WRITER Dr Geoff Demare

Growing up in Canada, Geoff Demare had no idea that a trip to an optometrist would lead to practice ownership in Melbourne.

My interest in optometry was piqued in rural Canada when I was 14. After an eye test and a discussion about dry eye, meibomian gland dysfunction, and astigmatism, I got my first pair of glasses. I still remember putting them on and thinking “Wouldn’t it be great to help other people to see their best, too.”

After work experience in other health disciplines over the next few years, I resolved to become a practice-owning optometrist. Little did I know then how wonderful this would be.

At the end of my Bachelor of Science, I saw the opportunity for post-grad study in Australia and was accepted to the University of Melbourne.

Just one month later on Valentine’s Day 2013, I arrived in Australia, on my own. It was -40° when I left Canada and +40° when I arrived in Melbourne. I settled in quickly, and life moved fast. In my second year of university, I met a music teacher. In third year, we were engaged. In fourth year, we married.

I took my first job in rural New South Wales and my young family, complete with a fresh set of identical twin girls, moved to Deniliquin. Working at Deniliquin Eyecare with Peter Thompson gave me great insight into the daily operations of an independent, community-based practice. Over the next three years, I got a feel for lens ordering and frame buying, dispensing and troubleshooting, liaising with ophthalmologists and GPs, and honing my therapeutic optometry skills.

With my time in Deniliquin drawing to a close in late 2019, I found a job advert headed ‘Independence and Excellence’. In it was an opportunity to join a well-established optometry practice, with a focus on spectacle making, and collaborative paediatric and therapeutic optometry in Sunbury, on Melbourne’s northern fringe. The advert included the offer of mentorship in both the clinical and business aspects of the practice, with a view to succession in the near future. I made contact with Rod Baker that evening.

I started with Sunbury Optical in January 2020 and my family welcomed our new son in early March. Then COVID hit! Succession plans and timelines were derailed as we navigated the ever-changing environment and regulations.

During this time, Rod provided me with great mentorship, keeping watch over essential business metrics, such as cashflow and budget, and important clinical considerations around infection control and staffsafety. Given the economic circumstances, securing finance became more challenging. After consulting the third broker, I was approved and took ownership of Sunbury Optical in August 2022.

Practice ownership involves juggling many hats. It could be human resources, strategic planning, balancing financial and clinical outcomes, running marketing and social media campaigns, building business and professional networks, all while managing a full week of consulting. No one prepares you for this, but I’ve realised you can’t do it alone. Good and trusted help is invaluable. With my practice I was fortunate to inherit a wealth of skills in dispensing and practice management, as well as Rod’s indispensible mentoring. ProVision and its business coach Brad White have also been a great source of support.

As they say, hindsight is 20/20. When I look back there is much I wish I had approached differently. Ultimately, what I’ve learnt is the need to accept imperfections, learn from them, and be ready the next time. In business, you won’t always make the right decisions and the macro and micro-economics will always shift in ways you don’t expect. Learning to be comfortable making mistakes is hard. Good planning and confidence that I’m on the right track for my patients and my staff go a long way to help manage the stresses of practice ownership. Calm seas don’t make good sailors, after all!

For anyone considering their own path to practice ownership, my advice is there is no ‘best time’. Seek advice from experts such as those at ProVision. Act with intent. Start planning with the end in mind. Know your patients, your practice, and yourself well. Give opportunities their due diligence. Act confidently and take the plunge!

Dr Geoff Demare BSc(Manitoba) OD graduated as a Doctor of Optometry from the University of Melbourne in 2016. He is the practice owner of Sunbury Eye and Vision in Melbourne.