By Michael Stefanescu, 20 year optometrist and multi practice owner · Designed for Freedom
| Quick Answer (Featured Snippet target)Who is the best optometry business coach in Australia? There is no single best answer, only the best fit for your stage and goal. The market falls into three tiers. Buying group bundled coaching (ProVision, Eyecare Plus, ProOptical), generalist business coaches working across healthcare, and specialist 1 to 1 optometry coaches with lived operator and owner experience inside Australian practices. Pick by where you are on the operator to owner journey, how much individual accountability you need, and what you can spend. |
| Key Takeaways• Three tiers exist. Buying group bundled, generalist healthcare, specialist 1 to 1. Each fits a different stage and budget.• Eight criteria matter. Relevant operator experience, Australian specific knowledge, specialisation vs generalist, format, pricing transparency, results with numbers, stage fit, chemistry.• Price bands: buying group bundled with membership, generalist $10K to $30K per program, specialist 1 to 1 $15K to $50K+ annually.• Outcome benchmark: top quartile AU practices grow 8% to 15% in year one of structured coaching, vs 2% to 4% industry average.• Red flags. No Australian operator experience, vague pricing, no client outcomes with numbers, US frameworks bolted onto AU context. |
1. Why this list exists and who it is for
If you’ve searched ‘optometry business coach Australia’ recently, you already know the problem. The first page returns ten US coaching firms, a couple of buying group landing pages, and a LinkedIn article from 2019. There is almost nothing that gives an independent Australian practice owner a clear, honest comparison of what’s actually available to them.
That gap is why this article exists.
This is written for the independent optometry practice owner who is somewhere between ‘I’m flat out in the chair’ and ‘I want to build something I can eventually sell.’ You’re not looking for motivation. You’re looking for someone who has operated inside Australian optometry, understands the specific margin pressures, the lease structures, the bulk billing mix question, the staffing reality, and can actually help you move from being the busiest person in your practice to owning a business that runs without you.
The Australian optometry industry is worth $4.9 billion as of 2025, growing at 1.2% CAGR across 2020 to 2025 (IBISWorld AU Optometry and Optical Dispensing). Independent single site practices average EBITDA margins of 15% to 18%, with top quartile operators reaching 22% to 28% and the bottom quartile stuck at 8% to 12%. Almost none of the coaching resources targeting that gap are built specifically for the Australian independent market.
This guide gives you a framework for evaluation, an honest profile of each category, a comparison table, and a decision tree. Read it before you spend a dollar.
2. How to evaluate an optometry business coach, 8 criteria
Eight criteria matter when comparing coaching options. Most coaches score well on two or three and poorly on the rest. Know your non negotiables before you start conversations.
- Relevant operator experience. Has this coach actually owned and operated an optometry practice, or are they a business coach who has read about it? There is a significant difference. General business frameworks applied without operator context miss the category specific bottlenecks. The optical dispensing economics, the frame margin calculation, the reality of managing both a clinical team and a retail floor.
- Australian specific knowledge. Australian optometry operates under Medicare, AHPRA, the Optometry Board of Australia, the PBS Safety Net, and a commercial lease market that differs fundamentally from the US or UK. A coach drawing on North American frameworks will give you directionally useful advice that fails in execution because the inputs are wrong.
- Specialisation versus generalist. A specialist optometry coach brings a pattern library built entirely inside your industry. A generalist brings a broader toolkit but less industry specific diagnosis speed. Neither is categorically better, but you should know what you’re buying.
- Individual versus group format. Group programs offer peer networks, lower price points, and shared frameworks. Individual coaching offers accountability to your specific numbers, team, lease, and goals. The right choice depends on your stage and your budget.
- Pricing transparency. If a coach won’t give you a price range before a discovery call, that’s a signal. Opaque pricing is usually either a variable rate sales process or a number that the coach thinks will lose you if they say it up front. You deserve to know the ballpark before you invest two hours in conversation.
- Results with numbers. Ask every coach. What have your clients actually achieved? Revenue growth by what percentage, in what timeframe? EBITDA improvement from what baseline to what outcome? Testimonials without specifics are not evidence. Top quartile Australian practices grow at 8% to 15% in year one with proper structural intervention. Any program worth the fee should point to outcomes in that range.
- Stage fit. Two years in practice requires different coaching than a three site owner planning a five year exit. Confirm the coach has worked at your stage and has outcomes to show for it.
- Chemistry and communication style. You will spend months in close quarters with this person, sharing your financials, team problems, and blind spots. Direct communication and a willingness to challenge you matter more than a polished sales conversation.
