“A goal without a plan is just a dream.” I love this quote because it’s simple, a little blunt and very true. You can have the biggest career goals in the world, but without a plan, they’re just wishes. Career growth doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built through intentional choices, relationships, learning and being willing to step outside your comfort zone. Here are a few choices that have helped me along the way. Start With the Goal, Then Build the Plan First, figure out where you want to go. Do you want to move into leadership? Become a subject-matter expert? Change industries? Increase your earning potential? Have fewer 10 pm emails? These are all valid goals. Once you know the destination, work backward. What skills do you need? What experience? Who should you know? What education or opportunities could help you achieve this? Break the big goal into smaller, measurable steps. A five-year goal can feel overwhelming. A goal for this quarter feels much more manageable. And most importantly, put your plans and actions on your calendar. A goal that never makes it onto your to-do list is probably going to stay a goal. Schedule your success. Build Your Network, Inside and Outside Your Organization Networking isn't just cocktail hours and collecting business cards. Some of the most valuable relationships you can build are already sitting inside your organization. Get to know people outside your immediate team. Learn their roles, understand how their work connects to yours, and build relationships before you need them. Take that mindset outside your organization. Industry events, conferences, professional organizations (shoutout to the OWA!) and LinkedIn can introduce you to people who challenge your thinking and open doors you didn't know existed. You don't need 5,000 connections. You need people who know your strengths, trust you and think of you when an opportunity comes along. Find Mentors and Be One Find people who are where you want to be and ask them how they got there. More importantly, find people who will tell you the truth. And, as you grow, become that person for someone else. Career advancement isn't a ladder that requires you to kick everyone below you off the rungs. There is plenty of room to bring people with you. Raise Your Hand and Never Stop Learning Some of the biggest career opportunities come from projects that may feel just slightly above your current skill level. Volunteer for the presentation. Take on the complicated project. Ask to join the meeting. Lead something new. You don't have to know exactly how to do everything before you say yes. Sometimes the better question is, “Can I learn how to do it?” Challenge yourself, take smart risks and remember that being uncomfortable isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes discomfort is just growth wearing a disguise. Keep the Receipts and Build Your Brand Don't wait until your annual review to remember everything you've accomplished. Track your wins. Save positive feedback. Document projects, revenue growth, new business, problems you've solved and responsibilities you've owned. Your resume tells people what you've done. Your reputation tells people what they can expect from you. Build your brand. Do good work. Follow through. Communicate. Be someone people trust. And remember: your career plan isn't written in permanent ink. Goals change, opportunities appear, and sometimes the path you never expected turns out to be the one that gets you exactly where you need to go. Set the goal. Make the plan. Build relationships. Keep learning. Raise your hand. And don't forget to enjoy the journey. Article written by Lindsay Romah

There’s more than one way to experience the Optical Women’s Association, and joining a committee is a great way to make your membership even more meaningful. In our latest video, OWA committee members share what their committees do, how they contribute to the organization, and the many ways members can get involved. It’s a chance to learn more about the work happening across OWA and discover where your interests, ideas, and talents could make a difference. Serving on a committee is also a great opportunity to build relationships, connect with fellow members, and play an active role in the OWA community. Ready to get more involved? Watch the video, find a committee that speaks to you, and take the next step in your OWA journey! Members, to join a committee, log in to the Members Only section, go to My Account and to the Committee Interest section to check a box for the committee you're interested in joining.

The Optical Women’s Association (OWA) marked an important milestone in its international expansion with START STRONG, powered by the OWA, held at SILMO Paris. The global connection breakfast brought optical professionals together for a morning focused on leadership, learning, and building meaningful relationships. The event reflected OWA’s commitment to creating an international community that supports women’s professional growth and success across the optical industry. A highlight was the In Focus program, which offered practical perspectives on maximizing the trade show experience. Barbara Hébert Motz of MOREL shared the exhibitor perspective, while Tamara Johnson of New Look Vision Group and Alessandra Germanetti of EssilorLuxottica Retail discussed how buyers set priorities, discover opportunities, and measure success. Opening remarks from SILMO President Amélie Morel helped set the tone for a morning centered on collaboration and connection. Beyond the educational sessions, START STRONG created opportunities for attendees to exchange ideas, meet OWA leaders, and develop relationships across roles, organizations, and borders. The enthusiasm at SILMO reinforced OWA’s belief that a stronger industry begins with people supporting and learning from one another. -Nancy Gries View the full hi-res gallery of Silmo 2026 photos here. SILMO is bigger than Expo, but more than that, it’s immersive. Curated brand spaces, hands-on experiences, innovation hubs, SILMO Talks, and a strong focus on sustainability make the show feel less about what’s new and more about what’s next. It also gave me a new appreciation for continuing education in the US. SILMO puts learning and connection front and center, from hands-on vendor experiences to START STRONG, the Most Influential Women in Optical luncheon, and my experience as an International Optician of the Year finalist. Seeing my OWA sisters there and meeting European colleagues made a huge industry feel surprisingly small. SILMO was overwhelming, electric, and unforgettable. From the SILMO d’Or awards to the relationships formed along the way, my biggest takeaway was community. Eye care may span oceans, but ultimately we all want the same thing: to help people see and feel their best. -Cira Collins View the full hi-res gallery of Silmo 2026 photos here. As I reflect on my second trip to SILMO, it felt different. This time, it was familiar enough that I could give others directions and guidance, which is saying something because the first visit can be overwhelming! My favorite part, as always, was reconnecting with old friends and meeting so many amazing women who are part of OWA’s growing international community. Then came the pinch-me moment: being named one of six finalists for the International Optician of the Year. I didn’t bring home the title or trophy, and you know what? That’s OK. Hearing Elaine Grisdale and Helen Whitaker explain how the finalists were selected helped me understand the significance of being recognized for a nearly 50-year career, and especially for my work raising awareness around elder vision care. That is what I will carry with me. That is the big win, and it will continue to be my WHY. Winning is the work, the passion, the relationships, the risks, the mentoring, the teaching, and all those years of choosing this profession. No trophy is required for me to understand what that means. -Karen Michaelson “The energy and willingness to connect that we saw at SILMO reinforced why this work matters. We want professionals across the world to feel that there is a community they can turn to for support, inspiration and opportunities to grow. START STRONG is an exciting part of that journey, and we look forward to building on this momentum.” -Nancy Gries As the OWA continues to develop its international community, initiatives such as START STRONG will help create more opportunities for members and prospective members to engage with the association, access leadership development and contribute to a more connected and inclusive optical industry.

