EYE OWN A BUSINESS

How to Build an Invisible Team That Gives You Your Practice Back

In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo sits down with optometrist, author, and podcast host Dr. David Kading for an honest and timely conversation about burnout, staffing strain, and why the way we’ve been running practices may no longer be sustainable.

Steve and David explore the concept of the “Invisible Team”—virtual professionals who work behind the scenes to reduce administrative overload, protect in-office staff, and restore the parts of practice ownership that many doctors feel they’ve lost. They discuss how staffing shortages, rising complexity, and constant interruptions quietly erode patient care and physician satisfaction—and why adding more people in-office isn’t always the answer.

This conversation goes beyond cost savings or efficiency. It’s about redesigning the practice around meaningful patient connection, reclaiming time and energy, and building systems that support doctors instead of draining them. David shares hard-won lessons from implementing virtual teams in his own practice, including the mindset shifts, systems, and leadership changes required to make it work.

 

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Why You’re Still “Dabbling” in Dry Eye—and What Actually Changes That

If you’ve ever felt confident diagnosing dry eye… but frustrated by inconsistent follow-through, stalled treatment plans, or patients who quietly disappear, this episode will feel like a reset.

In this conversation, Dr. Steve Vargo sits down with Dr. Crystal Brimer, founder of Dry Eye Institute, to unpack why so many doctors stay stuck in “dabble mode” with dry eye—and what it actually takes to turn it into a meaningful, sustainable specialty. Dr. Brimer shares the mindset shift that changed everything for her practice, the non-negotiable systems that create consistency even in busy offices, and why most dry eye failures have far less to do with patients—and far more to do with leadership, flow, and clarity.

You’ll hear how screening every patient changes outcomes, why one well-trained “dry eye ambassador” can transform team buy-in, and how clear communication—grounded in objective findings, not pressure—dramatically improves patient trust and follow-through. This isn’t about adding another device or chasing the next trend. It’s about building a process that works in real life, with real staff, and real patients who are overwhelmed.

If you know dry eye could be a game-changer in your practice—but something keeps breaking down—this conversation will help you see exactly where, and what to do next.

 

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Why Trying Harder is Holding Your Practice Back

In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo shares the full conversation from his recent guest appearance on Ankit Patel’s podcast, Optometrists Building Empires—a wide-ranging and deeply honest discussion about leadership, growth, and why so many practice owners feel stuck despite working harder than ever.

Steve and Ankit explore the unseen challenges of practice ownership that no one talks about in school: the pressure to do everything yourself, the isolation that comes with leadership, and the quiet burnout that builds when the business depends entirely on you. They unpack why mindset—not market conditions—is often the real constraint on growth, and how learning to lean on others, build systems, and redefine success can completely change the trajectory of a practice.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by ownership… if you’ve wondered whether growth is worth the cost… or if you’ve sensed there’s a better way to lead without burning yourself out—this conversation will resonate deeply.

 

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What a National Championship Taught Me About Turning Around a Practice

In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo reflects on a moment he never expected to witness as an Indiana University alum: watching IU football win a national championship after decades as one of the most historically losing programs in college football. What made the moment even more striking wasn’t just the win—it was how quickly the turnaround happened under new leadership.

Using Indiana’s transformation under head coach Curt Cignetti as a real-world case study, Steve explores why struggling practices and small businesses don’t fail overnight—they drift there slowly. Lowered expectations, tolerated dysfunction, unclear standards, and leaders who are busy but not aligned. 
This episode breaks down the leadership principles behind Indiana’s rapid rise and translates them directly into lessons for optometry practices: redefining identity before strategy, raising standards without burning out your team, focusing relentlessly on fundamentals, making hard people decisions, and committing to execution long enough for momentum to compound.

This isn’t about becoming a “national champion” practice. It’s about understanding what it actually takes to change the trajectory of a business in 18–24 months.

