20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

AI can feel overwhelming, overhyped, and impossible to keep up with — especially when every conversation seems to swing between "this changes everything" and "this is all just noise." In this episode of 20/20 Money, I'm joined once again by Dr. Mick Kling for a practical conversation about where AI is actually useful for practice owners right now — without the doom-and-gloom, hype, or technical ja...

What if the biggest reason patients aren't buying glasses from your practice… is the experience you've unintentionally created around optical? In this episode of 20/20 Money, I'm joined once again by Dr. Jennifer Stewart for a candid and energetic conversation around the subtle — and sometimes overlooked — ways practice owners can dramatically improve optical sales without feeling "salesy."   Jen...

What if the biggest mistake practice owners make with dry eye isn't buying the wrong technology… but building their entire strategy around the technology itself? In this episode of 20/20 Money, I'm joined once again by Dr. Chris Wolfe for a fascinating conversation around dry eye, specialty services, patient communication, and the dangerous trap of becoming "device-centric" instead of patient-cent...

What if serving Medicaid patients wasn't a drain on your practice… but one of the most efficient and fulfilling business models in optometry? In this episode of 20/20 Money, I'm joined by Dr. Ryan Hansen to discuss a truly unique model he's built inside a public school district that provides eye care exclusively to children on Medicaid — while still creating a financially viable and highly efficie...

Why do so many optometric practices hit a ceiling in their practice? We know it's not because the owner isn't working hard enough, so what is it? It's because the business was never designed to scale in the first place. Eugene Shatsman joins me back on the show to talk about the ceiling practice owners inevitably hit in their practice—and a system he's created to help owners break through it. In o...

What if one of the biggest financial mistakes practice owners make is confusing "spending money in the practice" with actually investing in it? In this episode, I'm joined once again by Nathan Hayes for a thoughtful and nuanced conversation around reinvesting in your practice, opportunity cost, and the hidden tradeoffs owners often overlook when deciding what to do with excess cash flow.   We expl...

Most optometric practice owners have no idea how much money they're quietly losing in their optical simply because of merchandising, layout, and the conversations happening—or not happening—between staff and patients.   Welcome to this episode of 20/20 Money: The Business of Optometry. My guest on today's show is Kayla Ashlee. Kayla joins me on the show to talk about the subtle but incredibly powe...

Thinking about buying or expanding a practice, but nervous about debt, banks, or making an expensive mistake?   In today's episode, I'm joined by Mike Smith of Bank of America to demystify the lending process for optometrists. We break down what banks actually look for in a borrower, how student loans and cash reserves really factor in, why tax returns matter more than stories, and the common trap...

What if the biggest threat to your practice isn't reimbursement, competition, or overhead—but the way you hire, lead, and retain people?   In today's episode, I'm joined by Mike Dixon, president of Hoops, for a conversation every practice owner needs to hear. We unpack why staffing issues feel so hard, why most owners were never trained to lead, and how the right systems can turn your team from yo...

The financial decisions you make early in your career can shape the next several decades—and most people don't realize it until much later. On this episode, I'm sharing a presentation I recently gave to students at the Indiana University School of Optometry on the timeless financial and business lessons every optometrist should understand. I discuss the power of compounding, how to think about sav...

Ever wonder if, when, or how to build stronger operations within your practice? In this episode, I sit down with Tom Restivo to unpack EOS and what it looks like to build a stronger operational foundation inside an optometric practice. Tom shares his experience leading a rapidly growing eye care organization through expansion, complexity, and the pressures that eventually exposed where systems wer...

In this episode I sit down with Dr. Steve Vargo to unpack a mindset that many practice owners quietly wrestle with: the belief that there is no longer money to be made in the basics of optometry. We start with a real question from a practice owner who feels discouraged by stagnant reimbursements and declining capture rates, and use it as a springboard to discuss the deeper issue underneath it all:...