What two decades in corporate law taught me about the courage to sit with an uncomfortable question, and why asking it honestly is already the first step. I was forty-five minutes into presenting what should have been the dream deal, worth $8.8 billion, when the thought showed up, uninvited: Is this really it? Not a crisis. No tears. Just a quiet question sitting in the middle of a meeting, ten years into a career I'd worked hard to build. I had the title, the seat at the table, every external marker of having made it. And still some part of me sat there doing the math on my own life and coming up short on an answer I couldn't quite name. I didn't say anything in that meeting. But the question didn't leave when I did. It got louder over the following days, a little more insistent each morning, until I couldn't ignore it anymore. I felt this pull to do something about it. The problem was that I had no idea what that 'something' was supposed to be. If you've felt some version of that, here's the part I wish someone had told me sooner: the pivot doesn't start when you finally know what's next. It starts the moment you let yourself sit with the question, instead of talking yourself out of it. That's it. That's the beginning. Not a plan, not a five-year strategy, not a new title picked out in advance. Just the willingness to ask, and to actually wait for the honest answer instead of the safe one. For years I believed in a myth that I think a lot of us in high-achieving careers quietly carry: that you need the new plan fully drawn before you're allowed to leave the old one. That having uncertainty means you're not ready. I don't think that's true anymore. I think it just means you're paying attention. The hard part comes right after. The second you admit the question is real, another voice shows up behind it. Did I waste all this time? Am I too old to start over? What does it mean if it wasn't right? That voice turns an honest question into a verdict. But what served you got you here with what you had at the time, inside a context and a whole list of shoulds you didn't choose. Making peace with that isn't admitting failure. It's recognizing you made good decisions with what you had then, and you're allowed to make different ones now. Nothing gets thrown away. The skills transfer. Even the parts of yourself you're ready to stop performing taught you something you'll carry forward. Some of that confusion comes from building our identity around what we do instead of who we are, until the two blur together. Sitting with the question honestly is what finally got me to start separating them. It didn't hand me the answer, though. That part came later, and differently than I expected. Deep in that process, I fell into the exact trap I'm describing here, pushing myself to know exactly where I was pivoting to before I let myself move. No answer came. So, I tried something different. I made a quiet commitment to stop staying in my own head and my own shell; to broaden my perception of what was possible, stay open to the opportunities around me, and start saying yes, on purpose, to things I couldn't fully explain yet. Not long after, a friend invited me to a coaching conference in Los Angeles. I barely knew the woman running it. I just said yes, because that was the deal I'd made with myself. The moment I sat down and started talking with the other people in that room, something within me shifted. The conversations went deep fast, and pieces of my own past, things I'd done years earlier without knowing why, suddenly connected to what was happening around me. In hindsight it looked obvious. A week earlier, it hadn't been. That's when I understood something I hadn't expected: clarity doesn't usually arrive from sitting and thinking harder about it. Mine came from surrender, from staying open to trying something new, saying yes, and letting one thing lead to another. Even now, years into coaching, I'm still finding new pieces of it, new people I want to serve. The clarity keeps showing up in motion. It never once showed up in advance. Knowing what I wanted came fifteen years into practicing law. I still haven't fully landed it, and some days I think that's the wrong thing to even wait for. I still practice law today, and I've also made space for coaching, refining what I offer and who I'm meant to serve as I go. But every time I sit across from a client, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, and when I see what shifts for them, that's the impact I always wanted to have. Careers, I've learned, were never meant to be a frozen picture. They should keep reflecting who you're becoming. If I could offer one thing to another woman sitting in her own version of that conference room, it would be this: you don't need the plan before you're allowed to begin. You need the courage to ask the question honestly, and to let the answer be true, even when it's inconvenient. I'm still refining mine. Where are you at in finding yours? Written by: Patrícia Pinheiro

The Optical Women’s Association knows how to stop the scroll. From celebrating standout members to spotlighting leadership and moments that matter, OWA’s top social media posts capture the energy, impact, and community at the heart of the organization. In this post, we’re rounding up some of OWA’s most engaging social moments—and why they struck a chord. Here are the top-performing posts across each platform for the second quarter of 2026, created by the OWA Digital Marketing Committee. Meet Reagan! 💁🏼‍♀️ Reagan Colpitts is the Sales Director for North America at Pair Eyewear and has been involved with OWA since 2020 💕 Reagan is full of knowledge in the optical industry and her peers say she is “smart, encouraging, trustworthy, and the person everyone turns to for answers" —and we think so, too! 🤓🤝💖 Thank you for all you do, Reagan! Congratulations to OWA International Expansion Committee member Danielle Martin. 👏 She's been named a "Rising Star" in the inaugural European Edition of the Most Influential Women in Optical with Vision Monday Magazine and 20/20 EUROPE 👏 As an active committee member, she is instrumental in helping the OWA expand its global presence. We are proud to recognize her contributions and are excited to watch her continue to shine as an emerging leader. 🌟 That's Barbara Hébert Motz, Chief Marketing Officer at MOREL, and it's the thinking she's bringing to START STRONG at SILMO. Barbara H. came into eyewear from pharma, where she measured everything: revenue, orders, visitors, leads, conversion; All essential. But her point is that a stand doesn't tell you it's working through numbers alone; it tells you through energy. Trays circulating, products open everywhere, a team too busy to tidy up. A stand that's alive, whatever the brand or the size of the company. And that energy, she says, doesn't happen by chance. What’s the most chic thing you have to say about being in the Optical Women's Association ⁉️ The OWA has more than a thousand members, and until recently, almost all of them were in North America. A small group of us are working to change that: the International Expansion Committee (IEC), spread across the UK, Italy, and beyond, is building a community for women in optical on this side of the Atlantic too. 🌍 When we say EVERYONE welcome, we mean it. That's why there's an 8:30 a.m. start—so that exhibitors, who might usually miss out on meeting people at events like this, can participate too. So even if you're only able to come by for a coffee, listen to a chat with a key buyer and make one amazing connection...it's worth it. It will ensure you START STRONG. Behind the scenes, the OWA International Expansion Committee has been busy developing events for you. Two things are taking shape for the months ahead. A Saturday morning event at SILMO Paris—open to anyone in optics who's there, wherever you're traveling in from. Another exciting offering is a new run of virtual sessions for members, carrying on the leadership conversations we started earlier this year. Optical and optometric associations are working behind the scenes so our profession has a voice. Getting involved matters more than you think. Read the new OWA Blog post by Valerie Lambert of Optical Arts for more insights on the topic. What’s the most chic thing you have to say about being in the Optical Womens Association ⁉️ Want more inspiration like this in your feed? Follow the Optical Women’s Association on social media to stay connected to the stories, achievements, and voices shaping the optical industry every day. Join the conversation on Instagram, connect with the community on LinkedIn, and keep up with events and highlights on Facebook—and don’t forget to like, share, and tag the OWA in the moments that matter most. And if what you see resonates, consider becoming an OWA member to deepen your involvement, expand your network, and support the advancement of women across every corner of optical—learn more.

