The idea of sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint is becoming a bigger discussion in eyecare. As time goes on, we will continue to hear more and more companies in the industry sharing their efforts to reduce their impact on the environment.

But one of the companies that has been at the forefront of this discussion is CooperVision. In this episode, I chat with Aldo Zucaro who is the Global Lead of ESG and Sustainability at Cooper.

Aldo's passion and genuine concern for the impact our industry is having on the environment is infectious and truly palpable in this conversation.

Learn more about the partnership with CooperVision and Plastic Bank:

https://plasticbank.com/client/coopervision/

https://coopervision.com/our-company/news-center/press-release/coopervision-extends-partnership-plastic-bank-adds-vision

Huge thanks to CooperVision for their support of the industry and The 20/20 Podcast.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

How do we reduce the amount of plastic in our oceans?

David Katz, the founder of Plastic Bank, has created a solution that does not simply remove plastic. Plastic Bank’s programs incentivize the reduction of waste as well as the collection of waste, all while supporting local communities in developing parts of the world where plastic waste is most present.

This is the second of three interviews that were recorded in Bali during the CooperVision/Plastic Bank experience. Stay tuned for the third interview with Aldo Zucaro from CooperVision.

Watch David’s TED Talk.

Learn more about Plastic Bank.

For many optometrists, binocular vision may be one of the most intimidating specialties in the profession. Some don't understand it, some fear it, some don't believe in it at all.

Matt Rosner from the NeuroVisual Medicine Institute wants to help change this perception of BV and provide a structured program that will help ODs bring this specialty into their practices and help change patients lives.

Learn more about NVMI:

https://nvminstitute.org/

See the NVMI screening questionnaire:

https://nvminstitute.org/downloads/the-bvdq/

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

Dr. Ritesh Patel is owner of an award-winning, multi-location practice in the Toronto area. He holds the unique distinction of being the first practitioner in North America to implement LipiFlow into a dry eye practice. Oh and, by the way, he was formerly the official optometrist for the Cincinnati Bengals.

In this episode. Dr. Patel shares his experience building a successful optometry practice with multiple sub-specialties including dry eye, myopia control, and specialty contact lenses.

Over the past 18 months, I have had the opportunity to chat with experts in the field, test a variety of devices, and implement strategies/technologies in our clinics that have helped us jumpstart the dry eye side of our practice.

In this solo episode, I share what I call my 5 Step Plan to implementing a dry eye practice for someone in the early stages of their journey.

Give me a shout at instagram.com/harbirsian.od to let me know what you think!

Let's start 2021 with a little re-introduction!

I had the pleasure of being a guest on The YVR Business Den podcast with Vishal Gill and Harvir Mann.

We dive into all sorts of details from undergrad, to optometry, business, and launching my own eyewear brand.

The unofficial theme of the interview was the power of taking action.

Hope you enjoy it!

Shannon Mann and Harp Sohal started Pink Orchid Studio as a way to use their passion for beauty and fashion into a one-stop service to help brides look and feel their best on their biggest day.

Before long, they had both won numerous industry awards and turned their hair and makeup company into a globally recognized brand that include its own line of beauty products and the largest South Asian bridal academy in Canada.

In this episode, Harp and Shannon share amazing insights into how they thoughtfully and deliberately crafted their empire.

Connect with Harp and Shannon:

instagram.com/harpsohal

instagram.com/shannonmannofficial

Dr. Birinder Narang is a family physician and clinical instructor at the University of British Columbia who has spent the last 9 months working on the front lines during the pandemic.

He has been a great resource and an advocate for health and safety regulations that are in place to help us stop the spread of the virus.

He also just got his COVID vaccine today!

In this episode, we discuss what these past 9 months have been like and what to expect with the vaccine.

Connect with Dr. Narang on Twitter and Instagram: @drbirindersingh

You can also watch the full episode at YouTube.com/HarbirSianOD

Suzanne Sendel is the founder of the Suzanne Sendel Agency, which is a distributor for multiple high end eye wear brands. She is also the creator of an intriguing new product called The Original FTG.

In this episode, Suzanne and I chat about what it has taken for her to build two successful businesses within the eye care industry and her fascinating journey into the eye wear world.

Connect with Suzanne:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-sendel-83151a2a/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoriginalftg/

You can also catch the full episode on YouTube: youtube.com/harbirsianod

Dr. Sherman Tung is a former president of the BC Doctors of Optometry and 2019 BCDO Optometrist of the Year. He has completed a residency in ocular disease and a fellowship in myopia management and now runs a pediatric specialty optometry clinic where he specializes myopia management.

