The Optician Show - Optical Business & Marketing Podcast

Dr. Christy Nguyen — The Prolific Optometrist Who Has Every Skill You'd Ever Want

What does it actually look like when an optometrist combines 20+ years of clinical excellence with world-class patient empathy, a top 1% LinkedIn presence, and a genuine love for the optical industry? In this episode of The Optician Show, host Garry Kousoulou FBDO sits down with Dr. Kristie Nguyen, the Orlando-based optometrist (Winter Park, Florida) whose social media following has made her one of the most recognised faces in modern optometry — and one of the warmest, most clinically generous people you'll ever hear on an eye care podcast.

This conversation is a masterclass for optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical assistants, practice owners, optical retail staff, and anyone working in independent optical practice. Whether you're a newly qualified optometrist, a seasoned dispensing optician, a final-year optometry student, or a practice manager looking to build culture and connection inside your optical practice, there is something here for you.

Why Christy stood out for this episode

Garry opens with a confession most podcast hosts would never make: "I don't know many more people in our industry that post more than me. And that's you." Kristie laughs and pushes back gently – "I do pause quite a bit" — but the truth is she's built one of the largest, most engaged optometry audiences on LinkedIn from scratch, all while running a clinic-first, patient-first practice inside CY Eyewear.

She didn't arrive in optics by accident. "I had a calling," she says. "I came across the revelation during church, during a passage of God curing the blind. And I was like, you know what? I would love to do exactly that, because I am pretty much blind without my glasses and contact lenses." She'd locked onto optometry by the eighth grade and never looked back: "I literally just had my blinders on the entire time. And that's how I ended up here."

For Garry — who interviews scores of optometrists every year and gets exasperated by the "I didn't quite get into pharmacy" answer — Kristie clarity of purpose is the kind of origin story every optical practice owner wishes their associate had.

Best optics / Optom quotes

. “I like to connect the aesthetic part of eye care with the health part — and make it fun.”

2. “I grew up wearing glasses and contact lenses, so I understand the struggle of not being able to see clearly.”

3. “Being able to give that gift back to other people — that’s what drives me.”

4. “A lot of the time, patients just want to vent. Once they feel heard, they calm down.”

5. “Let’s start from scratch and see what actually works for you.”

6. “If you don’t tell patients what to expect, that’s where the problem starts.”

7. “As a user yourself, you understand the patient’s pain points.”

8. “When the doctor and the optical team communicate properly, everybody wins.”

9. “I never try to make people feel dumb. I’d rather show them, teach them and help them understand.”

10. “When every patient sits in the chair, I think: what if this was me?”

11. “The goal is not just to prescribe. The goal is to make the patient feel heard.”

12. “LinkedIn gave me a professional place where I could simply say what I needed to say.”

13. “I had to learn to put myself out there.”

14. “I don’t like staying negative for very long — it doesn’t feel good.”

15. “Sometimes the brain is willing to learn something new.”

16. “Be yourself. Be authentic. Be true to yourself — and try to help others along the way.”

My strongest three for graphics would be:

“The goal is not just to prescribe. The goal is to make the patient feel heard.”

“I like to connect the aesthetic part of eye care with the health part — and make it fun.”

“Be yourself. Be authentic. Be true to yourself — and try to help others along the way.”

Because when optometry is done with care, personality and purpose, it deserves to be seenOne of the best practitioners, optometrists I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and I can call him a friend. — a child in the chair, the nose press, the foot pedal, and the parent in the corner remembering the same trick from thirty years ago. That single image does the work the original meta-opening was trying to do, but it earns the reader's attention first instead of asking for it. Pat Bicknell's card about the sheet of cloth and the stick comes in next, so by the end of the third paragraph we've got two generations of stories framing the whole piece before we get to the milestone.

Brian's voice is now properly threaded through.

The quotes I leant on hardest are the ones that do real work — "If you're not having fun, what is the point?", "Surrounding yourself with smarter people is a good move" and "we are conceptually treating each patient as if it's your mum", "

Brian Tompkins: 50 Years, One Practice, and Why Optometry Should Be Fun

Brian Tompkins is one of the best optometrists and practitioners I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. More than that, I am lucky enough to call him a friend.