There is a point in almost every optical career when you find yourself waiting. Waiting for someone to notice your potential. Waiting for someone to offer you a leadership opportunity. Waiting for the right title, the right committee, the right mentor, or the right person to finally say, “You’re ready.” But what if they never do? One of the biggest lessons I have learned throughout my optical career is that sometimes you have to stop waiting to be picked and start deciding where you want to go. That does not mean ignoring experience, education, mentorship, or the opportunities others give us. Those things matter tremendously. But building a professional future requires something else, too: intentionality. Stop Waiting for Permission Optical is full of incredibly talented people who are waiting for someone else to validate that they belong in the room. Maybe you are an optician who has ideas but has never been asked to lead a project. Maybe you’re an ECP who wants to become more involved in professional organizations but assumes someone has to invite you. Or, maybe you are a vendor who wants to contribute beyond selling a product but not sure where you fit. Start by asking yourself: What do I want to learn? What do I want to be known for? Where can I contribute? What problems do I want to help solve? Who do I want to learn from? What opportunities am I currently overlooking? You don't need a fancy title to start acting like a leader. Leadership often begins with volunteering for the unglamorous work, asking the question nobody else wants to ask, helping the newest person in the room, or raising your hand when everyone else is looking around. Build Relationships Before You Need Them One of the most valuable things you can build in the optical industry isn't a résumé. It is a network. And networking doesn't have to mean walking into a conference with a stack of business cards and trying to meet as many people as possible. Real professional relationships are built over time. Talk to the person sitting next to you at a CE course. Introduce yourself to a speaker. Ask a vendor about something you genuinely want to understand. Reach out to an ECP whose work you respect. Join a committee. Participate in a professional organization. Most importantly, don't only connect with people who can immediately help you. Build relationships because you want to contribute. The strongest professional networks aren't transactional. They are communities of people who share knowledge, open doors for one another, challenge one another, and celebrate one another's success. Your Career Is Bigger Than Your Job Description It is easy to define ourselves by whatever is printed on our business cards: Optician. Optometrist. Sales representative. Practice manager. Educator. Owner. Administrator. But your job title is only one part of your professional identity. You might also be: An educator A mentor A problem solver A community advocate A future leader A connector A creative thinker A subject-matter expert Someone who sees opportunities others don't Optical needs people who are willing to step outside the traditional boundaries of their job descriptions. Many of the best opportunities in our industry happen where different roles intersect. Vendors understand products and business. ECPs understand patient care. Opticians understand eyewear, craftsmanship, communication, and the patient experience. When those perspectives come together, innovation happens. Don't limit your future to the role you currently occupy. Raise Your Hand — Even When You're Nervous I have said yes to opportunities that intimidated me. I've taken on responsibilities before I felt completely prepared. I've sat in rooms where I wondered whether I belonged there. I've had moments where I thought, “What exactly am I doing here?” And I've learned that being uncomfortable doesn't necessarily mean you're unqualified, sometimes it means you're growing. There is a difference between being unprepared and feeling challenged. If you have the willingness to learn, ask questions, accept feedback, and put in the work, you may be more ready than you think. The next time an opportunity comes up, don't automatically ask, “Am I qualified enough?”, ask: “What would I need to learn to become qualified?” That question changes everything. Give Back as You Move Forward Professional growth shouldn't only be about what we can get. It should also be about what we can give. Once someone opens a door for you, look for a way to hold that door open for someone else. Mentor someone who is newer to the industry. Share what you've learned. Introduce people who should know each other. Encourage someone to attend their first professional meeting. Recommend someone for an opportunity. You don't have to be at the top of your career or hold a certain title to make an impact. In fact, meaningful mentorship happens peer-to-peer. We strengthen optical when we stop treating opportunities like scarce resources and start treating them like something we can multiply. Define Success for Yourself There is no single blueprint for a successful optical career. For one person, success may mean becoming a clinical leader. For another, it may mean building a successful practice. Someone else may want to become an educator, industry executive, consultant, speaker, or advocate. And someone may simply want to become exceptionally good at what they do. All paths are valid. The important thing is that you choose your path intentionally instead of allowing other people to choose it for you. Your career will have seasons. There will be opportunities you take and opportunities you decline. There will be mentors who change your trajectory and people who teach you lessons by showing you what not to do. There will also be doors that don't open. That's okay. A closed door isn't always rejection — sometimes it is redirection, sometimes it means you need more experience, sometimes it means you need to build your own door. Pick Yourself The optical industry doesn't need more people waiting quietly in the background for permission to contribute. It needs people who are willing to raise their hands, ask questions, learn something new, build relationships, share their knowledge, and take ownership of their professional future. So, if you've been waiting for someone to pick you, consider this your reminder: Pick yourself. Take the class. Join the organization. Volunteer for the committee. Introduce yourself. Ask the question. Submit the idea. Find the mentor. Become the mentor. Apply for the opportunity. You may not feel ready. Do it anyway. Because your professional future shouldn't depend entirely on someone else recognizing your potential. Sometimes the person who needs to choose you first is you. Written by: Valerie Lambert

What if networking felt less like a name-badge exchange and more like meeting a friend for a walk? That's the idea behind OWA Out & About, the Optical Women's Association's newest member experience—a program of local, wellness-focused meetups designed to bring OWA closer to home. Beyond the Trade Show Floor For years, the strongest OWA connections have been forged at Vision Expo, SILMO, and industry conferences. Out & About extends that community into other times of year and corners of the US. These member-led gatherings are built around three simple ideas: community connection (relaxed, in-person bonding that welcomes new faces), wellness activities (pickleball, hiking, biking, yoga, and more, shared through a member-exclusive Wellness Meetup Board), and organizational growth (organic recruitment and low-commitment leadership roles at minimal cost to the OWA). Best of all, there's a place for everyone regardless of fitness level—whether you're walking a local trail, trying a yoga class, or enjoying a sound bath. Five Cities, One Weekend: the October Launch The program launches nationally the first weekend of October, with meetups happening in five regions: Southern California – Laguna Beach Area Saturday, October 3, 8:00–9:30 AM PST Crystal Cove State Park, Newport Beach, CA A 4.1-mile coastal trail walk with ocean views and about 272 feet of elevation gain Northern California – Sacramento Saturday, October 3, 9:00–10:30 AM PST Palladio Piazza, Folsom, CA Free yoga in the piazza, then a stroll to the Farmers Market for coffee and conversation Central New Jersey Saturday, October 3, 9:00–10:30 AM EST Bulls Island State Park, Stockton, NJ A 60-to-90-minute walk along the DNR Towpath, starting at the Delaware River footbridge New York / New Jersey / Connecticut Saturday, October 3, 10:00–11:30 AM EST Central Park, New York City A sensory nature walk and sound healing, followed by coffee and treats Greater Seattle Region Sunday, October 4, 3:00–5:30 PM PST Marina Park, Al Locke Pavilion, Kirkland, WA "Permission to Be Seen" — an interactive smartphone photo walk Registration deadline for all five meetups: Monday, September 28. A Closer Look at a Few Meetups The Sacramento gathering is the gentlest on-ramp of the bunch: free yoga in an open piazza, free parking in two onsite garages, air-conditioned public restrooms, and an optional walk to a nearby coffee shop afterward. The Central New Jersey walk is deliberately placed at a crossroads—an hour from Philadelphia, an hour from New York City, and minutes from Bucks County, PA. Afterward, attendees are encouraged to explore the surrounding river towns (Stockton, Frenchtown, Lambertville, and New Hope) for coffee, lunch, antiquing, or a winery stop. The Greater Seattle meetup takes a different angle on wellness. "Permission to Be Seen" is an interactive photo walk built to help attendees get comfortable creating and sharing content on LinkedIn and Instagram. Using only smartphones, participants will step both in front of and behind the camera, practice selfies and photos of one another, and challenge themselves to ask someone else to take their picture. The conversation centers on letting go of perfection, getting comfortable being a little silly, and capturing everyday moments worth sharing. No photography or social media expertise required. What to Know Before You Go A few practical notes from the event hosts: several meetups encourage attendees to bring colleagues who are curious about joining the OWA, and both the Southern California and Central New Jersey walks invite members to wear their OWA T-shirt. Those two outdoor walks also have a rain date of Sunday, October 4. Find One Near You Out & About is about reconnecting with familiar faces, meeting new members of the optical community, and enjoying the relationships that make the OWA special—all while doing something good for yourself. Visit the OWA Out & About page to learn more, then head to the events page to RSVP. We can't wait to see you out and about!

