THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY, LIVE SUSTAINABLY .
The Year of Sustainability
The 2024 Eye Recommend National Training Event flourished as hundreds of members gathered in beautiful Blue Mountain, ON. This year’s theme “Think Globally, Act Locally, Live Sustainably” emphasized a pivotal shift towards sustainability in independent optometry, underlining how environmental responsibility, business resilience, and team wellbeing are integral to the success of modern practices.
NTE East 2024 was an unforgettable experience filled with dynamic speaker sessions, innovation, and meaningful connections. Attendees delved into the latest trends and best practices in independent optometry, while the first-ever technology show unveiled cutting-edge advancements poised to revolutionize the industry. In line with our sustainability commitment, this year’s event partnered with local vendors to bring forth the best in the region and champion local businesses. Notably, NTE East 2024 heavily reduced paper materials, opting for a more digital approach to minimize waste and reduce environmental impact.
Sustainability in 2024 is more than just a buzzword. It is a holistic strategy that ensures the longevity and prosperity of independent optometrists. By embracing this mindset, practitioners can navigate the challenges of today and tomorrow, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.
We are thrilled to share some of the key takeaways from NTE 2024.
Fireside Chat
Sarah Kauss: Former CEO of S’well and Dr. Beth Lennox
In a fireside chat, Sarah Kauss and Dr. Beth Lennox shared personal insights on building a successful brand, focusing on the power of a strong, empowered team. Sarah emphasized, “Your team is your greatest asset,” advocating for a hands-on, collaborative culture where every role matters.
Reflecting on her journey, she revealed that one of her biggest struggles was learning to accept “no” and the courage it took to ask for help - embracing vulnerability as a strength. Sarah urged leaders to hone their brand story by asking, “What do we do? Why do we do it? Who are our competitors?” Listening to customers, she said, is essential for understanding how your product fits into their lives.
She also highlighted the impact of strategic partnerships and thoughtful public relations in shaping a brand’s image.
Lastly, Sarah underscored the importance of purpose-driven leadership, encouraging leaders to create space for employees to explore their values and engage in meaningful conversations that foster belonging and shared purpose.
Key Takeaways
Empower and Value Your Team
Embrace Vulnerability and Seek Support
Craft a Clear, Purpose-Driven Brand Story
Shawn Kanungo: Innovation Strategist
+ Author of The Bold Ones
Shawn Kanungo delivered a masterclass on embracing boldness and innovation in an era of rapid change. He challenged attendees to ask bold questions to achieve bold answers, emphasizing that AI is not just a tool but a revolutionary force.
Shawn explained how the internet has transformed work on a global scale. Data analytics is now at our fingertips, and anything digital can be replicated. The true differentiator lies in a company’s ability to create unforgettable experiences. “Boldness is power, not knowledge,” Shawn shared. The most disruptive force in the world is the individual. Be creative. Be innovative. Leverage your resources (e.g. teams, individuals, media, software, and AI) to achieve more with less. AI can seem daunting, but “work scared until you are scary.” Start experimenting with AI and learn through experience.
The world has rapidly changed through technology, but the human desire for stories, intimacy, status, and convenience remain constant. In an age of rising expectations, businesses compete with giants like Uber, Amazon, and Instagram. Your brand is defined by how you make people feel, so double down on creating meaningful, magical, and memorable experiences.
Shawn concluded that strategy is about energy. Consider your bold ambition and where the future of the world is heading. Be willing to step outside your comfort zone and commit to the journey to become remarkable.
Key Takeaways
Embrace boldness and leverage AI to innovate, disrupt, and evolve in your industry. Focus on creating unique and memorable experiences to stand out in a competitive market.
Continuously challenge yourself and your organization by asking bold questions and being willing to disrupt the status quo.
Breakout Sessions
Trudi
Charest
Your Digital Footprint Matters: The Significance of a Personal Online Brand for Optometrists
Personal Branding is a powerful tool that you can use to leverage your digital presence and expand your business.
Key Takeaways:
Your personal brand is just as important as your practice brand.
Forty percent of patients search online for the name of the doctor rather than the practice, so it’s important to curate an online presence that reflects who you are.
