We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Stewart. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.
Hi Jennifer, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
While in college, I struggled to figure out what I wanted to do as a career. I knew it would be a career in healthcare or science, but I didn’t have a clear picture of what that would look like. I shadowed my next door neighbor and my own optometrist, and quickly realized this was what I was meant to do. Fast forward many years, optometry has been a true gift. I have bought, grown and sold a successful practice, taught optometry students, become a writer, speaker and influencer, mentored a number of women, and am currently about to open a brand new practice. In my 16 years since graduation, I have discovered my purpose in optometry is to provide amazing care to my community, support and showcase independent companies and eyecare practices, and continue to (hopefully!) inspire others to follow their path and build an authentic practice, and life.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My brand new optometry studio, Look New Canaan, will be opening January 2024! This practice has been a true dream to create- everything about it is authentic to me- from the design, to the technology and the products. I am even creating my own frame line, the Look Collective, which is handmade by a third generation optician in Utah. I’m excited to share my passion around independent, well made with my patients and community.
Speaking, educating and inspiring is also important to me. My consulting and advisory firm, OD Perspectives, continues to grow and I look forward to many more speaking and consulting opportunities in the eyecare, eyewear and business space.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Resiliency: It is easy to look like an overnight success, but true success takes hard work, grit, sacrifice and passion.
Forward thinking: I’m always thinking 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, 10 years down the line. I have specific goals and plans set in place to reach these. You can hope all you want, but being thoughtful and deliberate is important for success.
Open minded: I never know where the next opportunity will come from, so I seriously consider everything!
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I just finished The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr Benjamin Hardy. In a nutshell, it teaches us to change our way of thinking to become more successful, including measuring our success by looking backwards (instead of by where we think we should be). They discuss spending the hour and a half before bed setting ourselves up for the next day. This includes writing down three victories or successes from the day, and then listing the top three victories we will achieve the following day. I have found this to be a tremendous way to recognize what I have accomplished, and help organize myself for the next day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://odperspectives.com/
- Instagram: @jennifer.stewart.od
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferstewartod/