Anyone who remembers the beginning of the internet back in the mid-90's may recall two types of people: those who embraced it and those who thought it was a passing phase. The same can said of AI (Artificial Intelligence). Platforms like Chat GPT, Gemini, and Claude are springing up like digital daisies and much like Netscape or AltaVista were back in the day, some will evolve and some will wither away. Just like the early gems of the internet, AI is remarkable, sometimes scary, technology. It takes massive amounts of data (we’re talking trillions) and finds hidden patterns to make decisions. This is called 'machine learning'—where the system learns from examples much like our brains do as we experience life’s challenges. Aside from the frightening philosophical debates about AI, the technology can enhance and even automate tasks that you would have thought impossible only a few short years ago. Understanding the AI Framework From a memo to co-workers to a PowerPoint that outlines next year’s budget projections, AI is extremely versatile and can generate everything from intricate code to Aunt Marge’s 80th birthday invitation. Much like the human brain, however, AI is complex but far from perfect. Your relationship with AI begins with understanding where it can be useful, where it may not be, and how it can help your daily work life. This begins by establishing an AI framework. Ask yourself these simple questions: Is there a task that only you can do? Is there a back history that only you know about? An example could be helping a co-worker navigate difficulty with a mutual supervisor. AI doesn’t equate inter-personal relationships and back histories and something like this will probably be an exercise in futility. Is there a task that AI can help you with? This is a task that you draft on your own but use AI to refine your work or organize your thoughts. An example could be drafting a memo on improving office efficiency. Is there a task that AI can automate for you? Here’s where AI can be a real time-saver as these are structured, repeatable tasks that AI can handle efficiently. Remember, AI is based on machine learning and will remember past requests. An example of this could be reproducing an existing excel file with new contact names. It’s important to know how AI can work for you, but remember, AI is a machine. It has no feelings; it does not think. AI uses highly sophisticated algorithms to find patterns in words, images and code then scrapes and compounds the data with remarkable speed. Avoiding AI Slop (Yes, That’s Really a Thing) As powerful as AI is, these platforms still rely on human judgment. It is far from becoming a self-sustaining, do-everything for you, technology. You are in control of AI, not the other way around—take into consideration when and how to use it effectively. What is commonly known as 'AI slop’ is what enthusiastic users input every day and expect AI to generate things it can’t. Much like life, with AI, you generally get back what you put in. Say you need to draft a letter to a patient who is behind on their payments. Does AI know the backstory? Is the patient going through a divorce or recently lost her job? Does it know the relationship you have built with that patient over the years? No. You have to be the one to make that judgment. AI Slop Prompt: Draft a letter for a patient who owes us $300. Here’s what an AI Slop prompt might produce: Dear [Patient Name], Our records indicate that your account currently has an outstanding balance of $300 for services provided by our office. We kindly request that payment be made at your earliest convenience. To the point and efficient, right? Not really. A better way to word this prompt would be: Draft a letter for a patient who owes us $300 but has recently gone through a divorce. She is in her 40s and has two teenagers. Here’s what AI generates: Dear [Patient Name], Our records indicate that there is an outstanding balance on your account of $300. While we do need to collect payment for services provided, we understand that situations can arise that make paying a balance all at once difficult and we’re happy to work out a payment schedule with you. These two letters differ vastly because letter one is AI slop. Letter two is not. When you enter the prompt, it is vital that you include as much information as you can. AI is a machine that will aggregate based on what you input. Always include the audience, the circumstances, and as much pertinent information as you can, while omitting confidential information. Simply put, you have to give AI the backstory because it won’t know otherwise. Another example, entering: run a projection of next year’s earnings does not give the backstory. A better prompt would be: run a projection of next year’s earnings based on our last year’s projections but take into account the inventory of frames and average number of patients per week and will give you a better result. The more you tell AI, the better it can learn. In a nutshell, using AI effectively is understanding the tasks where it doesn’t belong, tasks that it can enhance, and tasks where it can automate something that used to take too long to do. While this blog was not written with AI, it certainly could have been if the author gave enough information—Write a blog that explains how to use AI effectively for people in the eye care industry. Sure, it could write it, but it will be based on the data it already has. It wouldn’t be unique. AI is indeed remarkable technology, but it cannot replace the power of the human brain. Our brains have genuine self-awareness, feelings, and years of lived experiences—and that is the most powerful tool of all. Written by M.A. Giorgio

What does it take to build a stronger future for opticianry? As the optical profession continues to evolve through new technologies, changing patient expectations, and ongoing workforce challenges, opticians remain at the center of delivering exceptional vision care. To explore the opportunities and responsibilities shaping the profession today, I asked a group of Master Opticians, educators, and industry leaders to share their perspectives. From professional standards and certification to mentorship, patient experience, compensation, and the future role of technology, their insights reveal a common theme: the future of opticianry depends on knowledgeable, adaptable professionals who are committed to lifelong learning, patient advocacy, and elevating the value of the profession. In this collection of interviews, these respected voices offer practical advice, thoughtful reflection, and a vision for what comes next. Meet the Master's: Cira Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO, has spent two decades across corporate and private practice roles, including technician, optician, buyer, vendor, manager, and trainer. An American Board of Opticianry Master, she is recognized for her expertise in ophthalmic optics and her commitment to advancing optician education. She has spoken on state, national, and international stages, and in 2024 was named one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optical as a Rising Star and an Eyecare Business Game Changer. She is currently a finalist for International Optician of the Year, to be awarded at SILMO in late September. Currently, she is an optical trainer for Kaiser Permanente and serves on the boards of ABO-NCLE and GoodVision USA. Cira is drawn to optical’s blend of science, art, and people—and her energy makes it clear she loves people most. Danielle Crull, ABOM, is the owner of A Child’s Eyes, a Pennsylvania optical dispensary specializing in glasses for infants, children, and teens. Danielle is also the founder of the Truffles the Kitty Organization, inspired by her glasses-wearing cat, Truffles. A former stray, Truffles learned to wear specially fitted lens-free frames and demonstrate behaviors such as wearing an eye patch, helping children feel less anxious and more confident about glasses, amblyopia treatment, and eye care. Danielle and Truffles received the 2023 Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award for their advocacy, education, and work to reduce the stigma surrounding childhood vision disorders. Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO has over 40 years in the Optical business and is an approved speaker for ABO-NCLE up to advanced level and for Paraoptometrics and for JCAHPO. She has served as president for the National Academy of Opticianry, the South Eastern Opticians Conference and the Opticians Association of Georgia receiving recognition and awards from all of these organizations. She has authored several books and is a continuing contributor to several publications including the widely accepted contact lens review book, Beginning Your Life as a Contact Lens Technician, the Basic Opticians Tutorial and the Advanced Opticians Tutorial. Deborah Kotob, ABOM, develops continuing education courses and editorial content, and oversees the educational programming for 20/20 Magazine's Pro to Pro platform. She began her optical career as a Giorgio Armani frame representative for Luxottica, later owning and operating two high-end optical boutiques before spending over a decade with Vision Ease—where she discovered her passions for optics and content development. Today, she's known for transforming the Pro to Pro learner experience into an interactive, digital-first journey that adds value for CE sponsors. A believer in leadership that amplifies others, Kotob brings a mentor's mindset to all she does. Carrie Wilson, MBA, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, brings a passion for teaching to every aspect of this course. As the owner of Optigal Consulting and a professor of ophthalmic science at the College of Southern Nevada, Carrie has a rich background in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand lessons. Her experience as a national lecturer and her involvement in setting industry standards make her uniquely qualified to lead you through this comprehensive study program. Christie Yee, NCLEM, ABOC, COA is a Master Certified Contact Lens Practitioner and Specialty Lens Consultant for ABB Optical. She has expertise in the management of irregular corneas and progressive myopia with specialty contact lenses. Christie previously served on the board of directors for the ABO-NCLE and has 25 years of experience in the field. What role do opticians play in upholding professional standards to ensure the future of opticianry? Oftentimes, we identify Opticians as the pharmacists of the optical profession. That role comes with responsibilities to ensure that we not only understand the prescription/prescriptions that a