Revenue RX Episode 34 – Stress: Hard to Live With, Can’t Live Without It

This article only scratches the surface. In the full Revenue RX episode, I dive deeper into the realities of stress in the optical profession; where it comes from, how it affects performance, and most importantly, how it can actually become a powerful tool for growth.

If you want to better understand how stress shapes decision-making, leadership, and business success in optical retail, and how to manage it effectively, listen to the full episode now.

Stress. It’s one of those words that immediately carries a negative connotation. Most of us associate it with burnout, exhaustion, or pressure that feels impossible to escape.

But here’s the reality: stress is not always the enemy.

In fact, when managed correctly, it can become one of the most powerful forces driving performance, innovation, and long-term success, particularly in the optical business.

In this episode of Revenue RX, I explore the complex role stress plays in the lives of eye care professionals, optical staff, and business owners who are constantly balancing clinical precision, customer expectations, and the demands of running a retail business.

Why Stress Is So Common in Optical

The optical profession sits at the intersection of several demanding worlds. It combines healthcare, retail sales, and customer service, each with its own pressures and expectations.

Optometrists and opticians must maintain accuracy in prescriptions and fittings, manage patient flow, and handle the technical side of vision correction. At the same time, the retail side of the business requires attention to inventory, merchandising, sales performance, and staff management.

Add to that the complexity of insurance systems, administrative responsibilities, and the need to remain competitive in a crowded marketplace, and it’s easy to see how stress becomes a constant companion in the day-to-day operations of an optical practice.

For business owners, the pressure is even greater. They’re often wearing multiple hats — strategist, manager, marketer, and problem-solver — all while trying to maintain profitability and provide exceptional service.

When Stress Becomes a Problem

Left unmanaged, stress can have serious consequences. Physically, it can lead to fatigue, headaches, sleep disruption, and elevated blood pressure. Over time, chronic stress weakens the immune system and increases the risk of long-term health problems.

Mentally and emotionally, it can affect concentration, decision-making, and job satisfaction. In a customer-focused environment like optical retail, that can quickly translate into strained interactions with patients or staff.

Burnout is often the result.

That’s why recognizing stress early, and developing strategies to manage it, is essential for both personal well-being and professional sustainability.

Practical Ways to Reduce Stress in the Optical Business

Managing stress in an optical practice requires more than just personal coping strategies. It also involves improving the systems and processes that shape daily operations.

For example, implementing strong practice management systems can significantly reduce administrative pressure. Automating scheduling, billing, and patient records frees up valuable time and mental bandwidth.

Delegation is another key factor. Many business owners carry unnecessary stress because they try to control every detail. Empowering staff members to take responsibility, whether in inventory management, frame buying, or customer service, not only reduces pressure but also increases engagement and accountability within the team.

Breaking large sales targets into daily goals can also help create momentum. Small wins build confidence and improve morale while keeping the team focused on achievable objectives.

Other strategies include cross-training employees to handle multiple roles, outsourcing non-core tasks such as bookkeeping or marketing, and protecting time each day for strategic thinking rather than constant reaction.

These operational adjustments don’t just reduce stress, they create a more efficient and resilient business.

The Other Side of Stress

While we often think of stress as harmful, it also has a positive side.

Short-term stress can sharpen focus, increase energy, and push individuals to perform at their best. Many of the most significant achievements in business and personal life occur in moments of pressure.

When we face challenges and work through them successfully, we build resilience. Each stressful situation we navigate strengthens our ability to handle the next one.

In the optical business, that might mean solving a difficult customer issue, implementing a new system, training a team more effectively, or finding creative ways to grow the practice.

Stress becomes a signal, not of danger, but of opportunity.

Turning Stress Into Growth

The key is perspective.

People who learn to see stress as a challenge rather than a threat tend to respond more constructively. They develop strategies, seek support when needed, and focus on solutions rather than problems.

In many cases, the moments that feel the most difficult at the time eventually become the turning points that lead to personal growth, improved leadership, and stronger businesses.

For optical professionals, managing stress effectively means balancing personal resilience with smart operational decisions.

When those two elements come together, the result is not only a healthier work environment but also a more profitable and sustainable practice.

Joseph Mireault

Joseph Mireault, Optical Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Published Author.

