural things to stick!  If you commonly say to staff, "We just went over that exact thing in a staff meeting!" then you'll want to tune in to this episode.

Reuters news and other historically reliable news sources recently reported a proposed merger between Essilor and Luxottica.  Howard Purcell, O.D., F.A.A.O., DIPL., Senior Vice President of Customer Development at Essilor, joins a special news breaking edition of the Power Hour.  Callers speak to Howard and learn about how this breaking news will affect the industry.

A recent landmark court case for a New York Yoga Studio may have far reaching consequences on how doctors pay their associates.  The concept of Independent Contractors and how they can work in your practice is the topic of the next episode of the Power Hour.  Join attorney Elizabeth Harlan who argued the case on behalf of the Yoga Studio, that their employees were indeed independent contractors.  It’s an important topic for any doctor who has an associate or might hire one in the future!

On the first Power Hour of the year, Gary talks about starting at step one of practice team building: hiring a great team.  Hear some great strategies you can use the next time you need to hire someone – which as you’ll hear on the show – might not be as far off into the future as you might think!  If you’re a new practice owner or a seasoned veteran, you’ll get a lot of benefit by listening to this first episode of 2017!

On the Oct 26th episode, Gary discussed “Part 1” about how to use public speaking to grow your practice.  Listen to Part 2, on this episode of the Power Hour.  Learn everything, from content development to presentation style to creative ways to use Power Point (or NO Power Point) or Prezi, how to deal with questions and difficult audience members, suggestions for handouts and a lot more. You already talk to patients every day and are great at it. Why not do the same thing in your community and talk to prospective patients? Learn how to make your own presentations more dynamic and memorable!

The Power Hour welcomes Maureen Cavanagh on this episode.  A 24 year industry veteran, Maureen heads up this important group whose mission is to enhance and promote the leadership role of women  in the ophthalmic industry through networking and peer support.  Maureen talks about what the association brings to its members and the industry as well as their goals for 2017.

VSP's Global Board Chair Dan Mannen, O.D., F.A.A.O., and VSP Vision Care President Kate Renwick-Espinosa are our guests. Dr. Mannen discusses his new position paper on managed vision care, which explores the value it provides patients and consumers, and why he believes the channel is so important to independent optometry. The guests also discuss VSP’s focus for 2017, how it is helping increase access to care, and take questions on other topics from callers.

Join Jerry Warner, CooperVision President, as he talks about big picture changes in optometry such as selling models, online commerce, legislative battles, private lable contact lenses and more.

If you could do five – and only five – things to build your practice, what would they be?  On this episode of the Power Hour, Gary shares his own special list of what he recommends to jumpstart your practice and ensure it stays highly efficient and profitable.

Dr. Mark Jacquot, Luxottica’s VP and Clinical Director, Vision Care Operations is the guest on this episode of the Power Hour.  Mark discusses his thoughts on the current state of corporate optometry and where he sees it fitting in the big picture of optometry’s future. 

David Friedfeld is back on the air to share his thoughts about everything from what the optical of the future will look like to how many frames should be in a typical practice.  We discuss the pros/cons of carrying ubiquitous brands vs. frames from smaller independent companies, frame markup strategies and a potpourri of other important topics.

Having given more than 1,000 presentations to audience sizes of 2 to 2,000, Gary taps into his experience and discusses how to use this powerful medium to get out into your community and build your practice.  Everything from content development to presentation style to creative ways to use Power Point or Prezi are discussed on this episode of the Power Hour.   You already talk to patients every day and are great at it.  Why not do the same thing in your community and talk to prospective patients?  Learn how to make your own presentations more dynamic and memorable!

By using new technology, more opticians are now able to offer auto-refraction to patients. Some of them are having the data signed remotely and used as an eyeglass prescription. Is this a convenience for patients and a business builder for the optician, or a public health hazard? Is this part of the future of eyecare that should be embraced or avoided? Listen to the this episode of the Power Hour when Yaopeng Zhou, the CEO of Smart Vision Labs calls in to discuss this important topic.

Listen to Gary on this episode of the Power Hour where he shares some of his unique perspectives around delegating.  This is much more than “buy an automated X and have your tech use it.”  Learn some very compelling reasons about WHY you should be delegating, what you should delegate and how to get it done.  As with all of Gary’s shows, you’re sure to get a perspective on a previously mundane topic you hadn’t ever considered before!

In addition to conventional marketing, properly used, public relations can be a huge benefit to most practices.  Tune in to this episode when PR professional Jennifer Bodner discusses how to get a great campaign in place for your practice.

Your state law changed to say you could never see another new patient or raise your fees? Listen to this thought provoking episode of the Power Hour with Gary leading the discussion. 

Listen to this episode of Power Hour when we take your calls to discuss specifically how using a consultant helped your practice.   

Your practice rent is one of the largest ongoing expenses your practice has.  Learn from real estate expert, Chuck Feitel, how to minimize your rent and maximize concessions from your landlord on this episode of the Power Hour.   

Dr. Cheryl Engels, Senior Consultant from the Power Practice is our guest this week.  Dr. Engels runs the “Practice Made Perfect” program at the Power Practice and discusses her list of “must do and must know” before you open or buy your next practice.  Tune in for some lively and insightful discussion on this important topic!

Most of us know George Martin as No. 75 of the New York Football Giants, the star defensive end of the 1970s and ‘80s, with 96 quarterback sacks, the touchdown record for a defensive lineman, a Super Bowl win and an incredible interception that Coach Bill Parcells called the greatest football play he has ever seen. George is an NFL legend, but he’s also so much more. Son of a sharecropper who grew up dirt poor in the American South, through talent and determination, family and faith, George Martin became a true leader on the field and off, a man whose relentless positive energy and ability to inspire know no bounds. He has championed NFL colleagues as their union president, advocated for retired players with chronic injuries, and created a non-profit to help young people find their way to responsible adulthood through athletics and mentoring. He joins the Power Hour along with Dr. Don Teig to talk about how OD’s can get more involved with concussion care for athletes. Tune it to this very special episode!

It’s easy to get bogged down in the regulations around security compliance, HIPAA and billing and coding requirements.  While the information is available to help you navigate the confusion, there are companies who can carry that burden for you.  Rob Marcella from CSEye talks about when it is (and isn’t) a good idea to outsource this important part of your practice, what to watch for when making the decision and other relevant topics.

Alan Homestead, OD is the guest on this informative episode.  Get the latest on preventing and surviving audits, meaningful use updates, using after hours codes, using your iPhone for anterior seg photos and a host of other important updates.  As the director of billing coding at the Power Practice, Alan is uniquely capable to share his expertise on this important topic.

It might be an old saying, but it certainly applies to any OD trying to manage their practice. Listen to this episode where Gary shares his, and his Power Practice client list of, “If I’d only known then what I know now I would have . . .” On tap for this interesting episode are topics like starting a practice that focuses on everything except the doctor, learning practice building from anyone but an optometrist, the importance of culture, what marketing really means for an OD and lessons learned about staff management.

Dr. Edward Paul gets us up-to-date on how OD’s can integrate nutrition into their practices.  Everything from science to practice management is on tap for this episode.