patient brings to us, but to consult with them in a way that we understand lifestyle and visual needs. Upholding professional standards means that we use every resource available to achieve the best vision possible for our patients without having any form of self-serving agenda. We also need to align with each other so that we have the resources necessary to help achieve that. -Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO I think one of the best ways opticians uphold professional standards is by maintaining technical competency. Our industry is constantly growing and evolving. Advances in contact lenses, dry eye management, specialty lenses, myopia management, materials, and manufacturing require opticians to continually expand their knowledge and increase their skillset rather than relying solely on what they learned during initial training and education. I also think a critical component is mentoring the next generation. Experienced opticians have an important responsibility to model professionalism and pass along technical knowledge and hands-on practical skills that can really only be learned through experience. They can also pass along ethical reasoning and critical thinking/problem solving to students and newer opticians. There is one area that is very important, that I think opticians need to embrace and make a conscious effort to do better— and that’s advocating for the profession of opticianry. Opticians can help shape the future of opticianry by demonstrating that the profession requires specialized knowledge, clinical judgment, technical expertise, and continuing education, not only the ability to sell or dispense eyewear. Opticians can do this in a variety of ways. Being an active participant in their local state societies, as well as the United Opticians Association, engaging with local and national leaders, and paying special attention to proposed legislation that will affect the industry. -Christie Yee, NCLEM, ABOC, COA Why should optical professionals seek certification if they reside in an non-licensing state? The number one reason optical professionals in non-licensing states should seek ABO/NCLE certification is self-improvement. Certification supports a lifelong commitment to learning, growth, and the development of greater knowledge and skill in opticianry. The most successful professionals in our field are often those who "catch the bug”—the drive to stretch themselves, learn more, grow, and contribute at a higher level. Certification also enhances employability, especially in higher-end and independent practices that want to build their reputation on providing the highest quality eye care from the front desk to the exam lane to the dispensing optical team. Opticianry is a proud profession, and I believe it will continue to advance and flourish under the leadership and advocacy of the United Opticians Association. We are already seeing momentum toward certification, with some large retail chains preferring to hire certified opticians and companies such as Walmart offering training programs to help employees earn ABO certification. Being a licensed optician—and especially a Master Optician—increases credibility with patients, practice owners, and managers, while also creating greater opportunities for advancement. I can personally credit my optician certification with helping me land my first position in optical training with Vision Ease. Later, my Master certification expanded my career options by helping me develop LMS training and education sites for clients and create learning content. That ultimately led to my promotion to National Trainer for Vision Ease and, eventually, to my current role as Director of Education for Jobson, where I manage, write, edit, and present educational content and live CE courses. -Deborah Kotob, ABOM Whether or not a state requires licensure or not, certification demonstrates that a person has achieved a certain level of proficiency. Entry level into the field requires basic knowledge, which is commendable. However, higher levels of certification, require more knowledge which will benefit our/your patients. Never stop learning. -Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO How can we move beyond sub-market compensation affecting optician quality and retention in private practice settings? Coming from a state without optician licensure, I’m continually surprised by how little many people in our communities understand about what an optician actually does. I think compensation and professional recognition are closely connected. If we want opticians to be valued appropriately, we first have to elevate the profession itself. And that begins with educating our communities about the knowledge, skill, and responsibility involved in helping someone see well. It means we get out from behind the dispensing table, we let our skill set shine. We also need a profession built upon a recognizable standard of knowledge and competency. When the public and employers better understand the expertise an optician brings to patient care, it becomes much harder to view the position as simply a retail role. We have the extraordinary responsibility of helping people see better. There is tremendous value in that. Our challenge is making sure our communities recognize it, our profession demonstrates it, and ultimately, compensation reflects it. -Danielle Crull, ABOM We need to build systems and cultures in opticianry as a whole that create perpetual learning. There is large mindset shift from "That’s not in my job description” to "How can I always add value to my practice”. That is not one that is tied to compensation. It is a mindset and a skill that can be learned. We have to collectively start talking about the value we create and add to our practices. Especially in private practice, opticians drive the most important revenue generating activities. We need to produce the research that shows the value of trained opticians. As a Master Optician, I believe I share a belief with a lot of people that we directly influence a lot of the moveable metrics like patient retention, multiple pair sales, re-appointment rates, average frame sales, even if you are not in a management role. Private practice owners need to see and believe that skilled opticians protect the practice. Particularly in an economy where people will be able to get their eyewear anywhere, Skilled opticians will be better suited to retain patients by solving patient problems. A patient may have a lot of tolerance for a $40 pair of online glasses that aren’t great, but they expect that their $500 pair will perform. Skilled opticians not only create greater margins, but they help keep patients in the practice. Patient loyalty is earned when we solve problems the internet won’t. Opticians need to better own our portion of the business. This does not mean that we track numbers every day, although that is helpful, especially if you hardwire reporting those numbers and the reasons for their movement to the practice owner. It also means that we think of how we will evolve our practices to be continually competitive. In private practice, that opportunity is to express the values of the practice. Many of us have to start by understanding or even building the mission, vision and values in a meaningful way. With guiding the business as if it were our own, we can be trusted business partners, better able to leverage choices that will produce a more profitable practice and demonstrate our value. When we have demonstrated how we build, manage, protect and grow our practices, we have to ask for the wages that reflect the value of our work. If we can all pull together in this direction, we can lift an entire profession and patients we serve. -Cira Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO What is your advice to optical professionals who seek professional growth but lack access to a formal program or resources? Network, ask lots of questions, stay curious, and get involved. This question really speaks to my heart, as I am from an unlicensed state that doesn’t have a formal educational program. But I’d argue that there’s not a lack of amazing resources—you just have to be willing to look for them. The path here obviously isn’t as straightforward as it’s for my friends in licensed states with degree programs. You’re mostly relying on on-the-job training, and you may get some of the technical skills to get by, but you’re going to need to invest in yourself to fill the gaps in your education to really be excellent. There are some really great opticianry books out there. Most of them are written by opticians for opticians. I really recommend you get involved in your state society and go to local and national conferences. Learning from opticians not in your routine sphere will greatly increase your ability to provide an excellent patient experience as you expand your understanding and skills. Network. Surround yourself by other opticians that can serve as a mentor to you and inspire personal growth. Lean into your sales reps. Ask the hard how and why questions. They are the experts in their field and their products. You can learn a lot about current technology, research, and emerging trends from your sales reps. Also, some perspective after decades…if I could go back and do something different. I think pretty early on, I accepted that there wasn’t a program I could attend in Minnesota. So that was that. It never occurred to me that there were a lot of opportunities if I branched out. Lots of people go to college in other states. If you’re serious about a career as an optician, think about attending an out-of-state school. -Christie Yee, NCLEM, ABOC, COA I actually got started in the optical industry without going to school for opticianry. A lot of people would probably say I’m self-educated, but I don’t really think that’s the right way to describe it. I’d say I was educated through knowledge sharing. I was just really curious about the industry. Once I started learning, I wanted to know more and more, so I went looking for it. I asked a lot of questions. I talked to people who knew more than I did. I learned from opticians, labs, manufacturers, doctors, educators, coworkers—pretty much anyone who was willing to share what they knew. So when someone tells me they want to grow professionally, but they don’t have access to a formal program, my advice is: don’t let that stop you. Find the people who know something you want to learn and ask them questions. Take advantage of webinars, CE, manufacturer education, your lab, industry groups, and whatever resources you can get your hands on. And when you learn something, use it. That’s where it really starts to stick. That’s