Build a personal brand that tells your story and showcases your expertise and medical specialties. It should also direct people to your website to build trust and facilitate appointment bookings.
Dr. Kim Friedman & Dr. Robin Apfelbeck
Foundational Dry Eye Therapy: Enhance Meibum Quality & Function
Optimize Dry Eye Therapy at your clinic by addressing the underlying cause of meibomian glands dysfunction.
Key Takeaways:
Follow the TFOS DEWS II algorithm (Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society Dry Eye Workshop). Begin with stage one therapy involving essential fatty acid supplementation, lid hygiene, and warm compresses before considering other interventions.
Select omega-3 supplements carefully. Choose re-esterified triglyceride form supplements with 2240mg of EPA & DHA to effectively address dry eye symptoms.
Train staff and provide support. Streamline messaging from the doctor to front desk staff to ensure patients understand the importance of at-home regimens.
Wendy Finlason Fierce Conversations
Part 1 & 2
Fierce conversations are built on a single premise: “What gets talked about in a company, how it gets talked about, and who is invited to the conversation determines what will happen and what won’t happen.” The capacity to have conversations and communicate effectively matters more than ever before.
Key Takeaways:
Master the courage to interrogate reality. By questioning assumptions and facing the truth head-on, we can uncover deeper truths and engage in meaningful conversations. Provoke learning by stimulating new insights and perspectives. Tackle tough challenges head-on. Stay proactive by addressing your most pressing issues without delay.
Enrich relationships through authentic engagement. The quality of our relationships is directly linked to the quality of our conversations. By engaging authentically and being fully present, we can build stronger, more trusting connections.
Leverage the power of silence. Let silence do the heavy lifting by using pauses effectively to enhance communication and connection.
Darran Rogers
Frame the Future: Mastering the Art of Eyewear Merchandising
Gain an understanding of how visual merchandising impacts consumer experience and decisions.
Key Takeaways:
Explore how steps in the customer journey play a role in crafting a memorable experience using visual merchandising. Attraction and interest begin with visual merchandising. Use compelling stories to captivate consumers’ attention and keep them engaged.
Breakout Sessions
Dr. Sherman Tung
Myopia – Tips on How to Start a Successful Myopia Clinic
Build a strong foundation for your myopia clinic to ensure long-term success.
Key Takeaways:
Understand your “why”. Knowing your purpose and the reason behind starting your clinic provides clarity and direction, guiding all your decision-making processes.
Surround yourself with a strong team of supportive professionals, such as lab consultants and myopia champions.
Start off with what you feel comfortable with. Whether it’s spectacles, soft specialty lenses, atropine, or orthokeratology, beginning with familiar methods allows you to build confidence and competence. You can gradually expand your skillset from a strong foundation to ensure a smoother, more effective integration of new practices.
Dr. Shawn Moore Full Circle Disruption
Stand out in a competitive market by following these principles from Dr. Shawn Moore’s book Full Circle Disruption.
Key Takeaways:
To be truly memorable, ensure you excel in all three pillars: great quality, great service, and making an impact on a social or environmental level. This combination creates a compelling experience that people will want to share with others.
Emphasize value over sales. Understand that value is defined as benefits divided by price. Consider your unique value proposition versus your unique selling proposition. Train your team to upvalue, not upsell, by offering more features that enhance the end-user experience, thus increasing the value for the patient.
Redefine independence in eyecare. With current market pressures on quality, experience, and price, there is a unique opportunity to redefine what it means to be independent. Position yourself and your practice as leaders in eyecare by setting high standards and presenting a distinct, value-driven approach to patient care.
Kate Virzi
Eyes on the Future: AI-Powered Social Media Mastery and Blog Brilliance in Eye Care Marketing
Explore the transformative power of technology in the evolving marketing landscape.
Key Takeaways:
In the current marketing landscape, digital strategies should be integrated into every marketing strategy.
Generative AI tools, including ChatGPT and Meta AI, offer innovative solutions for social media and content creation. Examples include generating social media captions, blog content, FAQs, patient education materials, and strategies for patient feedback and retention.
AI-generated content may not always be factually accurate, and ethical considerations must be addressed. Review and refine content created by AI before publishing it to ensure accuracy and maintain ethical standards.
