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Dr Holly shares her personal experience on business ownership, motherhood, marriage and divorce, and being resilient.
Business owners, leaders, and entrepeneurs, turning trials into triumphs, seeking and embracing success. Balancing business, family, faith, health/fitness, and, aligning with values, purpose, and vision. To promote healthy leaders leading healthy organizations.
Todd Halls 0:01
Hello, welcome to Why not me? In life, we faced many trials and obstacles, many challenges in the thick of it, we can be tempted to think, Why me, but every obstacle presents an opportunity and every trial can bring trial. So I want to encourage you to adapt a mindset of why not me? When we're in the middle of it when things are tough look around and think, why not me? It's, it's happening for a purpose. And then when success is at your doorstep, and all you have to do is open it. You may find yourself hesitating questioning, is this for me? Do I deserve this? And I want to encourage you to adopt a mindset of why not me? Throw the door open wide shout to the world. Why not me? Embrace your success. I'm your coach Todd halls. I'm grateful to have you on this journey. Welcome to why not? Hello, hello. Welcome to why not me turning trials into triumph seeking and embracing success. Coach Todd halls here and I am so grateful that you tuned in today. Thank you. I'm super excited. Excuse me, super excited for our guest today. With me is Dr. Holly Fisher Britt. And I think you're just you're gonna be amazed. Holly is an entrepreneur, a mom or grandma, a wife, a business owner, a doctor. And I just can't wait for her to share with us. So with that, I'm gonna ask Dr. Holly just to fill in some of the blanks that she maybe wants you to know. So what else would you like our listeners to know about?
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 1:37
Oh, my goodness. Okay. So I've been in practice about? Well, it'll be 30 years and 2022. As a doctor of optometry, I was about 25 When I graduated from Northeastern State University College of Optometry. And in that year, I also Well, I had gotten married two years prior, but I had a daughter then. So everybody in my class remembers how old my daughter is because of, you know, one of the first women in optometry of my optometry school 30 years ago to have a child, you know, in my fourth year, so which was not planned. So it was definitely God's choice for me to do that. But it ended up being perfect. Because after I graduated, when I was studying for different state boards, I was able to be home with her. And in that bonding time, is so important with mothers. Yeah, yeah. So yeah. And let's see, um, so since then, I have been married three times divorced, twice. And each, each challenge obviously has given me a new insight to not just myself, but the world around me and how it really operates. And, you know, I would say that my life is probably just a series of trials, you know, and, and probably not just accomplishments, but victories, you know. So, um, I don't know, I was raised by two working parents. And my mom was always working. My dad was a middle school math teacher. So of course, in those days, they didn't quite make enough money, you know, for moms to stay home. So I was lucky enough to be encouraged. And, and definitely provided for with two loving parents and who waited actually 13 years to have children. After they got married. It wasn't because they couldn't, I think it was because my mom had younger siblings that she was responsible for. So when they got married, it was just kind of like, it's a good way to get out of that response. That she didn't love my mom, my dad, they were highschool sweethearts and everything. But anyway, so I think it was wonderful having parents that were a little bit older than my friends. Sometimes embarrassing, you know, because they were maybe 10 years older than my friend's parents. And I felt like maybe they just didn't quite understand, you know, like so and so's parents, but it was absolutely a blessing in disguise. My dad was able to stay home with my sister and me. I have an older sister two and a half years older. And who just gave us great funfilled summers, you know, always had us on the bike trail Riverside. And actually just had us involved with a lot of sports. Of course, it was some of his board was there. Anyway, so it was great. You know, I had a great childhood grown up. And like I said, it was in Oklahoma, Tulsa, Oklahoma is where I was born and raised. I'm an Edison graduate. And, and then pretty much when I was just deciding what I wanted to do. They had open the culture crematory there in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, which was attached to the Indian Health Services for the need of the Native American Indians. So when that school opened, it was just, it was wonderful. They had just graduated a new class, and my chemistry teacher actually gave me an article about laser eye surgery. And it just intrigued me so much, that I was like, oh, would not be so cool to do laser eye surgery and get rid of people's glasses and contacts and all that. So even way back then, you know, it was just a series of, of influential people, of course, in your life that help you make decisions. And after discussing it with my parents, I decided, you know, optometry school, eight years, being an ophthalmologist would have been 13 years if you have to go to med school, and then, you know, do a residency in ophthalmology and then fellowship and all that for someone who wants to be a wife and a mother eventually, and I knew that eight years was a lot more tolerable. Understand. Yeah. So yeah.