Tarik Sedky from Agency Pure has done advertising for Glaxo Smith Kline, DuPont, AT&T, Home Depot and many other large corporations.  Now, he’s our guest on the Power Hour where he shares his words of wisdom and discusses how optometrists can emulate the marketing messaging of these huge companies – at a fraction of the cost. He covers the most common mistakes small businesses make in their marketing and talks about how you can improve yours.

Lukas Ruecker, president of EyeMed and Dr. John Lahr, VP of Provider Relations return to the Power Hour to take your calls.  Topics include their perspectives on the managed vision care marketplace overall, where and how they think optometry will be practiced in the future and how EyeMed is working with doctors to promote positive clinical patient care outcomes and a positive overall consumer experience. 

Architect Joost Bende is our guest this episode of the Power Hour.  With experience designing medical and optometry practices of all shapes and sizes, Joost answers questions about your own personal design challenges and answer questions about everything from color schemes to window placement.

Drs. Barry Eiden and Andrew Morgenstern join the show to get listeners up-to-date on all things keratoconus.  It’s more prevalent than you think and there’s a lot more you can do about it than just stress over patients never being really happy with their contact lenses.  We’ll also take a deep dive into cross linking and how it fits in an OD’s practice.

Drs. Tom Arnold and Nathan Schramm are fitting a lot of their patients with scleral lenses. Are you? Find out why they’ve become so popular in their practices, and how the doctors became clinically competent and practice management savvy with these specialty lenses. Find out how you too can get on board with one of the hottest modalities in contact lens care.

Jason Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO, shares his thoughts and data about how contact lenses are viewed and prescribed outside the U.S. and what American doctors can learn from their international colleagues.

Gary walks through the most important “mid year” metrics to examine as we approach the halfway point of the year.  Are you hitting the goal you laid out back in January and are you sticking to your budget?  Scheduling, staffing and marketing are all fair game for discussion on this episode of the Power Hour!

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care President Peter Menziuso and Vice President of Professional Affairs Dr. Millicent L. Knight discuss current trends in the contact lens industry, opportunities to expand your contact lens practice, their recent entry into the monthly lens category, and their recent decision to eliminate UPP pricing for the company's contact lenses. Listen to this episode of the Power Hour and get an update on current contact lens market trends and legislative battles being waged around the country.

Previously unaware of the enormous unmet demand for eye care within his San Francisco community, Robert Bell began using his influence as a long-time eye care industry executive, consultant, and speaker to inspire more eye care professionals to volunteer and to bring in more optical and optometric resources, equipment, and eyewear to the Project Homeless Connect vision program in San Francisco.  Hear about Robert’s journey and how you can do the same thing to support your own communities.

Moscot is a New York institution currently headed by Director, Dr. Harvey Moscot.  As a fourth generation owner in arguably the most competitive optical environment on the planet, Harvey shares his company’s legacy and “secret sauce” to enduring for so strongly for so long.  Take a deep dive with Harvey on the Power Hour and  hear this fascinating story about how all of his locations compete not only with Warby Parker, but with every other conceivable optical competitor on the price volume curve spectrum.

We’re honored to welcome one of optometry’s best known speakers, Dr. Paul Karpecki back to the Power Hour!  Paul gets us up-to-date on everything from anterior segment technology, disease and treatment, advances in refractive surgery and keratoconus – and just about anything else you might think of!  Take advantage of this rare opportunity to listen to a genuine optometric thought leader on this episode.

Healthcare attorney Susan Orr is back on the Power Hour.  Our topic is the recent increase in audits by Medicare and other 3rd party payors resulting in overpayments that need to be returned by the provider.  Hear how to approach these audits and what to do when you discover a billing error. Also, get up to date information on REQUIRED compliance plans that are necessary to remain a participating provider in Medicare.  We also discuss the sale of practices – stock purchase or asset purchase – the pros and cons of each.  

Dr. Vance Thompson is our special guest on this episode of the Power Hour.  Vance has been, and is currently involved in many FDA studies related to refractive surgery.  Listen to his insights about what’s hot, what’s not and what you must know about the next wave of dry eye treatments, cross linking, phakic IOL’s, presbyopia treatments and cataract surgery.  With Vance on the show, be prepared for a fascinating discussion – and the show’s FIRST discussion about refractive surgery!

Talking about everything from an anterior seg update to national and state optometric politics, Dr. Art Epstein is back on the show.  Never one to hold back an opinion on all things optometry, we welcome Art back to the show.

Industry veteran, Mike Daley, is the guest on this episode of the Power Hour. As the CEO of the Vision Council, Mike discusses this important industry organization whose mission is to grow in the vision care industry through education, advocacy, research, consumer outreach, strategic relationship building and industry forums.Mike also talks about their role in the upcoming Vision Expo East meeting and Think About Your Eyes.

Kate Gifford, OD joins the show to talk about the parallels and differences in how optometry is practiced in Australia vs. the US.  Business topics like the competitive landscape, corporate optometry and Internet sellers will be discussed in addition to clinical practice differences.  Don't miss this interesting discussion!

Live from the Vision Source Exchange in San Antonio, TX. Listen in and join the discussion about where we’ve been, and more importantly, where we’re headed – and how you should prepare for what may lie ahead. Joining us are key industry executives from Vision Source as well as some members, old and new, to give their different perspectives.

Questions and comments for the current AOA president, Steven Loomis, OD on this episode of the Power Hour.  Listen to the discussion about what the AOA has been working on of late and an in depth conversation about the current legislative battle with 1-800-Contacts, particularly in Arizona.  Don’t miss this VERY important episode!

The Power Hour is now listened to in 109 countries.  We broadcast from the United States and talk mostly about what’s happening here.  Why then, do optometrists from Albania to Zimbabwe listen? Answering that question and others, on this episode of the Power Hour, is Leo Mac Canna, the CEO and founder of the practice management software company, Ocuco.  Ocuco is the second largest optical retail software company in the world, and continues to expand globally, with offices in the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Australia and China.  Given their global experience, Leo shares his insights on the world view of optometry and what some of the more “quirky” best practices are from around the world that we can all benefit from.  

Chris Marentis, respected authority on internet marketing and founder of Surefire Social, an internet marketing company making major waves in optometry, is the guest on this episode of the Power Hour.  Joining Chris is Dr. Alan Glazier, a noted industry expert on digital marketing and social media.  

Dr. Thomas Aller has been using multifocal contact lenses for years – successfully!  Yes, those same lenses that many of us run from, Tom runs towards!  Find out why and how he readily embraces these lenses and how he’s integrated them into his practice on this episode of the Power Hour!

Tune in to this episode and listen as VSP’s CEO, Jim McGrann takes your calls and questions from Gary.  Topics include everything from VSP’s Premier program, VSP’s new relationship with CVS and just about anything else listeners want to call in and talk to Jim about.  Don’t miss this important and unique opportunity to hear how Jim responds to your questions answered directly from the CEO!

Listen to the show as Dr. Nick Despotidis talks about how he built one of the largest corneal reshaping practices on the planet and how it allowed him to provide a quality of practice and personal life that many of us only dream about.  Prepare to be inspired!

