Sam Strong

Pat Smith qualified as a dispensing optician in 1992, and after a varied career in the industry, she followed her passion for dogs and their welfare to create a dog grooming business, Allsorts Premier Dog Grooming and Hydrotherapy. In this episode of More Than Optics, Pat chats to Jayshree and Bhavin about what prompted her career change, what it took to achieve all of her canine-related qualifications and how she set up her business.

Reemal Rabheru was a dispensing optician, who spent two years in managerial roles at Sainsbury's, before pursuing his passion for business and property investment and development. He has spent the past fifteen years building his own property investment knowledge and portfolio and now invests in traditional Buy to Let properties & Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in and around Milton Keynes and Northampton, as well as in creating new homes through land development and the conversion of existing commercial units. In this episode of More Than Optics, Reemal tells Jayshree and Bhavin about his change in career from healthcare to retail and eventually to property, and the challenges that he's faced and overcome along the way.

Maria Anubi is a business owner and a qualified optician, with many years of experience as a healthcare professional. She was contracted to supply optical products and services by Army Air force Exchange Services on USAF bases in the UK and for many years, she owned and conducted a successful Dollond & Aitchison optician franchise based in London, before eventually opening a new Independent optical boutique in Oxford. She has since taken her skills, talents and experience and put them to use in another way as a business coach and mentor, inlcuding for the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. In this episode of More Than Optics, Maria tells Jayshree and Bhavin about her journey through optics and business, and also gives her thoughts on the dichotomy of the clinical and retail aspects of the optical industry.

After being caught between her love of optics and her passion for writing, Priya Patel decided against becoming a journalist in favour of qualifying as an optometrist over eleven years ago. Fast forward to the 2020s and Priya, now a wife and mother, has become a self-published children's author with the release of her Little James' Big Adventure series, which has hitherto spawned two installments: Little James Visits The Opticians and Little James Visits The Hairdresser.  In this episode of More Than Optics, Priya chats to Jayshree and Bhavin about her journey into authordom and the idea behind the Little James series, and also explains the production process of each book, from writing to the illustrations.

Sam Strong is a lecturer in Optometry at Aston University, having graduated from the University of Bradford with a PhD in Vision Science in 2015, after initially graduating with a BSc in Psychology from the University of York. In this episode of More Than Optics, Sam tells Jayshree and Bhavin about how her other passion for illustrating has helped her in the day job, as well as the challenges of teaching online during the pandemic.

Jaime Patel has been a qualified optometrist for over 20 years, but much of that time has also been spent developing her passion of painting contemporary art, and, more recently, of crystals. In 2020, during the throes of the pandemic, she combined those passions with the launch of her business, Crystal Artisan. In this episode of More Than Optics, Jaime tells Jayshree and Bhavin the fascinating story about how Crystal Artisan came to be, as well as some of the inspirations for her art! Check out her online shop and her Instagram page!

Simon Berry is an optometrist, who, in addition to running his own practice and working in a hospital, has invented a device that helps practitioners examine people with learning difficulties, as well as being a distributor for frames that are specifically designed for people with Down’s Syndrome. In this episode of More Than Optics, Jayshree and Bhavin chat to Simon about the various projects he’s involved in, the joys and challenges of working in the optical industry, plus his book-based charity fundraiser.

Priya Amlani is a behavioural optometrist, anxiety specialist and children's coach. After graduating from UMIST with a BSc(Hons) in Optometry in 2000, she worked within the NHS for ten years, specialising in paediatrics, before then qualifying as an NLP Practitioner in May 2009, as a Master Practitioner in NLP, Time Line Therapy and Hypnosis in 2010 and a Master NLP Coach in 2010, with her passion for working with children ultimately leading to her qualification as a Behavioural Optometrist in 2016.  In 2010, Priya decided to channel her experience and genuine desire to help others through the creation of Amlani Coaching, with the principal aims including helping people to overcome their anxiety, grow in confidence, improve communication skills and enhance relationships.  In this episode of More Than Optics, Priya tells Jayshree and Bhavin about the factors that shaped the creation of Amlani Coaching, as she explains many of the challenges that she's faced over the last decade, as well as the effects that the pandemic has had on her business.

Archana Kanabar is a professional ophthalmic optician and experienced entrepreneur, having grown a Specsavers franchise to two successful outlets in London. Alongside optics and motherhood, Archana has also co-founded Body by Organic, a skincare range that prides itself on producing certified organic, certified vegan, and certified cruelty-free products.  In this episode of More Than Optics, Jayshree and Bhavin chat to Archana about Body by Organic and the challenges of launching a start-up business.

Peter Greedy is a qualified optometrist and coach, former corporate executive, inventor and entrepreneur. Peter founded Greepers Ltd in 2007 as a means of developing and commercialising the patented GREEPER® Laces - a unique fastening device promoted as a better alternative for lace-up footwear.  In this episode of More Than Optics, Jayshree and Bhavin chat to Peter about how his product came to be, life as an optometrist, as well as breaking down the dichotomy of failing and learning.