Todd Halls 6:03
So when you're when your daughter was born, yeah, yeah. Time then as you were, as you were studying, and were able to really have that bonding time. Yeah. As as she grew up. How did how did you balance
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 6:17
it? I didn't, okay. Yeah, at all I say I'm, I'm probably a jack of all trades and a master of none. And it was a balancing act, because when she was about two years old, her dad and I separated. And so I had made the decision to move to Dallas to take a job, then, of course, it was higher pay was working for someone else. And after that year, I was very unhappy, because I felt like that I was not able to serve the patients in the capacity of which I had been educated. In other words, I wasn't allowed to dilate patients, you know. So my care was somewhat stymied, by expectations of what the owner wanted. And so I felt like if I'm ever going to be able to do this, I got to do it in my own, you know, and that's kind of been my mentality on my own. I just need to do it, just do it. Learn the lesson. I don't care how much my parents would tell me Don't Don't, don't don't. It's like, I'm probably the one that would have to do it and learn the lesson. And so I Yeah, so back to my daughter, it was, it was challenging, and there's no way that I could have done that if I didn't have the help of, you know, wonderful daycare provider, home daycare provider, you know, back then, there was no way I was going to put my daughter in daycare. You know, it's totally, that's, I guess that. So I had a wonderful neighbor that had a daughter about the same age, and she wanted Alona to be her daughter's playmate, and she was in Forgive me, Miss Melanie, if I forget, but I think she was a, an a&m grad and stay at home mom and just needed the challenge as well, you know, be able to take care of, of the girls together. So she dressed them alike, and taking different places and stuff, there's absolutely no way that I could have been a mother or a business owner, you know, doing everything that I was doing, because at the time to make the income, you know, I didn't have when I divorced, my husband, we, I had to make up that income. And of course, when you start a practice, there's little to no income, you know, because most of it goes to expenses and stuff until you build up your practice. So I was working seven days a week, I would, you know, Moonlight, so to speak at commercial places in Dallas. And of course, back then even knowing then, what I didn't know, before, when I first started, in practice, I didn't really realize that if I worked for somebody else, there might be a different, there might be a different type of situation. You know, looking back now, I probably took every hard road you could take every hard drive you could take. I often said I could tell people what not to do. You know, as opposed to telling them how to do it, you know? Yeah, as far as emulating what I did.
Todd Halls 9:21
But as you look back, you I guess, would you change anything? So as I look back in my role I've also known to take the hard way. So what would you do? What would you different?
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 9:36
So of course, in my line of work, it's really easy to say that Hindsight is 2020. Now, what I've learned is that Hindsight is truly 2015 You know, which is better than 2020. But the problem with that is that, you know, in order to have that insight You have to go through it. So it's not even fair, you know, to say, Oh, I wish I wouldn't have gone through that. Because if you dwell on that, then you're living in the past, you know, you're not able to move forward. And, and, and, you know, kind of embrace exactly what you learned, you know, from those experiences. So, yeah, I mean, my life would have been a little bit easier if I would have picked number one, right has been from the beginning, not third dimestore. But, you know, I think in the end, it's, did you finally get it right? Or do you finally, you know, do you finally, get to a point where you make peace with the past mistakes, or the past choices that may have taken you down a seven year road of just sheer hell and, you know, all that, which, you know, I did go down to, you know, so, but it all comes back to, you know, how is that going to turn around and make your life better going forward? You know, because without that, you just, you know, you don't really appreciate where you've come, you know,
Todd Halls 11:11
in the moment, and, um, can I ask you about the book being in the moment or after the moment? Like, how did you? How did it affect you your view of yourself, like, when you look in the mirror? Yeah, and then how did you process?
