The See Center
Janet Corbit-Drakulich, a 28-year-old optometrist started The See Center only one year after graduating from the University of Nevada, Reno. She has slowly built a base of patients with help from her husband Luke, part-time employees and the Nevada Small Business Development Center.
"I can't just sit around doing nothing," Janet said, explaining why she started The See Center. Janet said it was difficult for her to find full-time work at other optometrists' offices and she needed to pay off student loans.
After making the decision to start a business, Janet quickly learned she needed yet another loan. That's where the NSBDC entered the picture. Counselors there helped her find loans, a location and form a business plan.
In fact, after being open for two years, Janet still comes to the NSBDC for financial advice and other counseling. Janet said she felt as if she knew nothing about business when she started.
But now, after trial and error, help from friends and NSBDC counseling, Janet and her husband have a much better grasp of how to operate their business.
Now, the biggest problem Janet faces comes from patients thinking she's too young to run a doctor's office. However, this generally only affects a patient until they realize Janet is a competent professional who knows how to take care of her customers.
Since her first year in 2004, Janet has had twice as much business with 70 percent new patients and 30 percent returning. Nonetheless, her goal is to flip those numbers.
"A healthy business should be booked at least two weeks to a month in advance," Janet said. "Right now we're only booked one week in advance."
Janet is confident her goals will be met within the year, allowing her to take a deep breath and relax. As it is, her business has started paying for itself in the last six months and Janet hopes to continue that trend.
She's accomplished this by using various incentives to attract customers. When someone refers three other patients, for example, they receive a gift certificate for Starbucks or even $50 off their next visit. She also uses more conventional methods, such as newspaper ads, direct mail and brochures. All of these marketing tools gather more patients.
Her business also helps customers choose and order their glasses or contacts. The See Center has a contract with a lab that can make lenses in three to five business days. This makes life easier for her customers, because they no longer have to take their prescription out of the office.
Despite her youth, Janet has created a solid practice that provides useful and convenient services for her patients.
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