Optometrists Building Empires

What if dropping insurance wasn’t a risk, but the key to better patient care, happier staff, and a more sustainable optometry practice? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires , Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Kara Foster, optometrist, entrepreneur, and advocate for insurance-free, patient-centered care. Dr. Foster shares why she made the bold decision to drop all insurance plans early in...

What if the setbacks in your career were actually the fuel that pushes your practice to the next level? Dr. Maria Sampalis joins Optometrists Building Empires to share the wide-ranging journey that shaped her reputation as a leading voice in optometry, starting in corporate, to building a thriving private practice, to leading one of the largest online communities in the field. Maria opens up about...

What if the biggest barrier to growing your practice isn’t revenue at all, but the way you hire, lead, and support your team? In this episode, Ankit sits down with Dave Brown, President & CEO of IDOC, to dive into the real-world barriers that hold independent optometrists back from meaningful growth. Dave pulls from decades at Johnson & Johnson and a decade leading IDOC to explain why most...

How can optometrists build thriving practices by leading with connection, curiosity, and purpose? Dr. Melissa Barnett, international lecturer, prolific author, and mindful leadership coach, joins the show to explore how personal growth and professional passion come together to elevate the eye care experience. She shares how coaching, community, and continuous learning shaped her career, from overc...

What’s the secret to turning a local optometry clinic into a thriving specialty practice? In this episode, Dr. Ryan Cazares shares how he built Scott Eye Care into a leading destination for scleral lenses and specialty contact fittings in Louisiana. From navigating insurance challenges to keeping long-term staff engaged, Ryan talks about what it takes to grow a practice that thrives both clinicall...

What do leading ODs say is the real key to building an “empire” in eyecare? In this compilation episode of Optometrists Building Empires, host Ankit Patel revisits standout moments, featuring doctors who have each grown their businesses in unique and inspiring ways. Dr. Jessica Pugh, Dr. Shane Swatts, Bill Noble, Dr. Jeffrey Neighbors, Dr. Susan Truong, and Dr. Richard Levin share the defining les...

What happens when your vision for life becomes the foundation for your practice and the fuel that keeps it growing for decades? In this episode, Dr. Patricia Poma shares the story behind her 20-year journey building Birmingham Vision Care into a multimillion-dollar specialty practice. Dr. Poma explains why today’s optometrists must rethink the future of the profession, define the type of care that...

What does it take to build a thriving, modern optometry practice that patients actually look forward to visiting? In this episode, Dr. Darion Horner, owner of Peaksight Family Eyecare, joins Ankit Patel to discuss his journey from new graduate to successful practice owner and community leader. Dr. Horner shares how he’s built a strong, engaged team culture while staying ahead of industry changes t...

What happens when you slow down instead of speeding up to grow your practice? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, host Ankit Patel talks with Dr. Brandon Walley, owner of Collierville Vision Center in Tennessee. Dr. Walley shares how doing less, spending more time with each patient, working four days a week, and skipping the traditional technician model has actually helped him grow f...

What happens when you say “yes” to the right opportunities, even the ones you never expected? When Dr. Jerry Robben graduated from optometry school, his plan was simple: head back home to Kansas and start his career. But a series of unexpected opportunities, and one very fateful externship, led him down a path he never could have scripted. Dr. Robben shares how following his instincts, embracing l...

What happens when you build your practice on care for patients, your team, and your community? This week on Optometrists Building Empires , Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Viola Kanevsky, founder of Acuity NYC, a leading optometric practice on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Through stories of resilience, leadership, and genuine care, she reveals how empathy and adaptability shaped her 30-year career,...

How do you grow your practice without losing your culture, or your mind, in the process? Dr. Melissa Tada, optometrist, co-owner of Mountain View Vision, and Director of Professional Development for Vision Source, joins Ankit to share her path from warm-start practice owner to multi-doctor leader. She opens up about building a culture rooted in respect, scaling through strong processes, and the su...