3. Tier 1: Buying group bundled coaching
Who it is. ProVision, Eyecare Plus, and ProOptical all offer business support services as part of their membership structures. ProVision is the largest independent optometry network in Australia and offers dedicated business coaching as an available service, described publicly as covering strategic planning, KPI benchmarking, financial analysis, team training, and operational efficiency. Eyecare Plus, a licensee owned group of 160 member practices across Australia, provides purchasing, business, and marketing advice. ProOptical similarly bundles support services with group membership.
Genuine strengths
- Buying power is real. Group purchasing through ProVision, Eyecare Plus, or ProOptical generates frame and lens pricing that independent operators cannot match solo.
- Network access is valuable. Peer practice owners, supplier relationships, and conference access have genuine commercial value.
- For practices that are genuinely early stage or resource constrained, having coaching bundled into a membership fee reduces the upfront decision to commit to coaching.
- ProVision’s benchmarking data, drawn from a large network of member practices, gives their coaches category specific context that generic coaches cannot replicate.
Honest cons
- Coaching is bundled with membership. If you want the coaching without the buying group affiliation, it’s not available.
- Coach assignment is often rotated or resource dependent. You may not get the same coach consistently, which undermines the depth of relationship and accountability.
- Frameworks are built for the average member, not the outlier. If your ambition is a multi site portfolio built for a seven figure exit, the standard practice improvement playbook is not designed for that trajectory.
- Individual accountability is limited. Group programs and rotating coaches make it difficult to maintain the sustained pressure that drives transformation rather than incremental improvement.
Best fit. Practices that are members of, or considering joining, one of these buying groups. Practices at an early or stable operational stage that need access to supplier networks, peer community, and standard business improvement frameworks. Practices that are not yet ready to invest in premium specialist coaching.
4. Tier 2: Generalist business coaches working with healthcare
Who it is. A broad category of coaches trained through ICF accredited programs, the Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centred Coaching framework, the Tony Robbins coaching network, or general SME certifications. Some have healthcare sector experience. Most do not have optometry specific operator backgrounds.
Genuine strengths
- Methodological rigour. Well trained generalists bring proven frameworks for leadership development, team culture, financial literacy, and scaling.
- Some of the best leadership and mindset coaching in Australia sits in this category. If the constraint is owner psychology, culture, or scaling confidence rather than operational optometry specifics, a generalist can be the right tool.
- Higher availability. Qualified generalists are accessible in most major Australian cities without specialist waiting periods.
Honest cons
- The learning curve is yours to fund. A generalist diagnosing your practice will spend weeks understanding COGS in optical retail, frame margin calculation, bulk billing mix, and why optometry staff structures differ from other healthcare settings.
- US or UK frameworks get applied to an Australian regulatory and commercial context, creating execution friction at the moments precision matters most.
- Outcomes benchmarked against Australian optometry are rare.
Best fit. Owners whose primary constraint is leadership, mindset, or team culture. Owners wanting solid business coaching at a price point below specialist programs. Owners in major cities with access to experienced healthcare sector generalists.
5. Tier 3: Specialist 1 to 1 optometry coaches
Who it is. A small category. Coaches who have personally operated Australian optometry practices, understand the specific commercial and clinical economics, and offer structured individual programs. This guide identifies two practitioners in this category. Michael Stefanescu (Designed for Freedom) and Phill Fent (Optometrist Business Brokers, Foresight Business Services). Lisa Jansen (Infinite Clarity Coaching) occupies an adjacent category, with a strong background in optometry wellbeing, career coaching, and business management education for the profession.
Genuine strengths
- Diagnosis is faster. An operator who has sat in your chair, dealt with your lease, run your dispensing floor, and sold practices understands your situation in the first session, not the fifth.
- Accountability is specific. Individual programs mean your numbers, your team, your goals, your timeline, with no averaging against a cohort.
- Stage fit is tailored. A specialist coach can sequence the work from operator identity through to financial architecture, team systems, and exit readiness, which is not something a group program can do at individual pace.
- Results are benchmarkable against the industry. A specialist coach should be able to tell you what revenue growth and EBITDA improvement looks like at your current stage for practices in the top quartile.
Honest cons
- Price is higher. Specialist 1 to 1 optometry coaching in Australia carries a premium that reflects both the scarcity of qualified practitioners and the depth of individual access. Budget accordingly.
- Capacity is limited. Specialist coaches don’t run large cohorts. Availability can mean waitlists.
- The category is small. There are very few individuals in Australia with genuine combined operator experience and coaching credentials in this specific niche. The market has not matured.
