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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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!

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.

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.