This episode is not just about 50 years in practice. It is about the stories, the patients, the humour, the standards, and the energy that have made Brian such a loved and respected figure in optometry.

We talk about children in the chair, parents remembering the same tricks from decades before, the importance of making patients feel comfortable, and why Brian still believes optometry should be fun.

Brian’s voice runs right through this conversation. From “If you’re not having fun, what is the point?” To "surrounding yourself with smarter people is a good move,” this is full of wisdom from someone who has given so much to the profession.

We also discuss technology, AI, the future of optometry, the NHS, contact lenses, patient care, and why every patient should be treated as if they were your own mum.

The closing message says everything about Brian’s mindset:

“Never be afraid. Always follow something which you are slightly afraid of, and get to grips with it.”

A brilliant conversation with a brilliant man.

For opticians, social media should not just be about selling glasses or posting offers. It should show what makes your practice different. The people. The conversations. The care. The experience. The reason patients come back year after year.Brian Tompkins’ career is a perfect example of what we always encourage independent practices to show online: personality, patient care, community, trust, humour, expertise and a genuine love for the professionBecause when optometry is done with care, personality and purpose, it deserves to be seen

There was a reason I loved problem-solving.

Episode Description

There was a boy who never quite liked school. Not because he wasn't bright — he clearly was — but because the way school worked never really worked for him. The lessons felt slow, the structure felt suffocating, and sitting still when your mind is already three steps ahead of the room is its own kind of torture. He got through it, the way people like him always do — on charm, on quick thinking, on finding ways around the system rather than through it.

Then came the dispensing course. The qualification that would define his career. And it was hard. Not just hard — it was the kind of hard that makes you question whether you belong in a profession at all. While others seemed to absorb it naturally, he had to work differently, fight differently, find his own route to understanding. He passed. But it cost him something.

And then, in the world of optics itself, surrounded by colleagues and optometrists who seemed to share a kind of professional language he could never quite speak fluently, he felt it again. That familiar sense of being slightly outside the room. Watching through the glass rather than sitting at the table. Capable. Driven. Talented, even. But never quite fitting the mould.

He built a remarkable career anyway. Thirty-six years. Patients who adored him. A human connection that no textbook could teach. A mind that could hold a room, read a person in seconds, and make optics feel anything but clinical.

And then, at 52 years old, sitting in a consulting room on the other side of the chair for once, he finally got an answer.

ADHD. And autism.

In this deeply personal episode, Garry Kousoulou FBDO — dispensing optician, entrepreneur, and host of The Optician Show — shares the story of his diagnosis in real time, recorded on the very day he received it. He talks honestly about what it felt like to have a lifetime of experiences suddenly reframed, about managing a career demanding precision and focus with a brain wired entirely differently, and about why he believes the world of optics absolutely has a place for people who think like him.

If you've ever felt like you didn't quite fit. If you work in optics and carry a label — or suspect you might — this episode was made for you.

It begins with a box of old frames. Jason tells the story of discovering his grandfather’s original frame designs after helping clear out his father’s optical practice — a moment that would eventually lead to one of the most distinctive independent eyewear brands in the world. From three generations of optical history to modern frame innovation, this is a conversation about legacy, courage, customer experience, and why independent opticians must never lose the magic of what makes them different.

Jason shares the story behind Kirk & Kirk, the brand he runs with his wife Karen, and explains why their frames are made from a unique acrylic-based material called K-Lite — designed to give bold, colourful, personality-filled eyewear without the heavy feel.

As Jason explains, the colour may be obvious, but the story is what makes the frame powerful.

“You have to talk about the hundred years of history before they touch the frames.”

This episode goes far beyond eyewear. Garry and Jason dig deep into what independent optics needs to do to survive and thrive in challenging times. They talk honestly about complacency, customer service, staff training, merchandising, the threat from online eyewear, the power of storytelling, and why too many practices are failing to communicate their true value.

One of the big messages from the episode is clear: frames are not just functional. They are emotional.

Jason says:

“It’s easy to put a frame on somebody that looks good. But what’s not easy is to find a frame that makes somebody feel good.”

That line sums up so much of this conversation. Great eyewear should help people feel taller, more confident, more themselves. It should not just help them see better — it should help them show up in the world differently.