Joseph was the owner and president at Tru-Valu Optical and EyeWorx for 16 years. During his tenure, he consistently generated a sustainable $500K in annual gross revenue from the dispensary.

He now focuses on the Optical industry, and as a serial entrepreneur brings extensive experience from a variety of different ventures.

Joseph is also a Certified FocalPoint Business Coach and looks to work directly with ECPs in achieving their goals.

Through his current endeavour, the (Revenue RX, Optical Retail Wins podcast) he shares the challenges and solutions of running an Optical business.

His insights are shared with optical business owners aspiring for greater success in his new book, “An Entrepreneur’s Eye Care Odyssey: The Path to Optical Retail Success.”

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Future Focus 2026 Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Martina Sawatzky

Career Options, NextGenOD

Guest Speaker Future Focus 2026 Dr. Martina Sawatzky

“Defining Meaning through Service”

At Future Focus 2026, returning to the University of Waterloo on April 2, students will hear from Dr. Martina Sawatzky (UW ’19), who will deliver this year’s keynote presentation, “Defining Meaning through Service”.

The talk will explore how emerging optometrists can build personally fulfilling careers while contributing to their communities — both locally and globally.

Dr. Sawatzky graduated from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry in 2019 and now practices in her hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is passionate about building meaningful relationships with patients and tailoring care to each individual’s visual needs.

During her time as a student, Dr. Sawatzky participated in international optometric service trips to Honduras with I Care International and Peru with sVOSH UWaterloo, experiences that helped shape her perspective on the role of service in professional life.

She was also part of a team that organized a “Dining in the Dark” fundraising event supporting Optometry Giving Sight during the World Sight Day Challenge. Their efforts were recognized among the top three student fundraising groups that year.

Her keynote aligns closely with the theme of Future Focus 2026: Vision with Purpose: Building Meaningful Careers in Optometry.

Future Focus brings together UW optometry students and industry leaders for networking, career discussions, and professional insight.

The event is made possible through the support of Visionary Sponsors:
Eye Recommend, Specsavers Canada, FYidoctors, and OSI Group.

and Horizon Sponsors:
NIKON Lens Canada, CSI Dry Eye Innovation, and Clinical & Refractive Optometry Journal.

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Future Focus 2026 Returns to UW April 2 with “Vision with Purpose” Theme

Career Options, NextGenOD

The fourth annual Future Focus event returns to the University of Waterloo on April 2 at 5:00 PM, bringing together optometry students and industry leaders for an evening of career exploration, professional dialogue, and meaningful engagement.

Registration is now open. Spaces is limited.

Firmly established as one of the most anticipated student–industry touchpoints on campus, Future Focus consistently attracts more than 120 students across all cohorts. The event has earned strong feedback from both sponsors and attendees for its structured networking format, engaging programming, and high level of student participation.

This year’s theme, “Vision with Purpose: Building Meaningful Careers in Optometry,” reflects a growing emphasis among emerging ODs on aligning career development with service, leadership, and long-term impact.

Hosted by Student Ambassadors Shreya Jain (OD Candidate 2027) and Elisa Hayley (OD Candidate 2028), the evening will feature:

A networking trade show with leading employers and industry partners
Maryam Safdar and Natasha Reyes (OD Candidates 2026) will moderate the industry panel discussion
A keynote presentation by Dr. Martina Sawatzky (UW ’19)
Great Food, and Prizes to wrap up the evening.

Dr. Sawatzky (Winnipeg, MB) will speak on Defining Meaning through Service, sharing her perspective on building a fulfilling optometric career that integrates community involvement and international outreach. As a student, she participated in service trips to Honduras and Peru and was recognized for fundraising efforts supporting Optometry Giving Sight. Today, she practices in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a focus on patient-centered care and meaningful connection.

The industry panel, moderated by will feature sponsor representatives discussing career pathways, innovation, and professional growth within their respective organizations.

Future Focus 2026 is made possible through the support of industry leading Visionary Sponsors:
OSI Group, FYi doctors, Eye Recommend, and Specsavers Canada.

