Power Hour Optometry's Only Live Radio Show

Every year at Vision Expo, companies make massive promises about the "future of optometry." But as a practice owner, you don't need more hype; you need solutions that are real, scalable, and useful. In this special Innovators Edition of the Power Hour recorded live at Vision Expo, Eugene Shatsman sits down with three executives attacking the future of the profession from three completely different angles: surgical business models, patient-centric retail, and all-in-one operational technology. If you've ever wondered how to monetize your surgical referrals, give patients a reason to visit you between exams, or finally consolidate those 14 open tabs on your staff's computer into an all-in-one operational technology, this episode is for you.

What would you do if you discovered someone inside your business had been stealing from you? Not hundreds. Not thousands. Millions. In this week's episode of Power Hour, Eugene Shatsman sits down with Mick Hall, President of Bard Optical (one of the most respected multi-location practices in the country) to hear a story that every practice owner needs to listen to.  It started with something small… A financial number that didn't look quite right. That single moment of curiosity uncovered an embezzlement scheme that eventually totaled $4.8 million. But this episode isn't about scandal. It's about leadership, vigilance, and protecting the business you've worked so hard to build.

Burnout is more common than many leaders are willing to admit. It's rarely a sign that the practice itself is broken. More often, it's a signal that the systems supporting the business need to evolve. In this week's Power Hour, Eugene sits down with Allison Kraemer & Dr. Brian Spittle from The Power Practice to talk about something many practice owners experience but rarely discuss openly: Burnout in private practice.

How many times have you said, "We had such a great interview," only to be thinking 60 days later, "How did we get this so wrong?" Staffing is still the #1 issue in practices, but what if the sustainable fix isn't another job post? What if it's understanding who you're hiring (before you hire them) and knowing how to develop them once they're on your team? In this episode of Power Hour, Eugene Shatsman sits down with Kati Lechner, Senior Director of Learning at Wonderlic, who has spent 20 years in the science of selecting and developing great talent derived from evidence-based hiring. And by the way, PowerPractice has established a partnership with Wonderlic to provide eye care practices with direct access to these assessment tools. If you're interested in exploring how Wonderlic Select or Develop could support your hiring or team development strategy, you can reach out to PowerPractice and reference this episode to learn more about available options and next steps at https://powerpractice.com/hire-smarter/ 

How do you transform your practice from something that depends on you for everything, into something that grows with clarity and control on its own? You've invested in equipment, hired good people, and are working hard; and yet, growth feels heavier than it should. In this episode of Power Hour, Eugene Shatsman sits down with Jamie Rosin to talk about a systematic approach to practice growth.  The Eyecare BOSS System (Business, Optimization and Scalability System) is a structured operating framework built specifically for independent optometry practices that want to grow without chaos. Instead of relying on scattered ideas, reactive decisions, or owner-dependent execution, it organizes your entire practice around five integrated pillars: Accountability, Revenue, People, Experience, and Data. Jamie and Eugene take you through a strategic walkthrough of the system, revealing how your practice can eliminate bottlenecks, prioritize the highest-impact growth levers, develop leaders instead of managing personalitie

As the economics of practice ownership evolve, technology accelerates, and legislative conversations become more complex, who is shaping the future of optometry behind the scenes? And what decisions are being made right now that could impact your practice next year?  In this episode of Power Hour, recorded live from the AOA Leaders Summit in St. Louis, Eugene Shatsman sits down with three of the American Optometric Association's elected leaders: Dr. Jacqueline M. Bowen (President), Dr. Teri K. Geist (President-Elect), and Dr. Terri A. Gossard (Vice President).  Together, they offer a firsthand look into what these leaders believe are the profession's biggest pressure points, and what they say the AOA is doing to protect, expand, and advance optometry heading into 2026.

People, Technology, and Strategy.  Three pillars that shaped how Dr. Solomon Gould built a scalable medical model, developed high-performing teams, and grew without sacrificing patient experience.   In this week's episode of Power Hour, Eugene sits down with Dr. Solomon Gould, Sr. Director of Eye Care at EssilorLuxottica, and a leader whose career spans nearly every side of optometry: private practice ownership, consulting, corporate environments, and large-scale operational growth. He shares how to scale your practice without becoming the bottleneck, burning out the team, or losing what made your practice successful in the first place. 

