Written by Jessica de Marinis, Emily Lant, and Kaitlin Marck
We recently had the pleasure of partaking in a virtual Zoom meeting with Dr. Gerry Day, the owner of In Focus Eyecare. Dr. Day is currently the successful owner of three clinics in Ontario; two in Sarnia and one in Grand Bend. During our meeting, he told us about his background working as a chemical engineer at Suncor Energy, where he received his P. Eng. Dr. Day also shared his experience in management and marketing roles, and how this experience has assisted him in running his practices. He showed us how his passion for patient care and his business experience synergize in his role as an optometrist and business owner. After introductions and sharing why we all chose to pursue optometry, we discussed our future plans and concerns for becoming business owners and clinicians. Dr. Day eased our fears and encouraged us to gain experience outside of optometry upon graduation, such as pursuing a MBA to gain business management skills. He also explained the importance of delegation and explained how outsourcing time-consuming tasks like financials and social media can benefit the efficiency of the practice. Dr. Day explained the importance of creating a positive work environment in the clinic and the value of investing in a qualified and enthusiastic staff team. He also shared some of his valuable knowledge on the techniques he uses to appraise a clinic when looking to buy a practice.
We are extremely appreciative for Dr. Day taking the time to meet with us. We are so grateful for this opportunity to learn from such a knowledgeable mentor. We are looking forward to meeting again in the new year for a virtual clinic tour and to meet with the co-owner and associate optometrists of In Focus Eyecare