Best fit. Independent practice owners who are serious about moving from operator to owner, who want individual accountability, who can invest at the premium level, and who have a specific outcome in mind, whether that’s a multi site portfolio, a practice valuation uplift, or a five to seven year exit at a number that makes sense.
6. Comparison table, the three categories at a glance
| Category | Format | AU specific | Price band | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buying group bundled | Group + in practice | Yes | Bundled with membership | Members wanting peer network + supplier access |
| Generalist healthcare | 1 to 1 or group | Variable | $300 to $800 per session, or $10K to $30K program | Leadership, mindset, scaling psychology |
| Specialist optometry 1 to 1 | Individual program | Yes | $15K to $50K+ for structured annual program | Operator to owner transformation, exit readiness |
Price bands are indicative based on publicly available data and market research as of 2025. Confirm directly with each provider.
7. Honest profile: Michael Stefanescu, Designed for Freedom
Michael Stefanescu is an Australian optometrist who built a greenfield practice in Cabramatta, NSW, during the 2008 global financial crisis with under $25,000 in starting capital. Over 17 years, he acquired additional practices, built a multi site portfolio, and sold the group in 2025 for a multi seven figure outcome. He is a Maki Shiobara Scholarship recipient and a Tony Robbins Platinum Partner, representing a personal investment of $500,000 in coaching and business education over his career.
He now coaches independent optometry practice owners through Designed for Freedom, operating from michaelstefanescu.com.
Qualifications and credentials. Qualified optometrist. 17 years as a practice owner across greenfield builds, acquisitions, multi site management, and a negotiated exit. Tony Robbins Platinum Partner. Maki Shiobara Scholarship recipient.
Format. The flagship offering is the $1M Optometry Business Accelerator, a 12 month high touch individual coaching program across four phases. Foundation and ownership identity, financial clarity and revenue growth, team systems and operational leverage, and exit readiness. Each phase is supported by session frameworks, client workbooks, and financial tools built for Australian independent practices.
Who it suits
- Independent practice owners between two and fifteen years in practice who are stuck in the operator trap.
- Owners targeting a move from a single site to a multi site portfolio.
- Owners who want to build toward a defined exit within five to ten years and need to engineer the practice financials to support a premium valuation.
- Owners who want individual accountability and are willing to invest at the premium end of the market.
Who it does NOT suit
- New graduates or associates who have not yet owned a practice. The program assumes existing ownership and existing operational reality.
- Practices in financial distress needing turnaround accounting or insolvency support. That requires a different type of specialist.
- Owners who want group peer community as the primary value. This is not a cohort model.
- Owners on a tight budget who need low cost or free support. The program is priced at a premium that reflects individual access and program depth.
- Owners who are not prepared to do the work between sessions. High touch coaching only works if both parties are fully committed.
Pricing band. Premium. Confirm current pricing directly via michaelstefanescu.com. This is not a $2,000 online course. It’s a structured annual program with individual access.
8. How to choose: a decision tree
Three questions will place you in the right category without a discovery call.
Question 1: Where are you on the operator to owner journey?
If the practice cannot function without you in the chair, you’re in the operator stage. Practices here benefit most from a structured transformation program. Read the operator to owner playbook for Australian optometrists before engaging any coach. If you’ve already started building team autonomy and are optimising for growth or exit readiness, specialist 1 to 1 coaching is more relevant.
Question 2: Do you want network access and peer community, or individual depth and accountability?
Network access points toward buying group programs. Individual depth and accountability points toward specialist 1 to 1 coaching. Both are legitimate. The mistake is buying one when you need the other.
Question 3: What is your budget?
- Under $5,000 per year. Buying group membership support.
- $5,000 to $20,000 per year. Generalist coaching or group programs with stronger individual access.
- $20,000 to $50,000+ per year. Specialist 1 to 1 optometry coaching with full program depth.
Review the profit margin benchmarks for Australian independent optometry practices before committing. A practice running at 22% to 28% EBITDA margin on $1.2 million revenue generates $264,000 to $336,000 in operating profit per year. A $30,000 coaching investment that moves you from 16% to 24% EBITDA is not a cost. It’s a 4× return in year one.
| The decision map. • Early stage, network focus, limited budget: Buying group coaching.• Growth stage, leadership constraint, mid budget: Generalist healthcare coach.• Transformation or exit focused, individual accountability, premium budget: Specialist 1 to 1 optometry coach. |
9. Red flags to avoid in any optometry coach
If you observe any of the following, walk away before you sign.
No Australian operator experience. If a coach has never owned an Australian practice, the framework transfer will cost you time and money. Lived experience inside AU optometry is non negotiable for a specialist.