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 11:29
Um, well, my first divorce, um, I literally, was in college and had been dating a guy for about four years. And, you know, I was 23, and probably just ready to get married. And he was going to pharmacy school. And so of course, it was always his thought, well, we'll get married after we better get out of school and you know, your mind your heart, your hormones tell you definitely. Um, so here's the intervention of um, I literally went on a date with a guy did not know that went on a double date with a friend of mine and her boyfriend. And they said, Just come with us come to dinner, you know, whatever you that way. He's not third wheel and Okay, fine. You know, so I went out to dinner. And literally, I fell in love with this guy. I've never No, never met, he was from a totally different part of the nation. You know, he was from the north west, Native American, Indian, Colville, Indian naval CB. So he was still in the Navy. And I fell head over heels in love with him. And so of course, I broke up with the boyfriend and realizing, you know, I am just head over heels for this guy. I just can't continue this. Listen, I met him in May and eloped and married him in August. So when I called my mother, I said, mom, and I said, Are you sitting down and she goes as low as you can get them on the floor. And I said, you know, oh, and it chokes me up thinking about it, because she knew I was head over heels for him, that I was just gonna throw it all away. My dad gets on the phone and says, Well, are you going to go back to optometry school? You know, that's all he's ever thinking, you know, well, you can fit in here. So it was my summer between my second and third year of optometry school. And, yes, I'm going to go back, he's going to finish his tour, and then he'll move to you know where I was, and that is what happened. But by the time he moved down to your, about a year and a half later, I was pregnant, you know, so we've really only lived together two and a half years of our five year marriage, but into that he was a wonderful dad the first year. But he his path was not really cut out to be a stay at home dad and for me to be the doctor, you know. Um, so we decided to put the my daughter in, and daycare at first. And at a church daycare, we're very happy with it. But he being a navy Seabee it was kind of a natural progression for him to work for Home Depot. I don't want to throw anybody under the bus. But so we started having problems in our marriage. And and I really thought that it was, maybe you know, alcohol, just raising its ugly head and all that. But no, that's not what it was. He was cheating on me. But it took me getting him to move out of the house and getting away from this situation for me to figure out what it happened. And so it was just really eye opening when I have one of his colleagues or co workers come in for an eye exam. And she said, I'm so sorry, Holly and I had no idea that you all were having problems and that girl was just not worth losing his marriage ever. And I looked at her and I said What are you talking? And she gave, you didn't know. So literally, she told me and she knew the person that he was having an affair with and everything. So I knew something was wrong. But I wasn't ready to throw a marriage and just say, Hey, get out, and we're divorcing and all that. I mean, I loved him. I loved him, you know. And it's that kind of love, which, you know, you're supposed to have, you know, huge now you're supposed to have that was just God, given my mom told me, you can be a doctor and you can marry whoever you want to marry, then you don't have to depend on a man to support you. Right? So I took that to heart. So I did I married the naval CV, but, you know, he got to have a navy, but maybe the Navy didn't get out of him, you know, some of the old ways. Sure. So, um, I look back, and I land on it now, but so painful, you know, and it definitely drove my next decisions, you know, for many years. So jump forward, you know, after we went ahead, and, and, and I divorced him, because I just couldn't forgive him. Sure. It was just something that at first he was denying, denying, denying, and he had no remorse, you know, and to me, that tells a lot about a character, that if you have no remorse, then how in the world can you forgive somebody. So I carried that around a long time. And when my daughter was about four, four and a half,
I was somewhere in my 10 year reunion for high school. And I was back to my 10 year reunion met back up with a guy that we were just friends in high school, and, and he just kept calling me, you know, I really, I just want to date, you can just go, and he was just charming. And I remember him as being just precious, charming, you know, so, um, started dating him long distance, and at the time, he was living in West Palm Beach. And he worked for the PGA of America. For he did PR for golfers for PGA of America. And at the time, he was looking forward to a new change in his life, you know, as far as maybe a new career, and well, actually, I take that back, he had worked for the PGA of America, and whenever the Golden Bear, so he was working for Jack Nicklaus production, or the, you know, the Golden Bear. And so did PR and all that. After he had been there a few years, he was just kind of looking for the next thing. And of course, Dallas was where I was in, which was another big, you know, place as far as sports management and all that kind of stuff. So he moved to Dallas, we got married, and he found out that I wasn't, well, cheerleader Holly anyway, you know, I mean, I was a very driven human being, maybe his thoughts of marriage would change, he, you know, figured at some time, I could just stay home, and, you know, he could work and all that, but I was helping him, you know, at some point, start his own company, and it just didn't work out. You know, I mean, and, and I think expectations, there is everything. We're married seven years, we do have a son from that marriage. And I always felt like, it was pretty much my son, your daughter, you know, which was very hurtful for me. And it kind of remained that way. You know, my daughter has always been a sticking point for him, even as she's an adult, you know, kind of intervening in his son's life. It's just kind of stuck that way. But it was very, it was a very ugly, divorce and, you know, very, very contentious, you know, as far as the custody battle like that, and yes, when you go back to how did those things shape you and the divorce and all that I was terrible mother. I mean, that's pretty much even though I was good mom. And, you know, I believe in making sure that your