Garry shares how often he is stopped in the street, on the Underground, or on the bus because of his Kirk & Kirk frames. That leads into one of the strongest points in the episode: when patients love what they are wearing, they become walking adverts for your practice.

“If your patients are raving about where they bought their frame, you can’t go wrong.”

The conversation also tackles one of Garry’s favourite subjects: practice experience. From the way the phone is answered, to whether patients are greeted with a smile, to whether the outside of the practice is clean, every detail matters.

Garry puts it simply:

“A smile is an international recognition of welcoming.”

And Jason brings the conversation back to the customer:

“The customer comes first.”

Together, they explore the difficult balance at the heart of optics: it is both healthcare and fashion. A patient comes in for clinical care, but they also leave wearing something on their face every day. The handover from the testing room to the shop floor should feel seamless, confident, and human.

This episode is also a wake-up call for independent opticians.

Jason says:

“The independent optician is really under threat.”

But this is not a negative conversation. It is a practical, passionate, and inspiring one. The message is not that independents are doomed — it is that they must communicate better. They must explain the difference between a £40 frame and a £400 frame. They must train staff. They must display frames with confidence. They must stop assuming the patient understands quality, craft, lens choice, fit, service, and story.

As Garry says in the episode, many practices make the majority of their turnover from glasses, yet they often do not think deeply enough about how those frames are displayed, explained, and sold.

If you've ever walked into a practice and known instantly something wasn't working — without being able to put your finger on why — you'll want to listen to this episode.

Garry Kousoulou FBDO sits down with Daniel Feldman, one of the most recognised names in global optics, for a wide-ranging conversation on optical marketing, retail strategy, trade shows, and what it really takes to build a successful independent practice.

Daniel brings over 25 years of optical marketing experience, a global podcast audience, and a background in retail that gives him a perspective most opticians simply don't have. In this episode, he shares the frameworks, observations, and hard-won lessons that have shaped practices across the US and beyond.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why your best-selling frames should never be in your window — and where they should be instead
• How to think about stock control like a chain, without losing your independence
• The decompression zone: what department stores know about retail that most opticians ignore
• Why separating frames by gender is a mistake most practices still make
• How to walk a trade show with purpose — and which shows Daniel says you absolutely must attend
• The Simon Sinek principle that every practice owner needs to apply to their marketing
• Why data — not instinct — should drive your frame buying decisions

On the power of fresh eyes:

"You walk in every morning… you don't notice the strings hanging from a sign that you hung up. A cobweb. The Scotch tape left on the window when you took down a sign a few years ago and didn't clean it off all the way."

On what truly drives customers:

"People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." — Simon Sinek, as quoted by Daniel Feldman

On buying for your customer, not yourself:

"Stop buying what you like. Start buying what your customers will like — otherwise you're going to have a lot of inventory sitting in your personal drawers at home."

On the future of eyecare and AI:

"A good optometrist is going to tell that you're diabetic before your general practitioner even knows. AI can do that even before the optometrist sees it."

Whether you're an independent optician looking to sharpen your marketing, a practice owner thinking about your next trade show visit, or someone considering striking out on your own, this episode is packed with practical, transferable insight from someone who has seen it all — and helped build practices that thrive.

Connect with Daniel Feldman via LinkedIn and The Optical Journal podcast.

Subscribe to The Optician Show for weekly conversations on optical business, marketing, and practice growth.

Keywords: optical marketing, marketing for opticians, social media for opticians, independent optician business, optical retail strategy, how to market an optical practice, trade show strategy optics, optical business podcast, frame buying strategy, practice management opticians

The Optician Show with Garry Kousoulou and Harinder Singh Paul

In this episode of The Optician Show, Garry Kousoulou is joined by Harinder Singh Paul for a thoughtful, honest and industry-focused conversation about the changing world of optics, the role of the modern optician, and what it really takes to build trust, relevance and long-term value in today’s optical profession.

This is not just a conversation about frames, lenses or clinical services. It is a deeper look at the people behind the profession, the relationships that shape patient care, and the mindset needed for optical businesses to thrive in a fast-moving, competitive and increasingly digital world.

Garry Kousoulou, founder of Loving Social Media and a long-standing voice within UK optics, brings his usual mix of commercial insight, patient-centred thinking and straight-talking marketing perspective. Alongside him, Harinder Singh Paul adds experience, personality and a grounded understanding of the optical world, making this a valuable episode for practice owners, dispensing opticians, optometrists, optical assistants and anyone who cares about the future of independent practice.

