Every optical entrepreneur has a back story. A series of zigzags, bets, leaps of faith, and moments where you either step into the unknown… or step aside. In this special episode of Revenue RX, I’m pulling back the curtain and taking you behind the mic, into the unconventional journey that shaped the way I think about business, leadership, opportunity, and the optical retail world.
This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a look at the real road that led me to buying two optical stores without being an optician or an optometrist, and why that unconventional path turned out to be my greatest asset.
A Life Built on Saying “Yes” to the Unknown
Before I ever stepped into the optical industry, I lived a dozen different “lives.” Real estate, Xerox sales, commercial leasing, pro hockey in Italy, modelling in Europe, building a national sport association, consulting for small businesses, running a pet food company, even jumping into the restaurant world in Japan. All of it shaped how I see opportunity and how I understand people.
The thread connecting every one of those chapters was simple:
Do the work. Stay curious. Don’t fear the unknown.
Those three things will take you further than any job title ever will.
Real Estate: The First Big Lesson
My first real wake-up call came in real estate. I learned quickly that there is no “secret” formula for success. Presence matters. Discipline matters. Understanding the emotional side of a customer’s decision matters. Those early days taught me how clients feel when making a purchase — a lesson that translates directly into how a patient chooses eyewear.
People don’t just buy a frame.
They buy how they feel wearing it.
Xerox: Premium Products, Premium Confidence
My detour into Xerox was intentional; I needed world-class sales training. They taught me how to present value, how to justify premium pricing, and most importantly, how to ask for the order. Those skills became foundational in the dispensary years later, where helping patients choose the right premium lens or designer frame is an emotional and financial decision.
And yes, the story of my hiring, where I finally said: “you have all the information you need, so either give me the job or cut me loose”, still makes me smile. Sometimes, in business and in life, you don’t get what you deserve… you get what you ask for.
Commercial Real Estate: Knowledge Is Power
Moving into commercial leasing revealed another truth: If you know something others don’t, you become indispensable.
Providing clarity, data, ROI, and detail build trust. That confidence carried straight into the optical business, where understanding margins, revenue streams, and patient psychology separates average dispensaries from profitable ones.
Triple Five & Negotiation: Timing Is Everything
Working for a major development company taught me the biggest negotiating lesson of my life:
The only variable in closing a deal is timing.
Influence? Yes.
Pressure? Maybe.
But timing always wins.
That applies perfectly in the dispensary. Sometimes the patient is ready today. Sometimes tomorrow. Your job isn’t to push. Your job is to guide.
Hockey, Italy & Taking Chances
Then came the curveball: pro hockey in Italy: player-coach, no Italian, a lot of creativity. The real takeaway?
When opportunity knocks, open the door, even if you have no idea what’s on the other side.
That mindset later helped me see the optical business through a fresh lens. I didn’t inherit old industry habits. I built my own approach.
Modelling, Europe & Self-Promotion
Commercial modelling taught me two lessons:
- Take the first step; it’s usually the hardest.
- Opportunities appear when you put yourself out there.
That same hustle helped me drive traffic, brand awareness, and growth when I owned my optical stores.
NIHA: Building Something from Nothing
Founding and scaling the National Inline Hockey Association became one of the biggest business adventures of my life. From securing sponsors like Rollerblade, Bauer, and CCM, to publishing a magazine, to running national championships, it was entrepreneurship in its rawest form.
If you can build a national sports association, you can build an optical business. Trust me.
Japan: Leadership Comes from the Bottom Up
Running marketing for 20 restaurant franchises in Japan revealed one of the most important leadership principles I still teach today:
Your staff are the most important asset in the business.
Your job is to empower them, not sit above them.
If you get this right in your optical practice, your revenue grows. If you get it wrong, everything suffers.
Returning to Canada & Choosing Entrepreneurship for Good
Back in Vancouver, working in resort real estate made one thing clear: Corporate life wasn’t my path.
Entrepreneurship was.
Consulting gave me an outside-in view of how businesses grow, and where they get stuck. Those insights became the blueprint I later used to guide my own optical stores.
Pet Food, Import/Export & the Final Leap
More adventures, more businesses, more marketing lessons. All of it brought me to one realization:
I had the toolkit to run a retail business, I just needed the right industry.
Then I found the optical opportunity.
Need-based product. Loyal customers. Multiple revenue streams.
A business where great service actually changes lives.
The rest is history.
Why I’m Telling You This Story
Because your story matters too.
Every skill you’ve learned, every job you’ve held, every challenge you’ve survived, it’s all transferable. Optical retail is a business built on connection, service, humanity, and confidence. The more life experience you bring to it, the stronger your practice becomes.
This episode isn’t just about my past.
It’s about reminding you of your own potential.
This episode is personal, reflective, and packed with lessons that shaped how I approach leadership and optical retail growth.
To hear the full story, with all the insight, humour, and hard-earned lessons, listen to the full Revenue RX episode now.
Joseph Mireault
Joseph Mireault, Optical Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Published Author.
Joseph was the owner and president at Tru-Valu Optical and EyeWorx for 16 years. During his tenure, he consistently generated a sustainable $500K in annual gross revenue from the dispensary.
He now focuses on the Optical industry, and as a serial entrepreneur brings extensive experience from a variety of different ventures.
Joseph is also a Certified FocalPoint Business Coach and looks to work directly with ECPs in achieving their goals.
Through his current endeavour, the (Revenue RX, Optical Retail Wins podcast) he shares the challenges and solutions of running an Optical business.
His insights are shared with optical business owners aspiring for greater success in his new book, “An Entrepreneur’s Eye Care Odyssey: The Path to Optical Retail Success.”