It’s 5:00 PM, you’ve got your coat on and are heading out the door when your office manager stops you and says, “Mrs. Abrasion is on her way over. She was in a lot of pain so I thought it was best she come right over. I’m sorry – I hope that was OK.”Of course it’s OK because you want to take care of this patient, but in doing so, you’ll now be late for your daughter’s violin recital. Nearly all doctors, whether they are practice owners or associates, working in private or corporate practices, struggle with work–life balance.On this episode of the Power Hour former AOA President, current full time OD and mom, Dr. Dori Carlson joins the show. Tune in to hear about how she juggled three full time jobs when most of us stress over just one.

You already know your patients are constantly looking at their mobile devices. Is your practice showing up on those devices?They built the industry’s #1 mobile platform that allows doctors to connect with their patients. EyeXam Founder and CEO, Dr. Nikki Iravani talks about how EyeXam came to be, and based on what she learned in creating the app, shares her insights on how doctors can benefit from being more connected to their own patients and prospective patients. We talk about everything from patient’s viewpoints of scheduling exams, checking insurance benefits and of course, finding a doctor.

Is he a comedian or an OD?  Dr. Monty Vickers’ witty insightful monthly columns having been making us laugh for more than 25 years.  Now, for the first time ever, he brings his “show” to live radio!  Listen to Monty and Gary on this episode of the Power Hour as they make light of all things optometric.

James Diecidue shares his unique viewpoints about how he thinks EHR’s SHOULD work, why some don’t work that way and his opinion on a new solution.  Tune in to hear this fresh viewpoint about a very important topic.

It’s been said that buying a house is the single biggest decision you’ll ever make . . . unless of course you’re buying a practice or starting your own.  Tune in to this episode of the Power Hour when Gary discusses his unique consultant’s view on how to stack the deck in your favor to ensure your success. Topics include everything from choosing a name, dispelling the “location, location, location” myth, ways to save on rent and inventory, secrets to getting great staff and a list of other very important decisions you’ll need to make early on.

It could be argued that for today’s OD, an OCT is as essential to the medical part of a practice as a phoropter is to the refractive practice.  With that level of importance, we are dedicating this episode to all things OCT.  To keep things lively and informative, we’ve invited competing OCT manufacturers to discuss the importance of the technology as well as why they believe their device is best.

Digital dispensing devices are the topic of this episode of the Power Hour.  Guests include representatives from Zeiss, VSP, Shamir, Hoya and Essilor.

Barry Tannen, OD, FCOVD, FAAO is our guest on this informative episode.  Barry talks about the latest body of evidence around optometric diagnosis and treatment of concussions and TBI patients and how you can make this a part of your practice.  It’s a fascinating topic where OD’s are making significant, life changing differences for their patients!  

2016 is now only six weeks away.  Power Hour host and practice management consultant Gary Gerber, OD talks about the three things every practice should be doing NOW to ensure they get 2016 off to a profitable start and sustain growth during the course of the year.  Be ready to take notes for this show as Gary takes a deep dive into his three top planning strategies and how to ensure they get implemented and stick!

Jeffrey J. Walline, OD PhD, Associate Dean for Research at The Ohio State University College of Optometry, is THE source for all things myopia and myopia control – and is the guest on this episode of the Power Hour.  Involved in all the major studies in this area (COOKI, CLAMP and CRAYON to name just a few) Jeff talks about what the research has (and hasn’t!) found and what lies ahead.   Does spending time outside really make a difference in myopia progression?  Should you really be telling parents of myopic kids to limit time on their iPads?  Separate the myths from the facts on this important show.  

Angie Paccione, Ph.D from Verus Global is our guest on this episode of the Power Hour.  With her diverse background as an educator, professional basketball player and Colorado legislator, Angie talks about how to create a positive culture in your practice and how it leads to greater profitability.  The keynote speaker at the last Power Practice National Client meeting, Angie received a standing ovation at the conclusion of her motivating and very practical and useful talk.  Be sure to listen to this important episode, invite your staff to listen and get started on the path of becoming an inspiring leader!

Hear why doctors should join an alliance, and specifically, why they should join one of the six alliances on this episode (Block Business Group, IDOC, PECAA, PERC, PRIMA and Vision Source). Is it just about who has the best price on a box of contact lenses, or is there more to it now? Is inclusion in a changing healthcare system a function of joining the “right” group or are they all the same? What about live meetings and camaraderie? Is that important? With six choices, which group – if any – is best for YOUR practice?

They claim to help keep your appointment books full, help get positive online reviews, automate marketing emails and texts, and decrease the workload for your staff. But which one is right for you? You won't want to miss this episode where 4patientcare, Demandforce, Solutionreach, and Websystem3 discuss each of their offerings.  

Dr. Don Teig is our guest on this episode of the Power Hour. Don discusses how he got his start in sports vision and ultimately wound up working with the NY Yankees, Knicks and training other doctors to work with their local sports teams and athletes. He also talks about his newest venture, The A Team, High Performance Vision Associates and some of their work across the country.

Dentist have it made! Or do they? Trevor Maurer from SmileSource, a network of independent dentists is our guest on the next Power Hour.  With years of vision care experience behind him, Trevor talks about the similarities between us and how we can leverage dental’s best practices in our practices. 

With so much talk about social media and online reviews, is there still a necessity for a web site for most practices?  Tune in as the experts from iMatrix talk about why a broad based web approach still matters and how to go about making sure your web site is robust and meaningful to patients and prospective patients.  Getting patients to your web site isn’t enough.  They have to stay there long enough to absorb your message! Listen to this important show for updates you can use for your own web presence.

Marc Ferrara – the CEO of information services at Jobson gets us up to date on why generational differences matter in our practices and what we should do about themJeremy Poincenot - 2010 World Blind Golf Champion shares his incredible inspirational life story and talks about the Vision of Children Foundation

Tony Hawk – Tony talks about his new line of eyeglasses and his foundation Tom Loughran – from Reed Exhibitions, Tom discusses some of the “must see/do” things for Vision Expo attendees Anne Marie Luthro – get ready for a fascinating discussion about optical shopper psychology and environmental factors that affect purchasing decisions

Gary is the guest as he’s interviewed and discusses his views on where the industry is headed and what OD’s should do to prepare and succeed.  He also shares some personal history about what brought about the Power Hour in the first place, future plans for the show and how it will benefit listeners.  Finally, listen to a “consulting free for all/stump Gary session”.

You have a “no smoking in the office” policy.  Your optician only smokes during allowed break times.  When he comes back, he smells like smoke and you believe it is affecting sales in your practice.  Can you discuss this with the optician?  Can you fire them because of it?  What about an employee, who in your opinion, wears too much perfume or cologne? You know that your millennial patient only responds to text messages.  Can you dismiss this horribly non-compliant contact lens wearer via text? After repeated attempts at re-training, you have decided to fire your receptionist.  Just as you’re about to tell her she’s fired, she interrupts with, “I have great news.  I’m pregnant!”  Now what? Attorney Ron Goldman, director of legal services for the Power Practice, joins this episode.  Listen as we take a deep dive into the above topics along with many others. 

Never one to hold back his oft viewed controversial opinions, Barry discusses: Why Rx expiration dates undermine a doctor’s credibility The 5 stages of grief & Warby Parker The 5 things ODs should never say An Optician's view of “outside” prescriptions Why you should give patients a prescription for “plano” as opposed to simply saying, “You don’t need glasses."