Horizon Sponsors include:
Nikon, Vogue Optical, CSI Dry Eye Innovations and Clinical & Refractive Optometry

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Quality of Life at Work at IRIS: Where Innovation, Attentiveness, and Professionalism Come Together

sponsor, Sponsored Posts

REC-20250612-Iris sponsored post Feb 2026 ECBC

In a context where the visual health professions are evolving rapidly, quality of life at work has become a central issue. At IRIS, this reality is not an abstract concept, but a concrete commitment, supported by a strong, human, and deeply collaborative organizational culture.

An environment based on listening and respect for expertise

At IRIS, each professional is recognized first and foremost for their expertise. Optometrists, opticians, and ophthalmologists work in an environment where dialogue is valued and decisions are made in a spirit of collaboration.

Active listening to teams, partners, and patients is at the heart of the model. Not only does it improve clinical practices, but it also creates a healthy, respectful, and engaging work environment.

Innovation at the service of professionals… and patients

Innovation is part of IRIS’s DNA. Cutting-edge technologies, powerful digital tools, artificial intelligence, specialized laboratories, and continuing education: everything is in place to support professional practice on a daily basis.

This approach allows teams to focus on what matters most—quality of care and patient experience—while working in a structured, modern, and stimulating environment.

Professionalism as a shared value

At IRIS, professionalism is evident in both clinical rigor and human relations. Professional autonomy, high standards, ethical practices, and recognition of each person’s role create an environment where it is possible to thrive and excel. Eye care professionals find a balance between excellence, efficiency, and quality of life in a network that values pride in a job well done.

Working together for better vision in Canada

What truly sets IRIS apart is its ability to bring together expertise around a common mission: to provide Canadians with the experience of better vision. Working hand in hand, sharing knowledge, supporting teams, and building lasting relationships not only raises the standards of care, but also gives real meaning to our daily work.

A human network, committed and forward-looking

Choosing IRIS means evolving in a network where quality of life at work is inseparable from performance, where innovation supports people, and where collaboration is a strength.

It also means being part of a community of passionate, committed professionals who are proud to contribute, together, to the future of vision health in Canada.

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Revenue RX – Episode 33: Humour – The Final Frontier

Practice

Humour is one of the most powerful tools we have when communicating with people, yet it’s one of the least talked about in sales, leadership, or optical retail. You can debate how much humour to use, when to use it, or what kind works best. But you can’t deny this: laughter is a universal bond from one human to another.

In this episode of Revenue RX, I explore why humour truly is the final frontier in selling and relationship building. It’s easy to learn your product. It’s easy to learn your customer. It’s even easy to learn the science of selling. But learning how to use humour, and more importantly when to use it, is far more difficult.

🎧 Listen now

Humour relaxes people. It creates an open atmosphere where trust, friendship, and compatibility can begin to form. That’s why I see it as the last element you add to the selling process, not the first. You use humour after you understand your product, your customer, and the fundamentals of selling. If humour is all you bring to the table without substance behind it, you don’t become effective, you become a distraction.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that joke telling is risky. Most jokes feel forced, contrived, or worse, demeaning to someone. Stories, on the other hand, are genuine. They come from experience. They allow for self-effacing humour, which is the safest and most powerful kind. Stories are remembered long after facts and figures are forgotten.

We often talk about professionalism in optical retail, but what’s funny about being professional all the time? In my experience, someone who is 50 percent professional and 50 percent friendly and funny will outperform someone who is 100 percent professional, almost every time. Friendly and funny are far more engaging than professional alone.

That said, humour isn’t universal. Not every customer wants it, and you can usually tell quickly. Some people just want to get down to business. In many cases, those are also the people most focused on price. The key is learning to read the room and adapt.

If you don’t think you’re funny, that doesn’t mean humour is off the table. Like any other skill in your career, it can be learned. Pay attention to what makes you laugh. Watch how others use timing, tone, and self-awareness. Take small risks in low-stakes environments. Most importantly, learn to poke fun at yourself. True humour is self-directed. It’s never at the expense of others.

Humour builds trust because it humanizes you. It lowers defences, creates shared moments, and makes conversations more memorable. When people smile or laugh with you, they’re more likely to listen, agree, and ultimately buy from you. In a crowded optical market where products and pricing often look similar, you become the differentiator.

Humour isn’t about being a comedian. It’s about being real, relatable, and relaxed. Used wisely, it’s more than a smile. It’s a strategy.

