What if growing your practice was less about avoiding failure and more about experimenting? In this episode of Optometrist Building Empires, Dr. Brooks Wood shares how he expanded his family’s Allen, TX practice while launching an after-hours urgent eye care network that’s changing patient access to specialty care. From embracing an “experimental growth” mindset to streamlining operations through efficiency and automation, Dr. Wood reveals how he balances clinical excellence with entrepreneurial innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• Don’t be afraid to experiment and refine your services until you find what works. Growth comes from trying, failing, and adjusting rather than waiting for perfect conditions.
• Create services that fill real patient needs, like after-hours urgent eye care. Meeting patients where they are builds trust and positions your practice as the go-to solution.
• Look at revenue per square foot, not just chair time, to maximize efficiency. This mindset helps you turn every part of your office into a productive asset.
• Use automation and templates to streamline repetitive tasks for your staff. The less time wasted on admin work, the more energy your team can dedicate to patient care.
• Incorporate handheld and mobile technology to make better use of limited space. This lets you expand services and capacity without costly renovations.
• Build relationships with ERs and urgent care centers to capture referrals. These connections not only benefit patients but also strengthen your practice’s reputation.
• Invest in medical eyecare experience early in your career. The more comfortable you are with complex cases, the more valuable your role becomes in a growing healthcare landscape.

Quote of the Show:

• “ A lot of doctors still have a healthy fear, but sometimes that fear can stop us from growing and moving forward. ” - Brooks Wood 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooks-wood-277a40175/  
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brooks.wood.7/?_rdr 
• Company website: https://www.alleneyecarecenter.com/  
• Email: brooks.od@urgenteyecaretx.com 
• Phone:  (214) 605-0876
• Book a Meeting with Ankit: https://meetings.hubspot.com/ankit98/optometry-redefined?uuid=e5cd456c-9db4-42c7-b106-2b6e250a6d01 
• Optometry Redefined Book: https://www.amazon.com/Optometry-Redefined-Master-Resourcing-Performance/dp/B0FKJTZGJ3/ref=monarch_sidesheet_image 

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5w1H9BBwRXvBSSkexePYxG 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/optometrists-building-empires/id1762685070 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/689a039b-54ce-4f04-b641-66d8640d93d0 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/optometrists-building-empires-5812208