basically how I built my career. I learned something from one person, which usually led me to another question, and then another. Eventually, I went from being the person asking all the questions to being one of the people others came to with questions. And I think that’s an important part of it too. If someone shares their knowledge with you, share yours with the next person. You don’t necessarily need a formal program to keep growing. But you do have to be curious enough to seek the knowledge out. -Carrie Wilson, MBA, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM How are traditional opticians redefining the patient experience to compete with automation and internet-based competitors? My advice is to not be in competition with online providers and embrace automation and technology. I think it’s important for everyone to realize that automation and online providers are meeting a patient’s unmet need. They wouldn’t be successful if they weren’t. As an industry, this may make us uncomfortable. But, it’s also true. So instead of thinking of these as the enemy—this should spark critical thinking of what needs are being fulfilled by these services. Consider whether online services were the most expedient, cost-effective, or provided the most extensive selection. Alternatively, factors such as location or provider availability may pose challenges. It is also possible that patients face difficulties in accessing your services. After looking at your own business model, you may be looking at the patients you didn’t capture and decide they were not your target customer. I want to stress this is 100%. Not every person should be your target customer, and there’s enough room at the table for everyone. Instead, I strongly suggest opticians find ways to differentiate their practice and have a clear vision of what their patients’ experience should be. Differentiation can be done a number of ways. Popular examples are through prescription solutions, myopia management, dry eye, ocular aesthetics, in-office technology, or through a carefully curated patient experience. However you choose to differentiate your practice, you need to talk about it and educate your patients as to why the solutions you are providing them are special and specifically chosen to address their unique needs. A patient’s comprehension of their health investment is paramount, not only for their satisfaction but also for fostering patient loyalty. -Christie Yee, NCLEM, ABOC, COA For me, it comes down to the human connection. What a privilege it is to be the person who places a patient’s new glasses on their face for the first time and gets to experience that moment with them. We see the smile, the surprise, the confidence and sometimes the emotions when they realize how differently they can see their world. Working with children, I am all too familiar with this first moment. I think a lot every day about what the kids I fit will see first and fill my space with fun and memorable surprises to explore. That’s human connection. Automation can make us more efficient, and the internet can make eyewear more accessible. Those things can be useful tools. But automation cannot replace human connection, in fact, it makes the lack of human connection glaring. The internet cannot see a patient through human eyes or truly understand how one person describes what they see to another. A skilled optician notices things an algorithm can’t: how a frame moves when someone smiles, how a child reacts when they first see clearly or if a frame doesn’t fit properly, whether a patient feels confident in what they’re wearing, or the subtle adjustment that transforms a pair of glasses from something they put up with into something they love. I don’t think our job is to compete with technology by becoming more like technology. The future of opticianry isn’t about resisting technology. It’s about elevating the expertise and humanity that make an optician irreplaceable. -Danielle Crull, ABOM What are the most common knowledge gaps, skills or concepts you have noticed during your time as an educator? Many people think just inside the box. Let me tell a story. Looking out the window, one sees two men. One digs the hole, while the other one watches. Then they swap, and the other man fills the hole back in while the first one watches. When asked why dig a hole only to fill it back up again the response is: "Oh, we are three-man crew, but the man who puts the tree in the hole isn’t here today because he is sick. We have to ensure that even if it isn’t our job, we understand it and could get help for our patients if necessary. I hear people regularly say, "I don’t have that or don’t go to that conference because my boss won’t pay for it”. We have to want it hard enough to invest in it ourselves and pass it along. -Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is that people often know what to do, but they don’t always understand why they’re doing it. Optical is full of processes and rules that people learn on the job—take this measurement, use this lens, don’t do this with that prescription—but sometimes no one ever explains the optics behind it. That becomes a problem when something doesn’t go exactly according to the textbook, because troubleshooting really requires understanding the why. I also see a lot of gaps around the fundamentals: understanding prescriptions, prism, lens materials, progressive lens design, measurements, and how all of those pieces work together. Sometimes people have been in the industry for years but were simply never taught certain concepts. Another big one is product knowledge. And I don’t mean memorizing every progressive lens or coating on the market. I think the bigger skill is understanding how to evaluate a product and match it to the patient. We tend to get comfortable with our go-to products, and that can turn into recommending the same thing over and over instead of asking, “What is actually the best choice for this patient?” And then there’s troubleshooting. I think that’s one of the areas where people are the least confident. When a patient says, "I can’t see,” where do you start? Is it the prescription? Measurements? Lens design? Frame fit? Expectations? There’s a process to working through that, and when you understand the fundamentals, troubleshooting becomes much less intimidating. Probably the biggest thing I’ve learned as an educator is that a lot of knowledge gaps aren’t because people aren’t capable or don’t want to learn. They just haven’t had someone explain it to them yet. That’s why knowledge sharing in our industry is so important. -Carrie Wilson, MBA, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM How do we help opticians with legacy mindsets to become comfortable with using new technologies? I remember in 1983 when my father was trying to teach our hairdresser how to boot her computer. He told her "Type PR#6 then enter.” The key on her keyboard was marked "Return” not enter. She typed "PR#6 then enter” and called him back in a panic when it didn’t work. Legacy opticians sometimes stay in their roles because they get to deal in eyeglasses, screws and people and do not have to keep up with technological advances. Futurist Lisa Kay Solomon calls this NUTS: Never Up to Speed. The thing about the current pace of change is that it’s all NUTS. With the speed of advances ever accelerating, the expectation is that by the time you master a technology, the technology will change. Additionally, I think we all could stand to recognize where we are on the curve of technology adopters. Are you an Innovator? An early adopter? Early with the majority? Late with the majority or a Laggard? There is no judgement with your willingness to engage with technology. Perhaps you just hold a higher standard of proof before being willing to accept that technology is right for you. The great news is that there are ever better tools for helping us understand these advances. Technologies have come a long way since the PR#6 boot command of the early 80s. Interfaces are far more intuitive than ever. My imagination is that the first resistance a legacy optician faces is a result of a past traumatic interaction with technology, whether it was a term paper that got deleted with a mouse click, or a painful learning curve. Interfaces we are talking about are far more designed than ever to be intuitive. Start with curiosity. Ask some questions: What can this thing even do? How will it make my life easier? Can I mess it up? The trick then is knowing who to ask that question of. There are two great places. First, ask people in your practice or family that seem to embrace technology easily. Questions like those above are likely to be met with compassion and guidance. The second is to ask AI. As soon as someone puts a meaningful question into an AI agent and gets a meaningful—almost human—answer, they realize that the patience barrier is eliminated. AI will break down steps, explain details, re-explain, create walk-through guides and more to help us engage with new technologies. -Cira Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO What is your advice to an optical professional who is just beginning their journey toward certification or licensure? My advice is to learn from every avenue possible. Learn from other opticians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, technicians, receptionists, ocularists everyone who plays a role in caring for the patient. The more you understand about each part of the process and how those pieces come together, the better optician you will become. Most importantly, ask questions. Never become comfortable simply not knowing something because someone else does. Surround yourself with professionals who are willing to share their knowledge and experience. And if you aren’t fortunate enough to have those people around you, keep learning anyway. Read, study, seek out resources, and educate yourself. Eventually, you’ll find that the questions you ask don’t just help you learn, they will make the people around you think, too. Certification or licensure may be the goal, but becoming a great optician should be a lifelong process. -Danielle Crull, ABOM What expanded roles for opticians can you imagine within the optical industry in the next 5–10 years? Over the next 5 to 10 years, I hope we will see new certifications for specialized opticianry roles such as refracting opticians, low vision specialists, and therapeutic lens specialists. I also believe that earning ABO/NCLE certification should be recognized with higher pay than non-certified dispensers, and that additional certifications should similarly lead to increased compensation or higher starting salaries. As the