Leading with Clarity - Dave Holler - Optometrists Building Empires - Episode # 043

What does it take to grow a thriving optometry practice and a successful cooperative network at the same time? On this week’s episode of Optometrists Building Empires, host Ankit Patel sits down with Dr. David Holler, optometrist, practice owner, CEO, and co-founder of Clarity Vision. From specialty contact lenses to strategic vendor negotiations, Dr. Holler shares how he's balanced patient care with long-term business growth. Tune in to hear how divergent thinking and a strong team culture have helped him build a sustainable, future-ready model for independent optometry. Takeaways: Dedicate time to work on the business. Setting aside admin days for strategy, training, and hiring is crucial for sustainable growth beyond patient care.Cooperative models can outperform franchises. Pooling resources with like-minded practices can boost buying power and efficiency while preserving independence.Specialty services build loyalty. Offering scleral lenses, myopia management, and custom solutions helps practices stand out and retain patients.Hiring is a strategy, not just a task. Transparent expectations, a team-first culture, and creative staffing solutions like virtual scribes help tackle today’s retention challenges.AI won’t replace you, but it can help. Embrace tools that automate admin work so you can focus on delivering better patient care.Think like a designer and a scientist. Blending divergent thinking with clinical expertise leads to smarter decisions and more innovative practices.Quote of the Show:“ If you position yourself as being technology forward, then you're going to attract the types of patients you want to see and hopefully take on that type of growth.” - Dave HollerLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-holler-od-faao-fsls-b7056013/  Company website: https://www.findclarityvision.com/ Email: [email protected] Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5w1H9BBwRXvBSSkexePYxG Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/optometrists-building-empires/id1762685070 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/689a039b-54ce-4f04-b641-66d8640d93d0 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/optometrists-building-empires-5812208