Forming an Opportunity Belief

 

Forming An Opportunity Belief

Growing up I experienced the second hand effects of opening a business. When I was young my parents opened an optical which affected our home life. We stopped going out to eat, we had very little snacks, and most of our stuff was off brand. But as the years went by that business began to show profit. And now it is a very strong local business in the Miami, Kendall area.

I worked alongside my parents when I became of age to do so. I learned how to make glasses, fix them, sell them, talk to clients, and all the other in's and out's of the business. As I learned I also noticed the inefficiencies and problems of the optical. One of the main problems was the doctor. Because of the doctor we could not accept certain insurances which forced us to turn down potential clients. What I propose is that I become, not only the optometrist for the optical, but an ophthalmologist. This would allow the business to target potential customers with all kinds of insurances, but also those patients who have serious afflictions that are recommended to an ophthalmologist.

Becoming an ophthalmologist/optometrist for an optical would help customers who have insurances that are usually turned down and provide convenience for patients with serious problems. Because of our current doctor, customers have to go to big business companies that do not provide the same care and selection. And because our doctor is just an optometrist, he refers them to other ophthalmologists which is untapped potential for the optical. I am seventy percent sure that this opportunity is valid and would be successful.

I interviewed my father, who has been in and exposed to the business since he was eight years old. He says that his father owned opticals in Nicaragua and was very successful. But they never quite got into the market of ophthalmology. In his time of owning his own optical, he is always asked by people where they should go to have their problem (concerning their eye) checked. He always refers them to an ophthalmologist. He says that if I were an ophthalmologist working at the optical it would not be profitable. Although convenient for customers an optical setting and an ophthalmologist office are two completely different things. Because an optical is focused on retail it wants customers to move in and out. But a ophthalmologist office requires wait time which opticals do not have. He added that no opticals in the area, local or big business, are providing this type of service. He says he is unsure that it would be very profitable.

After that I interviewed the doctor of the optical, Dr. Beauchamp. Similar to my father he said that an ophthalmologist in an optical setting is more limited on the scope of his profession. An ophthalmologist that has an optical in his practice to funnel customers from is more profitable. He liked the idea of having all phases of eye care met in one place but could not see it work.

I finally interviewed a friend that frequently visits the optical because of his poor eye sight. He said that due to his ever decreasing vision he at some point in his life is going to have to get surgery. He said it would be much easier to have the optometrist that he has seen for years conduct surgery on him than someone he has never met. Because of this he inferred that other people would probably feel the same way.

Although I did not get the reactions I expected, I did gain insight as too what the underlying problem is. I learned that there is a potential market but the environment for the two specialties are entirely different. If I could somehow merge the two businesses as well as be the doctor for both, I believe I could create a successful business.

The original opportunity is still here, however I have to make adjustments on how I can fit the two together in the same environment. I believe that the opportunity is less accurate because I am not sure on how to fit the two specialties together. I believe entrepreneurs should be open to feedback whether negative or positive because they provide different perspectives and viewpoints on your idea. Although I did not receive positive feedback i still learned that there is opportunity I just need to build upon my idea.