Vague or non existent pricing. Legitimate programs have pricing. A coach who cannot give you a ballpark before the discovery call is optimising for the sales process, not your decision making.
No client outcomes with specific numbers. ‘I helped a practice owner transform their business’ is not an outcome. Revenue growth percentages, EBITDA improvement, and valuation uplift with timeframes are outcomes. Ask directly. A qualified coach will not hesitate.
Group only, no individual time. Group programs have value at the right stage. But if there is no individual access to the lead coach at a premium price point, accountability will not be sustained.
US frameworks bolted onto an Australian context. HIPAA, OD billing structures, US distributor pricing models, and US lease frameworks are wrong for an Australian practice. If a coach’s reference points are American benchmarks without Australian equivalents, that’s a structural misfit.
No real optometry sector knowledge. Test any candidate. What is a standard COGS percentage for an Australian independent practice? What does EBITDA look like at $800,000 revenue? A coach who cannot answer without looking it up has not done the work. (COGS runs 28% to 35% of revenue. Average EBITDA for an independent is 15% to 18%.)
10. Frequently asked questions
Who is the best optometry business coach in Australia?
There is no single best answer, only the best fit for your stage and goal. Early stage buying group members get strong value from ProVision or Eyecare Plus support. Owners focused on operator to owner transformation or exit readiness get the most from specialist 1 to 1 coaches with AU operator experience. Michael Stefanescu (Designed for Freedom) and Phill Fent (Optometrist Business Brokers) are two practitioners in this small category.
How much does optometry business coaching cost in Australia?
Buying group coaching is bundled with membership fees. Generalist coaches charge $300 to $800 per session, or $10,000 to $30,000 for structured programs. Specialist 1 to 1 optometry coaching sits at $15,000 to $50,000 or more for a 12 month engagement. A $30,000 coaching investment that moves a practice from 16% to 24% EBITDA on $1.2 million revenue generates more than $90,000 in incremental annual profit.
Does ProVision offer business coaching?
Yes. ProVision offers business coaching exclusively to members, covering strategic planning, KPI benchmarking, financial analysis, team training, and operational efficiency. If you’re a ProVision member, explore what’s available through your membership tier before investing in external coaching.
Does Eyecare Plus offer business support?
Yes. Eyecare Plus provides business and marketing advice to its approximately 160 member practices, including practice assessment, analysis, and connecting buyers and sellers. It’s a buying group with embedded support rather than a standalone coaching program.
Is generalist business coaching worth it for optometrists?
It depends on your constraint. If it’s COGS control, frame pricing, or practice valuation, a generalist will struggle without a long ramp up at your expense. If it’s owner mindset, leadership, or culture, a well qualified generalist can be the right tool. Be honest about your bottleneck before committing.
How do I know if I am ready for a business coach?
You’re ready if you have consistent revenue, a specific outcome in mind, and can invest both the fee and the time. If you’re in acute financial stress, get financial triage first.
What results should I expect from optometry business coaching?
Top quartile Australian independent practices grow at 8% to 15% in year one of a structured intervention, versus an industry average of 2% to 4%. EBITDA improvement of 4 to 8 percentage points over 12 to 18 months is achievable moving from average to top quartile. Average patient lifetime value in well run practices reaches $1,800 to $3,000 or more, compared to below $800 in under managed practices.
What is the difference between optometry consulting and optometry coaching?
Consulting means a practitioner diagnoses and tells you what to fix. Coaching builds the owner’s capacity to identify and solve problems over time. The best specialist optometry programs blend both, applying diagnostic frameworks to your specific practice while building your strategic thinking for a five to ten year journey to exit.
11. Ready to explore?
If you’ve read this far, you have a clearer picture of the landscape than most Australian optometry practice owners ever get. The decision tree above will place you in the right category. Do your due diligence on every option you shortlist, including this one.
If you’re in the operator to owner stage, if individual accountability is what you need, and if you want to work with someone who has built and sold Australian practices across 17 years, the next step is to see whether there’s a genuine fit.
There’s no hard sell here. The program has limited capacity and it only works when both sides are committed. If you want to find out whether it’s the right fit for your stage and goal, visit michaelstefanescu.com and apply.
About the author
Michael Stefanescu is an Australian optometry business coach and former multi practice owner. He spent 20 years as a practising optometrist and built, scaled and sold his own practices in Sydney. He now coaches independent Australian optometry owners through the systems, marketing, financial and operational frameworks that build profitable, sellable practices. Read more about Michael or apply for the $1M Optometry Business Accelerator.