Joseph Mireault

Joseph Mireault, Optical Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Published Author.

Joseph was the owner and president at Tru-Valu Optical and EyeWorx for 16 years. During his tenure, he consistently generated a sustainable $500K in annual gross revenue from the dispensary.

He now focuses on the Optical industry, and as a serial entrepreneur brings extensive experience from a variety of different ventures.

Joseph is also a Certified FocalPoint Business Coach and looks to work directly with ECPs in achieving their goals.

Through his current endeavour, the (Revenue RX, Optical Retail Wins podcast) he shares the challenges and solutions of running an Optical business.

His insights are shared with optical business owners aspiring for greater success in his new book, “An Entrepreneur’s Eye Care Odyssey: The Path to Optical Retail Success.”

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Unlocking Emotional Intelligence: Why the Elevate EQ 4-Step Approach is the Key to Professional Growth

Human Resources

Jade Bodzasy Unlocking Emotional Intelligence

The ability to understand and manage emotions, creates better communication, collaboration, and decision-making—qualities that every high-performing team needs. However, while the benefits of EQ are well-documented, many professionals still struggle with building these essential skills. My Elevate EQ 4-step approach offers a streamlined, practical framework that makes it easier than ever for you to increase your EQ and enhance your professional relationships.

Good news, today I’m going to walk you through how it all works!

Remember, the goal is to increase your ability to apply EQ, and in order to do that you need a strategy that will guide you to your goal. So, let’s have a have a look at…

Elevate EQ 4 Step Approach: Foundation

Step 1: Self-Awareness

Understand yourself before you can understand others.

Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence. This step encourages you to explore your own emotions, motivations, and behaviors on a deep level. When you become more self-aware, you’ll start noticing patterns in your thoughts and reactions. For instance, you may realize that you tend to withdraw during team meetings or become defensive when your ideas are challenged.

Step 2: Self-Regulation & Management

Transform awareness into positive change.

Once you become aware of your emotions and behaviors, the next step is to manage them. Self-regulation and management involve learning to adapt emotional responses to achieve desired outcomes. It’s about making conscious adjustments to influence how one is perceived and how they interact with others.

Step 3: Social Awareness

Understand the motivations and emotions of others.

Social awareness is the ability to recognize and understand the emotions of those around you. This skill is key in building empathy, a core component of EQ. In the workplace, social awareness means picking up on social cues, understanding others’ needs, and showing empathy in a way that strengthens relationships.

Step 4: Relationship Management

Influence work relationships positively and constructively.

The final step in the Elevate EQ framework is relationship management, which builds on the skills learned in the previous steps. It involves actively influencing relationships to promote teamwork, trust, and respect. This step empowers you to navigate conflicts, provide constructive feedback, and strengthen your reputation within the workplace.

Why Elevate EQ is the Easiest Path to Higher Emotional Intelligence

The Elevate EQ 4-step approach stands out because it breaks down emotional intelligence into manageable, actionable steps. By focusing on one stage at a time, professionals don’t feel overwhelmed by trying to improve all aspects of EQ at once. Each step builds upon the last, ensuring a smooth, natural progression that fosters confidence and motivation. This structured approach also aligns seamlessly with busy work schedules, as it can be incorporated gradually without disrupting daily responsibilities.

In a world where technical skills alone are no longer enough to guarantee success, the Elevate EQ approach provides a powerful, easy-to-follow path to developing the emotional intelligence skills that professionals need. By investing in self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and relationship management, individuals can elevate not only their careers but also their personal sense of fulfillment and purpose in the workplace.

What’s Next?

Enhancing emotional intelligence is an ongoing journey, and the Elevate EQ framework offers a practical starting point. By focusing on self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and relationship management, professionals can build the foundational skills to navigate challenges, foster collaboration, and strengthen workplace dynamics.

Whether you’re aiming to improve team dynamics, advance your leadership abilities, or simply cultivate a more balanced professional mindset, prioritizing EQ can be transformative. By taking small, intentional steps, you can unlock a deeper understanding of yourself and others, leading to greater success and satisfaction in your career.

Elevate your potential—start by integrating these principles into your daily interactions and watch the ripple effect of emotional intelligence shape your professional relationships and outcomes.

