→ “I should never feel too comfortable in my job and if I don’t learn something new every day, I’m not doing it right. I don’t treat disease, I treat people. If I don’t understand the person, my treatment may fail.” —CHRISTINE SINDT, O.D.

→ “When I walk in with a patient for the first few minutes, we don’t talk about eyes, but about life. Get to know your patients as a friend, and then as a patient. Friends stay with friends.” —ERIC WHITE, O.D.

→ “Set up a benevolence fund to help out those patients truly in need.” —JEFF YUNKER, O.D.

→ “Smile when you talk, whether in person or on the phone. A smile during an interaction conveys openness and interest. People like to talk about themselves, so give them a chance. Plus, you might just learn something when your mouth is closed and ears are open.” —SCOTT JENS, O.D.

→ “Build your office culture around great service and saying, ‘Yes’ to patients. You must generate higher revenue and profit to stay true to great service. Don’t wait for an obvious sign to do something big. Take some risk, and do it before it becomes easy, otherwise the big things may never happen.” —NEIL GAILMARD, O.D.

→ “Your patients don’t care how much you know clinically until you show them how much you care about them as people. They remember how you made them feel. The professional and personal relationships you form, the decisions you make, your personal growth and the value you add to the life of those around you will determine your life’s satisfaction.” —CHAP LEFFINGWELL, O.D.

→ “Practice humility. None of us is that important. You never see a funeral where the hearse was followed by a Brinks truck.” —ALLAN BARKER, O.D.

→ “Develop the WHY of how you practice, or you will have no purpose. Give back to your profession. You got where you are on the backs of others. Provide charity, be involved in optometric organizations, and be involved in local organizations in your community.” —NEIL DRAISIN, O.D.

→ “The limiting factor to practice growth is your ability to manage people. The financial success of your practice will never outgrow your business acumen.” —JERRY HAYES, O.D.

→ “Ninety-eight percent of the patients you come into contact with you will enjoy and they will enjoy you: Two percent will not. If you are not careful, you can let that 2% control your mind-set. Appreciate the 98%!” —DAVID COCKRELL, O.D.

→ “Learn how to make, keep and manage relationships. If you need reminders to keep this forefront in your mind, then make a screensaver that says: “It’s all about people!” —MARK WRIGHT, O.D.