Photo courtesy of Dr. Cazares
Three business books offer practical advice to improve office processes
By Ryan Cazares, OD
Dec. 1, 2025
There’s so much to learn about business outside the realm of our profession. I’ve found that many entrepreneurs are like-minded, regardless of the industry. Their successful strategies and pearls of wisdom often nicely translate into our businesses.
I make it a part of my nightly routine to read—often self-help or business-related books. It helps me to wind down after a long day, and it sets me up to organize my thoughts about meaningful steps I can take for myself or for my clinic. These reads offer a different perspective. They often help spark ideas that are hiding deep within your brain and help to push to bring them out.
INCORPORATE BUSINESS READING TO IMPROVE
Maybe this isn’t a part of your routine just yet. Or you are looking to find the books that will speak to you and that you feel will work in your practice. Consider these three books, which—although not optometry-specific—may offer you motivation as they did for me.
Here are the takeaways I brought back to my practice to streamline processes and implement systems for success.
“The E-Myth Revisited: A Guide to Starting a Business in a Productive and Successful Way” by Michael E. Gerber
Lesson learned: Putting the right systems in place makes a difference, no matter what size business you have.
This book has a message for all businesses—new, established, small, and large. The goal: create systems that can easily be replicated as if you were going to franchise your business.
The biggest takeaway here is that proper systems can allow you to step away. Your business can operate without you physically being there. This also allows you to to take time to work on the business instead of just in the business.
I’ve used lessons from this valuable book to create many office systems, including our employee and procedure manuals. This is beneficial to all staff, but particularly with new hires or when a staff member needs to cover for another. Because I created replicable systems as if I were going to franchise my eye clinic, there’s a road map in place. That makes processes easier even if I choose to never franchise.
“4 Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, & Join the New Rich” by Timothy Ferriss
Lessons learned: Lean into automation wherever it makes sense.
It’s been a while since I’ve read “The 4-Hour Workweek,” but I still remember the opening chapters leaving me perplexed and a bit overwhelmed. Ferriss describes everything from competing as a sumo wrestler in Japan to learning tango in Argentina and running a nutritional supplement business on autopilot while traveling the world! At first read, it’s hard to imagine how any of this could relate to running an optometry clinic in Louisiana.
But once you get past the out-of-this-world adventures, the core message hits home: your time is your most valuable resource. Ferriss challenges readers to think differently about how they spend it: what can be automated, delegated, or simplified so you can focus on the parts of your work that truly generate revenue—things that only you can do. While a literal four-hour workweek isn’t exactly realistic in most professions, the mindset shift toward efficiency and freedom absolutely is.
I learned the importance of implementing automation in different aspects of the business. I’ve invested in training my staff to handle responsibilities that I once managed so that I can be more productive with my time. A prime example of this is each of my techs knows how to use my scleral profilometer—the Eaglet ESP—from capturing a scan to using the information to pull diagnostic scleral lenses all before I see the patient. Incorporating the Eaglet has cut my scleral follow-ups in half. We have eclipsed 100 specialty fits this year through November. This has only been possible because of my staff’s involvement, as we were up 56% in specialty evaluations this year with six weeks left of 2025! You can only see more specialty contact lens patients if you finalize the ones you are working on. Staff involvement is absolutely vital and makes life easier.
“The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results” by Gary Keller
Lessons learned: Achieve more of your goals with lists, first tackling the task that would make all of your other tasks easier.
Keller talks about the power behind using lists. They can include all of your to-do responsibilities. Having the list allows you to really analyze what is on your plate. What is the one thing you could do from the list that will make all of the others easier to achieve? Consider putting that item at the top of your list—and never have a list of more than five so you can realistically accomplish them that day.
I use Google Keep for my backburner list. Whenever I have an idea related to improving processes at work, it goes there. I then prioritize the top five tasks for the day, and those tasks go on my Skylight Calendar app [Skylight Calendar is a standalone digital calendar so you can look at your schedule without the phone notification distractions!] Lastly, I ask myself, “Which of these tasks, if completed, would make the other tasks easier to accomplish?”
An example of this in my clinic is when an item on the list said, “Train technician to order specialty contact lenses.” By training my specialty tech to place the simple specialty contact lenses orders and modifications, this makes it easier for me to concentrate on the more intricate, challenging fits. It also makes home tasks easier. I’m no longer sitting with my laptop after-hours studying anterior segment OCTs. I can focus on what matters most at my home: walking my dogs and playing guitar!
STREAMLINE TO IMPROVE OFFICE PROCESSES
These books offer strategies that encourage streamlining and improved efficiency, something we can all benefit from in our businesses. Make it easier for a new employee to get up to speed. Let technology, staff or virtual assistants handle tasks where it makes sense so that you can concentrate on what makes money for the practice.
While we may not relate exactly to every business book, there is often still a valuable takeaway lesson that can make a difference in your practice.
Want to tell us about a favorite business book that has impacted your practice? Email us.
Read another story from Dr. Cazares on ROB here.
 |
Ryan Cazares, OD, is the owner of Scott Eye Care in Scott, La. To contact him: dr.cazares@scotteye.com |