At the heart of the episode is a simple but powerful question: how do we make optics more meaningful, more visible and more valuable to the public?

For many practices, the challenge is no longer simply being good at what they do. The challenge is communicating that value clearly. Patients often do not understand the difference between a quick transaction and a genuinely professional optical experience. They may not know why continuity of care matters, why clinical expertise is valuable, or why independent practices can often offer a more personalised and trusted experience than larger corporate competitors.

This episode explores that gap.

Garry and Harinder discuss the importance of positioning, reputation and professional identity. In an age where consumers are bombarded with offers, discounts and online alternatives, optical practices need more than price-led promotions. They need stories, trust, expertise and a clear sense of purpose. The practices that will stand out are the ones that understand who they serve, what makes them different, and how to communicate that difference consistently.

One of the key themes running through the episode is the value of relationships. Optics has always been a people business. Patients return not just because of products, but because of the experience, the advice and the confidence they feel when they are being looked after properly. Garry and Harinder reflect on why those human connections still matter so much, especially at a time when technology, AI and digital marketing are changing how practices attract and retain patients.

The conversation also touches on the responsibility of optical professionals to keep evolving. The modern optician cannot afford to stand still. Patient expectations are changing. Technology is moving quickly. Social media, Google visibility, online reviews and digital communication are now part of the patient journey. For independent practices in particular, this can feel overwhelming, but it also creates a huge opportunity.

Rather than seeing digital marketing as something separate from patient care, this episode positions it as an extension of care. When a practice communicates well online, educates patients, shares expertise and builds visibility in the local community, it helps more people access the services they need. Marketing, when done properly, is not about shouting the loudest. It is about helping patients understand why your practice is worth choosing.

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Listen to this episode of The Optician Show with Garry Kousoulou and Harinder Singh Paul for an insightful conversation on optics, business, patient care, professional confidence and the future of independent practice.

Yesterday at church, I got talking to a dad whose son plays international football.

He told me they measure body fat. Overeat? You get fined.

That level of precision doesn't exist in amateur football. But it's what elite looks like.

So I started asking myself — what does elite look like for an optician?

Here are two things I saw this week that cost nothing but make everything:

👁️ Sit at eye level with your patient.Tiny. Takes zero effort. Feels completely different to the person in the chair.

🤝 Open the door.Literally. Open the door.

And then there was the moment that really got me.

A Muslim lady came in wearing a hijab. Cartier frames that wouldn't adjust properly. Previous practices had tried and failed — probably too nervous to ask the right questions.

We pulled in a female colleague, took her to a private room, looked properly behind her ear, and sorted it.

Her response? "In all the years I've worn glasses, no one has ever done that."

Her friend — sitting right there — booked an appointment on the spot.

We got a Google review too.

No extra budget. No new equipment. Just not being mediocre.

Here's the thing about mediocrity — you don't always know you're in it. It becomes a habit. And you see it slowly in your turnover, your staff retention, your customer numbers.

Marginal gains are free. Being outstanding costs almost nothing more than being average.

What's your version of opening the door?

#Optometry #CustomerService #MarginalGains #BusinessGrowth #Opticians

🎙️ The Optician Show — Extended Episode Description: From Average to Elite: What Exceptional Labs Do Differently | With Kate Child

This episode is a powerful reminder of something many in optics forget:

The difference between average and elite isn’t clinical skill — it’s experience, communication, and courage.

In this conversation, I sit down with Kate Child, Commercial Director at Optimum Lenses, and what unfolds is not just a discussion about lenses — it’s a masterclass in customer service, positioning, team culture, and what truly drives growth in independent optical practices.

Kate didn’t come from optics.
She didn’t grow up in labs.
She didn’t spend 20 years learning lens theory.

And yet — she’s built influence, recognition, and trust in one of the most technical industries there is.

Why?

Because she understands something fundamental:

“Wherever I’ve worked, the customer’s really important… not everybody wants to buy the same thing.”

This episode is really about one thing:

How do you move from average to elite as an optician?

