EYE OWN A BUSINESS

If you’ve ever felt confident diagnosing dry eye… but frustrated by inconsistent follow-through, stalled treatment plans, or patients who quietly disappear, this episode will feel like a reset.

In this conversation, Dr. Steve Vargo sits down with Dr. Crystal Brimer, founder of Dry Eye Institute, to unpack why so many doctors stay stuck in “dabble mode” with dry eye—and what it actually takes to turn it into a meaningful, sustainabl...

In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo shares the full conversation from his recent guest appearance on Ankit Patel’s podcast, Optometrists Building Empires—a wide-ranging and deeply honest discussion about leadership, growth, and why so many practice owners feel stuck despite working harder than ever.

Steve and Ankit explore the unseen challenges of practice ownership that no one talks about in school: the pressure to do everything your...

In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo reflects on a moment he never expected to witness as an Indiana University alum: watching IU football win a national championship after decades as one of the most historically losing programs in college football. What made the moment even more striking wasn’t just the win—it was how quickly the turnaround happened under new leadership.

Using Indiana’s transformation under head coach Curt Cignetti ...

In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo shares the full conversation from his recent guest appearance on Adam Cmejla’s podcast, 2020 Money—a conversation that explores why so many healthcare professionals feel conflicted, uncomfortable, or even resistant to the idea of “sales,” despite spending their entire careers trying to influence outcomes that matter.

Steve and Adam unpack how early experiences, subconscious narratives, and professio...

You didn’t start your practice to feel trapped inside it. Yet somewhere along the way, longer hours became normal. Days off felt stressful. And the idea of stepping away—even briefly—started to feel impossible. If you’ve ever thought, “If I’m not there, everything falls apart,” you’re not alone.

In this episode of Eye Own a Business, Dr. Ruth Mannschreck shares a powerful story that began with a personal crisis—and led to a complet...

You don’t need more motivation—you need a better system. If you’ve ever started the year feeling hopeful, only to wonder by March where your goals went, this episode is for you.

Every January, you promise yourself this year will be different. You set goals with good intentions, real excitement, and a desire to grow. But then real life shows up—patients, staff issues, unexpected fires—and slowly, quietly, those goals fade into the b...

If you’ve ever watched a dry eye patient nod along… then disappear, stall, or come back unchanged, this episode will feel like a reset. Because the truth is: dry eye isn’t just “bad tears.” It’s stress, sleep, diet, inflammation, screens, habits—and a patient who’s overwhelmed by one more thing to do.

In this conversation, ophthalmologist Dr. Laura Periman (the “Dry Eye Master”) shows you how to reorient patients without lecturing ...

The future of optometry is evolving, and today’s new grads have different expectations, career goals, and challenges than ever before. In this episode, I sit down with Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, President and CEO of New England College of Optometry, to discuss what the next generation of optometrists really wants—from practicing to the full extent of their licensure to navigating student debt and business ownership. We also explore ...

You might be leaving thousands of dollars on the table in contact lenses every year—and not even know it.

If you’ve ever stared at your CL numbers and thought, “We’re busy… so why isn’t this more profitable?” this episode is for you.

In this conversation, you’ll step into the shoes of a practice owner who stopped guessing and started treating contact lenses like a real profit engine. Dr. Justin Bazan didn’t do it by chasing every n...

In this conversation with Dr. Brianna Rhue, you’ll step into a new way of thinking about your practice: not as a small business desperately trying to keep up with tech, but as a tech-enabled practice that happens to deliver incredible eye care. Instead of treating AI like a buzzword or a threat, you’ll see how it becomes the quiet engine behind smoother days, fewer bottlenecks, and more time with patients.

Brianna doesn’t sugarcoat...

In this episode, you’ll step into one of the most overlooked opportunities in eye care—an opportunity that affects every patient over 40 and can quietly transform the way your practice grows.

Dr. Amanda Nanasy shares a story most of us forget: presbyopia isn’t just a refractive change… it’s an emotional moment. It’s the instant a patient realizes their vision—and their identity—is shifting. And for many, it feels like a reminder th...

In this episode, you’ll step into a challenge almost every practice owner faces—but few want to admit: you’re surrounded by data… and still making decisions based on gut feel.

Alongside Cathy Firman from GPN, you’ll walk through what happens when you stop guessing and start listening to what your practice is already trying to tell you—through revenue per exam, capture rate, staff performance, and the quiet leaks that add up over ti...

In this episode, you’ll step inside a world few of us ever see—one where every decision carries weight, pressure is constant, and clarity is non-negotiable.

Last week, I spent a day learning from a retired Air Force fighter pilot, and what struck me wasn’t the complexity of the cockpit or the intensity of the mission. It was how much their world mirrors ours. Because while we may not be flying at 500 knots, many practice owners fee...

In this episode, you’ll discover how world-class thinkers approach leadership, communication, and growth—and how their lessons can transform your practice.

What can an optometrist learn from the CEO of Disney, a best-selling author on sales, and a self-made billionaire who started a company with $5,000? As it turns out—everything.

You’ll hear what happens when clarity replaces complexity, when confidence replaces hesitation, and wh...

In this episode, you’ll discover why the next 12 to 18 months have the potential to redefine what it means to practice optometry

AI isn’t coming — it’s already here. And while some doctors are still debating its relevance, others are quietly building practices ready to lead the next era of connected care.

Dr. Rupe Hansra, VP of Professional Affairs at Topcon Healthcare, joins Dr. Steve Vargo to explore how AI is transforming everyt...

What would it take to open a practice cold and within 5 years achieve a level of financial success that many practices never reach… becoming a multi-million-dollar practice? 

In this episode, Dr. Joel Tuite takes us through his 5-year journey, year-by-year. Some of the topics we cover are how he attracted patients in the lean years, the importance of putting staff first and treating patients like family and how having a vision of s...

In this episode, you’ll discover why the true value of your practice isn’t built when you sell—it’s built every day you show up to lead it.

Nathan Hayes joins me to unpack the mindset and strategies of owners who play the long game—the ones who treat every decision as an investment in their future freedom. They don’t wait until retirement to think about value. They build systems that run without them. They create teams that thrive...

In this episode, you’ll discover why the most powerful tool in your practice isn’t your OCT or your EHR—it’s your voice.

Dr. Steve Vargo shares a personal story of the time he bombed his first big presentation. Months of preparation, flawless slides, and bullet-point perfection… and yet, the audience checked out. That failure became the turning point that taught him one truth every doctor needs to know: information doesn’t inspire ...

In this episode, you’ll step into a conversation that challenges the way most ODs think about marketing.

It’s easy to see marketing as an expense, a line item on a budget that you either cut or dabble in when things slow down. But what if you looked at it differently? What if your marketing wasn’t about spending more—but about finally getting clear on who you are, who you serve, and how you want to grow?

Jeremy Bono from IDOC Marke...