Steve Dorfman from Driven to Excel joins the show.  Steve’s background in two diverse industries – hospitality and car sales, allows him to bring a very different point of view to orchestrating a patient’s visit in your practice. In addition to his 9 imperatives, Steve talks about why the patient experience is the real key to practice profitability.  Gary and Steve take a deep dive into this interesting topic and talk about ways you can make it positively memorable and absolutely profitable!

Their company's vision is, “To be the premium progressive lens designer and vendor in the United States.”  Shamir CEO, Raanan Naftalovich joins the show and discusses how they are doing that in the face of the constantly changing vision care landscape.  Raanan opines on everything from the effect of vision care plans, internet eyeglasses and refractions, decreasing emphasis on optical sales, social media and millennials on this eclectic episode.

When most doctors at this point in their careers would have already retired, Dr. Neil Draisin is forging on.  He has continually built larger and larger practices and assimilated nearly every specialty service into his still growing practice, Neil’s drive and enthusiasm to keep pushing his practice forward is contagious.  When others are complaining about the Internet and the rest of optometry’s woes, Neil is finding ways to make them work for his practice.  Proving that a long career doesn’t equate to a declining, stagnant or boring one, Neil shares his wisdom with us on this episode of the Power Hour.

Technology is shrinking and autorefractors are no exception.  But what does the reduction in size mean beyond simply saving space in your practice?  Are there other implications and is this trend likely to continue?  Listen to our guests from Smart Vision Labs as we discuss their technology and handheld technology in general and what the implications might be for your patients and practice.

Contact lens guru, educator, writer, researcher and lecturer Patrick Caroline takes your calls on this episode of the Power Hour!  Pat talks about the reasons for the recent resurgence of GP lenses, how practitioners can get educated and benefit from current new modalities and designs and also what’s on the horizon.

Listen to the discussion about ethical practice dilemmas.  For example, a patient tells you that his last doctor charged him for $5 for a box of “free” trial lenses, another patient tells you their last doctor said she had glaucoma (and she clearly doesn’t) and that she had to be seen (and pay) every three months.  What would you say to these patients?  Would you contact their previous doctors?  What about if you knew that another doctor in town was committing blatant insurance fraud, or your patient wants to self-refer for cataract surgery to a surgeon who you know is obviously and grossly inept with a long history of poor outcomes? Don't miss this very special episode where the guest is YOU and YOUR personal experiences!

Newly elected AOA president, Dr. Steve Loomis, Dr. Carla Mack, from Alcon, Jon Torrey and Dave Plogmann, both from Think About Your Eyes (TAYE) join the next Power Hour.  Our guests discuss this important national public awareness campaign that is presented by the Vision Council and the AOA.  

David Friedfeld joins us on this episode to give his thoughts on industry trends.  As the president of a large frame company, he shares a different perspective on things like Internet eyeglasses, managed vision care, online refractions, social media as well as a host of other important topics affecting today’s eye care professionals.

Listen to Jim McGrann, the current president and soon to be CEO of VSP on this episode of the Power Hour.  Jim answers your questions and discusses what’s new at VSP.  Get an update on the Premier program, hear about Jim's plan and direction once he becomes CEO, his view on why the millennial market is so important to the industry, and his thoughts on how managed vision care and practitioners can cooperate to the betterment of patients.

The effects of blue light on your patients has been all over the news.  Is the science solid, and if so, what are you doing about it?  Which lens is best and how should you present it to your patients?  Is all blue light bad?  Why the emphasis on it now vs. years ago?  Get answers to these questions and more.  Joining the show will be representatives from Essilor, Zeiss, Hoya, VSP and BluTech so be sure to listen to the important episode.

Google Glass may be in the history books, but as optician John Bonizio discusses on this episode of The Power Hour, wearable eyewear technology can be a significant part of your practice.  John talks about particular products he recommends for his patients, how they are presented and aligned with conventional eyewear. 

Dr. Keith Thompson from Digital Vision Systems joins the show and talks about new technology that could very well replace your phoropter and be a genuine “game changer.”  Keith is the head of the team developing this breakthrough technology and the implications for your practice are staggering. 

Our special guest this week is YOU!  Listen as doctors call in to share their experiences in working with a consultant.  Gary gives advice on what to look for when choosing which consultant to work with and doctors with new, established and those exiting, call in to share how their consultant helped them.

The mission of the Vision Impact Institute is to raise awareness about the importance of healthy vision, including the socio-economic impact of Uncorrected Refractive Errors and quality of life benefits of visual correction. Their president, Maureen Cavanagh is the guest on our next episode.  She’ll discuss how they aim to be the voice of vision by gathering and communicating pertinent information to all stakeholders, including government policy makers, optical industry associates and the general public, to mobilize a world-wide movement on visual impairment advocacy.  

Dr. Alan Homestead, director of billing and coding for the Power Practice joins this episode of the Power Hour.  Alan separates fact from fiction regarding what you should do to prepare for ICD 10.  He also discusses some of the most common billing and coding myths. Being prepared for ICD and using proper billing and coding procedures can significantly alter your practice’s financial destiny. Making mistakes can literally put you out of business!  

In home vision testing by "Visioneers" is here.  Listen to David Schafran, the founder of www.goblink.co and Drs. Neil Schafran and Adam Deutscher as they discuss their new technology delivery system for what they refer to as "vision testing." They discuss the differences between their test and a comprehensive eye examination, talk about the logistics of how and when their Blink optometrists sign off on the test and write an eyeglass prescription and how their technology benefits patients.

Listen in as we broadcast LIVE from the Vision Source Exchange in Phoenix, Arizona.  Joining the show are Vision Source Execs who share their thoughts about where the industry is headed and why joining a doctor alliance is so critical.  They also talk about what's new at Vision Source.  

Are Independent Practice Associations (IPA's) the answer to managed care woes?  Dr. Joseph Ross, president of the NY IPA discusses how IPA's work, his opinion on their advantages compared to current managed care plans, how you can research if there is already one in your state, and if not, how to set one up.

World famous optometrist, Professor Brien Holden offers up great insight on the myopia epidemic.  He discusses probable causes and the best current solutions as well as some solutions that are on the way.  He also makes a case why astute OD's will become myopia managers instead of just myopia correctors. It's a fascinating discussion from the worlds' leading OD!

Are dentists smarter than optometrists?  Well known and highly respected optometrist, Dr. Art Epstein, answers with a resounding "Yes!"  Listen to Art discuss why he thinks this way, how optometrists can benefit from practicing like dentists and how he has similarly configured his own practice to model a dental practice.  Always outspoken and on point, Art offers great practical advice to our listeners.

Sjogren's syndrome is often either missed or misdiagnosed yet as many as 4 million Americans live with the disease.  Steve Cohen, OD, is the only optometrist on the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation board of directors and he's our special guest on this episode. He discusses how to diagnose and help treat the ocular manifestations of Sjogren's and how to communicate with the medical community about your place in the patient's care.

Jeff Anshel, OD and nutrition expert joins the show.  Jeff talks about how to interpret conflicting studies and what's hot and what's not in the world of ocular nutrition.

LIVE FROM VISION EXPO EAST, PART 2! Listen to Dave Ziegler, OD, talk about how he's used technology to raise the customer service bar in his optical, Marc Ferrara from Jobson gives highlights of the recent Jobson Summit and the "Internet of Things," Eric Leonard, the president of Essilor talks about the next big thing in eyeglasses (and it's not what you think!), and Matt Geller, OD returns to talk about a new web site for hiring staff.