Not average:

• Selling one pair
• Basic NHS dispensing
• Transactional service
• Playing it safe
• Letting patients walk out with unmet needs

But elite:

• Multiple-pair conversations
• Lifestyle-based dispensing
• Confident recommendations
• Emotional connection
• Memorable experiences

And what becomes clear in this episode is:

Elite practices don’t do more work — they do better thinking.

🚀 The Core Theme: From Average to Elite

Here's a podcast description with pull quotes drawn directly from the transcript:

He Nearly Quit Optometry. Now He's Redefining It. — Anthony Josephson | The Optician Show

This week's episode is one you won't forget.

Anthony Josephson is an optometrist based in Altrincham, South Manchester. On paper, he runs a premium, technology-first independent practice specialising in complex contact lenses, dry eye, myopia control and advanced imaging. In reality, he's one of the most honest, deeply human and quietly extraordinary clinicians working in optics today.

In this conversation, Anthony takes us from a childhood lazy eye and a Crohn's diagnosis at 15 through a Master's in Optometry, a pre-reg at the legendary BBR Opticians, solo practice ownership – and the period that nearly broke him entirely.

💬 Quotes from the episode:

"When you're 15 with a nasogastric tube in and your mum's coming to school to feed you a couple of times a day, you start to see the world a little bit differently."

"I turned from a relatively introverted person to somebody who just went — sod what you guys think, I'm doing what I want. But never in an angry or aggressive way."

"Covid destroyed me. The ongoings of 2020 and 2021 absolutely crippled me."

"All the good stuff was being massively outdone by a few small bad things. I was ready to throw in the towel."

"The passion is not only rekindled — it's better than it was."

"My patients are on the whole an extension of my family. If one of them is devastated by something, I'm devastated for them."

"Life is too short and the world is too miserable to be doing anything that you don't enjoy."

"AI will take over a huge chunk of the profession. But what it won't do is take on the specific individual personalities that we as clinicians can give to our patients."

In this episode we cover:

• Growing up with amblyopia and how lived experience shapes clinical empathy
• Why he nearly chose animation over optometry
• Training under Nick Rumley at BBR — the experience that lit the fire
• The brutal reality of Covid, furlough, and a two year employment tribunal
• How joining the Hakeem Group saved his career and rekindled his passion
• Complex contact lenses, dry eye clinics, OCT and myopia control
• The technology he's excited about right now — including Dr Noon's cardiovascular screening
• Why independents in the middle of the market are disappearing — and what that means for the future
• The role of human connection in a world increasingly s

How Great Practices Grow: Ian Cameron on Leadership, Clinics and Culture

What does it really take to build a practice that grows, evolves and thrives without being dependent on the owner every minute of the day?

In this episode, Garry Kousoulou sits down with Ian Cameron for a powerful conversation about what separates good practices from truly great ones. From leadership and staff empowerment to specialist clinics, culture, innovation and the future of independent optometry, this is a masterclass in how to build a business that is both clinically excellent and commercially strong.

Ian shares what a real working week looks like when you are balancing family life, leadership and strategy, and explains why taking time out of clinic is often the very thing that allows a practice to move forward.

As Ian puts it: “If you’re working five or six clinical days in the practice, you will never develop your practice.”

This episode is packed with practical wisdom for optometrists, dispensing opticians and practice owners who want to stop simply “treading water” and start creating a business with momentum, purpose and direction.

You’ll hear an honest discussion around culture, team development, conversion, specialist clinics, dry eye, myopia management, leadership and why independent practices must move in a different direction from the multiples.

Ian also shares one of the most important truths in practice building: “The culture that you create internally is the culture that your patients will walk into.”

Garry brings his trademark energy to the conversation, drawing out the golden nuggets that can genuinely transform the way a practice thinks and operates. Together, they explore why marginal gains matter, why specialist services are the future, and why practices must innovate if they want to remain relevant.

Another standout quote from Ian: “If you want a culture of warmth and friendliness, then you’ve got to create that internally.”

And perhaps the biggest takeaway of all: “Don’t just be another practice on the high street doing the same stuff.”

This is a conversation about leadership, legacy, innovation and building an optical practice that is fit for the future.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why leadership starts with culture
• How to create a practice that runs smoothly without constant owner involvement
• Why specialist clinics are a major growth opportunity
• How to think differently about conversion and patient experience
• What independent practices must do to stand out in the years ahead