What if the biggest story in vision care right now isn't a new product, but a shift in patient behavior that could reshape 2026?  Today's episode is a little different (in the best way) because we're recording live from The Vision Council's Executive Summit. This is a conference filled with CEOs, founders, and eye care industry leaders who are here to network, but more importantly, to answer one big question:  What is actually happening in our industry right now, and what do we do next?  Joining Eugene on the show are Ashley Mills (CEO) and Alysse Henkel (VP of Research & Insights) from The Vision Council, and they're bringing something every practice owner should pay attention to: the data behind 2025.   Together, they break down what the data is revealing about patient spending, category performance, and the trade-offs consumers are making, and connect it to what practice owners should be thinking about for 2026. You'll also get a preview as to what's changing at Vision Expo Orlando 2026, and w

2025 wasn't business as usual in optometry M&A.  Fewer buyers, more deal scrutiny, softer multiples, and a growing number of practice owners asking the same question: "Is my practice worth what I think it's worth?"   That's why this episode is perfectly timed for the start of 2026.  Eugene is joined by Anne Kavanagh (Founder & Managing Director) and Jason Preator (Managing Partner) from Kavanagh Consulting, two people who have seen more optometry practice transactions than almost anyone in the industry over the last decade. Their perspective is based on real deals, real outcomes, and patterns that repeat year after year.  Anne and Jason explain how the buyer landscape has evolved, who is actively acquiring practices right now, and how buyers are evaluating risk, structure, and long-term profitability.  

Going from one location to two sounds exciting… until it's not.  The truth is, scaling a practice brings on a completely different level of complexity than just more patients or an increase in revenue; it's new operational pressure points, and a whole new set of problems that don't show up until you're already in motion.  In this listener-requested episode of Power Hour, host Eugene Shatsman speaks with two highly qualified professionals (Dr. Susan Lake, Optometrist at Eyecare Specialties, and Kevin Whaley-Stefany, Business Consultant at Autograph Eye LLC) who actually built and scaled multiple practices, and what it takes to succeed and scale in today's market.  

If your optical felt different in 2025, you weren't imagining it.  Across the country, practices saw capture rates slip, exam-onlys rise, and patients walk out the door with a fresh refraction, buying absolutely nothing. We know this isn't temporary, so the Power Hour is not waiting it out, we're getting proactive.  This week, Eugeneand Kayla Ashlee, CEO of Spexy, collaborate againbecause she is obsessed (in all the best ways) with the real levers that move optical revenue. Unlike most conversations about capture rate, she helps her clients go far beyond pricing and "consumer sensitivity." Leveraging the data points from real practices she works with, Kayla breaks down human influence, retail science, merchandising psychology, and the subtle behaviors inside your practice that are pushing patients away instead of drawing them in. 

In this episode of Power Hour, Eugene Shatsman sits down with Gary Gerber to explore why growth stalls when practices run on autopilot — and how revisiting the basics can unlock revenue, efficiency, and sustainability without adding complexity.

operationally, and financially—is where most practices struggle. A Problem Most Practices Recognize Many practices invest in advanced technology with good intentions—better care, differentiation, growth. Yet months later, the equipment is used inconsistently, reserved for rare cases, or quietly avoided because it disrupts flow. Dr. Brujic explains why this happens so often: Doctors buy equipment to be "cutting edge" without first identifying a real gap in care or existing patient demand. Workflow isn't designed to support consistent use Teams aren't aligned on when or why to use it The result is frustration—for clinicians, staff, and patients.

When close rates stall around 30–40%, most teams blame price. What if the real issue is what happens after the appointment? Myopia management is no longer "up-and-coming." It's here, and it's big. In this episode of Power Hour, Eugene sits down with Matt Oerding, CEO & Founder of Treehouse Eyes, to unpack a market Matt describes as a untapped opportunity, and the uncomfortable reality behind it: even though a large share of optometrists say they offer myopia management, only ~4–5% of eligible kids are actually receiving treatment. Matt explains that the myopia "adoption gap" isn't due to a lack of treatment options, but by execution: how consistently practices recommend, how the message is framed, and what happens after the parent says, "Let me think about it."

