Can the relationships you built in optometry school lay the groundwork for the businesses you'd build decades later?

In this special panel episode of Optometrists Building Empires, host Ankit Patel sits down with three accomplished optometrists who graduated together from Indiana University in 2008 and went on to build thriving practices across the country. Dr. Patrick Curran of Johnson Curran Optometry Centers, Dr. Jeni Kohn of Moses Eye Care, and Dr. Andy Yaryan of Yaryan Eye Care Center brings their combined decades of experience to an honest, wide-ranging conversation about structure, leadership, financial literacy, staffing, and the unspoken value of having people in your corner who want you to win.

From navigating the financial crisis right out of school to managing Medicaid-heavy practices, building team cultures that stick, and staying ahead of reimbursement challenges, this panel pulls no punches. They share what surprised them, what humbled them, and what they'd tell any optometrist who's trying to grow something meaningful.

Takeaways:

• Structure is what allows growth to scale without chaos. Having the right systems and the right people in the right seats is what separates practices that grow intentionally from those that stall under their own weight.
• Mentorship and peer relationships aren't soft skills, they're growth strategies. Leaning on people who've already been through it shortens the learning curve and gives you honest feedback that generic resources can't provide.
• Financial literacy isn't optional for practice owners. Understanding P&Ls, cash flow, reimbursement trends, and inflation-adjusted metrics is the difference between working hard and actually building wealth.
• What you tolerate, you endorse. Avoiding hard conversations with staff doesn't make problems smaller, it makes them more expensive. Addressing issues quickly, clearly, and consistently protects your culture and your A players.
• Culture isn't an accident, it's a decision. Confidence, accountability, and clear training benchmarks create teams that take ownership, stay longer, and deliver better patient experiences.
• Empire means something different to everyone. It's not about the number of locations or external milestones. It's about the obstacles you overcome, the impact you make, and the life you design on your own terms.

Quote of the Show:

• “ The baseline for growing an empire in optometry is recognizing the opportunity. You have to know that with that opportunity, there's gonna be some risk along the way, so you have to be comfortable with that ” - Patrick Curran

Links:

• Jeni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-kohn-99516254/
• Moses Eyecare: https://moseseyecare.com/our-practice/ 
• Patrick’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-curran-od-732111113/
• Johnson Curran Optometry Centers: https://johnsoncurran.com/ 
• Andy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-yaryan-457b6856/ 
• Yaryan Eyecare: https://www.yaryaneyecare.com/ 
• Book a Meeting with Ankit: https://meetings.hubspot.com/ankit98/optometry-redefined?uuid=e5cd456c-9db4-42c7-b106-2b6e250a6d01 
• Optometry Redefined Book: https://www.amazon.com/Optometry-Redefined-Master-Resourcing-Performance/dp/B0FKJTZGJ3/ref=monarch_sidesheet_image 

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