Plus: your chance to win recognition as a top business
One of my favorite ad campaigns of all time ran in the 1990s, but it’s absolutely fresh in my mind. The ads featured stunning photos of people pursuing adventure sports: rock climbing, windsurfing, bungee jumping and so on. The tag line on each was the same, along the lines of “Yeah, but does he (or she) have the guts to run his own business?”
You know it’s true: Owning a small business can be an extreme sport. You put in long hours. You sometimes need to make split-second decisions. You’re often working without a net, and the work can be physically demanding. But the rewards are there, too: You chart your own destiny. You engage your passions and creativity. And each month, when you tally your business receipts, you get a clear scorecard on your efforts. (And even if the results aren’t what you want, there’s always next month to try again.)
You may not spend your weekends or vacation days rolling a kayak or climbing sheer rock faces, but if you run a small eyecare or eyewear business, your spirit of adventure is strong. And if you ever feel that spirit flagging, you can pick up the latest edition of INVISION, where you’ll always find tons of ideas and information to up your game.
For example, this month, we challenge you to a “Year of Reading Seriously.” Your mission is to spend one year inhaling as many business books as you can. We get you started with “cheat sheet”-style reviews of some favorites, plus a list of 52 all-time classics and recent examples of the best in business lit. Whether you read one book a week or just a handful in a year, we promise you’ll come away smarter and inspired toward ever-greater success.
Speaking of success, if you feel your vision care business is near the top of its game — especially in your dispensary — we hope you’ll enter our second America’s Finest Optical Retailers competition. Entries are open now at invmag.us/finest and they’re due by April 1. (Pro tip: Get yours in before Vision Expo East!) This year’s winning businesses will be featured in the July/August issue of INVISION, and we’ll profile other entrants in future issues.
Wishing you the very best in business,
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
julie@smartworkmedia.com
This article originally appeared in the February 2015 edition of INVISION.