Review of Optometric BusinessOur Practice Management Decisions that Seemed Questionable at First but Worked Out Great

Embracing Inexperience & Over-hiring: A Counterintuitive Approach to Building a Successful Team

In the realm of optometric business, taking risks and making unconventional decisions can sometimes lead to unexpected success. This is the central theme of an article by Dr. Laurie Sorrenson, who shares her experiences of making seemingly questionable decisions that ultimately proved beneficial for her practice.

Key Points

• Over-Hiring Associate Doctors: The practice hired three new doctors in less than six months, which initially seemed excessive. However, this decision led to more innovative opportunities for the doctors and turned out to be a fantastic move.
• The Silverstone Acquisition: Despite already owning a Monaco and a Daytona, the practice added a $200,000 Silverstone OCT to their equipment lineup. This decision increased profitability significantly.
• Embracing Inexperience: The practice consistently hired inexperienced staff, which allowed them to cultivate a team eager to learn and adapt to their office culture.
• The Paperless Pursuit: The practice transitioned to paperless records over 25 years ago, streamlining their process for record-keeping.
• Direct Shipping from Lab to Patient: The practice experimented with shipping eyewear directly from the lab to the patient, saving time for their lab opticians and getting glasses to patients faster.

“The only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”
– Mark Zuckerberg

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