So, it's safe to say, he is a great source for information on how to get started in myopia management and what treatment options to recommend to your patients.

I had the pleasure of picking Dr. Tung's brain about how he got started in myopia management and how we can all benefit from including this specialty in our practices.

You can also watch the full episode at YouTube.com/HarbirSianOD

Connect with Sherman:

helloeyelab.ca

instagram.com/helloeyelab

The incumbents within any given industry will most often view disruption of a negative thing. But is it?

In this episode of The 20/20 Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Sanaz Bissonnette (founder of Lensbox - a new platform providing digital solutions to ECPs) and Dr. Pavan Avinashi about what disruption in eye care means to them and should mean to ECPs.

You can also watch the full episode at YouTube.com/HarbirSianOD.

If you are a customer/patient looking to learn more about how you can order your eye care products online, go to SHOPLENSBOX.COM

If you are an ECP looking to sign up/learn more, go to LENSBOXPRO.COM

As a goalie for the Canadian Women’s Hockey team, Sami Jo Small won 3 Olympic medals, 5 World Championships, and was twice named MVP of the Women’s World Hockey Championship.

 She is also the author of a new book named, The Role I Played: Canada’s Greatest Olympic Hockey Team.

 In this special first anniversary episode of The 20/20 Podcast, I had the incredible pleasure of chatting with Sami about her journey as an athlete, parallels between sports and medical professions (her grandfather, father, brother, and sister-in-law are all optometrists!), and what it means to play your role with the greater good in mind.

 Connect with Sami:

instagram.com/samijosmall

linkedin.com/in/sami-jo-small-csp-oly-b387945/

In this new normal world filled with webinars, virtual presentations, and Zoom calls, we have all had to learn the appropriate techniques and etiquette to make sure we are getting our message across loud and clear.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Asma Ahmed, found of Soapbox Presentations, who specializes in prepping people to present their best selves.

Asma shares how she trains her clients to inform, influence, and impress with every presentation. She also gives us her top 5 recommendations for success... you might be surprised by what is on her list!

Connect with Asma:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/asma-ahmed-soapbox-presentations/

Dhruvin Patel is the founder and CEO of Ocushield, which began as a company that created blue light blocking products such as phone and laptop screen covers. In the years since Dhruvin started the company, he has been on Dragon's Den (UK version of Shark Tank), he has been shouted out by iconic entrepreneur Richard Branson, and has received the King's Award which was presented to him by King Charles himself in Buckingham Palace.

In this episode, Dhruvin shares details of his journey from the inception of the brand, the up and downs along the way, and how Ocushield is continuing to expand its product offering.

Connect with Dhruvin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhruvinp/

Check out Ocushield:

https://www.ocushield.com/

Learn about the Ocushield online vision screening:

https://www.ocushield.com/products/online-eye-test-screening-remote

Watch Dhruvin on Dragon's Den:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwW9Reaw5m4

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

I had the pleasure of chatting with two amazing docs about how they each created successful practices with strong dry eye specialties.

Dr. Richard Maharaj, owner of eyeLABS optometry in Ontario, went well against the grain almost a decade ago to create a medical optometric practice focusing on dry eye. Dr. Trevor Miranda is co-owner of 4 optometric practices on Vancouver Island with all the latest tech in dry eye treatment. Both docs are also co-creators of the highly regarded Canadian Dry Eye Summit.

Listen to learn how you can win a free registration for full access to all the COPE approved talks at the Summit. You can also enter Dr. Maharaj's Instagram contest by following instagram.com/dryeyesummit and posting a picture using his "bald" filter and tagging #imajedi2.

Follow:

Dr. Richard Maharaj instagram.com/dry.eye.jedi

Dr. Trevor Miranda https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-miranda-463003aa/?originalSubdomain=ca

Amy Gallant Sullivan is the co-creator of the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) and founder of the new ocular health conscious beauty brand, Eyes Are The Story.

I had an absolute blast chatting with Amy about how she helped turn TFOS into the ultimate resource for ocular surface and dry eye across the world, how she approaches gender bias in the business world, and how she launched her new company during a global pandemic.

Connect with Amy:

EyesAreTheStory.com

Instagram.com/tamingamy

Linkedin.com/in/amygallantsullivan/

Dr. Rachael Wruble is an award-winning, multi-practice-owning, successful optometrist who also happens to be the President of the North Carolina Optometric Society.

Rachael shares incredible insights into financial security, practice management, and how she handles everything she has on her plate.

Connect with Rachael: instagram.com/dr.eyegotthis

Dr. Jackie Garlich is the creator of 20/20 Glance, weekly newsletter that helps keep optometrists up to date on what's happening in the industry.