Jade Bodzasy

Jade Bodzasy, Founder of Emotional Intelligence Consulting Inc., is a dedicated Coach and Consultant for Optometric Practices. Her extensive background includes over 20,000 hours of expertise focused on customer relations, work structure refinement, training method development, and fostering improved work culture within Optometric practices.

Certified in Rational Emotive Behavior Techniques (REBT), Jade possesses a unique skillset that empowers individuals to gain profound insights into the origins of their behaviors, as well as those of others. Leveraging her certification, she equips optometry practices with invaluable resources and expert guidance to establish and sustain a positive, healthful, and productive work environment.

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Revenue RX – Episode 32: Uncensored Anonymous Conversations

Practice, Revenue RX

After more than 30 episodes of Revenue RX, I felt it was time to do something different. Up to now, I’ve shared a lot of what I’ve learned about the commercial side of optical retail: how to grow revenue, how to improve the dispensary experience, and how to build a business that supports both profitability and quality of life. But I kept coming back to one thought: there are voices in this industry we don’t hear nearly enough.

This episode introduces a new segment I’m calling Uncensored Anonymous Conversations. It’s an open invitation for eye care professionals to speak honestly about the realities of working in optical retail, without fear of repercussion. No names. No titles. No consequences. Just real conversations about what’s actually happening on the ground.

The premise is simple. Many people carry ideas, frustrations, insights, and solutions that never get voiced. Not because they aren’t valuable, but because the risk feels too high. Fear of upsetting an employer. Fear of being judged. Fear of stepping outside what feels like an invisible boundary. Over time, that silence adds up, and it limits growth, innovation, and job satisfaction across the board.

I believe progress requires honesty. Marketing tactics, sales strategies, and operational frameworks all matter, but they only work when the underlying culture allows for trust, communication, and accountability. When those foundations are weak, even the best ideas struggle to take hold.

This new segment is not about ranting or venting for the sake of it. It’s about constructive, solution-oriented conversations around the commercial realities of optical retail. Topics might include conversion challenges, customer and patient engagement, leadership gaps, lack of trust, training needs, micromanagement, or the emotional pressure that quietly affects performance at work.

Fear plays a bigger role in our workplaces than we like to admit. Fear of making mistakes. Fear of being seen as incompetent. Fear of challenging complacency. Fear of speaking up when systems clearly aren’t working. When those fears go unaddressed, they don’t disappear, they just show up in other ways: disengagement, frustration, missed opportunities, and high turnover.

By offering anonymity, this podcast removes the personal risk that often silences meaningful conversation. You can share a challenge you’re facing, offer a solution based on your own experience, or contribute an idea that could help someone else. If you prefer to be identified, that option is always there, but anonymity is respected fully.

The format is intentionally audio-only. No video. No identifying details. Just a conversation focused on clarity, improvement, and moving the profession forward in a practical way. I truly believe meaningful change doesn’t require a crowd. Often, it starts with a single voice willing to speak honestly.

This episode marks a shift toward greater community participation within Revenue RX. Some of the most valuable insights in optical retail aren’t found in presentations or reports, they live in the day-to-day experiences of people working on the floor, behind the scenes, and at the point of patient interaction.

If this resonates with you, I encourage you to listen, reflect, and consider joining me for an uncensored anonymous conversation of your own. One voice at a time is how real change begins.

Joseph Mireault

Joseph Mireault, Optical Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Published Author.

Joseph was the owner and president at Tru-Valu Optical and EyeWorx for 16 years. During his tenure, he consistently generated a sustainable $500K in annual gross revenue from the dispensary.

He now focuses on the Optical industry, and as a serial entrepreneur brings extensive experience from a variety of different ventures.

Joseph is also a Certified FocalPoint Business Coach and looks to work directly with ECPs in achieving their goals.

Through his current endeavour, the (Revenue RX, Optical Retail Wins podcast) he shares the challenges and solutions of running an Optical business.

His insights are shared with optical business owners aspiring for greater success in his new book, “An Entrepreneur’s Eye Care Odyssey: The Path to Optical Retail Success.”