In this episode I sit down with John Marvin to explore a challenging but important idea for private practice owners: the difference between independence and isolation. We unpack John's perspective on why fierce independence can sometimes limit growth when it prevents doctors from learning from others or leveraging the resources already available to them.   Our conversation touches on mindset, the...

Most optometrists think growth comes from better marketing or more patients—but the real advantage often starts somewhere much less obvious: your team and your culture.   In this episode of 20/20 Money , Dr. Kurt Steele joins me back on the show to discuss the leadership philosophy and operational frameworks that helped him build a thriving multi-million-dollar optometry practice while developing...

Health insurance is one of the most confusing and frustrating decisions practice owners face. In this episode I sit down with Matt Allen, founder of Iconic Insurance, to break down the real options available to optometric practice owners and their teams. We walk through the three primary approaches to offering coverage including fully funded plans, self funded plans, and reimbursement strategies....

Many optometrists are either leaving money on the table with their tax strategy—or unknowingly pushing the boundaries of tax law.   Today's episode is my guest appearance on Dr. Steve Vargo's Eye Own a Business Podcast . Steve invited me onto his show to talk about tax planning for optometrists—specifically the strategies practice owners should be embracing right now, the ones they should avoid, a...

In this episode I sit down with Dr. Vicki Weiss, president of VOSH International, to talk about how optometrists can use their clinical skills to create impact far beyond their own practices. We discuss how VOSH has evolved from the traditional short term clinic model into a global organization focused on education, partnership, and strengthening optometric care in low and middle income countries....

Recording live from IDOC Connection in Orlando, I sit down with Dr. Todd Cohan, Sadie Blair, and Polly Stearns from Forsight Vision and Midwest Dry Eye Center to talk about the relationship between vision and execution inside a growing private practice. We go into the dynamic between the owner (visionary) and the operations lead (integrator), and why that chemistry matters more than most doctors r...

In this episode, we share how to confidently give patients clear choices in the exam lane without creating confusion or pushback around vision and medical care. We explain how setting expectations early and taking ownership of clear communication builds trust and increases acceptance of follow up visits. We also touch on how to structure your schedule to support shorter, more frequent visits and w...

Eugene joins me to talk about how artificial intelligence is showing up in optometry and why there's a growing gap between how patients use AI in their daily lives and how most practices are adopting it.   We discuss how this shift is changing patient expectations, what it means for the patient journey, and where practices can use AI to improve engagement, communication, and efficiency—without los...

In this episode, we dive into the critical concept of schedule health and how it drives strategic growth, especially when adding associates. We explore how data-driven insights help us make confident, informed decisions that support sustainable scaling for our practices.   Hosted By Adam Cmejla, CFP and Chad Fleming, OD, FAAO Have a question? Submit it here Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:  https://sh...

Ever feel like you're stuck in the "messy middle" and on the operations "hamster wheel" in your practice? If so, this one's for you. Mandy Brown joins me to talk about operational efficiency and what it really takes to run a well-functioning optometry practice.   We discuss the challenges practice owners face with delegation, the importance of hiring the right people, and developing an operational...

In this episode, we explore how we can shift from traditional scopes of practice to a more intentional, patient-centric approach. We dive into embracing managed vision care plans, redefining our billing practices, and using strategic communication to better serve our patients. Along the way, we share actionable insights to improve practice efficiency and patient outcomes as optometry continues to...

You know optical design is important, but you also know it's complicated. Where do you begin? How much should you spend? What should you focus on? On this episode, my guest on today's show is Bill Gerber, founder and CEO of the Optical Marketing Group. Bill joins me to talk about the role practice design plays in patient experience and overall financial performance.   We discuss how thoughtful des...

The Optometry Success Podcast, hosted by Adam Cmejla, CFP and Chad Fleming, OD, FAAO helps private-practice optometrists build profitable, sustainable businesses with clarity and confidence. Hosted by Adam Cmejla, CFP—a financial planner and CFO to ODs nationwide—and Chad Fleming, OD, FAAO—a multi-location practice owner with decades of hands-on experience—each 20-minute episode delivers practical...