LIVE FROM VISION EXPO EAST, Part 1 . . . Guests include Mark Dunbar, OD, talking about some of the great classes and new programs at Expo, Ben Stewart from Bank of America discusses the current financing climate, Dean Butler, the founder of LensCrafters prognosticates on the future of the industry and Casey Hedberg from Glimpse discusses why there's been a recent high interest level in data analytics.   

Contact lens guru, Dr. Joseph Barr joins the show!  Joe shares his views on what he sees as the biggest opportunities and challenges for contact lenses and those doctors wanting to grow their contact lens practices.  As an educator, he also gives his views on the current state of OD education.  Listen to this episode for some candid discussion and great insight.

LIVE FROM SECO!!  Special guests include Drs. Walt Mayo, Al Kabat, Mile Brujic and Michael Chaglasian.  We discuss everything from $109 tablet computers to ocular side effects of oral medications.  Listen to this fun and eclectic episode!

AOA President, David Cockrell, OD joins the show!  We talk about the 1-800 Contacts legislation that is trying to elminate UPP and make it illegal for doctors to sell contact lenses to their own patients (Yes, you read that correctly!).  We also discuss the AOA's position on, "Are there too many doctors?," online refractions and many other important topics.

An employee calls you up and says they were hurt on vacation while bungee jumping and can't work for 6 weeks.  Are they "disabled?"  Can having something as simple as a job description help you in an ADA lawsuit?  Is it best to not ask prospective employees about their health, even if you feel they may not be able to perform a specific task in your practice because of poor health?  Elizabeth Harlan is an ADA Attorney.  She answers these and other questions and gives very useful information to keep in mind when dealing with your current and future staff. 

What can optometry learn from a leading retailer like Brooks Brothers?  Quite a lot as you'll hear on this episode.  Brooks Brothers president, Andrea Dorigo discusses everything from merchandising to social media.  Hear very interesting information that you should listen to with your optical staff!

Can very small amounts of prism (on the order of 1/2 diopter) really make a big difference for your patients?  Drs. Debby Feinberg and Mark Rosner share cases and techniques about patients with everything from irretractable headaches to vertigo and discuss how their system of very meticulous prescribing of prism has helped their patients - about 7,500 of them!

Meaningful use audits are on the rise.  How should you prepare and respond in the event you are one of the "lucky" doctors to be audited?  The percentage of doctors who lose their audits is alarmingly high, so listen to this show and protect your MU payment!  Susan Orr, a healthcare attorney joins the show to discuss this important topic.

Are you putting your patients at risk when you prescribe generic drugs?  Have those drugs gone through the same approval process and clinical trials as branded drugs? Drs. Agustin Gonzalez and Mel Friedman join the show to discuss this very important topic

The President of Luxottica Wholesale (frames), Holly Rush, joins the show.  Holly shares great perspective on the importance of brands and optimizing the patient’s experience in your practice.  Luxottica sells one RayBan per SECOND.  Holly talks about how you can make your practice the “RayBan” in your community!  Great information!

A two part episode!  First, Gary talks about a way to ensure 2015 is successful. Then, Drs. Justin Bazan and Alan Glazier debate whether Facebook is still relevant as part of your marketing plan.  Listen to this VERY lively and entertaining discussion.

EyeMed President Lukas Rueker and his leadership team are on the show and they take questions from listeners.  We talk about the lab model, low exam reimbursements, why they mandate certain business practices for providers, Internet dispensing and many other important topics.  Listen as colleagues call in with their thoughts and comments! If you'd like to contact EyeMed about the show, visit:  http://discovereyemed.com/viewpoint/  or, send an email to [email protected]

Glaucoma guru, Dr. Murray Fingeret is our special guest.  We discuss cutting edge diagnostic tools and treatment strategies.  Is the OCT the standard of care?  What happened to visual fields - still important?  With all this new information, exactly WHEN should you start treating glaucoma?  Listen to this important information you won't find elsewhere!

Are there too many optometrists and too many schools?  Dr. Jennifer Coyle, the president of ASCO, joins the show to discuss the findings of the AOA Workforce Study.  Listen to the discussion about the study and what it means for your practice.  We discuss everything from the effect of gender to new technology on the future of our profession!

If you were stranded on a desert island and only had one instrument available to diagnosis glaucoma, which one would it be?  Listen as noted educator, author and lecturer Jim Thimons, OD, answers this and other very timely questions.  On this episode you'll hear all about cutting edge technologies, new drug delivery systems that are on the horizon, why you need to be careful prescribing generic drugs and a host of other very important clinical topics.

Listen to this important episode as pediactric specialist Dr. Leonard Press talks about why "little patients are the next big thing" for your practice.  He makes a compelling argument about why catering to this segment of patients is great for your practice and allays any possible fears about seeing younger patients.  It's a great show with great information!

Is eyecare becoming a commodity and if so, what can you do about it?  Listen to a very entertaining and lively discussion with the CEO of FirsVision Media Group, Frank Giammanco.

Your first step to plan to succeed next year should be to listen to this episode.  Gary discusses how and why to set up a budget and offers a free template just for the asking.  Great content to ensure your success next year!

What are the most important benchmarks for you to measure and keep track of in YOUR practice?  Listen as Gary and Steven Sunder from VisionWeb discuss, and debate, this important topic.  Also listen for instructions on how to get your free e-book that they collaborated on.

Your next contact lens patients asks you, "So doctor, I saw on a website that the same company who makes my contact lenses paid you $1,417.29 for "Travel Expenses."  Are you fitting me with these contact lenses because they paid for your vacation? Sound impossible?  The Sunshine Act is in full effect and scenarios like the one above are bound to happen in your practice. Listen to experts from the Contact Lens Institute, Alcon and Vistakon share their wisdom about how the "Open Payments" program works, where you can see it online and everything else you need to know about it.

Myopia Control is within the clinical skillset of every OD.  Get up to the second information about this great treatment program for your patients, from expert, Jeffrey Cooper, OD.  Learn how controlling myopia - instead of just "correcting" it can greatly benefit your practice and patients.

What’s the next BIG thing for OD’s to be aware of?  Listen to the broadcast live from the East West meeting in Cleveland as we pose that question to notable OD’s, Tom Quinn, Jerry Sherman, Marc Bloomenstein and Karla Zadnik.  Also joining us is Rick Cornett, the Executive Director of the Ohio Optometric Association talking about the ACA and John Hawley, VP from Optovue talking about their new iScan and DIGITAL, no injection, fluorescein angiography!  Listen to some great content about what’s just around the corner and also hear Dr. Sherman talk about a controversy brewing at the NIH around the ARED’s study!  

Special eyeglass lenses for use with digital devices?  Why not use PAL's or single vision lenses?  Hear the latest about lens designs and filters on this special show with guests from Essilor, Hoya and Zeiss.  If you think they all agree about the importance of filtering blue light, think again . . . and listen to the show - you'll be suprised!

GP Rockstar, Ed Bennett, OD, joins the show.  We talk about the resurgence of scleral lenses, great resources for new fitters, corneal reshaping and lots of other important topics.  Great information on this episode!