Breakout Sessions
Krupa Patel & Anna Sinclair
HR: Beyond Boundaries: Exploring Diversity and Inclusion in Today’s Recruitment Landscape
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) are essential for boosting workplace morale, engagement, productivity, success, and innovation. Implementing key strategies will create a supportive environment that drives innovation and success.
Key Takeaways:
Start by defining diversity and inclusion for your optometry practice and creating an equal opportunity employment statement.
Provide employees with career growth opportunities through upskilling and reskilling. Focus on inclusive hiring practices.
Use AI in recruitment while being mindful of bias and ethics. Set DEIB goals and track metrics like diversity, employment opportunities, time to fill roles, quality of hires, and retention rates.
Dr. Brad Genereux & Dr. Trevor Miranda
Retina Rejuvenation: Becoming a Centre of AMD Excellence
Transform your practice with key steps to providing exceptional care for AMD patients.
Key Takeaways:
Establish an AMD Wellness Centre equipped with cutting-edge diagnostics. These diagnostics can include macular pigment testing, dark adaptation, genetic testing, and advanced imaging techniques like OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography), FA (Fluorescein Angiography), and retinal integrity assessment.
Enhance visual function and contrast sensitivity using Health Canada-approved devices employing microcurrent technology.
Utilize online portals for continual learning and knowledge-sharing. Practitionerfacing (e.g. myretina.ca) and patient-facing (e.g. mymacula.ca) serve as valuable educational resources that also encourage collaboration in eye care.
Roberto Acevedo
Take Your Practice to the Next Level with Luxury Eyewear
Gain insight into the unique benefits that luxury fashion brands can offer your practice.
Key Takeaways:
Recognize the value of integrating luxury brands into your product offerings to enhance complementarity within your practice, effectively meet market demands, and increase profitability.
Appreciate the distinct characteristics of luxury fashion brands and delve into the underlying motivations that drive consumer purchases in this domain.
Develop the ability to discern various customer profile segments within the luxury market and apply tailored strategies to deliver exceptional customer experiences to each segment.
Michael Rossi
Everyone Has a Voice – The Leader Within
Embrace your unique leadership potential and make a lasting impact.
Key Takeaways:
Believe in your voice. Overcome doubts and fears to embrace the unique voice you possess. Push yourself to recognize the value of your perspective and the impact it can make.
Exercise your voice. Embrace opportunities to use your voice, whether it’s speaking up in meetings, sharing ideas, or taking on new challenges. Practice amplifying your voice and stepping into leadership roles with confidence.
Amplify others. Encourage and uplift those around you, recognizing the value of their voices. Instill belief in others and create an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute and make a difference.
Breakout Sessions
Kevin Wilhelm
How to Positively Influence Patient & Employee Behaviour
Discover actionable strategies to enhance engagement and cooperation at your practice.
Key Takeaways:
Applying various principles of persuasion can significantly increase the likelihood of receiving the “yes” from both patients and employees, fostering cooperation and engagement.
Utilize reciprocity by offering something of value to patients before their eye exams. By creating a sense of indebtedness, patients are more likely to comply with treatment plans or make eyewear purchases, enhancing overall patient satisfaction and loyalty. Harness the power of social proof by highlighting the behaviors of other patients who have achieved success with treatment plans. By showcasing positive outcomes, you can influence current patients to follow similar paths, reinforcing desired behaviors and outcomes within your practice.
Dr. Dena Weitzman
Optometrists’ Guide to AI: Navigating Adoption of Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Eyecare
In recent years, the development of AI technologies for healthcare has accelerated dramatically. Regulatory bodies globally are rushing to update frameworks to address the unique challenges posed by AI.
Key Takeaways:
Optometrists have access to a variety of AI tools that, when used appropriately, can enhance diagnostic capabilities, increase accessibility to eyecare services, and improve overall efficiency in practice operations. While embracing AI technologies holds great promise for advancing eyecare, optometrists need to ensure these tools meet the necessary standards for safety and efficacy. Careful consideration and evaluation are essential to maximizing the benefits of AI adoption while minimizing potential risks.
Dr. Laurie Capogna & Emma Arnew
Sustainability in the Optometrists Office
Support sustainability through your practice by incorporating practical and simple changes.
