There’s a strange moment that happens in many practices every year.
You power through the holidays. You survive the insurance reset in January. The schedule finally slows down just enough for you to take a breath, and suddenly everything that’s been slipping through the cracks becomes painfully obvious.
The staffing challenges. The operational frustrations. The constant interruptions.
The feeling that instead of running the practice, the practice is running you.
In this episode of Power Hour, host Eugene Shatsman sits down with Allison Kraemer (VP of Client Services, The Power Practice) & Dr. Brian Spittle (Peer Engagement, The Power Practice) to talk openly about the real version of burnout in private practice; the kind that doesn’t just affect the owner, but quietly spreads through the entire organization.
Brian brings the perspective of a practice owner who personally went through severe burnout, while Allison offers the vantage point of someone who works with practices across the country every day, helping them navigate the operational and leadership challenges that often lead to these moments.
Together, they unpack why burnout shows up, how it impacts teams and patients, and most importantly, what practice owners can do about it.
The Reality of Burnout in Private Practice
Burnout rarely comes from one dramatic event. More often, it’s the accumulation of hundreds of small stressors that slowly stack up over time.
- A schedule that feels relentless.
- Unexpected staffing issues.
- Patient frustrations.
- Operational problems that seem minor individually, but exhausting collectively.
As Dr. Spittle explains in the episode, these micro-stressors slowly build until the owner finds themselves acting more like a firefighter than a doctor or leader, constantly reacting instead of moving the practice forward.
In his own career, that accumulation nearly led him to sell his practice entirely. At one point, the stress and frustration became so overwhelming that he seriously explored private equity offers, only to realize that selling might not actually solve the root cause of the problem.
That moment forced a deeper question:
Was the problem the practice… or the way the practice was being run?
The Data Across Hundreds of Practices
While Brian shares the owner’s perspective, Allison Kraemer brings another critical lens to the conversation.
As Vice President of Client Services at The Power Practice, she works directly with practice owners across the country and sees these same challenges play out repeatedly.
One pattern she frequently observes is that burnout often surfaces when the business finally slows down just enough for leaders to notice everything that isn’t working.
In her experience, many practice owners initially believe their staff are the source of the stress. But when they dig deeper, the real issue is often something else entirely:
- A lack of structured training.
- Missing systems.
Or leaders carrying far more responsibility than they should.
Allison emphasizes that one of the most powerful shifts a practice can make is creating systems that empower the team instead of overwhelming the owner. That might include stronger delegation, clearer processes, or simply creating better communication rhythms so problems surface earlier before they escalate
Systems That Prevent Burnout Before It Starts
While burnout can feel personal, the conversation in this episode highlights something powerful:
Many of the stressors that lead to burnout are actually system problems.
When practices lack structured communication, delegation, and operational clarity, the owner often becomes the default solution for every issue in the business. Over time, that constant responsibility creates pressure that no one person can sustain indefinitely.
Brian and Allison share several practical systems that help break that cycle, including:
- Issues Lists that allow teams to track and solve operational problems without constant interruptions
- Delegation and role clarity that empower staff instead of overloading the owner
- Structured communication cadences like regular one-on-one meetings to identify challenges early
- Operational processes that turn recurring frustrations into solvable projects
These systems fundamentally change how stress flows through the organization.
Instead of everything landing on the owner’s shoulders, the team begins to solve problems collaboratively. Burnout is often talked about as a personal struggle, but as this episode reveals, it’s frequently a systems problem hiding in plain sight.
Left unchecked, it can quietly affect culture, patient experience, and the long-term health of the practice. But with the right perspective (and the right operational systems) practice owners can turn those moments of frustration into powerful turning points.
Key Takeaways
- How Burnout Actually Builds in Private Practice: Learn why burnout isn’t one dramatic moment, but the accumulation of micro-stressors (staffing issues, patient friction, operational breakdowns) that quietly stack up over time.
- How Your Energy Impacts Your Team and Patients: Understand how leadership mindset directly affects team morale, patient experience, and ultimately profitability.
- Why Selling Under Stress Is Usually the Wrong Move: Discover why major ownership decisions made during emotional fatigue often solve the wrong problem, and what to evaluate before considering a sale.
- How to Reset Immediately When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed: Learn practical short-term actions you can take this week (from redefining your schedule to questioning invisible rules) to regain clarity and control.
- How to Build Systems That Prevent Burnout from Returning: Understand how structured tools like issues lists, delegation frameworks, and monthly one-on-ones reduce daily friction and protect long-term performance.
- How to Design a Practice That Serves You, Not Consumes You: Learn how to realign your role, responsibilities, and communication cadence so your business supports your life instead of draining it.
Contact Information
Connect with Allison Kraemer
Allison Kraemer is the Vice President of Client Services and a Business Management Coach at The Power Practice, a consulting and coaching organization dedicated to helping optometry practices grow sustainably and profitably. She joined The Power Practice in 2013 and brings over 20 years of retail management and leadership experience across roles from merchandising to general management. Allison applies her expertise in team building, culture development, and operational strategy to help practices improve patient experience and overall performance.
- Website: https://powerpractice.com/our-staff/allison-kraemer/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonekraemer/
Connect with Brian Spittle
Dr. Brian M. Spittle is a seasoned Doctor of Optometry with over 22 years of experience providing primary eye care and clinical services. He earned his OD degree from the University of Alabama Birmingham – School of Optometry and practices at The Eye Place Optometry in Midlothian, Virginia. Known for his commitment to patient care and clinical excellence, Dr. Spittle combines his deep clinical experience with practice leadership insights. In addition to his clinical role, he serves in Peer Engagement for The Power Practice, where he supports independent optometry owners and leaders in operational strategy and sustainable practice growth.
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