A Hat for Each Occasion

Author: Amanda Geary, OD
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I never pictured myself as the owner of a business.  Throughout my career, I have worked for others and have enjoyed the ride thus far.  I have worked in a medical setting; I have worked in a retail setting. I have been rewarded for going above and beyond, but also told to stay in my lane.  Along the way, the itch of being my own boss, of transforming a vision I didn’t realize I even had into a reality, grew.  It grew from a small seed, into a loud and obvious calling.  It became clear that there was only one thing left to do: lean in.  How many inspirational quotes do you need to see before you simply take the jump.  We have heard them all, “There is no time like now,” “If not now, then, when?” or a personal favorite that we can, perhaps, all appreciate, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” – Wayne Gretzky – Michael Scott. The truth of the matter is, no matter the outcome, unimaginable success, or a crash and burn, I would have always wondered, “what if.”
 
The other important question to answer is, why not me?  I am a patient and knowledgeable doctor, yes.  If nothing else, I know that I am great at patient care.  Beyond that though, I am also a wife, and a mother, a sister, and a friend.  I have my own doubts and fears, and of course, that little bit of generational anxiety that keeps me up at night sometimes.  I am human.  I am a woman that stands for things I believe in, and fights for those I love and respect.  I make mistakes, but I am sure to own up to them.  I am no different than you.  But I want to be YOUR doctor.  I have somewhat struggled with this new role of putting myself out there for all to see.  I knew from experience and life thus far, that the traditional role of a doctor is seen as all business, all professional.  I find you often see two sides of people, the doctor/professional, and then the everyday person.  I began to wonder, why not show both.  I want to know you, not just your eyeballs, and what better way to start that relationship than you knowing me.
 
I am days away from opening my own business, the business I never pictured having- until one day, I did.  The journey to get here has been nothing short of wild.  From the very start it has been challenging.  But no one ever said it would be easy.  At times, it’s been challenging in the way that you feel better for it after, and that you’ve grown into a person you never knew you were.  At times, challenging in the way that you go to bed at 730pm just so that tomorrow is a new day.  Beyond the challenges, the journey has been rewarding.  Seeing a practice that only existed in my mind and knowing that it now holds a permanent mark on the community that I live in, and in the city that I love, has meant the world.  I cannot wait to share my “art” with you, “the art of eye care.” and I hope it is a place you feel truly seen and honored.