Photo courtesy of Dr. Amanda Geary, who shares the huge difference PECAA Launch made to the success of her new practice.
Empowering cold-start growth with PECAA Launch
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By Amanda Geary, OD
June 18, 2025
I opened First Sight Eye Care in late November of 2022. From the first spark of the idea to opening day, the process took about a year.
I know many optometrists weigh the perks of buying an established practice versus starting from scratch, but for me, the answer was clear.
If I was going to pour my energy and heart into being a business owner, I wanted my practice to truly reflect who I am and how I believe patient care should look.
PECAA Launch was an invaluable resource that helped me across the finish line. They provided me insights and specific resources to prepare for my opening and beyond. I encourage doctors who may be considering a cold open to partner as early as possible with an organization that can provide guidance and smooth the way.
The Overwhelm of Wearing Every Hat—And How I Got Support
Once the doors opened, my days as a straightforward 9 a.m to 5 p.m. doctor transformed overnight. Suddenly, I was not just the doctor, but also the manager, biller, marketer, technician and even the person mopping the floors after hours. It was overwhelming, to be honest.
But this is where the PECAA Launch program—and their exceptional business advisors—made a tangible difference. Having seasoned experts who could answer my situational questions and share proven strategies was invaluable.
From marketing and optical management to billing and coding, I leaned heavily on their team. Even now, I meet monthly with my PECAA business advisor. These regular check-ins keep me intentional and accountable as I reach for the next set of goals.
Planning a Year Ahead—Budget Navigation and Early Guidance
I started planning about a full year before opening our doors. Honestly, the financial side was daunting—balancing equipment needs, furnishing the office and managing our business loan. PECAA’s early-stage advice prevented me from making costly mistakes, especially when it came to deciding where to invest and where to hold back.
Setting Clear Revenue Goals—and Hitting Them
One hallmark of my growth strategy is setting clear, measurable goals. At the start of every year, I sit down with my PECAA business advisor to look at our total revenue and target how much we want to increase over the past year.
Right now, I have set a goal for 25% growth in our third year. We use tools like EDGEPro to pinpoint both our strengths and our opportunities for improvement. The monthly strategy sessions are essential for keeping my sights set on both financial progress and the overall health of our practice.
Right-Sizing My Team and Avoiding Staffing Pitfalls
We keep a lean team – a full-time optician, an optical sales associate and a part-time technician. While it can be tempting to hire quickly as your patient list grows, PECAA Launch guided me to staff only as demand required. This careful scaling has kept our overhead low and our team cohesive.
Smarter Marketing—Prioritizing What Works
Marketing was another steep learning curve. With help from PECAA, I learned how to evaluate opportunities and funnel our budget into the campaigns most likely to give us a return.
For example, after our first year, PECAA Ads and Johnson & Johnson helped us run targeted campaigns that brought in patients for specialized services. Together, we set priorities, allocated budget and tracked the real-world reach and results from each effort.
Equipping the Practice: Needs Versus Wants
Like every new practice owner, I wanted to furnish my office with the best and latest technology. PECAA Launch helped me weigh needs against wants, leverage vendor deals and avoid unnecessary debt.
A crucial reminder: don’t ignore cash flow. In the early months, using loan funds to maintain healthy operations is smarter than trying to minimize debt at the expense of business growth.
Key Benefits of PECAA
Key benefits of PECAA Launch membership include:
- Free membership for one year and substantially reduced fees during the second year of membership.
- Dedicated cold-start business advisors.
- Guidance on opening timeline, critical milestones and business strategy.
- Business advisors in finance and strategy, operations, optical management, marketing and billing and coding.
- Exclusive vendor partnerships with special pricing on equipment, software, practice design, frames, lenses and more.
- Reduced startup costs and delayed payment terms.
- Extensive business support, including human resources, education and training.
- Events to connect cold-start practice owners with colleagues who can share their journey and support yours.
Vendor Connections That Pay Off
One of the unexpected perks of being part of the PECAA network has been access to better vendor pricing and strategic business relationships. Even as an independent practice, I’ve benefited from the leverage that comes with being part of a larger buying group.
The Path to 25% Growth—And Expanding Medical Services
Our sights are set on significant growth—25% this year. We’re doing more than just increasing patient volume; I’m dedicated to expanding clinical offerings. Recent investments in equipment like a virtual visual field and optical coherence tomography have allowed me to offer advanced services like glaucoma and dry eye management.
PECAA continues to provide the planning and insight that ensure these investments bring real returns.
Why I’d Do it All Over Again
If you’re starting or just considering a cold-start practice, my biggest piece of advice is to make full use of the resources available to you.
For me, leaning on the guidance and community from PECAA Launch made all the difference. Instead of guessing at next steps, I had trusted partners in my corner every step of the way.
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Amanda Geary, OD, is the owner of First Sight in St. Petersburg, Florida. To contact her: aegearyod@gmail.com
