Beyond the Exam Lane: Building Systems and Teams That Scale - Dr. Fallon Patel

Описание: Dr. Harbir Sian sits down with Dr. Fallon Patel, Toronto optometrist, owner of five LensCrafters sublease clinics, leader of a 50-person team, and creator of the upcoming AI platform Pulse IQ Solutions.

This conversation goes far beyond clinical care. Dr. Patel shares how she evolved from a full-time clinician to a true business leader—navigating chaos, hiring for culture, developing associate doctors, and building a thriving myopia management program across multiple locations.

She opens up about the mindset shifts that changed her career, the power of coaching, why empathy matters in leadership, and how stepping out of the exam lane allowed her practices to grow. Whether you’re an associate dreaming of ownership or a seasoned OD managing a team, this episode is packed with real-world wisdom.

Key Takeaways
1. You Can’t Scale From the Exam Lane
Growth required Fallon to step back from seeing patients every day. Leadership demands time for strategy, people development, and systems—not just more clinical hours.

2. Hire for Behavior, Not Experience
Skills can be trained; mindset cannot. Fallon hires based on ownership, accountability, adaptability, and respect rather than years on a résumé.

3. Culture Is What You Tolerate
Protect your A-players. Allowing one toxic team member can erode morale faster than any marketing strategy can fix.

4. Myopia Management Requires Belief First
Doctors need to experience success personally before fully adopting it. Start simple—one lens, one approach—and build confidence over time.

5. Leadership Starts With Personal Development
Tactics didn’t move her business—mindset did. Real growth began when Fallon invested in coaching and inner work.

6. Communication Fuels Momentum
Weekly meetings, Slack channels, and constant vision sharing keep large teams aligned across multiple locations.

7. AI Will Be the Next Practice Partner
Pulse IQ Solutions aims to turn business data into guided action for teams—training, SOPs, and performance insights in one hub.

Memorable Quotes
“If you want your external world to improve, you have to start with yourself and work internally.”
“People think working more days makes more money—but everything falls apart when you’re in the lane five days a week.”
“Hire slow, fire fast—experience can be trained; behavior cannot.”
“Leadership is not that employees work for you. It’s that you work for your employees.”
“Something is better than nothing—just pick one myopia option and start.”
“Opportunities show up like luck, but only if you’ve prepared for them.”

Topics We Cover
Transitioning from clinician → leader
Managing 5 clinics and 20 associate ODs
Creating accountability without losing empathy
Building myopia management across a team
Using metrics to guide culture
Why coaching changed everything
Social media as a recruitment tool
Inside Pulse IQ Solutions and AI for ECPs


About Our Guest – Dr. Fallon Patel
Owner of 5 LensCrafters sublease clinics in the Toronto area
Leads a team of 50+ staff including 20 optometrists
Passionate about myopia management & leadership development
Host of the Optical Accelerator Series on Optical Prism
Founder of Pulse IQ Solutions, an AI-driven platform for ECP operations
Wife and mother of two


Connect with Dr. Fallon Patel
Instagram: @EyeDocFallon
LinkedIn: Dr. Fallon Patel
Pulse IQ Waitlist: pulseIQsolutions.com
Optical Accelerator Series: opticalprism.ca