Live from Vision Expo West - Part 2! Ian Lane, OD, from Uprise talks about Meaning Use audit prepration and avoidance Andy Karp from Jobson discusses wearable technology Bob Main from Rochester optical talks about preparing for wearable tech in your practice Kevin Wheat, OD talks about how he uses Google Glass in his practice Alan Glazier, OD - the "Godfather" of optometric social media talks about OD's on Facebook

Broadcasting LIVE from the exhibit hall at Vision Expo West join our guests:   Dr. Matt Alpert talk about how he's using Google glass in his own practice Tom Castiglione, the president of Morel, discusses how smaller companies (and practices) can compete with huge ones and let's us know what's coming in frame styles from Europe Drs. Howard Purcell and Janelle Routheir from Essilor talk about new education initiatives, leadership changes at the company and how their "Power of Three" consumer ad campaign is benefiting pracitioners Holly Rush, Luxtottica retail president, talks about their innovative new strategy that is exemplified in their nearly "frameless" trade show booth as well as some new changes at the company Rick Clemente from Santinelli International talks about innovations in in office finishing Optometry Giving Sight gets us up to date with the World Sight Day Challenge! Dr. Larry Alexander talks about new OCT developments at Optovue  

Should you be outsourcing your billing and coding?  Learn when the time is right, the mechanics of doing so and the benefits of having someone handle this critically important task from outiside your office.  Also hear tips on avoiding and surviving audits as well as what the experts think are acceptable amounts of accounts receivables to have on your practice books.  Rob Marcella from CS Eye and Branda Barton from Optometric Billing Solutions join the show!

UPP - Unilateral Pricing Policy - what exactly is it and what does it mean to your practice?  Join our special guest, Angel Alvarez, the CEO of ABB Optical Group as we dive into this important topic and take your calls!

Learn the essence of branding your practice and how you can separate it from the pack.  Warren Modlin from Oakley calls in to the show to share his expertise on branding and marketing and how the same strategies used by famous brands like Oakley can be used in your practice!

How to you introduce new procedures or technology to your staff?  What about staff who are resistant?  Dr. Ian Lane from Uprise software discusses the interesting subject of "Change Management" and how you should use it to help implementing an EHR system in your practice.

Is in-office finishing (edging) the right decision for your practice?  Listen to an informative and candid discussion with President & CEO of Santinelli, International, Gerard Santinelli as we dive into this important topic.

The President and CEO of Essilor joins the show!  John Carrier takes your calls and shares his views on where the industry is headed, the power of brands, why Essilor bought Coastal Contacts and clarifies Essilors relationship with Eyemed.

Did you know that contact lens patients get examined more than TWICE as frequently as eyeglass patients, or that patients prefer news magazines in the waiting room?  Do you know how important weekend hours are for prospective patients or what they consider too long of a wait for an appointment?  Do they prefer email to the telphone when making appointments? Listen to this very interesting and helpful episode as researches from Jobson and the Vision Council share the findings and trends from three very important studies.

A union for optometrists?  Might this be a vehicle for OD's do deal with vision care plan woes?  Listen to the show as Craig Steinberg, OD, JD and antitrust attorney David Balto discuss the formation of this union and what it could mean for your practice.

Demodex critters are the topic of this show.  Hear from expert Scott Schachter, OD about how to diagnose, treat, manage patient visits and expectations and build your practice by being the demodex exterminator.  Lid scrubs are out . . . learn what's in!

The six essential steps to ensuring any initiative in your practice succeeds.  Gary talks about how to make your next office project - be it a marketing program or anything else, succeed!

Eight of the most incredible upcoming innovations in optometry . . . for example, eye drops for presbyopia and accommodative IOLS with no moving parts are just two things you'll hear optometric inventor Ron Blum, OD talk about on the show.  Also on the program is Frank Giammanco talking about an upcoming event at Vision Expo West that focuses on innovation and new inventions.  It's a fascinating discussion you must listen to!

Do we need yet ANOTHER association?  Three representatives from Energeyes, an association representing corporate optometrists, join the show to discuss their organization and how those who join might benefit.

Are you recruiting the BEST talent for your practice?  Learn the best way to do that from LocalEyeSite.com's Brad McCorkle.

An eye exam from a cell phone?  David Schafran, COO from Eyenetra discusses his technology as well as telemedicine in general.  Is this something you should embrace or fear?  Tune in and find out!

Learn how and when to do pre-employment background checks.  Listen to Tommy Huhn from National Applicant Screening talk about criminal and credit checks and drug testing of prospective employees.  Great information!

Learn how to FINALLY get things done in your practice!  Bill Bennett from the Franklin Covey organization joins the show to discuss "The Four Disciplines of Execution."  Great show and great content you can use right away!

Hear an educator's perspective on "too many students and too many schools," Obamacare, student debt and a discussion of an innovative OD-MBA program as Dr. David Heath, president of SUNY Optometry joins the show!

Learn how to prevent fraud and theft in your practice from forensic accountant and certified fraud examiner, Joel Charkatz.

Online refractions . . . listen to the co-founders of Opternative discuss their technology and what it might mean to your practice and your patients.

We're broadcasting live from the Vision Source exchange talking to the CEO and President, Jim Greenwood about healthcare reform and doctor alliances.  Also joining the show are Dr. Bobby Christensen, VP of clinical strategies.

If you're thinking of buying or seling a practice, you need to listen to this show.  Chris Majdi, a broker from Transition Consultants shares tips and ideas that will help you whether you're buying or selling.

The founder of LensCrafters, Dean Butler is back on the show giving his straightforward commentary on how private practices can compete with online retailers, online refractions and many other relevant topics.  Also joining the show is Keith Thompson, MD, talking about some genuine game changer technology that is right around the corner.  Hear about it for the first time HERE on the Power Hour!

Are MD's beating OD's at the healthcare game?  Larry Alexander, OD and Alistair Jackson sound off on the show and take your calls.

ABB Optical Group CEO, Angel Alvarez takes your calls to discuss the new Superior Vision contact lens program.

Industry update from the industry's trade group, The Vision Council.  CEO Ed Greene talks about current consumer trends and where he sees the industry headed.  He also talks about International Vision Expo!

How much is your practice REALLY worth?  Find out as uber-experienced practice appraiser Dr. Gary Moss joins the show and takes your questions.

Straight answers to your questions about ICD 10, Meaningful Use 2 and what you should do to become HIPAA compliant from Scott Jens, OD, cofounder and CEO of RevolutionEHR.

Obamacare is here to stay.  What should you be doing NOW to prepare your practice to participate?  Learn from public health and public policy expert, Mort Soroka, PhD as he takes your calls and discusses this important topic.

A PhD in social media - only on the Power Hour!  Listen to Dean Browell, PhD discuss innovative ways to boost your social media presence, how frequently you should post on Facebook and how to respond to reviews.  It's a VERY informative useful dialogue that will benefit any practice!

Toys R Us and Target helping you run your practice?  Yes!  Tune in to former CEO of Toys R Us and Target, Jerry Storch and learn great tips on inventory management, merchandising, customer service and his thoughts on social media and dealing with "insurance patients."  GREAT show!

What's the best and safest way to back up the data in your office?  Which tablet should you buy?  Listen to computer wizard, Dr. Walt Mayo answer questions from our callers about all things computing!

