There’s a point in every growing practice where things start to feel different.

Not because the business isn’t working, but rather it’s working because of you, and the moment you try to expand, that dependency gets exposed.

You start to realize that growth isn’t as simple as opening another location. It’s about building something that can operate without you being everywhere at once, and that’s exactly where this conversation begins.

In this episode of Power Hour, Eugene sits down with Dr. Tommy Lucas (President, VIEW Optometry) and Dr. Mary Kate Walters (CEO, VIEW Optometry), a husband-and-wife team who have built a four-location practice in Central Texas, including three cold starts that didn’t just survive, but ramped quickly.

And while the growth itself is impressive, that’s not really what makes this conversation worth paying attention to.

It’s how they think about building a business.

Because underneath the numbers, you start to hear something deeper: a philosophy around people, systems, incentives, and what it actually takes to create something that can function beyond the owners being everywhere at once.

And then, halfway through the conversation, it shifts from building a practice, to something much bigger – VIEW Optometry Alliance.

Where Scaling Actually Gets Hard

One of the more honest moments in the conversation comes early, when Tommy talks about opening that second location, and realizing very quickly that something had changed:

You can’t be in two places at once, and once that happens, the business starts to behave differently.

• Decisions get made without you.
• Processes start to vary.
• Things that felt controlled… suddenly aren’t.

What becomes clear is that the first practice was built around you, and the second one forces you to build something else.

Something that can operate without you in the room.

That’s where systems stop being optional and start becoming the foundation of everything.

What Changed Between Their First and Third Cold Start

By the time they opened their third and fourth locations, their thinking had evolved.

Not dramatically, but in the ways that actually matter.

Early on, like most owners, there’s a tendency to build for what you want the practice to be:

• Bigger footprint
• Fully equipped from day one
• Everything dialed in

But experience changes that.

Mary-Kate talks about how easy it is to get pulled into the “bells and whistles,” and how little of that is actually required to succeed in the early stages.

Instead, they started thinking more practically:

• How much space do we actually need?
• What do we need now vs later?
• How do we protect cash flow while we grow?

Tommy even points out that each location got smaller as they went (not bigger) because they became more disciplined in how they approached expansion.

Not because they were thinking smaller, but because they were thinking longer-term.

People and Alignment

Then the conversation shifts from operations to something more foundational, because even the best systems don’t work without the right people behind them.

What stands out in their story is how their team has grown alongside the business.

Every manager across their locations was developed internally — starting in entry-level roles and stepping into leadership over time.

And that doesn’t happen by accident.

It comes from consistency, communication, and creating an environment where people actually see a future for themselves inside the business.

Mary Kate puts it simply:

“If you don’t take care of your team, they can’t take care of your patients.”

But what makes their approach different is that they don’t leave that idea at the level of culture.

They build structures around it.

• Weekly leadership conversations.
• Quarterly team alignment.
• Open discussions around performance and growth.

And most importantly, clear expectations tied to measurable outcomes.

View Optometry Alliance

At its core, View Optometry Alliance is designed to give independent practice owners access to the kinds of advantages that are becoming harder to get on your own.

Things like:

• Better cost of goods through group purchasing
• Stronger vendor relationships
• Access to performance data and benchmarking
• Operational support when you need it

But what makes it different is how it’s structured.

You’re not giving up ownership, being told how to run your practice, or locked into one system.

The goal is to provide support without taking control.

That shows up in how they’ve built it:

• Minimal requirements to join
• Flexibility in how you operate day-to-day
• Access to resources without forced standardization

And if you want more support beyond that, they’ve layered in a Vision Support Organization (VSO) — giving practices the option to go deeper on things like:

• Billing and backend operations
• Technology and systems alignment
• Consulting and performance improvement

The idea is simple:

Give independent practices the tools to compete, without taking away what makes them independent in the first place.

Eyecare BOSS Live Summit

If you’ve been to conferences before, you’ve probably left with many great ideas and intentions, and then when you get back to your practice, nothing actually changes.

Eyecare BOSS Live is designed specifically with that in mind so you can not only know what to do to reach your goals, but also have the tools, strategies, and plans to implement lasting changes once you’re back. to change that.

This is a 2 and a half-day, invitation-only event (September 16–18 in Cleveland) designed specifically for practice owners who want execution, not just inspiration.

Inside the room:

• 200 growth-focused operators
• Peer-level masterminds
• Real conversations around revenue, staffing, leadership, AI, and specialty growth

And everything is built around one outcome:

You leave with a 90-day plan you can actually implement.

If you want to be considered, click the link below:

• The Second Location Changes Everything: Learn why opening location number two is often the hardest step in scaling, and how it forces owners to confront whether they have actually built a business or simply created a successful job for themselves.
• Cold Starts Do Not Need to Be Overbuilt: Understand why Tommy and Mary Kate moved toward smaller footprints, phased equipment investments, and more disciplined startup spending, and how that approach helped protect cash flow while still creating fast-growing locations.
• Systems Only Matter If People Can Run Them: See how their growth depended on developing internal leaders, creating consistent communication rhythms, and building a business that could function without the owners being physically present in every office.
• Incentives Drive Alignment, Not Just Performance: Discover how KPI-based bonuses tied to departmental and practice-wide goals can change team behavior, improve accountability, and create stronger buy-in around the outcomes that actually move the business forward.
• View Optometry Alliance Is About Support vs. Control: Learn why the second half of the episode is bigger than an alliance launch, and how Tommy and Mary Kate are thinking about independence, autonomy, and what it could look like to grow from four locations into a much broader network of like-minded practices.

Connect with Dr. Tommy Lucas

Dr. Tommy Lucas is a Texas-based optometrist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of VIEW Optometry, a multi-location practice and doctor-led alliance focused on strengthening independent eye care. He has been in private practice since 2006 and has held significant leadership roles, including serving as president of the Texas Optometric Association and contributing to advocacy efforts at both state and national levels.

Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Lucas is actively involved in shaping the future of the profession, including his appointment to the University of Houston System Board of Regents. His work centers on building scalable, doctor-led businesses while protecting clinical autonomy and pushing back against increasing corporate consolidation in the industry.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talucasod/ 
• Website: https://www.viewoptometry.org/ 

Connect with Dr. Mary-Kate Walters

Dr. Mary Kate Walters is a therapeutic optometrist, glaucoma specialist, and co-founder of VIEW Optometry. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry, with advanced training in ocular disease and a strong background in both clinical care and education.

In addition to her role in private practice, she has served on the faculty at the University of Houston College of Optometry and remains actively involved in advocacy through the Texas Optometric Association and national organizations. Recognized for her leadership and impact, Dr. Walters has received multiple industry honors and is a nationally invited speaker, with a focus on advancing independent optometry and improving access to high-quality eye care.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkwalters17/ 
• Website: https://www.viewoptometry.org/ 

Connect with Eugene Shatsman

Eugene Shatsman is Host of Power Hour, Managing Partner of National Strategic Group, and a TEDx Speaker. A growth strategist and consultant to hundreds of optometric practices nationwide, Eugene specializes in scaling independent eye care businesses through structured strategy, marketing science, and operational clarity.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugeneshatsman/ 
• Website: eugeneshatsman.com