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How to Cope with Depression: An EQ-Based Guide for Professionals

Human Resources

Jade Bodzasy depression busy-office-people-and-a-black-woman-with-a-headache

In today’s workplace, stress isn’t just common, it’s constant. Shifting expectations, increased workloads, ever changing schedules, difficult colleagues, and the pressure to “perform with a smile” can stretch even the highest-achieving professionals thin. And when coping skills aren’t strong enough to match the stress load, people don’t simply get tired, they get overwhelmed. That overwhelm, left unaddressed, can slowly slide into burnout, disengagement, and eventually depression.

While it’s very important to acknowledge that depression is a clinical condition that requires medical care, there is a powerful truth every professional needs to know: your emotional habits either move you closer to depression or protect you from it. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) isn’t just a nice to have skill; it’s a preventative tool.

Using my Elevate EQ Framework, we will look at the two internal areas of Self-Awareness and Self Management. With these, professionals can strengthen their coping strategies, stay resilient, grounded, and emotionally well, even during high-pressure periods.

Know What’s Changing Before You Reach a Breaking Point

Depression rarely arrives suddenly; it builds in quiet ways. The challenge is that most professionals don’t notice the shift until they’re already deep in it.

Self-awareness is your early-warning system.

We have 3 A’s of Self-Awareness to catch those changes earlier and today we are going to look at the first one:

Assess –Notice what’s happening in your body, thoughts, and energy.

Ask yourself:

What am I feeling emotionally? (anxious, flat, irritable, overwhelmed)
What physical signs are showing up? (tight chest, headaches, poor sleep, tension)
What thoughts are on repeat? (“I’m failing,” “I’ll never catch up,”)

Assessing yourself physically and psychologically, helps you notice emotional shifts before they turn into emotional overload. When you can see your inner state clearly, you’re far better equipped to cope, ask for what you need, and take preventative action.

Self-awareness isn’t about judgment. It’s about information. And information empowers you.

Shift from Reaction to Regulation

Professionals often believe they have to “push through,” but coping isn’t about endurance, it’s about emotional regulation. And when stress begins to climb, your ability to regulate becomes one of the strongest protective factors against sliding into emotional exhaustion or depression.

In my Self-Management framework, there are 3 B’s and today we are going to focus on:

Buffer – creating space before you react

When you’re overwhelmed, trying to change everything at once isn’t realistic. But building one reliable coping skill is.

Buffering is the intentional pause that protects you from reacting on autopilot. It gives your brain a moment to reset and prevents stress from stacking into emotional heaviness.

Simple ways to buffer include:

Taking three slow breaths before responding
Walking away from your desk for two minutes to reset
Sitting back in your chair and releasing your shoulders

These micro-pauses may seem small, but physiologically, they stop the stress-response snowball from gaining momentum. When you buffer consistently, even in tiny doses, you prevent emotional overload from becoming emotional shutdown.

Use my Enjoy, Evolve, Earn Philosophy

Your emotional wellbeing directly affects your performance:

Enjoy: Coping skills help you reduce emotional pressure and create more ease in your workday.
Evolve: You build emotional agility and resilience, skills that strengthen professional potential.
Earn: You protect your productivity, reputation, communication, and long-term career trajectory.

Emotionally healthy professionals make emotionally healthy decisions.

A Final Thought

You don’t need to wait until you’re in a dark place to start coping. EQ is your first line of defence. When you strengthen your emotional awareness, regulation, you build a workplace experience that supports your mental wellbeing, not one that silently erodes it.

If you want to help your team build these skills, I’d be honoured to support you through my website https://www.emotionalintelligenceconsultinginc.com/ were you can find free resources and more on Elevating your EQ!

Jade Bodzasy

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Succession in Optometry: Planning for a Career and a Legacy

Planning, Resources

When I graduated from the University of Waterloo in 1978, fewer than 10 percent of practicing optometrists were women. Today, over 75 percent of new graduates are female—a dramatic shift that reflects both progress and new challenges in the profession. One of the most critical challenges—and often the least discussed—is succession planning.

Decisions That Shape a Career

Early in your career, you face a choice that will shape your professional life: Do you want to own a practice, work as an independent contractor, or remain an employee? It matters. Ownership comes with autonomy, responsibility, financial risk, and potential reward—but also long hours, staff management, and ongoing operational costs. Your decision will dictate not just the work you do, but the path your succession plan will take, and whether you leave a meaningful legacy.

