What happens when you say “yes” to the right opportunities, even the ones you never expected? When Dr. Jerry Robben graduated from optometry school, his plan was simple: head back home to Kansas and start his career. But a series of unexpected opportunities, and one very fateful externship, led him down a path he never could have scripted. Dr. Robben shares how following his instincts, embracing luck, and working hard turned chance into purpose. In this episode, Dr. Robben joins Ankit Patel to talk about the power of saying “yes,” building an education-based empire, and turning dry eye into one of optometry’s most dynamic specialties.

Takeaways:

• Say yes to opportunity, even when it’s uncertain. Many of Dr. Robben’s career milestones came from being open to unexpected turns. 
• Leverage your strengths outside of optometry. His background as a DJ honed public speaking skills that now fuel his success as an educator and thought leader.
• Invest in dry eye care early. Treating dry eye proactively can elevate surgical outcomes and build long-term patient trust.
• Create systems to scale your expertise. Dry Eye University began as a solution to save time and evolved into an international education platform.
• Don’t underestimate family influence. Support and collaboration, even from non-clinical voices, can spark innovative approaches to practice growth.
• Trust the process. Hard work and consistency compound like interest; each experience adds value to the next stage of your career.
• Think beyond the exam room. From myopia management to AI, the next phase of optometry belongs to practices that adapt, educate, and evolve.

Quote of the Show:

• “Coming from where I came from to think about just being on this podcast with you, it's kind of crazy. It's a journey, and you just have to have confidence and trust the process.” - Jerry Robben

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-robben-o-d-658294127/  
• Company website: https://www.bowdeneye.com/   
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DRJERRYROBBEN 
• Email: [email protected] 
• 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