industry evolves, opticians can play an even greater role in delivering specialized, high-quality patient care—and expanded certification pathways would help support that growth. -Deborah Kotob, ABOM Let’s first talk about what is coming in the next 5-10 years: Smart Eyewear will likely be up to 25% of your eyewear sales. The utility of smart eyewear will compound to the average consumer, becoming more intuitive, necessary and helpful. The use case for smart eyewear in the medical market will expand. The health-tracking technologies like Apple Health and Oura rings have proven that there is tremendous utility to consumers and providers alike in having multiple data points on health metrics. Smart eyewear will not only connect us to our friends, family and workplaces, but it will also deliver meaningful data to our providers. What if your eyewear tracked all the macros of the food you consume or measured how often and how well you complete your physical therapy? This is the most important—technology will be able to do a lot of things, but there will always be a level of distrust. The optician’s humanity, ability to guide, empathize and uncover and meet the needs of real people is not replaceable. And I will never adjust glasses. So if were to imagine the job description of the future, know that your human skills of persuasion, comfort and being a decision making partner are critical to your success. But so are the abilities to help your patients connect with technology. Selection, fitting, connecting, managing subscription services, engagement with smart eyewear applications or troubleshooting smart eyewear will all be necessary skills—and you don’t have those skills yet. We are preparing for something that no one is prepared for. But we will figure it out. -Cira Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO What was your masters designation topic and why? While I was studying for the refractometry course that was given by OAA with Ed August and Joe Solicito as instructors, my mother came in to my office. We were discussing her lack of enjoyment of reading. Something clicked as I watched her. I realized that she had a slight phoria. I mentioned to the doctor and she was tested and low and behold, she had a phoria. It was corrected. While she had always been an outstanding student, if her phoria had been caught earlier, her entire life would have been different. So, the title of my paper was: The Professional Optician - Technical Optician V/S Dispensing Optician - Is there a Difference? It included history of opticianry, anatomy and physiology of the eye, extra-ocular muscles and how they work and deficiencies. Then it discussed not only having that knowledge but being able to convey that knowledge to our patients through good communication. Today, we see people who can sell but lack product knowledge. We also see people who have great product knowledge but lack people/communication skills. We need both. -Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO When I earned my ABO Master’s certification, the requirement was to write a thesis paper on an advanced topic. My topic was photochemical injury and retinal damage from sunlight. I first began learning about UV and HEV light-induced photochemical damage to the eye while working at Vision Ease. At the time, I trained trainers on how attenuating specific wavelengths of light could reduce photochemical damage to ocular tissues and retinal cells. When it came time to choose a thesis topic, I selected this subject because I already had a strong knowledge base and a solid library of resources—but also because I saw it as an opportunity to explore the topic in greater depth. My fascination with optics continues to grow, especially in the areas of light, vision, how we see, particularly color vision, and how we correct vision. -Deborah Kotob, ABOM Looking back to before you were certified in any capacity, what advice would today's you provide to apprentice you? Wow, that’s going back 30 years, and so much has changed since then—not just in the industry, but in how we access information and learn. I think the biggest thing I would tell apprentice me is to keep asking questions and stay curious. Back then, we didn’t have the same access to information we have today. You mostly learned from the people around you, textbooks that were often years old, CEs, and sometimes by making mistakes and figuring out why something didn’t work. I’d also tell myself that you will never know everything. Optical is so broad, and the more you learn, the more you realize how much there is to know. Thirty years later, I’m still learning and still making mistakes. And don’t get too stuck on something just because that’s the way you were taught to do it. Our industry, technology, and products change. A technique or tool may have had a very legitimate purpose when you learned it, but that doesn’t mean it will always be the best way to do something. You have to be willing to challenge what you know and change with the industry. Pay attention to the people who are willing to share their knowledge. Ask them why. Ask them to show you. Build on what they teach you, but don’t be afraid to question it as you learn more. Most importantly, don’t just learn how to do something—learn why it works. That’s what gives you the ability to troubleshoot, adapt, make better decisions, and eventually teach someone else. So, my advice would be: stay curious, ask questions, be willing to change your thinking, and never assume you’re finished learning. I’m certainly not. -Carrie Wilson, MBA, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM The future of opticianry depends on the professionals willing to invest in it. Share this article with a colleague, support an emerging optician, and continue building the knowledge, connections, and leadership that will shape our profession for generations to come. Written by: Carissa Dunphy, ABOC

In an era of hyper-connectivity and endless corporate PR, employees have become quite skilled at spotting insincerity. Today, a growing trust gap is causing teams to feel more disengaged and doubtful of corporate promises. True organizational success isn’t just about putting on a polished corporate mask. It comes from genuine, authentic leadership. Authentic leadership isn't just a passive soft skill, it's a strategic necessity that creates psychological safety, brings teams together, and leads to real, measurable business outcomes. When leaders show up genuinely, they build deep trust and inspire consistent, unstoppable action. The Four Pillars of the Authentic Leader Authenticity is not an excuse to act without a filter. It is a highly disciplined practice built around four core pillars: Self-Awareness: Knowing your strengths, limitations, and what ignites your emotional fire. Relational Transparency: Sharing your real thoughts and motivations genuinely, without pretending to be something you're not. Balanced Processing: Taking the time to objectively analyze data and consider different viewpoints before making important decisions. Internalized Moral Perspective: Guiding your choices based on your core personal values, even when faced with a lot of outside pressure. How Authenticity Builds Organizational Trust Trust is the most valuable currency for great teams. Genuine leaders earn this trust every day by being consistent and dependable in what they do. The Power of Predictability: When your actions align with your stated values, you eliminate guesswork for your team. This makes people feel safe and comfortable. Employees stop wasting energy guessing your motives. Vulnerability as a Strength: Admitting a mistake or saying "I don't know, but I will find out" does not erase authority. It strengthens it. Vulnerability weakens institutional defenses, makes leaders more relatable, and encourages others to innovate and take smart risks. Open Communication in Crises: Trust is built during tough times. Genuine leaders aren’t afraid to share bad news quickly and honestly. By cutting through the corporate spin and getting straight to the facts, you earn immediate credibility and respect. Inspiring Action Through Authentic Connection A genuinely trusted leader inspires a motivated team. Being authentic helps connect compliance with real, heartfelt commitment. Connecting to the 'Why': People rarely give their best effort for a spreadsheet line item. They sacrifice for a mission. Authentic leaders start by linking everyday tasks to a bigger, values-based company mission that inspires everyone. Modeling Accountability: You cannot command accountability; you can only display it. When a team sees their leader working late or stepping up to take responsibility for a failed project, it sets a new standard for everyone in the organization. Trading Micromanagement for Autonomy: When you step back and truly trust your team to do their thing, it shows that you believe in them. That trust encourages everyone to take ownership and make decisions confidently, without needing to ask for approval. Four Steps to Develop Your Authentic Leadership Style Switching to an authentic leadership style is all about building intentional habits into your daily routine. Conduct a Values Audit: Write down your top three non-negotiable core values; then take a quick look at your recent business choices to see how they align with those values. Seek Feedback from All Sides: Ask your peers and team members for honest, anonymous feedback, it's a great way to discover any blind spots in your leadership style. Practice Active Listening: Really listen to your team's point of view first, instead of worrying about what you're going to say next. Share the Credit, Absorb the Blame: Celebrate your team's wins openly and cheer them on, but take responsibility behind the scenes when things don't go as planned. Authentic leadership is not a quick fix or a trendy management style. It is a long-term commitment to self-awareness, transparency, and consistency. By choosing honesty over perfection, you create a workplace rooted in trust. When people trust their leader, they don’t just show up for work, they unite to turn a shared vision into reality. Written by: Cassie Rainville