 

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The moment I realized sales wasn’t the problem—I was

In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo shares the full conversation from his recent guest appearance on Adam Cmejla’s podcast, 2020 Money—a conversation that explores why so many healthcare professionals feel conflicted, uncomfortable, or even resistant to the idea of “sales,” despite spending their entire careers trying to influence outcomes that matter.

Steve and Adam unpack how early experiences, subconscious narratives, and professional conditioning shape the way doctors communicate, prescribe, lead, and even avoid conversations that could improve patient care. They explore why being a doctor doesn’t automatically guarantee influence—and how listening, asking better questions, and letting go of control can actually create trust and clarity.

This episode isn’t about selling more products. It’s about recognizing that influence is already part of your role—and that avoiding it may be costing you more than you realize.

If you’ve ever felt tension between being a clinician and being a business owner… if you’ve ever wondered why patients don’t always follow your recommendations… or if you’ve questioned whether “sales” belongs in healthcare at all—this conversation will make you rethink everything.

 

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Why You’re Working Too Much—and What Actually Lets You Work Less

You didn’t start your practice to feel trapped inside it. Yet somewhere along the way, longer hours became normal. Days off felt stressful. And the idea of stepping away—even briefly—started to feel impossible. If you’ve ever thought, “If I’m not there, everything falls apart,” you’re not alone.

In this episode of Eye Own a Business, Dr. Ruth Mannschreck shares a powerful story that began with a personal crisis—and led to a complete rethinking of how a practice can run. What started as a necessity turned into a blueprint for freedom. Not by working harder. Not by sacrificing care or growth. But by building the right systems, empowering the right people, and leading in a fundamentally different way.

This conversation isn’t about shortcuts or “hacks.” It’s about a shift—from being the engine of your practice to becoming its architect. This episode shows you what’s possible when your business finally supports your life, not the other way around.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why you’re working too much—and what actually allows you to work less
• How to build systems that run the practice without constant doctor input
• The real reason delegation often fails (and how to fix it)
• Simple ways to empower your team without losing control
• How intentional culture and leadership create freedom, not chaos

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How to Achieve Your 2026 Goals Without Burning Out or Falling Behind

You don’t need more motivation—you need a better system.
If you’ve ever started the year feeling hopeful, only to wonder by March where your goals went, this episode is for you.

Every January, you promise yourself this year will be different. You set goals with good intentions, real excitement, and a desire to grow. But then real life shows up—patients, staff issues, unexpected fires—and slowly, quietly, those goals fade into the background. Not because you don’t care. Not because you’re lazy. But because the way most goals are set almost guarantees they won’t survive real life.

In this episode of Eye Own a Business, we flip the script on traditional goal setting. You’ll learn why annual goals feel inspiring—but fail you when execution matters most. More importantly, you’ll discover a simple, human framework that replaces pressure with clarity, overwhelm with focus, and frustration with momentum.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why you don’t fail because of motivation—but because of fragile systems
• How to turn big goals into simple, weekly actions you can actually execute
• The real reason annual goals quietly lose urgency
• Simple ways to recover fast when you fall off track
• How to create accountability without shame or burnout

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The #1 mistake you make with dry eye: trying to ‘quick fix’ it

If you’ve ever watched a dry eye patient nod along… then disappear, stall, or come back unchanged, this episode will feel like a reset. Because the truth is: dry eye isn’t just “bad tears.” It’s stress, sleep, diet, inflammation, screens, habits—and a patient who’s overwhelmed by one more thing to do.

In this conversation, ophthalmologist Dr. Laura Periman (the “Dry Eye Master”) shows you how to reorient patients without lecturing or shaming them. You’ll hear how she uses simple, memorable language (and humor) to build trust, create momentum, and help patients actually stick with change. And with Science-Based Health’s Zach Denning, you’ll learn how to recommend supplements and lifestyle tools confidently—without feeling like you’re “selling.”

Hit play if you’re ready to stop chasing symptoms—and start creating real, lasting results for your dry eye patients.

 

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