What if cutting your staff dramatically could increase your profit margins by up to 30% with capture rates being at 78%?  This week on Power Hour, Eugene sits down with Dr. Lauretta Justin, Founder of Optometry Divas and creator of The CEO of You, to unpack a transformation that starts with burnout and ends with clarity, profit, and purpose.  After running a full-scope practice with a team of ten, Lauretta hit a point many ODs know too well: she was successful on paper… and exhausted in reality. So, she decided what most people would never consider: she simplified everything.  Fewer staff. Cleaner pricing. Tighter systems. More intentional leadership.  The result?  A 30% increase in net profit, a 20% jump in net cash flow, and a practice that finally supports the life she wants, not the other way around. 

What if the biggest shift in your practice this year doesn't come from a new piece of equipment, a new hire, or a new plan — but from the way you train your brain to notice joy?  In this episode of Power Hour, host Eugene Shatsman is joined by Allegra Cohen (TEDx speaker, author, and Chief Joy Officer of BRAVE LIFE) for a conversation that blends neuroscience, leadership, and everyday happiness in a way that's deeply relevant to optometrists and practice leaders.  Eugene first encountered Allegra's work when they shared a TEDx stage; he watched her talk sitting next to his daughter, and both were completely drawn in by Allegra's message about micro joys, resilience, and how you can literally train your brain to notice more of what you want in life. That experience led to this episode — an opportunity to bring that same shift in perspective to the Power Hour audience. 

Every optometrist dreams of running a practice that truly reflects their passion. Few ever rebuild one from scratch to make it happen.  That's exactly what Dr. Stephanie Woo did.  After years of running three full-scope practices, she sold them all to pursue a vision that challenged everything she'd known about optometry — a specialty-only clinic built entirely around custom contact lenses, concierge-level care, and life-changing patient outcomes. 

What separates the practices that are growing in 2025 from those falling behind?  This week on Power Hour, Eugene Shatsman welcomes back Dr. Jason Lake, General Manager of PERC and Opti-Port, for another data-driven conversation every practice owner should hear.  As one of optometry's top data experts, Dr. Lake manages one of the largest private-practice datasets in the industry, giving him a unique perspective on what's really happening behind the numbers. And this quarter, the data tells a surprising story: while much of the industry saw exam volume drop nearly 5%, many independent practices are reporting high single-digit growth in revenue, with double digit profitability.  So what are top-performing practices doing differently — and what can others learn from them? 

Most optometry practices think AI is complicated, expensive, or years away from being practical. This episode proves otherwise. In this first-ever live build on the Power Hour, host Eugene Shatsman and AI consultant Abhi Bhattacharya (Amazon Alexa, Athenahealth, VSP Vision) create a working AI voice agent — from scratch — that calls and confirms patient appointments in real time. No long timelines. No big budgets. Just practical tools you can actually use. If you've ever wondered "Where would I even start with AI?" — this episode is your starting point.

Description What can optometry learn from today's entrepreneurs and innovators? In this episode of The Power Hour, Eugene sits down with Ukti Vora (The Nerdy Optometrist) to explore how innovation, technology, and mindset are shaping the future of the optometry. Ukti shares her journey from India to the U.S., offering a global perspective on how optometry is evolving — from independent practices and patient communication to the growing role of AI and wearable tech. They discuss: ◼️ The rise of entrepreneurship in optometry and lessons from other industries ◼️ How cultural differences shape patient care and professional growth ◼️ The tech transforming diagnosis, education, and engagement ◼️ Why collaboration and adaptability define the next generation of ODs Timestamps 00:00 Intro 03:05 Ukti Vora's Journey to Optometry 04:48 Comparing Optometry Practices: India vs. USA 05:51 The Evolution of Optometry in India 08:57 Learning from Each Other: Insights for Optometrists 11:51 Trends in the Optometry Industry 15: