Opening your own, independent optical practice is a thrilling experience that will more than likely come with a whirlwind of emotions from excitement to fear to pride in your work. We are here with a playlist to help you work through each stage of this huge step in your life, told by some of your favorite artists over the years. Here’s to success! Here’s to being an independent practice!
Calling All Optical Practices: Celebrate Your IndepenDANCE With This Playlist
Track 1: Independent Woman - Destiny’s Child
(Working for Someone Else & Deciding to Leave)
“Try to control me boy you get dismissed, pay my own fun, oh and I pay my own bills...” Sometimes it can be rough having to report to someone when you feel like you know what is best. Once you begin to consider your options and realize that you are just as capable of running your own practice as anyone else, it starts to grow into a plan you actually want to follow. You dismiss your old position and start working towards managing your own independent practice so you can look back and say, “I worked hard and sacrificed to get what I get!”
Track 2: Dancing With Myself – Billy Idol
(Making the Decision to Get Started)
“Well there's nothing to lose, there's nothing to prove, and I'll be dancing with myself!” As you start to shop around for the things you will need to get started (equipment, office location, staff, software, etc.), you feel the thrilling sense of being free to make the choices that you want. You do not feel the need to get anyone else’s approval; this practice is all yours. “I’ll be dancing with myse-elf-- uhoh oh oh!”
Track 3: Revolution – The Beatles
(Getting the Money and Support to Open Your Own Practice)
“You say you got a real solution, well, you know, we'd all love to see the plan, you ask me for a contribution, well, you know, we're all doing what we can.” You have to go to investors and banks in order to acquire the funds you will need to purchase all of the equipment and supplies necesscery to open your own practice. They are not just going to hand out the funding, so you have to put together a thorough business plan in order to acquire their contributions.
Track 4: I Will Never Let You Down - Rita Ora
(Picking the Right Practice Management and EHR Solution to Support Your Office)
“’Cause I've been sick and working all week, and I've been doing just fine, you've been tired of watching me, forgot to have a good time.” When starting up a new business, you need to have the most reasonable technology. You want to make sure the practice management and EHR software you choose for your office is the right one for you and the staff that you are hiring. You probably want something low maintenance that you can access form anywhere so that even when you’re not in the office you can still keep up - after all, this is your investment, but that doesn't mean you should not get some time away occasionally. “I'll be what you're dreaming of, oh, OoOoh, I will never let you down!” Ensure that your software is fully functional for both you and your patients.
Track 5: All By Myself - Celine Dion
(When it Starts to get Really Hard and Overwhelming)
“All by myself, don't wanna be, all by myself… anymore.” What were you thinking?! This whole “independent practice” thing is a lot more stressful than you expected. You might hit a point in the process of opening a practice where it gets overwhelming and you start to question your decision to open a practice all by yourself. No worries, you just need to push through so you can hit the next stage…
Track 6: Miss Independent – Ne-Yo
(You Figure It All Out and Are Feeling, Well, Like a Boss)
“She made for a boss, only a boss, anythin' less she tellin' them to get lost.” Remember why you wanted to do this in the first place? You get to be the boss. You get to make the decisions and you start to see everything pull together. All the success that is suddenly happening? That was you. “'Cause she work like a boss, play like a boss, car and a crib, she 'bout to pay 'em both off.” Finally, you can pay back those loans and investors who helped get the practice going in the first place.
Track 7: Changes – David Bowie
(Knowing That, Sometimes, You Have to Make Adjustments)
“Every time I thought I'd got it made, it seemed the taste was not so sweet…” …But then, of course, you know it can never really be that easy. You might have to go back through and assess your business decisions, technology choices, or maybe even evaluate your employees. Ares these the most efficient options for your office or is it time for some “Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!?”
Track 8: Ridin’ Solo – Jason Derulo
(You Get in the Swing of Things and it is All Good)
“I'm feeling like a star, you can't stop my shine, I'm loving cloud nine, my head's in the sky. I'm solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, sooloooo.” It might take some time, but you know that after a while you will get the hang of it and you and your staff will be on cloud nine (or is that just your cloud-based EHR?). “Now I made it through the weather, better days are gonna get better.” You’ve figured out how to make it through the roughest patches, you know you can take on anything that comes your way.
Track 9: I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
(Reflecting Back)
“First I was afraid, I was petrified, kept thinking I could never live without you by my side, but then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong, and I grew strong and I learned how to get along!” Eventually, you will be able to look back at the whole process and realize how strong and motivated you were. Take some pride in your practice! Being independent is hard work.
Looking for a great way to get your independent practice dancing to the same beats as your patients?
