Gina Wesley, OD: The Private-Pay Playbook Behind Complete Eye Care of Medina

## Episode summary

Dr. Gina Wesley opened Complete Eye Care of Medina in 2008, right as the housing crash was reshaping the economy. Her approach was not to copy the default practice template. She built around a strong point of view: make the care experience clearer, easier, and more intentional.

In this conversation, Gina and Ankit dig into the practical choices behind that growth: early daily disposable contact lens adoption, partner selection, the cost of low-value vision plans, and the in-house membership plan that grew from an idea she saw at her dentist office.

## What you will learn

- Why a cold start in 2008 forced sharper thinking instead of cautious waiting.
- How Gina used daily disposable contact lenses as an early clinical differentiator.
- Why partner selection became one of her core growth pillars.
- How a private-pay membership model helped replace vision-plan friction.
- Why simplifying the plan mix can reduce admin drag and clarify value.

## Best for

Independent optometry owners who are weighing vision-plan dependence, private-pay strategy, contact lens differentiation, and how to make a single-location practice feel more intentional.

Show Notes

Dr. Gina Wesley cold-started Complete Eye Care of Medina in 2008 and built the practice around a clear point of view: design the care experience instead of copying the default. In this episode, she talks with Ankit about early daily disposable contact lens adoption, choosing the right partners, and why she moved away from low-value vision plans. She also explains how an idea from her own dentist inspired an in-house membership plan that reduced admin drag and gave private-pay exams a clearer value story.

What is Optometrists Building Empires?

Welcome to Optometrists Building Empires! Each week, host Ankit Patel, explores the journey of practice ownership and leadership in optometry with some of the top minds in his field. This show is sponsored by My Business Care Team: We help increase revenue, reduce costs, and reduce staffing headaches. Let's build your empire together!