Breaking Barriers in the Early Years

I learned these lessons the hard way. After graduating, I faced student debt and a profession dominated by men. Practices were reluctant to hire women, often citing pregnancy or family plans as “risks.” Interest rates for business loans were double digits and rising, and banks required co-signers simply because I was a woman.

But I was determined. With mentorship and support from a lab manager at American Optical, who “took a risk on me,” I began building my first practice in Regina, Saskatchewan. That experience taught me the importance of mentorship and giving back, values I carried throughout my career.

Forty Years of Growth and Grit

I worked tirelessly, travelling to five small towns in Saskatchewan, visiting nursing homes, opening Saturdays when others did not, lecturing at the University of Regina, running philanthropic programs like “Anna’s Vision,” and even examining patients in correctional facilities.

My husband, an engineer, supported our family and became a full-time house dad, allowing me to focus on the practices. Together, we shared a vision for success and commitment that spanned 40 years. Having the right people who see the same vision is essential for success, as it is never built alone.

In 1999, we moved to Calgary. I purchased a struggling practice and opened a second office closer to home, while continuing to travel regularly to Regina to maintain my original practice. For years, I managed these two Calgary locations and the Regina office simultaneously. With three full-time associates and a dedicated team who shared our vision, the practices thrived. I learned firsthand that success depends on people, preparation, and clarity of vision, not just clinical skill.

When Suddenly Everything Changes

Yet succession planning was always in the background. You work for decades developing a practice, making it a career, only to realize that life can change in an instant. On May 1, 2025, my husband passed away suddenly, leaving me to navigate family and business responsibilities alone. Circumstances had changed overnight. What I thought would be a gradual plan for reducing hours became an urgent need to secure the future of my practices.

This experience highlights a hard truth: succession cannot be postponed. Markets are volatile, costs rise, competition increases, and managed care can change the landscape of private practice. Owning a practice is a long-term commitment, and the most critical decision you can make is to plan your succession path early, knowing that a health event, diagnosis, or accident can occur in the blink of an eye.

Succession as a Professional Imperative

For today’s optometrists, there are valuable lessons:

Decide early on your career path. Will you own a practice, work independently, or be an employee? Each choice carries long-term implications.
Understand the actual cost of ownership. Beyond financial investment, consider time, energy, and emotional commitment.
Plan for succession from the start. Identify potential associates, mentorship opportunities, or partnership structures. Gradual buy-ins and shared ownership models can provide continuity and protect your legacy.
Expect the unexpected. Life can change rapidly. Your succession plan should account for health, family, and market volatility.
Build the right team and share the vision. Success depends on having people around you who understand, support, and share your professional values.

Passing the Torch with Purpose

Succession isn’t just about selling a practice; it’s about continuity, care, and legacy. Early planning allows you to maintain control, make strategic choices, and ensure that the life you’ve built in optometry continues to make an impact.

And finally, remember that succession is not an ending—it is the culmination of your work, vision, and sacrifice. It is the bridge between the career you’ve built and the legacy you leave behind. Start early. Plan well. And remember that the greatest reward in optometry is not just the patients you see, but the future you help create for the profession.

Dr. Diana M. Monea, OD

Dr. Diana M. Monea is an award-winning optometrist, author, and keynote speaker with more than four decades of leadership in clinical practice, business ownership, and professional education. Founder and former CEO of Eye Health Centres, she now focuses on consulting, mentorship, patient care, and public speaking.

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Helping Canadian Optometry Students Navigate Cross-Border Pathways

NextGenOD

Future Focus Cross-border guidance event

As the number of Canadian students pursuing optometry education outside Canada continues to grow, so too does the complexity of planning what comes next. Immigration rules, licensing requirements, provincial regulation, and career decision-making all converge at a critical moment – often before students feel fully prepared to address them.

The Future Focus: Cross-Border webinar was designed to meet that need, bringing together expert speakers, recent graduates, and current Optometry students for a practical, student-centered discussion focused on what it really takes to move from optometry school in the US to professional practice in Canada.

A Program Built Around Real Student Questions

The webinar was structured around three complementary sessions, each addressing a distinct but interconnected phase of the student journey:

Legal and Immigration Considerations
Career Pathways and Early Professional Decisions
Coming Home to Practise in Canada

This structure reflected a reality many Canadian optometry students face: career planning is not linear, and decisions in one area such as immigration timing or board exam selection can have lasting implications.

