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Sandbox Stories are delivered to the eye care industry by Dr. Scott Jens, whose career as a Doctor of Optometry, then Software Founder/CEO, has led him to create "The Sandbox" - a playful, thoughtful executive business coaching service. Through Sandbox Stories, Dr. Jens aims to give anyone involved in eye care a provocative, insightful review of perspectives of, and people in, the industry.
Episodes
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Sandbox Stories - Interview of Ed Buffington
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Raised on a rural farm in Maryland, Ed Buffington learned the lessons of hard work. These lessons translated into a tremendous career in the eye care industry, where he was the founder of OfficeMate software and today serves as CEO of GPN Technologies, the company that brings the EDGEPro data dashboard to eye care professionals. In March 2024, he was honored by Prevent Blindness as the 2024 “Person of Vision” in recognition of his incredible contributions.
Ed’s many stories cover his start as a contact lens rep, as well as the efforts to bring OfficeMate to the industry. He is a proud husband, father, and grandfather, and speaks about how important that part of his life is. Equally important is the positive influence he has had on the many people that have worked with and for him.
The Stories within the Story:
1:14 The Building Friendships Story
2:31 The Growing Up on the Farm Story
4:31 The “Charlie” Story
7:30 The Plan to be an Educator Story
9:54 The Marriage and Family Story
10:25 The Salesperson Story
12:06 The Getting into the Eye Care Industry Story
14:14 The Creating OfficeMate Story
20:34 The Adding the EHR Story
24:40 The Marchon Partnership Story
26:29 The VSP Partnership Story
28:40 The GPN Data Story
31:15 The Mentors Story
36:40 The “Person of Vision” Story
40:57 The GPN VISIONS Story
42:23 The Incredible Teams Story
Runtime: 46 min
Friday Jan 26, 2024
Sandbox Story - Interview of Dr. Ann Hoscheit
Friday Jan 26, 2024
Friday Jan 26, 2024
Dr. Ann Hoscheit is owner of EyeBridge Consulting Associates, after a long career in which she built two separate iconic eye care practices. She’s a graduate of the University of Houston College of Optometry. Dr. Hoscheit has been a trailblazer in women’s leadership in Optometry. She finds true joy and prosperity in Optometry, and through these many stories she hopes that her colleagues will also.
The Stories within the Story include:
1:11 The Midwestern Upbringing Story
3:29 The Mom’s Example Story
4:55 The Inspiration from Matthew Story
6:36 The Getting into Optometry Story
8:39 The Incredible Husband Story
10:36 The Harold Varner III Story
11:15 The Novel Practice Model Story
15:15 The Women-Centered Practice Story
20:58 The Power of Mentorship Story
22:18 The Sale to Private Equity Story
25:10 The Specialty Center of Excellence Story
30:42 The Integrative Medicine Story
35:54 The Industry Supporter Story
41:18 The Eye Care Equates to Quality of Life Story
43:26 The Power of Influence Story
46:28 The Future of Optometry Education Story
52:34 The Reassurance Story
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Sandbox Stories - Interview of Dr. Rick Weisbarth
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
An Ohio guy who thought he would remain there forever, Dr. Rick Weisbarth became an internationally respected Doctor of Optometry who supported the profession through his role in professional relations for Alcon Laboratories (and formerly CIBA VISION) as well as a lecturer on a variety of contact lens topics. He graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry and became connected with friends with whom he would provide career-long support of the American Academy of Optometry. One of his unique contributions was involvement in the National Academies of Practice, which is a multidisciplinary group working to support each other’s approach to caring for patients. Dr. Weisbarth has been a leader since his days in the optometry fraternity at OSU, and that has carried through to his retirement during which time he has helped advance the Alcon Children’s Vision Center in Fort Worth, TX. His many stories are compelling because he consistently challenged himself to move out of his comfort zone, and the lessons that come from his experiences can be of value to all. And - it’s very important for the audience to know that Dr. Weisbarth was put on the spot when talking about mentors, so if he didn’t mention you, please forgive him!
