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Optical isn't dead - but the way you are running it is with Dr. Jennifer Stewart

Release Date: 06/29/2026

Does your optometry practice even need a front desk anymore?

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

What if one of the most familiar parts of your optometry practice is also one of the things most overdue for a rethink? This week’s episode of 20/20 Money: The Business of Optometry is a little different. After a few updates on what’s ahead for the podcast—including upcoming guests, a potential optometry-owner ski meetup at Copper Mountain before IDOC Connection 2027, and an opening in the OD Masterminds Founders Club—I’m sharing an episode from another project that some listeners may not yet have discovered: The Optometry Success Podcast. The Optometry Success Podcast...

The 401(k) rules have changed. Has your retirement plan?

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

If your practice has been using the same retirement plan for years simply because “it works,” you may be leaving valuable planning opportunities on the table. On this episode of 20/20 Money: The Business of Optometry, I’m joined by Jared Porter, co-founder of 401GO, for a practical conversation about how much the qualified retirement plan landscape has changed—and why optometric practice owners should periodically reevaluate whether their current plan still fits their business. We discuss why SIMPLE IRAs may no longer be as “simple” or advantageous as many owners assume, how...

Why your optometry marketing isn't working with Jeremy Bono from IDOC Marketing

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

Your next patient may already be looking for an optometrist—and choosing someone else before you ever know they existed. On this episode of 20/20 Money: The Business of Optometry, I’m joined by Jeremy Bono, Director of Optometry Marketing Services at IDOC, for a wide-ranging conversation about what effective marketing actually looks like inside an optometry practice. We start with a bigger question: does the public really understand what an optometrist does—and, more importantly, why they should regularly see one? From there, Jeremy and I explore why simply saying that you provide...

Is optometry too focused on specialty services? A discussion with Dr. Kyle Klute

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

What if the pressure to add specialty services is distracting you from the value already sitting inside your practice? In this episode of 20/20 Money: The Business of Optometry, Adam is joined by Dr. Kyle Klute for a thought-provoking conversation about specialization, comprehensive eye care, and the growing pressure practice owners may feel to purchase new technology or build a niche service line. Kyle explains why labeling dry eye, myopia management, glaucoma, and other areas as “specialties” can unintentionally allow optometrists to treat them as optional. Instead, he argues that ODs...

How successful practice owners actually become wealthy

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

A profitable practice can create tremendous cash flow—but it does not automatically create personal wealth. In this episode of 20/20 Money: The Business of Optometry, Adam bridges the gap between running a successful optometry practice and using that success to build lasting financial independence. Drawing on nearly 20 years of working with business owners, he explains why practice size, income, and personal net worth are related—but far less correlated than many owners assume. Adam shares several patterns consistently demonstrated by financially independent practice owners,...

Understanding and setting pricing in your practice that are fair and profitable with Dr. Chris Wolfe, OD (Rewind)

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

Welcome to this REWIND episode of 20/20 Money! My guest on today’s show is Dr. Chris Wolfe, OD. Chris joins me on the show to share in a conversation about how ODs can think about pricing the different services provided in the practice and how to frame that conversation with your patients, how ODs can think about researching their pricing on medical procedures, how to think about scheduling in your practice to be as efficient with OD hours as possible, 4 questions to consider asking every pt as it relates to dry eye, the 5 steps needed to introduce change in your practice, and how practice...

What every seller needs to know before selling their practice

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

A practice sale that should have been the easiest transition imaginable ended before negotiations even began—and the lessons could save you from making the same costly mistake. In this episode, I shares the story of an anonymized internal succession plan that unraveled despite all the ingredients for success: a trusted associate, established patient relationships, and a seller committed to staying through the transition. So what went wrong? Using this real-world case study, I'll share the psychology of selling a practice, why valuations are opinions—not verdicts—and how...

Your Practice Doesn’t Need More of Your Time — It Needs Better Use of It with Nathan Hayes

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

What if the next level of your practice requires less time in the lane — not more? In this episode of 20/20 Money: The Business of Optometry, I’m joined again by Nathan Hayes for a wide-ranging conversation about how practice owners should think more intentionally about their most limited resource: time. We pick up where our last conversation left off and explore what it really means to work on the business, not just in it. Nathan and I discuss why growth is not always linear, why some seasons of ownership are meant for building while others are meant for harvesting, and how owners...

A simple introduction to AI for optometry practice owners: a practical conversation with Dr. Mick Kling

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

AI can feel overwhelming, overhyped, and impossible to keep up with — especially when every conversation seems to swing between “this changes everything” and “this is all just noise.” In this episode of 20/20 Money, I’m joined once again by Dr. Mick Kling for a practical conversation about where AI is actually useful for practice owners right now — without the doom-and-gloom, hype, or technical jargon. Mick shares how he’s been thoughtfully experimenting with AI inside his own workflows to improve efficiency, analyze practice financials, model business decisions, and...

Optical isn't dead - but the way you are running it is with Dr. Jennifer Stewart

20/20 MONEY: The Business of Optometry

What if the biggest reason patients aren’t buying glasses from your practice… is the experience you’ve unintentionally created around optical? In this episode of 20/20 Money, I’m joined once again by Dr. Jennifer Stewart for a candid and energetic conversation around the subtle — and sometimes overlooked — ways practice owners can dramatically improve optical sales without feeling “salesy.” Jen shares how she’s intentionally built an optical-forward patient experience that turns eyewear into something patients genuinely get excited about, why most practices unknowingly...

More Episodes

Jen shares how she’s intentionally built an optical-forward patient experience that turns eyewear into something patients genuinely get excited about, why most practices unknowingly make optical feel transactional and overwhelming, and how small shifts in attention, storytelling, and intentionality can completely change patient behavior. We also explore the mindset many owners have around optical being a “dead” profit center, why that belief becomes self-fulfilling, and practical ways to start taking ownership back without blowing up your entire practice model.

We also discuss:

Why patients asking “what glasses are those?” is a bigger opportunity than most doctors realize
How Jen strategically uses her own eyewear to influence frame and lens sales
The hidden danger of treating optical like a commodity business
Why practices often lose optical sales long before price ever becomes the issue
How to think about your optical as a separate business within your practice
The importance of creating a shopping experience instead of a transactional one
Why independent frame lines and storytelling matter more than recognizable brands
Practical first steps for owners who feel overwhelmed or frustrated with optical