The way your practice smells and the music you play can have a significant effect on your patients.  Listen to two experts on the fascinating topic of "sensory marketing" and learn why just concentrating on how your practice looks is no longer enough to compete and thrive!

Social Media wizard Alan Glazier, OD talks about innovative ways to use things like Twitter, Pinterest and of course Facebook to help build your practice.  He also takes a fascinating look into the future to let us know about the absolute latest social media developments.

Paul Karpecki, OD joins the show and talks about ocular surface disease.  He discusses everything from "classic" treatments to cutting edge therapies.  He also gives his vision of how OD's and MD's can work together.  Great show!

A unique approach to selling second pairs of glasses.  David Eichelberger from Adlens joins the show!

VSP President, Jim McGrann takes your calls and discusses Premier, WalMart affiliated doctors and other important topics.

Corneal reshaping is probably the most profitable thing an OD can do - yet very few doctors offer this to their patients.  Learn how you can add this life changing modality to your practice from Nick Despotidis, OD - the OD corneal reshaping practice building guru!

Are you ready for ICD 10 and Meaningful Use 2?  Industry expert Dr. Ian Lane tells you all you need to be prepared, where to go for information and some other great tips to be prepared for this VERY important looming change.

When is the right time to hire a consultant for your practice?  What should you look for in a consultant and how does their program work?  Learn this and more on this important episode.  MVP athletes use coaches.  Should you?

The eight biggest doctor alliances and buying groups join the show.  Learn about the COGS savings, education and preparing for Obamacare on this very important special 1.5 hour episode!

If a sales rep leaves behind a pen or post-it notes on Monday, and for whatever reason you start prescribing more of their drug on Tuesday, are you in violation of this new regulation? Are you required to keep track of how much the lunch with your contact lens rep costs and if you don’t, is there a penalty?  What if the lunch was $9 vs. $20?  What if that lunch is a buffet at your state meeting  and during that meeting, you walk through an exhibit hall and pick up a pen.  Is that a problem? The Sunshine Act is addressed by two industry veterans from Alcon and Vistakon.  Even if you do something as seemingly benign as attend an industry sponsored CE event, you should listen to this show to learn about this important new law.

What's the straight story about prescribing supplements for your patients?  Which ones should you use, are they safe, what if patients are already taking something else?  Get answers to these and other questions as experts from Zeavision and Macuhealth discuss and debate the topic.

Veterinarians and OD's have much more in common than you might think.  Both complain about too many schools graduating too many doctors, undervaluing services, interference from Internet sellers and a host of other striking similarities.  Join Clint Lewis, President of Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health) as he discusses how vets are dealing with these challenges and Gary relates it all to an OD's world.

EyeFinity President Steve Baker gives and EHR update and discusses the cloud, meaningful use 1 and 2, the intersection of EHR with social media and other important topics.  He's joined by Dr. Ryan Wineinger, a practicing OD and consultant for EyeFinity EHR.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing new OD's?  Hear our special "Live from Vision Expo West, Las Vegas!" show.  Special guests are new OD's, students, married OD's, and special industry guests from Essilor, VSP and Vision One.

Dr. Art Epstein talks optometric politics and gives an insightful opinion about our future.  He also answers questions about if he thinks there are too many OD schools, talks about Obamacare and his view on vision care plans.

Are you liable if a patient refuses dilation?  What's the best way to avoid an insurance company audit?  Do HIPAA regulations allow you to email your patients? Optometrist/Attorney Craig Steinberg joins the show and answers these questions as well many others from our listeners.

Why do female OD's make less than their male OD counterparts? Are male OD's greater risk takers than female OD's? Hear Maureen Cavanagh give her opinions about the gender gap in optometry.  Maureen is the President of Nassau Lens and an experienced industry veteran.  She offers up some very interesting insights on this important topic.

Google glass in a contact lens? Accommodating contact lenses for presbyopia?  Glaucoma drops in a contact lens?  PhD, polymer chemist and engineer Lynn Winterton joins the show to discuss these and other innovations in contact lenses.  He's the holder of 54 US contact lens related patents so he's got a great handle on where contact lens technology is headed!

EyeMed's John Lahr, OD, Liz DiGiandomenico (President) and Greg Hare talk about their new business model and answer your questions about the new contract, why they are sending reminders to get an eye exam to your patients, billing medical vs. vision and lots of other important topics.

WellPoint/1-800-Contacts joins the show.  Richard Hom, OD, and Vision Services President Jeff Spahr discuss coordination of care and the 1-800 benefit for WellPoint members.

Think About Your Eyes - should you participate?  Learn about the research and results behind the program and decide for yourself. It's arguably the biggest direct to consumer marketing campaign in eye care.  Should you be a part of it?

The HIPAA Police really ARE coming!  Healthcare attorney Susan Orr joins the show and talks about what you need to know to protect yourself from what could literally put you out of business with a stroke of the pen.  Can you text your patients?  Send them postcards?  Use a sign in sheet?  Do you have to lock up patient files?  Tune in and find out.

Learn how to make your office green.  CEO of MODO frames, Pierre Fay, discusses techniques you can use to make your practice green, the size of the green market and why being green is a great way to position your practice.

If you have any pictures on your website or Facebook page, you HAVE to listen to this episode.  Intellectual property attorney Jim Astrachan discusses the proper way to use images on your site (including using pictures of patients or staff), safeguards to avoid violating copyright laws when playing music in your office, legal issues around practice names as well as lots of other GREAT information!

NFL Coach, Bill Davis, Defensive Coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles shares his secrets for building a great team, dealing with "irreplaceable" Prima Donnas and lots of other useful information you can use to build YOUR All Pro team!

Gary shares his special technique for selling second pairs of glasses, to about 30% of your patients - with NO discounts!  Hear very easy to use by step directions to instantly increase your bottom line!

Cloud EHR and tech experts, Drs. Kim Castleberry and Lorie Lippiatt share their thoughts about the advantages to doctors, staff and patients of cloud based EHR's and unveil some brand new technology.

Dr. Jerome Sherman joins the show and talks about OCT's, VEP's, ERG's, genetic testing and some very humbling OD related lawsuits.  There is GREAT information for every doctor on this episode!

Alcon Vice President and General Manager, Jim Murphy joins the show and talks about why the contact lens market is flat and what doctors can do to change that.  He also discusses the technology in Alcon's new Dailies Total One contact lens as well as a new model in contact lens pricing.

What's the difference between a satisfied patient and a loyal one?  Find out on "Open Mic Night" - a special tribute show where our listeners become our guests!

Luxottica President, Andrea Dorigo talks about some of the changes he's made at the company, leadership, competition and OneSight.  Listen in for some great perspective, including his answer to, "How should private OD's compete with Lenscrafters?"

AllAboutVision.com co-founder, Ron Walker joines the show and discusses how patients search for eye care related information online and how your practice can benefit.

Walt Mayo, OD and computer guru joins the show.  Walt talks about his favorite cloud based back ups, operating systems, cell phones, anti-virus programs and lots more.  There's great information for anyone with a computer!

RevolutionEHR and Crystal Practice Management discuss meaningful use, cloud vs. server based software, customer service and support, data conversion and many other important topics.  They also answer the question, "Why would I buy your software instead of the other guys?"

Matt Geller, a fourth year SUNY Optometry student joins the show.  Matt is the founder of OptometryStudents.com.  As a "plugged in and e-wired" OD student, he'll share his unique perspectives on all things OD student related.

Learn about Obamacare, ACA's and ACO's during the live broadcast from the Vision Source Exchange!

Professor Brien Holden joins the show calling in live from Australia.  Brien discusses things like updates with myopia control contact lenses, bifocals, daily disposables, worldwide usage of contact lenses, and optometry in developing countries. Also, in a style that is uniquely his, he answers the question, "With all the research and development being done by the big contact lens companies, why aren’t contact lenses perfect?"

Doctors can collect more than $3,000 and sometimes up to $6,000 per patient. It’s safe, it works, it is rarely covered by insurance, and a technician can do a lot of the work. There is little cost of goods involved, yet very few doctors perform vision therapy in their practices. Why is that? The old school thinking of, "it’s voodoo" no longer applies since there are numerous well done studies that support the efficacy of VT, and tens of thousands success stories exist. With all that said, why do so few practices offer VT to their patients?Barry Tannen, OD, FCOVD has a huge and wildly profitable VT practice in New Jersey. He teaches practice management at SUNY Optometry and has consulted with other doctors on how to manage a thriving VT practice. Join Barry as he tackles the "why don’t more docs do VT" question, as well as offering great advice for those who DO already have VT as a part of their practices.

Marge Axelrad from Vision Monday joins the show!  As an editor and  "industry insider," Marge shares her views and experience on current trends and challenges affecting OD practices.  Tune in for what will be a very unique perspective on the day to day issues facing your practice!

Dr. Alan Homestead, the Yoda of optometric billing and coding, discusses some of the best ways to survive an audit, common "gotchas" and gives some great tips to instantly boost your practice's bottom line.

Listen to our first show recorded outside of the studio, live from the exhibit hall at Vision Expo East!  The topis is transitioning practices from sellers to buyers.  Bob Schlutz from Vision One Credit Union discusses the nuances of how a smooth financial transaction of this magnitude should happen.  Also, Dr. Howard Purcell from Essilor talks about how younger doctors can transition into private practice.

SEO, SMO, Web 2.0, Google +, Google Place, Facebook, Pinterest, Yelp - it's overwhelming UNTIL Jason Daniels talks about it and explains it in easy to understand English!  Jason is an experienced web guru from Eyecarepro and has vast experience helping OD's navigate the online world.  Great show!

Known for their unique approach to customer service  being a great place to work, John Wolske, Cultural Evangelist from Zappos joins the show.

David Friedfeld, the president of ClearVision Optical, the well known frame company, joins our show.  While ClearVision is indeed a large company David has some great entrepreneurial insights that you’ll definitely want to hear.  The company’s long legacy of being family owned will resonate with many of our listeners.  David shares his unique thoughts on everything from where the industry is headed, frame inventorying and merchandising, real and perceived differences between designer brand frames, how private docs can compete with Internet eyeglasses as well as lots of other great information.

Glenn Ellisor, OD the founder of Vision Source and Walt West, OD join The Power Hour! Vision Source is optometry's oldest and biggest doctor alliance.  With thousands of members, what makes Vision Source special and why do doctors join?  Why not just join a buying group or negotiate pricing deals on your own?  Why not just attend trade shows and local meetings for education and camaraderie? Hear what Glen and Walt predict for the future of the industry and why they think doctors will struggle if they do NOT join an alliance.  Tune in to next weeks' show for some thought provoking discussion!

Industry veteran and special guest, Angel Alvarez, the CEO of ABB Optical Group, joins the show.  He'll be giving his very insightful and thought provoking ideas on creative ways OD's can stay profitable and competitive.  As a the leading distributor in the US (and having recently merged with ODG), Angel has a keen vested interest in the health, success and viability of private practice.  Hear his answer to the question, "Knowing what you know, if you were a private OD, what would YOU do to ensure your survival and maximal profitability?

How does your practice confirm appointments, reach out to patients for things like recall and practice announcements?  How do you manage and generate positive online reviews? The two industry leaders in this category discuss the importance of communicating with patients in our wired world and how their individual offerings compare.  It's a great discussion from 4patientcare and DemandForce!

Can a practice survive without vision care plans?  Cary Herzberg, OD, joins The Power Hour! Cary made the conscious decision to not accept ANY vision plans and lived to have a vibrant, healthy and profitable specialty contact lens practice.  Learn the steps he took to make what many of us only dream about, his reality!

The President of VSP Vision Care, Jim McGrann, joins us and answers questions about decreasing reimbursements, Eyeconic, corporate out of network providers and a slew of other hot topics.  Things heat up on the show so make sure to listen to it in its entirety!

Drs. Alan Glazier, Nathan Bonilla–Warford and Justin Bazan, three social media experts in their own right, discuss, debate and argue the merits of things like Yelp, Facebook and Google+ as well as whether you even need a web page at all and how to handle negative online reviews.

"Blow up the Benchmarks" and shake things up for the new year.  Gary Gerber discusses his 5 top ways to positively disrupt the way your practice runs to ensure you have a more profitable year.

LensCrafter founder, Dean Butler discusses the history of the company, where the industry is headed now and how OD's can compete with the Internet and our new economy.

Buying Group or Doctor Alliance? Which is better for your practice?  Listen to Mark Feder, OD (CEO of IDOC) and Michael Block (President of Block Buying Group) share their views and opinions.

Howard Purcell, OD, Senior VP at Essilor, shares his thoughts about the future of the profession and goes in depth discussing technology in the dispensary and online eyeglasses.

An eye exam from a kiosk? Bart Foster, CEO & Founder of SoloHealth is our guest and he'll be discussing his company's technology which is scheduled to be deployed in nearly 1,200 WalMart stores!

Hurricane Sandy has done her damage. Learn disaster and contingency planning strategies for your practice.  It doesn't take a significant weather event to put this plan into place.  Tune in to hear how your practice might be at risk.

What are your plans to ensure you grow your practice next year? Learn how to create a budget and marketing plan.

Publisher Frank Giamannco shares his unabashed views on the state of the profession

Well known optician and educator Ed DeGennaro discusses e-optical tools, maximizing opticians in your practice, Internet eyeglasses and more

Dr. Alan Glazier, author of Searchial Marketing, discusses his favorite social media strategies, specifically for optometrists.

Is the Optomap a substitute for dilation?  Listen to the sometimes heated debate from your colleagues.

When is the right time to bring in an associate?  How do you do it?  How do you get that doctor busy without cannabalizing the senior doctor's patients?  Listen to this episode of The Power Hour and find out!

All things social media with OD, Social Media guru - Dr. Nathan Bonilla Warford.

Is there life after vision plans?  Can a practice survive without vision plans?  "Something is better than nothing" might not be the case.  Listen to this informative discussion on this weeks' show.

Are we giving away eyeglass sales because of too much emphasis on medical eyecare?

Listen to your colleagues talk about the best and worst marketing projects and ideas they've every tried or thought about.

Staff management is the number one challenge for nearly every optometrist.  Hear the thoughts about hiring for personality vs. skill along with lots of other great advice.

Are there too many optometrists?  Not enough patients?  What's your opinion?

How do you see the future of optometry?  Is it so bright that we gotta wear shades, or so dim that we'll all need low vision soon?