In this episode, Jackie and I chat about her entrepreneurial streak, tips as a content creator, and her unlikely path to becoming a business owner.

Connect with Jackie: instagram.com/2020glance

By just about anyone's standards, Chris Turcotte had a challenging upbringing. From having an abusive, alcoholic father who died ON Chris' 16th birthday to losing his mother in his early twenties. Yet today, Chris is running two national brands in finance and property management and he has built huge momentum on social media with his personal brand and positive messaging.

I was humbled and grateful that Chris offered to share his story with me in this episode. I think its the type of conversation that will provide that shot in the arm for anyone who is looking for some motivation.

Connect with Chris:

Instagram.com/christurcotte_

Dr. James Rynerson is the founder and CEO of BlephEx, the well-known treatment device for blepharitis and dry eye.

As an optometrist and an entrepreneurial type myself, it was a pleasure listening to and learning from someone who immense experience in the medical field and has taken a very successful leap into entrepreneurship.

Aside from creating his own treatment (BlephEx) Dr. Rynerson also developed a new theory, which hypothesized the cause of dry eye disease,. He calls it Dry Eye Blepharitis Syndrome (DEBS).

Whether you're the type of person who likes to learn about mechanisms behind disease states, the entrepreneurial type, or a business-minded individual, I'm sure you'll find value in Dr. Rynerson's insights.

Connect with Dr. Rynerson: docjmrmd@gmail.com

Watch the full episode at youtube.com/harbirsianod

During his interview process prior to being selected as the current President of the New England College of Optometry, Dr. Howard Purcell was referred to as a round peg trying to fit into a square hole.

And since being selected for this position, Dr. Purcell has lived up to this description. Bringing his immense wealth of knowledge from his experience working within two of the largest corporations in the eye care industry, Dr. Purcell is working to prepare optometry students for the disruption and evolution our industry will be navigating in the coming years.

During our discussion, I had the opportunity to ask Dr. Purcell a variety of questions including thoughts about some of Essilor's previous mergers and acquisitions, recent regulatory changes in the industry, and where he sees the eye care industry going in the future. I hope you learn from and enjoy this episode as much as I did!

Connect with Dr. Purcell:

• Instagram.com/necoprez

A few weeks ago, the FTC introduced some regulatory changes with regards to contact lens prescriptions for optometrists in the US. There were also some additional comments made by the FTC Commissioner, which sounded a lot like the comments made by the Health Minister 10 years ago when contact lens sales were completely deregulated.

In this conversation with Dr. Jennifer Lyerly of Defocus Media, I share our experiences here in BC since the deregulation as well as why it is so important for ODs in the US to rally against these types of changes.

Connect with Defocus Media at defocusmedia.com and instagram.com/defocusmedia and Dr. Lyerly at instagram.com/eye.dolatry.

Kendall Waston is pro soccer player in the MLS. He is captain of FC Cincinnati, he is an MLS All Star, and has carried the Costa Rican National Team to a place in the 2018 World Cup tournament in Russia.

I had a pleasure chatting with Kendall about life as a pro athlete, what it takes to achieve success at such a high level, and valuable lessons he has learned.

Connect with Kendall on Instagram instagram.com/kendallwaston

You can all watch the full IG Live conversation on YouTube at youtube.com/harbirsianod

In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Darryl Glover and Dr. Adam Ramsey about the death of George Floyd, their experiences with injustice as black men in America, and how they are working on changing the conversation in the eyecare industry with Black Eyecare Perspective. You can also watch the full video from this podcast at YouTube.com/HarbirSianOD

Connect with my guests:

Instagram.com/drdarrylglover

Instagram.com/dradamramsey.

Whether you're just starting out in myopia management or you've been building your expertise for a while, this conversation with two amazing doctors is sure to provide you with some new insight that will help you level up your myopia care.

Dr. Sheila Morris and Dr. Evelyn Lo bring their different perspectives to create a robust conversation about how to implement myopia management, when to initiate treatment, and which options they turn to first.

Big thanks to Hoya Vision Care Canada for partnering with The 20/20 Podcast on this episode.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

Kevin Wilhelm is the co-founder of Marketing4ECPs, which is a digital marketing agency that specializes in helping eye care providers maximize their presence online. Kevin has a wealth of experience in digital marketing and he was not shy about sharing many incredible insights that will be valuable for professionals in any industry.