children have every opportunity. But he used the fact that I had my own business and was career oriented against me, and tried to say that I was, you know, not there, so to speak, even though I was the person that was, you know, providing the nanny, you know, when I couldn't be there, I was rearranging even though I'm the person that built my practice two blocks away from our home, you know, so it would be more convenient for me to be home with the children over lunchtime and all that kind of stuff. So, you know, I mean, it's just hurt feelings make you do things that perhaps your your character wasn't really meant to do, you know? Sure. Um, and when I say that, I mean, I don't think he's necessarily an evil person. But I think perhaps he was so hurt that, you know, for whatever reason, maybe Be the letdown. You know, I always say if you manage your expectations, then things don't hurt so bad, right. And the thing is, is that, you know, when you're when you're growing up as kids, and you know each other, and here, I was really happy and spirited and all that kind of stuff, I always got most spirited, you know, every year in high school, you know, the most spirited award of the class or whatever, that when you're an adult, and you realize they're not always that cheery, you know, really living with somebody and knowing who they are, you know, day to day, you know, makes me just alone, you know, and probably after I had Chase, our son went through terrible postpartum depression, you know, and I was anemic, and why wouldn't I have it? Although I would have never said that. And I would have never admitted it, you know, but at some point, you know, you just, you just move on, you know, it was easier for me to do that, than to constantly have to deal with somebody who had expectations up here of me that I wasn't meeting up to their expectations. You know, he didn't understand any of how my brain thought he was very scheduled, I could take a month out and still not know, you know, when he had days off, or that I wanted to get up. And that annoyed him. I mean, it was just very hard for him, you know, to probably deal with my more creative brain versus,
versus his brain. Yeah. So it's just difficult. You know, but yeah, when I look in the mirror, I still think I'm a great parent, but I still have the beat down, you know, because he used to write five page emails about how, um, you know, this, and that, and your parenting style, and data and all this kind of stuff. And so, at some point, you know, and he did that often in our marriage, too. So it was just kind of, you know, personal stuff that he would attack that it's like, that's not even flying, you know, it's just like, things you can't control, you know, that he just kind of, I don't know. So that was hard. I didn't really mean to invite that into my life. But I did. And for some reason, I had to get through it. I think it did make me a stronger person. But it also really, really love made me love and pauper that him. You know? Because he, you know, what a difference. Yeah, man. Yeah. So, thank you. Yeah, so I still see those things. Absolutely. In our hearts, you know, but you just got to remember, it's one person's opinion. You know, that's not everybody's thing in and a lot of people see it differently. And, and it's okay to let go of those things. You know, this is hard.
Todd Halls 22:54
Sure. Sure. Oh, as long as you're saying this, resilience is the word that keeps coming to mind.
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 23:01
Like persistence, resilience. I mean, it's just, you have to have the willingness to, you know, to look at it, honestly, and say, Hey, maybe this isn't about me. You know, maybe what all is happening here isn't? Maybe, and what's happening to me, and you know, all that maybe it's about, not just the lessons that we're supposed to learn, but it's about the lessons that other people first to learn, you know, going through all this, my son's learned a lot, you know, and all this process, he's 21 and still lives with me. And I think it it just, you know, if you put it in perspective, as you know, it's, it's not just the trial and tribulation that you go through. It's the entire let's just say that whole drama, you know, that people grow insight from and, and, you know, and it makes you realize later, you know, why were you spinning your wheels like that, you know, yeah, I mean, you know, the custody battle, I'll go back to that. It was always just tip for tat. Why? Why, you know, the child is the most important thing, then, you know, why are you doing Why are you doing it? That's just not even spiritually Correct. You know, number one to make anybody feel like or a child specifically feel like they have to be with one or another parent. You know, me because they want to be with both right? So it's just hard you know, to go through all that and then come out and go oh, you know, what did I do that messed them up? Oh, my gosh, what did I do to make them you know, this way or whatever? Yeah, yeah. So anyway,
Todd Halls 24:54
well, and but through all that, you obviously maintain built a relationship with both your children. Oh, yes. And let's call it
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 25:05
and another child Paul's daughter. Yeah, she was three when we started dating and four when we got married, and she calls me mom. Yeah. So, um, you know, I have to be reminded of that she, on her phone. And on her phone, her birth mother's personal, even though she has a relationship that we have to kind of force that, you know, just because it is important. You know, I still say, kids need to know, their parents, despite their words, you know, or kids need to know their parents faults and all, you know, just really important. So, but anyway, never easy. My biggest question is, okay, why can I only? Oh, yes. Right. But, um, you know, it is all God's plan, you know, and that's what I come back to? No, it wasn't his plan that I would be divorced twice and married three times. But it was his plan for me to come through and be able to be Victor, you know, kind of come through and, and realize that life isn't easy. I mean, it's not easy for any of us, it doesn't matter if you're sick, you know, you have a health issue of, if you're dealing with a family member that you're supporting that has a health issue, or if it's your own trauma, if it's your own past trauma. I mean, we all have something everybody does, yeah, we all have something. So it's not always just the the things that we have in common that hold us together. Sometimes it's just that the common principles, you know, of what, you know, what we're all learning and where we're going.
