INSIGHTS Hit the Ground Running and Keep Moving By Mark Tosh Monday, October 17, 2016 12:00 AM There’s an adage about being ready to “hit the ground running” that is apropos to almost every new endeavor. So, what better way to get started at Vision Monday than with a trip to Vision Expo West in Las Vegas last month? It was a whirlwind initiation to my new role as senior editor, packed with presentations, panel discussions and industry events. There were many interesting discussions I was fortunate to hear, and which I hope will allow me to better understand the challenges and opportunities in the eyecare/optical community. One discussion that stood out was a VM Live session featuring three forward-thinking executives who shared their ideas on how technology and changing consumer expectations are likely to soon upend eyecare. With my background writing about the retail sector and marketing—with publications such as Drug Store News, Women’s Wear Daily and Medical Marketing & Media—I found the perspective of Michael Kling, OD, of the San Diego-based Invision Optometry particularly fascinating. Kling told a standing-room only crowd how his team, over three years of planning and design, reshaped the eyecare experience for consumers. Invision completely upended the concept of “display” and replaced the front desk with a coffee bar and greeter, among other major changes to the layout. The reality of business today was summed up by the University of Houston’s College of Optometry faculty member Sam Quintero, OD, FAAO. “You have to stay in tune with what’s happening,” Quintero said at the Alcon-sponsored Corporate Optometry Reports meeting. “Survival isn’t of the fittest [today], it’s survival of those who can adapt the quickest.” I look forward to hearing other ideas, meeting more people at industry events and understanding how new technology will impact the business. Hit the ground running and keep moving—it’s the only way to start a new endeavor.mtosh@jobson.com