Connect with Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connect-with-kevin/

Kat Elizabeth is the found of The Personal Branding Project and host of her podcast with the same name. In this episode, Kat share so many amazing insights into the how and why of building a personal brand. Connect with Kat on IG: Instagram.com/iamkatelizabeth

In Session 2 of GROUP CHAT, I had the pleasure of chatting with another group of exceptional ODs who shared their wonderful insights on many topics. The conversation included: how the docs are managing personally and professionally during COVID, their path to being business owners, advice for students and new grads, and more! Connect with the docs: Instagram.com/thetravelingod Instagram.com/ryanreflects Instagram.com/drjenandjuice Instagram.com/dr.chinnchinn

GROUP CHAT is a new webinar series in which Dr. Sian invites notable optometrists on to discuss relevant topics in the industry. In the first session, I had the incredible pleasure of having 4 exceptional ODs on to chat about how they are dealing with COVID and how they plan to come out stronger on the other side. Drs. Rachael Wruble, Darryl Glover, Joseph Allen, and Adam Ramsey share incredible insights in an inspiring chat about how they are staying productive and positive during these challenging times! Connect with the guests: Dr. Rachael Wruble instagram.com/dr.eyegotthis Dr. Joseph Allen instagram.com/doctoreyehealth Dr. Adam Ramsey instagram.com/dradamramsey Dr. Darryl Glover instagram.com/drdarrylglover

We are truly living in unprecedented times. While we know we are doing our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19, it's not surprising that many of us are also starting to feel a little stir crazy. I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Ryan Corte who wrote an article outlining 15 things we can all do to say positive and productive during this period of isolation. The list includes items that are great for business owners, families, and anyone else who is looking to make the most of this unusual time. Check out Dr. Corte's article on Linked In at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/15-things-optometrists-non-essential-providers-can-do-corte-o-d-/ Follow Dr. Ryan Corte on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dr.ryancorte/

I had the pleasure of presenting a lecture on personal branding and social media for healthcare professionals at a conference recently. Here are the first 10 minutes of the lecture. There will be much more on this topic in the coming weeks. Connect: Instagram.com/HarbirSian.OD YouTube.com/HarbirSianOD

Dr. Trevor Miranda is award-winning optometrist, co-owner of a busy multi-location practice, and co-founder of a highly regarded dry eye conference. In this episode, Dr. Miranda shares his experiences in building a successful optometry practice as well valuable insights for others who are looking to build specialty practices, pursue speaking opportunities, and other ventures. Trevor's enthusiasm and sense of humor always make for a fun conversation. I hope you enjoy it! Watch the full episode at YouTube.com/HarbirSianOD Connect on IG: Instagram.com/HarbirSian.OD

Dr. Harkinder Khangura is a Harvard-trained, double board certified medical doctor who practices in the Vancouver area and is a clinical instructor at the University of British Columbia. In this episode, Dr. Khangura shares her experiences of moving away for medical school including the cultural, societal, and professional barriers to she had to overcome in the process. We had a great chat touching on various topics from education, spirituality, mental health, and personal growth.

Connect:

Instagram.com/harbirsian.od

Youtube.com/harbirsianod

Sheena Taff is an award-winning optician, creator of the Optician About Town blog, founder of the #EyeStyleInfluencers event, and owner of a boutique optical in Vancouver. In this episode we chat about how Sheena went from starting out in the optical industry to becoming an innovator and ambassador in the industry. Connect with Sheena: Instagram.com/optician.about.town OpticianAboutTown.com

Images of entrepreneurs fill our social media feeds with quotes like "follow your passion". But happens during the boring days, the days that feel like a grind, when passion starts to wear thin? This is where this concept of Pursuit comes in.

Follow me on IG: instagram.com/harbirsian.od

Looking for an inspiring recent graduate optometrist who is really showcasing what is possible in optometry? Look no further than Dr. Janice Luk!

A 2016 grad from Waterloo, Dr. Luk has been elevating her clinical practice in dry eye, she recently elected as a board member for the BC Doctors of Optometry AND she was just named Young Optometrist of the Year in BC! All of that in her for 8 years of practice!

In this episode, Dr. Luk shares steps that she has taken to elevate her career and be more fulfilled with by the work she is doing. From leaning into specialty care, stepping out of the box with social media, and developing mentorship relationships... this interview has everything for a recent grad to take their career to the next level!

Get in touch with Dr. Luk:

https://www.instagram.com/ilukateyes

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

Dr. Joseph Allen is a board certified, residency-trained, passionate optometrist who graduated Beta Sigma Kappa from the Rosenberg School of Optometry in San Antonio. But despite all of his academic and professional achievements, you might best know him from his hugely successful YouTube channel, Doctor Eye Health.

