I KNOW THIS ISN’T currently the case for everyone, but right now — for me — life is pretty good. Things are stable and happy and comfortable. I’m enjoying a contented chapter of life, but I feel … on the cusp.
Call it intuition.
Call it a sixth sense.
Call it vibes … but I can’t shake this feeling that something — something big — is about to change.
Have you ever felt anything like that? A sort of growing sense of expectation? A looming anxiety of some unknown yet to come?
It’s weird because it doesn’t necessarily feel like a bad thing, just a big thing.
It may just be my usual run of the mill, end of year blues. The undeniable proof that time keeps marching on as the calendar year climbs one rung higher… but, you know … more optimistic. Times like this, I figure it’s never a bad idea to hedge my bets a bit and keep my finger on what’s expected to come down the pike.
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In Sheena Taff’s last article for INVISION (page 30), she’s got us covered with a selection of showstopping styles she calls “a prediction of what’s to come … more crystal ball than timestamp.”
And our Big Survey (page 36) offers a little future proofing this year too by not only offering a snapshot of the rollercoaster that is the independent optical industry today, but what’s anticipated down the track with discussions of the use of AI in your businesses and where you envision the delivery of eyecare to be in 2050.
And I just realized that a rollercoaster is the perfect analogy for this feeling of anticipation I am experiencing … it’s the same feeling you have when the coaster’s car is slowly being pulled to the top of the track. That mix of fear and excitement — that heady combination of eagerness and dread — right before you crest the top and plummet over …
Well, hands up! I’ll see you on the other side.
Best wishes for your business,
Five Smart Tips From This Issue
- If there is one digital priority to add to your list for next year, it’s building your customer email database. Manager’s To Do, page 28
- Tele-optometry isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s been a lifesaver for ODs looking for better work-life balance without taking a hit to their incomes. Better Vision, page 33
- A feel-good story about a 45-year-old optical business and the couple that’s been there for every single one. Best of the Best, page 51
- Dr. Brianna Rhue shares her recipe for R.I.C.E. Delicious! Columns, page 53
- We’re getting uncomfortable … again. Benchmarks, page 56