Todd Halls 26:51
So in addition to being a mom, and going through divorce, and remarriage, you've managed to maintain this practice and build
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 27:03
Yes, yes, a business. Yes. And I tell people every day, I don't have really, really close friends. Now, I really haven't. I think my closest friends or my best relationships have always been my patients. I mean, I know, that's very sad to say, but, um, but I worked so hard, you know, so long, and certainly poured my heart and soul, you know, into my patients and my practice and all that, that it is kind of a joke, you know, my best relationships are those that I have for about 1530 minutes, you know, but then to the patients that, you know, they, they really do reciprocate the care, you know, it really does. Even though it's a patient service, you know, even though I'm providing them with a service, there's something in my soul, you know, that also needs to have somebody to give that service, you know, they're providing me also with the uplifting strength. You know, when I feel competent, and happy, and like, I'm successful, you know, even if it's one patient at a time, you know, sometimes I do have to step back and look outside the building and go, Oh, my gosh, you know, which I never could have done if it weren't for my mom's investment, you know, been made financially. And I tell everybody that you know, the difference, what did you do all this, the difference between me and somebody who doesn't, is number one opportunity, you know, financial support is another one. And then the persistence, you know, that's a opportunity, persistence and financial support of some kind, you know, even if it's just the seedling. So I think when people talk about privilege, you know, it has nothing to do. And my opinion about this or something else, I mean, it has to do with dues are all those things and importance. In other words, a college student that has nothing, you know, very poor come comes from a poor upbringing, I still say they're privileged if they have that financial support, you know, whether it's a government loan or a grant or Pell Grant or something like that. You know, certainly if they have, you know, the opportunity, I mean, and other words, they were chosen because they've made great grades and, and all that kind of stuff, they're still not going to do it unless they have the persistence. So I still feel like you have to have all three components to be able to accomplish, you know, what, whatever it is that you want to do.
Todd Halls 29:43
So as you you said that your mom invested in you.
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 29:48
Obviously write down and, and my education is as well.
Todd Halls 29:52
Let's read the fourth component and that's that somebody believed in you. Well, for sure
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 29:57
that he's you have to have people people that believe in you. So somebody in your corner or somebody that, you know, goes, yes, you're, you're going in the right direction, or, you know, like, in my case, patients that are like, you will just do such a great job, I'm going to come back every year, you know, something like that, because that does give you literally the nudge that you need to just keep going, just keep going. They don't give you that persistence, you know, so whatever it is that's driving that persistence, um, you know, it is really important. So lately,
Todd Halls 30:28
so I, thinking of my son, who's 15. And I just, you know, the question comes to mind right now, do I demonstrate that belief enough? And how am I setting him up? For that level of success? So just, yeah, it's just a reminder to be conscious of our words, and how we're how we're speaking into Sure, our children or our friends, or those around us, or spouses,
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 30:58
whatever, and that's something you can always look back and go, Oh, I could have done a little bit. I mean, my mom had high expectations, she would think that my math teacher, Dad would be the one with higher expectation is like, see, that's fine. I see your average. And I'm like, I'm, you know, that would make me want to excel even more. But really, it was my mother that had high expectations. Now you need an A, we bring home A's, we don't bring home a C, we don't you know, B is just if you can't make a DA but I'm pretty sure you can make the A. So for sure, it is what, what your parents drive you, you know, but I think we you know, as a society, we didn't need to talk about those things. You know, in my parents generation, it was pretty much you know, I mean, you just do what you can to survive, right? I mean, even even the way we are now, you know, regarding people in general, you know, I won't go down that road, but, um, you know, it used to be that people would just kind of make up for other people's, let's just say, inadequacies, you know, oh, your ankles, you know, what you want to say, is your uncle's drunk, and we just don't have anything to do with them or whatever. But used to be, they would just kind of make up for that, you know, for family. So, I mean, it's