Sandbox Stories - The Podcast

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Dr. Bob Layman has been the AOA President from June 2021 through June 2022.   This interview is the first one done with a sitting President of the AOA, and some of his best views are shared about how optometry must be politically thoughtful and mindful to stay successful.  Most importantly, Bob’s true humility and drive toward service shines through.

 

The Stories within the Story Include:

1:16  The Toledo Story

2:43  The Mental Health Story

5:11  The Path to Optometry Story

8:23  The OSU Optometry Story

9:33  The Optometry Volunteerism Story

11:01  The Optometry Practice Story

12:22  The Optometric Association Story

15:18  The Optometry Advocacy Story

17:08  The AOA Presidency Story

20:14  The Family Story

21:14  The Scoutmaster Story

22:46  The AOA Leadership Institute Story

24:26  The Car Nut Story

25:22  The Best Advice Story