Participants represented a wide range of student cohorts, including Canadian students enrolled in U.S. optometry programs at different stages of training, from pre-clinical years through to final-year students preparing for graduation. Fifteen (15) US-based Optometry Schools were represented among the attendees.

Legal Clarity in an Uncertain Environment

The opening session focused on immigration and work authorization pathways for students studying in the United States. With online forums and social media often amplifying confusion, the presentation emphasized verified information and careful planning.

Students gained clarity around F-1 status, practical training options during and after school, employer-sponsored pathways, and the importance of timing and compliance. The session also underscored the value of individualized guidance, particularly as immigration policies and procedures continue to evolve.

Live questions from students reflected common anxieties—about accelerated programs, externships, travel, and long-term options—but were addressed within a framework of realism rather than alarm.

Career Pathways, Through a Student Lens

The second session shifted tone and format, adopting a group chat–style discussion that placed student voices front and centre. Moderated by a senior optometry student, Nyah Miranda (OD Candidate 2026) and supported by Canadian optometrists, Dr. Allison Scott (President of the Canadian Association of Optometrists) and recent NECO Grad, now practicing in Canada, Dr. Alexandra Baille. The conversation explored what early career decisions actually look like in practice.

Topics ranged from choosing between corporate and private practice environments, to understanding contracts, to building a professional niche without formal residency training. Differences between U.S. and Canadian practice environments were discussed openly, including clinical workflows, measurement systems, access to therapies and scope of practice.

Rather than presenting a single “correct” path, the discussion validated uncertainty and highlighted the value of adaptability, mentorship, and ongoing learning.

Understanding the Path Home to Canada

The final session addressed one of the most pressing questions for Canadian students abroad: how to return home and practise legally and confidently.

This expert-led presentation by Dr. Amanda Olsen, Board member of the Optometry Examining Board of Canada, walked students through the fundamentals of Canadian optometric regulation, including the distinction between professional associations and regulatory colleges, the provincial nature of health-care oversight, and the rationale behind national entry-to-practice examinations.

She addressed the Optometry Examining Board of Canada’s (OEBC) role in setting national competency standards, and recent changes affecting exam acceptance across provinces. Students also gained insight into jurisprudence exams, licensing timelines, and how scope expansion may shape future credentialing.

The extended Q&A that followed highlighted the importance of province-specific planning especially for students considering Quebec, border-region practice, or delayed entry into the Canadian workforce.

Engagement Beyond the Main Stage

Beyond the formal sessions, the webinar emphasized interaction and connection. Sponsor-hosted breakout rooms allowed students to engage directly with industry representatives in smaller settings, fostering informal discussion and networking. These sessions complemented the educational content by exposing students to a range of professional and commercial perspectives within the optometric ecosystem. Visionary Sponsors included Eye Recommend, FYi doctors, OSI Group, and Specsavers. CSI Dry Eye Innovations and Clinical & Refractive Optometry Journal supported the vent as Horizon Sponsors.

To further encourage participation, the event also featured prize draws, reinforcing engagement while keeping the focus on learning and dialogue rather than promotion. Over $2000 of prizes were provided, thanks to the generous support of the sponsors.

A Platform for Informed Decision-Making

Taken together, the Future Focus: Cross-Border webinar demonstrated the value of addressing student concerns early, clearly, and credibly. By combining expert insight, recent graduate experience, and live student interaction, the program offered more than answers—it provided context.

For Canadian optometry students navigating cross-border education and career planning, the message was consistent across all three sessions: informed decisions require accurate information, early preparation, and an understanding that pathways may differ—but remain navigable.

As a Future Focus initiative, the webinar reinforced a broader goal: supporting the next generation of optometrists not just in completing their education, but in successfully transitioning into professional practice—wherever that path may lead.

All three segments of the webinar are available online:

Legal considerations – Eric Lockwood / Dr. Chu (Q&A) https://youtu.be/aHM2-ylofsk

Career Pathways – Group Chat, Nyah Miranda, Drs. Baillie and Scott https://youtu.be/o2XEdTuzCj4

Coming Home to Practice – Dr. Olsen https://youtu.be/iHSj5D7cYQY

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