kind of like the old Barney Fife thing. You know, the town drunk would just go into this, the jail cell and put himself in there, you know, nobody tried it. And over it, you know, nobody said, Oh, you're such a drunk. And you know, and in society, you're worthless and stuff like that. I think we've come to a society where we're so hyper critical, you know, that anything that you do, um, you know, less than the best is looked upon as inferior or, you know, even though everybody's failures or sins, or, you know, human. Yeah. And I think with my kids, I was far too hard. My daughter, you know, where maybe my mom could have gotten away with saying a few things to me. And it's like, no, we can't get away with saying that anymore. Or, you know, my expectations then saying to my daughter, for example, Elana, you can make a, that's all we make, we don't make B, we made Linksys, you make a well, and then hearing her teacher, her fourth grade teacher say Elana could be a straight A student, if she wanted to be, you know, so it made a huge imprint on me. Even back then, because she's almost 30 Now, so you can imagine years and years ago, you know, it was just like, there's another show. You know, what, what do you mean? If she wants to? Why wouldn't you want to, you know, but by then kids in the 90s, you know, was just kind of, uh, well, I'm gonna do what I want to do. You know, it's not what I need to do. I'm gonna do what feels good to me or what I want to do. So if I don't want to make an a, you know, it is what it is. And parents, you're just supposed to, you know, accept it. And so for me, I think it was very hard for me, you know, because I'm pretty much black and white. You know, you're supposed to do good. You're not supposed to do evil, right? You're supposed to follow this path. You're not supposed to follow that path. But I have a free spirit daughter, you know, yeah. And so I think it was difficult. I really do. And then my next child who was eight years difference right? So on I was eight when Chase was born.
You know, even though I still felt like you know, I needed to do train him exactly the way he's supposed to go and not accept anything. He was a little different. He wanted to Excel, you know, he had that, where he didn't want to make a beat, you know, if he was going to make an A, that's, I mean, that's because he wanted to do it. So I was lucky in that regard. But when he started telling me, probably 11th grade, um, I really just want to be done with high school. And that was a little hard for me. So we had to find an alternative way for him to graduate early, which we did. And then so he immediately, you know, start taking some college courses. And then all of a sudden, you know, I haven't been with a life coach, life coach, listen to me. Yes, she was she, anyway, I love her. Her daughter is as an up and coming country music star. But beside the point, she started working with my son to try and get, you know, out of him, what his strengths. So she's history was kept. She's a PhD and a strength coach on Gallup, data, winter, all that cool. So then he turns it on man says, You need to take the Gallup strengths. Like, so sure. Now, if I'm that one that's like, dead set in our ways, you know, I'm just very, you know, I just believe what I believe and service oriented, all that kind of stuff that you would expect people pleaser, you know, all that. And so it did my soul a lot of good knowing that I had some of that and Chase, you know, sure, but not all. So when he told me that he didn't want to go to college, and in fact, just wanted to be a music producer. It was a little hard for me, you know, but at the same time, Todd, I believe in him. And then when I started hearing some of this stuff, and I've and I've got this kid and music and art since he was little, so he started, let's say, early early. I'm doing piano and theory learn, you know, writing music theory, lessons, all that then he did voice lessons. And then I had him and drums because he wanted to do drums. And then he got into cello, you know, for a few years. And then in high school, he didn't want to be a band geek or no door, you know? So it's like, Okay, fine. But for me to realize that all of a sudden, now he wants to go into music. That didn't make any sense. I was like, No way. What are you talking about? You just can't do music. But then all of a sudden, I start hearing some of the stuff he's doing. And that's like, his greatest fan. His biggest fan? Yeah.
Todd Halls 37:35
So it makes sense to me that, that he did that just from our conversation. Earlier, you mentioned you've got you've got a creative brain. Yes, just channel you channel, you're primarily to business and entrepreneurship. So he also has the creativity, absolutely. It's just expressing it
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 37:52
correct. And it was this life experiences, like a breakup with a girl, and, you know, how music was very helpful to him, you know, getting through all that and, and just made him realize that he just kind of had a passion, you know, for something. And, yeah, so that's
Todd Halls 38:12
awesome that he has to use that giftedness, yes. And express it.