How small brave steps help us build confidence, joy, and trust in ourselves People often tell me I’m brave, which I find interesting because I don’t really see it that way. I have plenty of fears, and I think fear is both normal and healthy. I just try not to let it keep me from doing the things I want to do. In my twenties, like many people, I struggled with confidence and figuring out what I wanted. At the time, it felt deeply personal, even though I now know it’s universal. I worked on my career skills, built an amazing support network, and even committed to going to the gym. One day, while on the treadmill listening to Taylor Swift as loudly as possible and seriously regretting leaving my comfy couch, the idea came to me: What if courage is a muscle, not an inherent trait? And if it’s a muscle, maybe it can be built by exercising it. That felt logical to me—and, conveniently, like a great excuse to go home and write notes instead of jogging to nowhere. I started a 'Brave List' by listing things that scared me. Some were broad, like heights and snakes. Others were oddly specific: fairground Ferris wheels, riding a motorcycle, trying spicy food. For the vague ones, I broke them down into smaller steps. 'Stop being afraid of heights' wasn’t helpful, but 'stand near an overlook with a railing,' 'ride a roller coaster,' or 'go hike somewhere with a view' felt doable. Then I decided I would check off one every month until it was complete. I’ve missed some months, and my list is constantly evolving, but that’s okay. For me, it’s about the journey, not just the end result. Some challenges were more personal: having difficult conversations, letting people see my true self, trusting my work, and owning the unique perspective I bring. Those have taken the longest—and a few are still in progress—but they have also been the most meaningful. The more open I am to new experiences, the more I learn, grow, and build confidence. Since starting the list, I’ve ridden roller coasters, traveled to Europe, taken a solo trip, visited Niagara Falls, and set a goal to hike to all 240 waterfalls in Oregon. I’ve tried different foods and learned that I actually love new experiences. For someone who used to order the same thing at a restaurant every time, that has been a game changer. This weekend, my sister and I drove two hours to a waterpark just to slide down waterslides built around a plane on a roof. No, I am not making this up. As I waited in line, I could feel the anxiety set in, especially in the crowd on the high platform. But because I had practiced courage in smaller ways before, I could remind myself I was going to be fine. Sliding down that waterslide was so much fun and brought back some of that unbridled childhood joy. Really, who doesn’t need more joy? I ride horses and help coach teen equestrian athletes, many of whom are fearful—and rightly so. I often ask them, “Can you give me three seconds of courage?” Three seconds is enough time to swing a leg over a horse, slide down a waterslide, or raise your hand in a meeting. Sometimes they discover the fear wasn’t as big as it felt, and they want to try again. Sometimes three seconds is enough, and they’re done for the day. That’s okay. We celebrate the try and aim for four seconds next time. Courage is built slowly, and the try is the most important part. I haven’t loved every try. I will probably always be afraid of heights, but I once took the glass elevator up the CN Tower in Toronto—1,465 feet high—and stood on the glass floor for three seconds. That was plenty for me. The view was spectacular, but I don’t need to do it again anytime soon. I’ve also decided that some fears can stay. Turns out, I don’t want to pet a snake, and I’m perfectly fine leaving that one on the list forever. The point was never to become fearless; it was to learn to be open to new adventures, trust myself, and take calculated risks when the reward is worth it. Your Brave List doesn’t have to be big, dramatic, or impressive. In fact, I’ve found the most value in the little things: traveling alone and meeting new friends, spending some of my favorite days with friends and family, and watching a student who was afraid to go faster on her horse discover that she loves a little run to clear her mind on stressful days. John Wayne said it best: "Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” So here’s to three seconds of courage—and everything those three seconds can open up. Written by: Nicole Joli

“It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you are not” –Denis Waitley Picture yourself joining a Zoom call with a group of incredibly accomplished people. As introductions begin, you hear about their impressive careers, achievements, and experiences. By the time the meeting ends, you find yourself standing in front of the mirror thinking, "I didn't belong in that meeting. What do I really have to offer this team?" I have experienced those thoughts more times than I can count. Having a quirky personality (the elder emo, millennial Office Manager) has often made me question whether I was taken seriously or whether I truly deserved a seat at the table. Those feelings of self-doubt became so familiar that I started to believe the self-talk, which in turn affected my career. After doing some research, I discovered a phenomenon that perfectly explained my persistent feelings of inadequacy as a leader: Impostor Syndrome. What is Imposter Syndrome? Impostor syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which individuals experience persistent, internalized self-doubt despite their accomplishments. They often believe their success is the result of being 'in the right place at the right time' or that they have somehow managed to fool others into overestimating their abilities. As a result, they may live with the constant fear that peers, colleagues, or supervisors will eventually discover they are not as capable as they appear. These feelings can lead to chronic anxiety, overworking, and ultimately burnout, as individuals feel compelled to continually prove their worth. Even when they achieve significant milestones, they tend to downplay their accomplishments or dismiss awards and recognition as unimportant or undeserved rather than accepting them as a reflection of their hard work and abilities. The research behind Imposter Syndrome suggests that it is far more complex than simply feeling like you do not belong. Factors such as culture, environment, family dynamics, and the roles people are assigned early in life can all play a significant role. For example, were you labeled the 'smart one' growing up? Did your family place a strong emphasis on academic achievement? These are only a few examples of the many influences that may contribute to the development of Imposter Syndrome. Those with Imposter Syndrome may experience self-talk that looks like: “I’m a fake.” “I don’t deserve to be here.” “I’m not enough for this.” Does any of this sound familiar? Learning about this was a real lightbulb moment for me. It helped me understand why I feel stuck in my career and why I seem to self-sabotage in different areas of my life. Looking at the big picture, so many things finally started to make sense. Why Do We Feel This Way? Why Do We Do This? Although Imposter Syndrome is not an official psychiatric diagnosis, psychologists recognize it as a pervasive cognitive pattern that affects many people. Those who experience it often struggle with self-efficacy, perfectionism, and neuroticism, which can contribute to negative emotions such as anxiety, self-doubt, and even depression. One of the biggest misconceptions about Imposter Syndrome is that it disappears once you become a leader. In reality, many leaders and managers quietly struggle with it. They question whether they're qualified enough, worry they'll be 'found out,' hesitate to speak up, over-prepare, or feel the need to have all the answers before making a decision. The challenge is that Imposter Syndrome doesn't just affect the leader—it can influence the entire team. It can lead to micromanaging, avoiding difficult conversations, reluctance to delegate, perfectionism, or passing up opportunities because of self-doubt. Strong leadership isn't about never questioning yourself. It's about recognizing when self-doubt, rather than your experience, skills, and values, is shaping your decisions. So, Let’s Snap Out Of It We all know it is not as easy as just 'snapping out of it, right? Overcoming Imposter Syndrome means changing habits and learning a whole new internal dialogue. Here are a few strategies I have learned and plan to incorporate into my daily life. Separate Feelings from Facts Ask yourself whether your doubts, anxiety, and feelings of not being good enough are supported by evidence or driven by fear. We have to challenge our self-critical thoughts and replace them with more balanced, evidence-based perspectives. For example, when someone compliments your achievements—or even just your outfit—instead of dismissing it or overthinking it, simply say, "Thank you, that means a lot to me." Build a Supportive Network Connect with people who share your passions and ambitions and who are open to both teaching and learning from one another. Having a strong support system can help remind you that you are not alone in these feelings. The OWA is a great place to start. (Insert wink.) Embrace Lifelong Learning Confidence grows through learning, not through knowing everything. In fact, not having all the answers gives us the opportunity to continue growing and improving. Invest in yourself by taking classes, reading books or blogs, attending conferences, and seeking out new experiences. Most importantly, learn to celebrate your accomplishments. Your wins, no matter how big or small, are hard-earned and deserve to be recognized. As a woman in a leadership role, I've experienced Imposter Syndrome firsthand. There have been moments when I questioned whether I was knowledgeable enough, experienced enough, or deserving of the opportunities in front of me—even when the evidence said otherwise. Now that I am in my thirties, I often feel that I should be much further along in both my career and my personal life. At the same time, I find myself believing that no matter how hard I work, it is never enough. I spend many days worrying that my own leaders will eventually decide to replace me, despite the effort I put into my work. What I’m coming to learn is that confidence doesn't always come before action. Sometimes it grows because you're willing to keep showing up, keep learning, and trust that you belong in the room. If you've ever felt like you're the only one carrying these doubts, you're not. More leaders and professionals experience Imposter Syndrome than we often realize. Talking about it doesn't make us weaker—it helps create workplaces where people can grow without feeling like they have to prove their worth every day. The most effective leaders aren't the ones who never feel like imposters. They're the ones who learn to lead with confidence even when that negative inner voice shows up. You earned your seat at the table. Don't let self-doubt convince you to give it up. Written by: Emily Hignett