Taking My Cold-Start from Great to Exceptional

As I reflect on my journey, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. I opened my cold-start practice in January 2020, right in my hometown of Suffield, Connecticut. Nestled on the second floor of a medical building, I began with a modest 1,200 square feet. This space was just enough for an optical area, reception, pre-testing and an exam room, but it quickly became clear that storage, not to mention continued growth, would be a challenge.

Over the past five years, as neighboring tenants moved out, I seized the opportunity to expand. Today, my practice boasts three additional exam rooms and a second waiting area. What started with just two employees has grown to include four full-time staff, two part-time and one virtual assistant.

Shifting Focus: Quality Over Quantity

In the past four years, my mantra has been “grow, grow, grow!” Bigger seemed better, and I was determined to fill my schedule. However, now that I have achieved a full schedule and found my ideal work-life balance, my focus has shifted. I no longer want to see more patients; instead, I want each patient experience to be the best it can possibly be.

The Importance of Leadership

This shift in focus has prompted me to delve deeper into the realm of leadership. My father and grandfather instilled in me the value of hard work, teaching me that if you work harder than everyone else, you will succeed. While this is true, I’ve learned that there’s a limit to how long one can sustain that level of effort.

I need to empower my staff to take ownership of their departments. This means stepping back from micromanaging and becoming a better communicator and leader. By allowing my team to take responsibility for improving various aspects of the office, I can free up time to be creative and engage with the community, ultimately attracting the best patients possible.

Engaging My Team in Change

To facilitate these changes, I’m making a conscious effort to be more available for conversations and check-ins. I want to celebrate small wins and address minor hiccups rather than only discussing issues when they arise. Allocating time for these discussions was challenging, but the value has been immense. I ask each team member about their “stops”—what is preventing them from achieving a great workflow. Together, we tackle these problems instead of ignoring them, which helps reduce stress.

A Gradual Approach to Implementation

As a leader, I’ve noticed a tendency to implement two to three changes at a time, only to revert to old habits under stress. This slow process can be frustrating, but it’s essential for growth. Old habits die hard, and when we get busy, we often forget to have those crucial check-ins. However, I’ve realized that the more we slow down and analyze our processes, the more productive we become. Trusting the process is a new concept for me, but I’m committed to it.

Regular Staff Meetings: A New Routine

To ensure we stay on track, I plan to hold regular staff meetings every Wednesday or Thursday. During these meetings, we discuss the “wins” from the week and revisit the goals set in the previous meeting. If everything is running smoothly, we introduce another small change to evaluate the following week.

Each team member is responsible for a specific area: the optical team is focusing on turn rate and capture rate, my receptionist is diving into patient education about ocular supplements and dry eye kits, and my patient coordinator and I are refining the pre-appointment process. This accountability fosters a sense of ownership and encourages everyone to contribute to our collective success.

Anticipating Positive Outcomes

I believe that each small change will lead to long-lasting positive impacts on my practice. My team and I are actively involved in tracking our progress and understanding our ultimate goals in each department. This collaborative approach alleviates the pressure on me to be the sole problem-solver.

Monitoring Progress

To monitor our progress, each department has access to previous years’ numbers for comparison. We review our performance monthly, but I’m considering shifting to weekly reviews for quicker adjustments and faster celebrations of our wins. This change will allow us to address issues promptly and maintain momentum.

Facing Challenges Head-On

One challenge I anticipate is the difficulty of breaking old habits. While we weren’t doing anything “wrong” before, we had started to coast. It’s easy to slip back into comfortable routines, and we often make excuses to skip staff meetings due to snow, illness or emergency patients. However, these meetings are crucial for accountability.

Celebrating Successes

I’m proud to say that I’ve already seen improvements in my communication skills. Daily check-ins with my staff have created a more open environment, making it easier for them to approach me with issues. Our staff meetings have made a significant difference, and assigning each team member a metric to track has increased accountability across the board.

Learning from Setbacks

While we haven’t faced any major failures, I recognize that my expectations for how quickly changes should take effect may have been unrealistic. It’s essential to be patient and allow time for measurable success to manifest.

Embracing Change Together

I feel incredibly fortunate to have an amazing team that embraces change. The tasks we implement are designed to enhance everyone’s work life. While change can create discomfort, my staff understands the bigger picture. Without growth and improvement, our office would become stagnant and uninteresting.

Read more cold-start success stories in Independent Strong

Read more about Dr. Markowski’s practice story in Independent Strong sister publication Review of Optometric Business.