Joey has built an incredible following with his high quality, entertaining, and educational videos. He continues to grow his channel while practicing full time at a high level. In this episode we discuss a day in the life of Dr. Joseph Allen and Doctor Eye Health; his keys to keeping energy up, to being productive, and maintain some semblance of a work-life balance.

Connect with Dr. Allen:

Instagram.com/DoctorEyeHealth

YouTube.com/DoctorEyeHealth

Connect with the docs:

Ryan Corte: Instagram.com/dr.ryancorte

Justin Bazan: instagram.com/justinbazan

Will To: instagram.com/thetravelingod

Kevin Bistline: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kevin-bistline-a14a9670/

Sonia Beeksma is an award-winning television broadcaster who has previously worked on multiple large networks in Vancouver (including Global News and CTV Morning Live) and recently became a host on eTalk CTV in Toronto.

In this episode, Sonia discusses her path from being a creative kid, to starting a career in the medical field, to eventually finding her calling in broadcasting.  Hard work, faith, and confidence are the pillars to her success.

You can also listen to the full episode on the following channels:

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/31fRLne

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/33yqjlX

Music: Feelo Records - If I Fall

Find Sonia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soniabeeksmatv/

Vishal Gill is a financial planner with a passion to help others. In his young career, he went from working with large financial institutions to starting his own multi-faceted financial planning company called Portfolio Financial Concierge, which offers a holistic approach to finance with a full advisory team of planners, lawyers, realtors, and brokers to best serve their clients.

Vishal discusses tips and tricks to help guide us through the three main business cycles most professionals face: student loans, starting a business, and succession planning.

Connect with Vishal for more financial advice at PortfolioPlanning.ca

Instagram: instagram.com/portfolioplanning

Connect with Dr. Glover: instagram.com/drdarrylglover

Connect with Angus:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angus-reid-a101998b/

Instagram: instagram.com/angus_reid64

Connect with Lesley:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesleyannebrown/

Connect with Jason:Instagram.com/stylebysarai

LinkedIn.com/in/jasonsarai

Twitter.com/stylebysarai

StyleBySarai.com

You can also watch this episode at YouTube.com/HarbirSianOD

Music: Feelo Records - If I Fall

You can also watch this episode at YouTube.com/HarbirSianOD

Connect with Aly:

Instagram.com/eventsbyaly

LinkedIn.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aly-armstrong-91029711/?originalSubdomain=ca

Music: Feelo Records - If I Fall

There are many times in our career where will find ourselves stuck in a rut, uninspired, or burnt out. This can often be a result of us not feeling fulfilled by the work we are doing.

In this episode, Dr. Caitlin Reghetti shares how she found herself in this position early in her career... and then consciously made an effort to follow passions. Eventually, she founded Dr. Reghetti Designs, which is a company that creates customized, beautifully designed, patient-facing content for optometrists.

Connect with Dr. Reghetti:

Visit: DrReghettiDesigns.com

Follow: instagram.com/DrReghettiDesigns

Like: facebook.com/DrReghettiDesigns

Connect: linkedin.com/in/caitlin-reghetti/

Shop: etsy.com/shop/DrReghettiDesigns

Contact: contact@drreghettidesigns.com

Check out Dr. Reghetti's food blog:

https://www.cutsandcrumbles.com/

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

Todd Talbot is the host of Love It or List It Vancouver, a long-time real estate investor, and all-round fun(ny) guy!

In this interview, Todd shared some incredible insights into his career in acting and real estate investing His path has been anything but predictable and Todd explains how being flexible and accepting opportunities helped him succeed. You can also watch this episode at YouTube.com/HarbirSianOD.

Connect with Harbir and Todd:

• Instagram.com/@HarbirSian.OD
• Instagram.com/@ToddTalbot
• Twitter.com/@HarbirSianOD
• Twitter.com/@ToddTalbot
• Music: Feelo Records - If I Fall

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with incredible, successful people in various industries. This includes professional athletes, TV personalities, people in finance, fashion, and of course, in optometry. These conversations have helped me look at my profession and industry in new ways.

Now, I want to bring these same people and conversations directly to you!

Remote optometry has been a hot button issue for some time now.

Will remote eyecare services help or hurt the profession? Does it give certain entities the opportunities to cut the optometrist out of the equation?

Dr. Mindy Blumberg is the owner of two optometry practices in British Columbia. Being the sole doctor in these two offices that are both in rural settings, Dr. Blumberg was faced with the challenge how to provide services in these clinics.

The answer - remote eyecare.

Learn how Dr. Blumberg implemented remote eyecare services in both of her offices and what the process looks like for both the doctor and patient.

Learn more about how you can implement remote eyecare into your practice:

https://futureproofoptometry.com/

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/