How She Got Started

Debbie started working as an apprentice optician in April 1983, and completed her certification two years later.

Employed for five years by American Optical Company through Sears Optical, she honed her skills and expanded them to include colour analysis.  A hands-on person, Debbie was the first there to step in and repair eyeglasses, solder frames, mount lenses on new frames, attach new nylon to rimless frames, add silicone nosepads to frames, replace screws in frames and liaise with customers.   
Debbie moved on to work at Pearle Vision, where she increased her expertise in the fitting of contact lenses. During this time she was “a floater,” travelling from store to store. This was a great opportunity for Debbie for she watched management at work and learned how different managers handled various situations.  She incorporated their best practices into her skill set.  Debbie became manager at one of the branches and over the next year learned that being store manager meant putting in very long hours for only a little more pay. She had lots of great ideas and anxiously awaited a time when she could open her own optical business.  Well, the old adage of – be careful what you wish for, it just might happen – came true for Debbie was about to open her first store.

Her Own Stores  

One day the phone rang and she was told that one of the stores was closing as the lease had expired. Debbie had worked at that store as a floater and knew that the real reason for it closing was that the store was not doing well. This was Debbie’s golden opportunity and she jumped on it.  The next thing you knew, Debbie opened her first store.  It was January 1991.  

With eight years of experience behind her, she was ready to give it her best.  Within 1991 she opened another two stores and the following year two more. She even operated two sunglass carts in local markets. She proved the exception to statistics that state some eighty five percent of all businesses fail in the first five years.  Debbie operated successful businesses at all locations.

In recent years, Debbie decided to focus her time on a few stores so that she could give individual attention to her customers.  Debbie now happily divides her time between two flourishing stores in the greater Vancouver area.  She has never looked back.  With 27 years of accumulated experience, she has developed her expertise in all facets of the business.  

People Person 

Debbie has believed from the beginning that to be an optician you must really enjoy meeting people. She is a real people person and thrives on interacting on all levels.  

She believes that if you like people it is a pleasure to serve them and that everything runs smoothly when there is good communication.  She also believes that customers must receive excellent customer service.  She says that it is just as important to dispense eyewear, as it is to sell it,  and that follow-up care is ;also important.  She wants people to feel comfortable returning for all their eyewear needs.