The Stories within the Story include:
1:08 The Cleveland Upbringing Story
2:58 The Advice Story
4:07 The Introduction to Eye Care Story
6:42 The OSU Optometry Story
9:40 The Leadership Journey Story
11:04 The Early Career Story
16:56 The Contact Lens Industry Story
20:23 The International Lecturer Story
22:01 The Industry Support Story
27:04 The Optometrist Insight Story
29:11 The Commitment to the Academy Story
32:50 The Volunteering Advice Story
35:50 The Lifelong Learning Story
37:55 The Mentor Story
40:12 The National Academies of Practice Story
44:35 The Alcon Children’s Vision Clinic Story
52:42 The Hobbies Story
54:05 The Family Story
Run time: 57 min
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
Sandbox Stories Perspective - Building a Life Well-Lived
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
Scott shares four pearls to building and enjoying a life well-lived, which is aspirational and to which we will be judged by others some day in the future
Monday Jul 10, 2023
Sandbox Story - Interview of Dr. John Potter
Monday Jul 10, 2023
Monday Jul 10, 2023
Dr. John Potter is a true treasure to the profession. A graduate of the Indiana University School of Optometry, he has been at the forefront of every major evolutionary step in Optometry over the last fifty years. After all of his time in Optometry, he used his intellectual basis to move into an entirely different career as an educator - now serving as clinical associate professor of dispute resolution and conflict management at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
The Stories within the Story include:
1:20 The Gradeschool Essay Story
2:50 The IU Story
3:53 The IU Legends Story
5:18 The Dr. Irv Borish Story
9:06 The Mentor Story
11:45 The Push to Education Story
13:30 The Naval Optometry Story
19:55 The Treatment of a Foreign Body Story
22:36 The Dr. Henry Peters “Diagnosis” Story
34:40 The Therapeutics Story
36:07 The Dr. David Sullins Story
39:36 The Laser Vision Treatment Story
55:00 The Patient Advocacy Services Story
59:00 The Conflict Resolution Career Story
1:09:26 The 1990’s Eye Exam Assessment Story
1:13:51 The Caring for Others Story
Run time: 1 hr 17 min
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Sandbox Story - Interview of Dr. Vince Brandys
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Dr. Vince Brandys has translated a Chicago upbringing in a family that served the community into a career in Optometry that has included deep involvement in professional advocacy. His words of encouragement to his colleagues to step up their support of the profession are to be heard by all.
Monday Mar 27, 2023
Monday Mar 27, 2023
In semi-retirement, I built a spec home in Orlando to get away from Wisconsin's winters. In this Sandbox Story, you'll get perspective of how my experiences taught me something about how optometry might better manage its business to focus on the expectations of its customers.
Run time: 7 min 30 sec
Saturday Feb 11, 2023
Sandbox Story - Interview of Dr. Araba Otoo
Saturday Feb 11, 2023
Saturday Feb 11, 2023
Dr. Araba Otoo received the 2022 Student of the Year Award from the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA.) She has started her practice career in a residency in the VA system, and is motivated to drive a global ocular wellness mindset into the profession. As a child in Ghana, she malingered to get glasses when she was very young. Her impressionable mind was pushed toward eyecare due to seeing her parents experience eye issues. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Optometry and she also has an MPH from the University of Illinois - Chicago, all as a result of a journey that found her involved in a cancer research lab when her family moved to Chicago. Her story involves a lot of surprises that did not turn out as she had planned.
The Stories within the Story include:
0:58 The Ghana Story
2:34 The Love of Cooking Story
3:59 The Malingerer Story
8:32 The Family’s Eyecare Story
14:45 The Chicago Story
36:11 The Not My Way Story
37:02 The AOSA Student of the Year Story
44:05 The Optometry as Public Health Story
49:29 The Future Story
Runtime: 54 min.
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
Sandbox Story - Interview with Jay Binkowitz
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
Jay Binkowitz has used deep business acumen to drive a number of differentiated businesses into the eye care industry. His path into the optical business led to building the most powerful data dashboard in the industry, EDGEPro.
The Stories within the Story include:
1:01 The Upbringing Story
5:45 The Hustle Story
8:30 The Optical Story
14:28 The Software Story
22:08 The Consolidator Story
26:14 The Charity Story
30:19 The Best Advice Story
Runtime: 35 min.
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Sandbox Story - Interview of Lynn Lawrence
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Lynn Lawrence is a career Optometric Technician, starting that role as part of a thirty-plus year career in the Air Force, and has built a consulting business for the eye care industry which teaches leadership. His commitment to the profession is to drive advancement through learning, certification, and thoughtful leadership.
The Stories within the Story Include:
1:08 The St. Louis Upbringing Story
3:38 The Family Military Service Story
6:20 The Deployment Story
10:49 The Ophthalmic Technician Story
14:52 The AOA Certification Story
21:23 The Mental Health Story
25:11 The Leadership Consultant Story
30:27 The Faith and Joy Story
32:45 The Best Advice Story
Runtime: 34 min.