How does mastering proactive processes help you scale smarter? This episode of Optometrists Building Empires features the dynamic duo behind Village Vision Center, Dr. Anisha Jacob and Rony Daniel. Anisha is a board-certified therapeutic optometrist and glaucoma specialist, and her husband, Rony, is a digital executive and marketing strategist. Together, they’ve scaled their business from $500K to...

What role do coaching, mentorship, and values-based leadership play in building a thriving optometry practice? In this episode of Optometrist Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Ben Thayil, owner of Lifetime Vision and Eyecare, founder of Lead OD, and a passionate coach helping practices grow from the inside out. Dr. Thayil shares his journey from struggling new practice owner to indu...

How can setbacks and failures become the foundation for building a thriving optometry practice? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Lee Ford, owner of Golden Triangle Eye Clinic. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Ford shares how failure, resilience, and community have shaped his success as an optometrist and business owner. From turning a former Piz...

In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Tobin Ansel, optometrist and co-owner of Metuchen Vision and Somerset Eyecare. From his early passion for optometry, sparked by ortho-k lenses, to growing two thriving practices with a third on the way, Dr. Ansel shares how myopia management became the cornerstone of his business. He opens up about the mistakes that s...

What does it take to turn a shared passion into a thriving specialty practice? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits down with sisters Dr. Sana Malik and Dr. Sairah Malik, co-owners of Pro-Optix Optometry & Dry Eye Center in Houston. Together, they share how choosing a specialty, investing in technology, and building a values-driven team has helped them grow a loya...

What if growing your practice was less about avoiding failure and more about experimenting? In this episode of Optometrist Building Empires, Dr. Brooks Wood shares how he expanded his family’s Allen, TX practice while launching an after-hours urgent eye care network that’s changing patient access to specialty care. From embracing an “experimental growth” mindset to streamlining operations through...

How do you build a thriving referral-based optometry practice while balancing growth, family, and future innovation? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Richard Maharaj, Managing Partner at Prism Eye Institute and a leading voice in ocular surface disease. Dr. Maharaj shares how he built and sold a niche, medical-only practice that stood out in the Cana...

How can optometrists grow thriving practices while balancing leadership, culture, and innovation? On this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Dr. Larry Golson, founder of Envision Eyecare and Sherpa Consulting, joins host Ankit Patel to share his journey from cold-start practice owner to industry consultant. Dr. Golson opens up about learning leadership the hard way, developing communication...

Is it time to move beyond primary care optometry and specialize in high-growth services like dry eye and aesthetics? In this week's episode, host Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Shane Swatts, an entrepreneurial optometrist recognized for his expertise in dry eye disease, ocular surface health, and aesthetics. Dr. Swatts shares his journey from traditional optometry to building a specialized, high-r...

How do you turn a niche specialty into a thriving, future-focused practice? On this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Dr. Ashley Tucker, founder of the Contact Lens Institute of Houston and partner at Bellaire Family Eye Care, sits down with host Ankit Patel to share how she built a standout practice by leaning into mentorship, taking smart risks, and focusing deeply on patient care. From...

What does it take to scale a patient-first optometry practice while empowering your team every step of the way? In this episode of Optometrists Building Empires, Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Juawana Hall, optometrist and owner of Hillcrest Vision, to talk about building a thriving, multi-location practice with a deep commitment to personalized care and staff empowerment. From her early days as a...

What does it take to create a thriving practice while staying true to your purpose? Dr. Susan Truong shares how she built her empire with empathy and intention. In this heartfelt episode of Optometrist Building Empires, Dr. Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. Susan Truong, optometrist, speaker, coach, and author, for a conversation that dives deep into personal growth, resilience, and redefining succes...

How can practice owners stay competitive in a rapidly changing optometry landscape? On this week’s episode of Optometrists Building Empires, host Ankit Patel sat down with John Marvin, the transitioning President and CEO of Texas State Optical (TSO). John shares how he helped grow TSO into one of the nation’s largest optical retail networks, insights on shifting industry trends, and strategies for...