Key Takeaways:
Minimize paper usage within your practice to mitigate environmental impact. Explore methods to decrease paper consumption and ensure proper recycling practices for unavoidable paper usage.
Sustainability sells! Source sustainable products for your practice. Inform patients about these environmentally friendly options. Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can resonate with patients and encourage eco-conscious choices.
Encourage a sustainable eye-healthy diet by implementing “Meatless Mondays” in your office. Prioritize plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, and legumes, promoting both eye health and environmental sustainability. Remember the mantra: “Greens and beans, good for your eyes, good for the skies.” Shop close to home or grow your own.
Joyce VanRooyen Connecting with the Generations to Inspire Sales
All generations engage in purchasing, but their preferences and approaches differ. Understanding these distinctions is key to effectively connecting with each demographic.
Key Takeaways:
Customize the sales experience to resonate with the unique preferences and values of each generation. By catering to their specific needs and desires, you can foster meaningful connections that drive sales.
Be careful not to generalize. While generational differences are important to consider, remember that individual factors such as personality and culture also influence consumer behavior. Avoid oversimplifying and take a nuanced approach to understanding your patients’ preferences.
See your patients for who they are. Personalize interactions by genuinely recognizing and valuing each individual. By understanding their identity and preferences, you will build trust and loyalty.
Go Give Scavenger Hunt
Together, we created an impactful experience, blending team-building with community support. Using GPS-powered tablets, you navigated checkpoints, tackled creative challenges, and earned points that translated into donations for your chosen charities. Through your participation, you didn’t just enjoy a game - you made a meaningful difference.
This year’s selected charities:
My Friend’s House
Meaford Food Bank & Outreach
Georgian Triangle Humane Society
Thank you to all who participated and made a meaningful difference!
Optometry Unleashed
Sustainability Panel
A live podcast recording of ‘Optometry Unleashed’ was hosted by Dr. Trevor Miranda during NTE East 2024. The sustainability panel included leaders representing our industry partners and platinum sponsors - Tammy Gold, Alcon Senior Brand Manager, Enrique Contreras, CooperVision Canada Country Manager, and Jennifer Pate, J&J Senior Manager, National and Key Accounts.
The Sustainability Panel dove into why sustainability is a game-changer for today’s businesses, showcasing how impactful practices can fuel success and positive change. Panelists shared inspiring, real-world ways to make a difference at the practice level, wrapping up with an exciting, high-energy pitch from each panelist!
Listen to the full episode of Optometry Unleashed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts from!
Tradeshow
Our valued supplier partners were welcomed throughout the event and had an opportunity to further connect with our membership at the tradeshow. They showcased their latest, most innovative, and on-trend products with exclusive pricing and offers for our members. This part of the event presented a valuable opportunity to further build and develop the relationships that propel practices forward.
Technology Show
We were thrilled to host our first-ever Technology Show. The exhibition was the perfect opportunity for members to discover state-of-the-art technology and on-trend products with exclusive pricing and offers.
Members enjoyed a lively scavenger hunt woven through the Tradeshow and Technology Show, sparking fun interactions and strengthening connections between members and partners.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
BRONZE
DIAMOND
Implementation Session
Pearls to Practice
On the final day of NTE, attendees came together to transform their session takeaways into actionable plans, pinpoint steps and timelines, appoint champions to lead each initiative, and establish a feedback loop for ongoing progress.
Groups discussed their insights from the various sessions. Moving on to prioritization, they narrowed down the top ideas that would have maximum impact. Ideas were ranked based on their alignment with the practice’s core values, mission, and vision and engagement with their team.
Attendees then focused on developing detailed action plans for their top priorities. They assessed how each idea would benefit key stakeholders (patients, employees, and the practice) and worked through the steps needed for implementation. As the session came to a close, attendees were encouraged to share their action plans with their business coaches and follow up on their progress, setting the stage for continued growth and sustainable futures for their practices.
Words may inspire, but only action creates change.
–
Simon Sinek
Thank you to everyone who attended NTE East 2024. Your enthusiasm and commitment to excellence made this year’s event truly remarkable. We look forward to the impact you will make in your practices, driving the success of independent optometry for years to come.
@ EyeRecommend