editor's letter
Learn and EARN …
Stephanie K. De Long
Continuing education credit and a certificate, that is. Though it feels like summer has barely begun, it's definitely time to start planning for fall educational opportunities like International Vision Expo West.
One of the great offerings at the Vegas show is the Frame Buyer Certificate Program. Whether your responsibilities include buying or not, these hands-on classes are great for anyone who has dispensing, store- or inventory-management responsibilities. They will be conducted over three days—from September 21 to 24—and subjects range from cash flow and benchmarking to vendor assessment and retail strategies.
Eyecare Business is proud to co-sponsor this track of courses, in partnership with The Vision Council's Eyewear and Accessories Division. Just look in the show program for the EB and Vision Council logos next to the nine Frame Buyer Certificate Program course descriptions.
Some of the courses slated for September are Frame Technology, Setting Your Frame Board Mix, Merchandising Magic, Inventory Pitfalls, and Seeing is Believing.
To earn a certificate—which former students report they're proud to display at the office—you need to take eight hours of education from the 13 offered in September. If you don't have time to take all of them at once, you can round out your hours at another Vision Expo show. After you complete the required eight hours, you'll automatically receive a certificate.
For more information about education, exhibits, and events at the show, go to visionexpowest.com.
Stephanie K. De Long
Editor-in-Chief
P.S. I'm excited to be moderating a two-hour panel discussion on Saturday morning at VEW. “Seeing is Believing: Strategies for Tapping Your Inner Retailer” features four super-savvy owners/opticians who share their expertise, strategies, and advise about cutting-edge, independent retailing. Participants are: Gai Gherardi, co-owner of l.a.Eyeworks; Julia Gogosha, owner of Gogosha Optique; industry veteran and consultant Carol Norbeck; and Valerie Vittu, owner of Margot & Camille. This hands-on, interactive panel will show you how to build your Number-One brand…you.
| WHAT THEY SAID… |
|---|
| A look at the July issues of EB over the last 25 years |
| July 1986 |
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PRICE VS. QUALITY “Perhaps 15 percent of today's consumers make their choice to buy based on the price tag. Even in times of recession, the majority of people come to the final decision with quality as the primary ingredient.” —Dean Butler, CEO, 74-location Lens Crafters, Cincinnati |
| July 1999 |
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BUYING STRATEGY “The only way to make a big win in the stock market is to take a strong position. In frame buying, too, if you don't commit to a line, you're wasting your money.” —Robert Marc, Robert Marc Opticians, New York |
| July 2001 |
| ASKING QUESTIONS “I ask patients how much they use a computer and what their hobbies are. I ask and ask. Patients don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.” —David Seibel, OD, Vision Care Consultants, St. Louis |
| JULY 2004 |
|
TOUGH TASKS According to a survey of 837 managers, the toughest supervisory tasks managers say they have are: 1. Motivating employees —Rainmaker Thinking, Inc., New Haven, Conn. |
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