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 38:17
And he has parents that believe in that kind of sub financially supportive care. Exactly.
Todd Halls 38:26
As you as you think back on the years in business, what are some, like, one or two tips you would give on running a business late, like words of wisdom?
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 38:44
And you would think that I have been asked that many times before. And in some regards, I'd have been in business and in general, you know, no matter what business that you're in, you have to have a mission statement. I mean, you have to have a core belief. And why are you doing this? You know, because if you don't believe that, and know why you're doing that, then nobody else you know, who is your patron, your client, your patient, nobody else is going to believe it. If you don't fully hang on your core value, your mission statement, your belief system in place, from the front of your door to the back of your door, then, no matter what, I don't think you'd ever be successful. That's just my opinion. Yeah. I mean, you know, there might be people in business that aren't passionate or understand or believe in what they're doing, but I don't think that you would ever expect for them, you know, to be successful on what they do. So to me, that's one and I think probably the other and it may have to do with the first one too is you have to have boundaries. You know, boundaries are very variable. important in business, just simply because you'll hear as a business owner. Oh, the customer's always right. customer's always right. You know, Todd, the customer's always right, you know? Well, in my business patients are not always right. They're not. And if they buy stuff from us, that still doesn't make them right, you know, in some cases, so you have to have boundaries. You know, you can't be too good friends, with your patients, because that kind of crosses a boundary. Um, and, you know, I just think that it's, it's really important, you know, to have your boundaries in business. And, yes, we're willing to do this, because, number one, we can't be in business for total lungs, you know, I mean, I'd love to give my services away. And for 1520 years I did to Lions Club, you know, I was so just honored to receive the Helen Keller award, you know, for my Lions Club and Rolette, for the years of service that I provided for, for kids, you know, through the Lions Club, and we've set up, you know, for adults that couldn't afford or whatever, back then there weren't a whole lot of services, you know, that would help with I care with antigen or, you know, needy people. So, um, but you have to have boundaries, because at some point, you can't just give and give and get good, you know, because then all of a sudden, you're taking off your workdays, you know, that you're supposed to be supporting your team and your staff, and, and well, that, and you're, you're now being asked to go and give all your services during the workweek, you know, instead of just Saturday morning at the, at the middle school. And so I think that it's healthy, you know, as you grow as a CEO, or a CFO, or, you know, President of your company, whatever, that it's important to have those boundaries, you know. So, I don't know,
Todd Halls 41:59
some kind of things resonate on both of those. Was those points? The, the having the mission statement in that, why be clear, and making sure that your team also also gets it correct. And guess how they're how they contribute to that. So connecting the dots like, Oh, I'm doing, I'm doing, I'm making the coffee for the for the group. And it matters because or whatever it is, but connecting it to the overall extract on board. And the boundaries is, I mean, we could spend days just on boundaries, as a, as a business owner for 20 plus years as well. Just the personal boundaries, like Yeah, work will work with all of everything, if you let it turn to keep the monitors but also, to your point, like how much because I think most entrepreneurs, most business owners I've met have a heart to serve and to give us so easy to find yourself. Yeah. And I champion that it's great to do so. But same time, commerce still has to happen, or there won't be any opportunities to serve. So thank you for
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 43:03
Yeah, I think it was a very mentioned Enlightener when my daughter was little, and I say little, maybe she was around 10 or so. Maybe she was younger. But anyway, it was something that she was doing. And she was asking for something I said, I will I will do it. When I get home. I got to see this patients, you know, we'll see in a little bit, you know, whatever it was moment. You love your patients more than you love me. Oh, that'd be tough. And it was just like, wow. I know you don't mean them. But that's what your theme. Right? So I mean, that one just kind of No, I don't you know, it's just a thing. You have to step back and you have to go Oracle. So you're right. I mean, the boundary issue is huge. Um, yeah. Because it affects everything. It affects your relationships on every front. Yeah. So yeah, absolutely.
Todd Halls 44:02
So as we as we get ready to wrap this up, we're, we're first week in November right now. So we have two months left and 21 going into 22. If you were to offer up a question like what should we be thinking about what's your listeners be asking themselves as we look ahead to the coming year?
