In this episode of 20 Happy Careers, Dr. Fred Cho and Dr. Riyad Khamis sit down with their classmate and colleague, Dr. Alexis Keeling—a powerhouse optometrist, leader, and community advocate.

Dr. Keeling’s career began in teaching before she made the leap to optometry, a profession she had dreamed of since childhood. But her story doesn’t stop there. She has led provincial and national optometry organizations, gives back to her community generously, and represented Canada at United Nations General Assembly in New York.

We dive into:

• Why she left teaching for optometry—and how she blends both passions through patient care and mentoring interns.
• The challenges (and joys) of running and expanding her practice.
• How community involvement led her to leadership roles, the Chamber of Commerce, and even a seat at the UN General Assembly.
• Her philosophy on avoiding burnout: boundaries, delegation, and focusing on what brings joy.
• Why following your passions—whether it’s parenting, business, or advocacy—is the real key to a happy career.

This is an inspiring, wide-ranging conversation about what it means to design a career (and a life) you truly love.

A thriving work culture is the backbone of a team's success and happiness.

In this episode of 20/Happy Careers, Drs. Fred and Riyad sit down with Michael Van de Ven, Business Unit Director of Bausch & Lomb, to uncover how building a positive work culture and a supportive team can transform not only your workplace, but your entire career trajectory.

From the art of delegation to the discipline of long-distance running, Mike shares lessons on leadership, preventing burnout, and staying connected to your “why.” Whether you lead a team or work within one, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to create an environment where people feel valued, driven, and genuinely happy to show up each day.

In this episode of 20/Happy Careers, Dr. Riyad Khamis shares his inspiring journey to building a passion-driven career in optometry.

Discover how he reignited his passion for neuro-visual rehab and vision therapy through greater autonomy and mentorship, started a thriving vision therapy clinic from scratch, and expanded into sports vision and speaking engagements — all while maintaining balance and avoiding burnout. Dr. Khamis also offers honest insights into the early struggles, rejection, and mindset shifts that paved the way for his success.

Whether you’re feeling stuck in your profession or searching for ways to design a career that energizes you, this episode offers valuable lessons on staying true to your “why,” embracing growth, and turning small starts into meaningful impact.

Key Topics:

• Early career disillusionment and how mentorship helped Riyad rediscover his passion
• Combining general optometry, neuro-visual rehab, sports vision, and speaking
• Balancing workload with intentional breaks and a flexible schedule
• The entrepreneurial leap: growing a vision therapy clinic from one patient to nearly 100 per week
• Overcoming rejection, slow growth, and misconceptions about success

Tune in for an authentic conversation about the ups and downs of crafting a unique and meaningful career — and how you can do it too.

What happens when a seemingly successful career no longer feels fulfilling?

In this kickoff episode of 20 Happy Careers, Dr. Fred Cho opens up about his unexpected journey from burnout to rediscovering meaning and excitement through travel optometry. Joined by co-host Dr. Riyad Khamis, the two optometrists dive deep into the myths of career “success,” the warning signs of burnout, and how small, intentional steps can lead to a career that aligns with your passions and values.

Dr. Cho shares how a two-week locum transformed his outlook, what it really means to have career autonomy, and the surprising ways his blog and side projects opened doors he never anticipated. Whether you're in healthcare or not, this episode offers honest insights and practical tools to help you design a career that's uniquely yours.

Key Topics:

• Recognizing burnout (even when things look good on paper)
• What is a portfolio career and why it matters
• How to start a passion project without quitting your job
• Building autonomy no matter where you work
• Why your “Monday morning feeling” might be telling you something

If you're feeling stuck, restless, or just curious about alternative career paths, this is the episode for you.