You don’t need better frames. You need a better framework.
If your optical team is burned out, your training feels stale, or your sales aren’t where they should be, keep reading. Practices often treat their optical like an afterthought, instead of treating it as an opportunity to drive revenue and create loyal patients. And that’s where today’s guest comes in.
Meet Kayla Ashlee, CEO of Spexy, an optical training expert on a mission to change how opticians are developed, supported, and empowered. In this episode of Power Hour, she joins host Eugene Shatsman for a conversation that cuts through the fluff.
Kayla opens up about how opticians are often under-supported and under-trained, yet still expected to sell high-value products with minimal preparation. But her mission with Spexy is to reverse that, creating a culture of confidence, competence, and connection in the optical.
They discuss how most optical sales training is broken: focusing on checklists or generic product info instead of addressing mindset and real-world conversations. Kayla breaks down the emotional barriers that prevent opticians from selling effectively and shows how repetition and ownership are the keys to long-term success.
From how to set the stage in the first 60 seconds of an optical handoff, to how to structure staff meetings that actually move the needle, Kayla provides a new framework for leading opticians to uncover the revenue potential inside your optical department.
She also shares stories from practices that have doubled or tripled sales just by changing how they train. One of the most powerful takeaways? Your team doesn’t need more motivation, they need systems, permission to succeed, and a clear path to follow.
They don’t talk scripts. They talk systems. They don’t talk pressure. They talk confidence. And they don’t just talk sales — they talk leadership, psychology, and the real reasons some teams grow exponentially while others stay stuck. This episode is a mindset reset for anyone who wants to level up their optical game, starting with how you train and how your team shows up.
Key Takeaways
- Confidence Over Scripts: Why the most effective sales training starts with mindset, not memorization.
- The Real Training Gap: How practices unintentionally set opticians up to fail —and what to do instead.
- Repetition Creates Mastery: How simple, repeated training routines build confidence and drive consistency.
- Optical as a Growth Engine: Why investing in your opticians is one of the most profitable moves you can make.
- Ownership at Every Level: How to empower staff to take charge of their results and feel proud of their work.
In This Episode
- 00:00 Introduction
- 02:11 The broken model of optical sales training
- 06:49 Why mindset matters more than scripting in optical sales
- 10:16 The emotional barriers keeping opticians from success
- 14:41 Creating structure, repetition, and ownership in training
- 20:06 The role of practice owners and managers in staff empowerment
- 26:33 Real-world examples of practices transforming optical sales
- 31:56 Why standard meetings and handoffs don’t work
- 36:48 Kayla’s advice to practices looking to elevate their optical
- 42:13 Final thoughts on confidence, leadership, and patient experience
Contact Information
Connect with Connect with Kayla Ashlee
Kayla Ashlee is the founder and CEO of Spexy, an optical education company that empowers independent eye care practices through practical training, leadership development, and communication strategies. A certified optician and international speaker, she’s known for her relatable, no-fluff approach to transforming optical teams into confident, high-performing professionals who build real trust with patients.
In 2019, she launched beSpexy.com, an on-demand learning platform focused on helping opticals improve sales through mindset shifts and better patient communication. Her innovative tool, FrameTurn®, offers frame inventory coaching based on real-time data to maximize profits. Named one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Eyecare in 2024, and an OWA Emerging Leader, Kayla continues to be a respected voice in the industry and a champion for optical teams everywhere.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylaashlee/
Website: https://www.bespexy.com/
Connect with Eugene Shatsman
Website – https://www.eugeneshatsman.com/
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugeneshatsman
This episode was incredible! What was the name of the product/software that was used to track where the patient was in the office and how to call the optician to the exam room for the doctor handoff? I looked up Slack but didn’t get very far. Maybe I misunderstood this.
Thanks,
Dax Eckard, O.D.