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 44:24
Oh, my goodness. Okay. Well, I mean, it gets to this point, I'm start going well, in my business that's all about you know, we have patients that procrastinators they may have been due in July for their eye examinations and guess what, because it cohmad or whatever's happened, they put everything off, you know, and so here we're going to get slammed in December with all sorts of calls, you know, saying hey, I want to get in but my benefits are out at the end of the year and it's like Dr. Grits already scheduled out six weeks, you know, so I already can foresee you know that we're going to have that. So I think it's, it's being able to be prepared at the end of the year is going to bring me now. And of course, people in business depending on what business I mean, you know, you also have to worry about economical choices, you know, tax points, you know, in other words, you don't want so much inventory at the end of the year, that you're not going to be able to get rid of it, and then you have to pay taxes on it. So there's so many things, you know, at the end of the year that I look at, but right about now, I'm starting to compare my total, you know, year end to last year, or really the year before, because the last year was the COVID year, right. And so most healthcare providers, you know, went into the negative or, you know, certainly claim losses, you know, from the year before, just because of reduction in services and all that, that we couldn't provide for so long. Um, but also, you know, how is 2022 going to get you closer to where you want to be, you know, like, 30 years since, and service for me, you know, so I started telling my office manager, maybe I want to start sharing that I want to start return with my patients, which I haven't done, you know, I know people know that my husband, backpackers and Gulf Breeze and I spent half my time here and ag my dine there, and, and it works out really well taught the way that it is now. Because I can do my business as well as help Paul's business while I'm here. And then when I'm on where my business is, I can concentrate on patient care, which I love, you know, um, but how long do I want to keep doing that? I'm just not sure. So I think at the end of each year, even even if I go another five years, just doing this exact same thing, and you just need to kind of revisit your goals, you know, your personal goals, your family goals, you know, and looking at our parents as they age, you know, what are my parents needs going to be in the next year? What are you know, my kids needs, I have one that's graduated Colorado State, My middle child. And of course, she wanted to be a vet when she started, but now she wants to go into research and be a PhD or whatever. But, um, you know, so what are what's going to happen there? She's graduating in May of 2022. So, you know, what are we going to be doing there? Sure. But, you know, for business, it really is for me? Where are we going to be? You know, do we need to add more? Or different services? Do I need to provide other things I'm getting into my older patients now where they've aged with me over 30 years? And so some of them actually have, you know, debilitating vision changes? Do we need to start adding low vision, you know, to our practice, do we need to start, you know, adding maybe more support groups, you know, for macular degeneration, glaucoma and stuff like that, because there's only so much you can do for prevention, and then, you know, people start losing some things, Vision wise, and it makes them feel debilitated in other areas that are annoying. Sure. So, um, you know, what do we need to start looking for there? I have another ophthalmology group that at least this space for me, I need to know, in this next year if they're going to stay another five years. Yeah. So I think more or less, it's, it's end of the year budgeting stuff. You know, where are we? And where do we want to go? Man, it's just like everybody's New Year's goal. Yeah.
Todd Halls 48:46
Yeah. Taking the time to write in general. About Yes. Forming the plan, setting some grades and right. And then but also reflecting like, yeah, are we on fat girl?
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 48:56
Well, am I tell you in the age of COVID, he may not any of us optometrists ever thought that 2020 and the year of 2020, would literally go from oh my gosh, it's our year 2020. He doesn't want to 2020 vision in 2020 to a devastating COVID. Year, which that year of 2020, all of a sudden became less about, you know, what our eye vision is, and more about what our long term vision is, you know, emotionally physically, and psychologically, you know, what is the long 2020 Because, you know, not just in business, but and in our country, you know, and so many things. You know, that 2020 site, all of a sudden became something totally different. Yeah. So, yeah.
Todd Halls 49:54
Cool. Thanks for sharing. Absolutely. For listeners that may want to contact you. Oh, Well, if you're okay, sure how
Dr. Holly Fischer Britt 50:03
that would be Dr. Holly Fisher britt@gmail.com That would be Dr. Holly FIA sh er, br itt@gmail.com Perfect. Or you can visit my website at WWW dot Rockwell and I care that's rock wall as in a rock wall. I care.com.
Todd Halls 50:23
Awesome. Holly. Dr. Holly, thank you so much. Time is precious. I consider this truly a gift. So thank you so much. listeners. Thank you for tuning in. Your time was also precious so I value you listening. Remember, whatever dreams you have, whatever grand vision God has placed on your heart, you can until next time, peace to you. Well, thank you so much for listening. For even more on turning trials into triumphs and seeking and embracing success. Go to Todd halls dot life. That's Todd halls, dot life. And I look forward to serving you. Until next time, be strong, be bold, be humble. Stay healthy, stay hopeful. Peace to you.