Founders Series – Meet Dr. Barry Basden

Florence – Meet Dr. Barry Basden, founder of Florence Eye Centers with locations also in Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia.  The three eye centers are committed to helping customers find the perfect eye care products and services quickly and easily to satisfy their needs and wants.

Describe your business

Florence Eye Center is a five doctor optometric practice, with three locations known throughout the Southeast as a leader and innovator in optometrics.  We provide comprehensive eye care from basic exams to treating glaucoma. We also do pre-opt and post-opt care for cataracts and lasik eye surgery.  In addition, we do diabetic exams, so pretty much our service covers everything except surgery.

Did you always know you wanted to go into business for yourself?

I grew up in a family of business owners and I guess that’s all I ever thought I would do. I never really thought about working for anyone else, my Dad and grandfather owned a bus charter business in Tuscumbia and a taxi service in both Tuscumbia and Sheffield.  I grew up around people that worked for themselves, and always knew that’s what I wanted to do.  I just didn’t know what I wanted to do.

Where did you attend high school and college?

I attended Deshler High School in Tuscumbia, graduating in 1982, and then went to Auburn graduating in 1987.  After Auburn I went to the University of Alabama School of Optometry in Birmingham.

What are some of the advantages of doing business in The Shoals?

The thing about doing business in the Shoals is that it’s small enough to feel like home.  It’s got that really nice close knit home town feel, and still supports the “Mom & Pop” businesses, as well as supporting the major corporate type businesses. We seem be attracting that type of business and I think it’s nice that we are able to attract the major businesses.  Another thing it is the people of the Shoals, most of our customers and other businesses’ customers are easy to deal with.

I remember when it seemed like we used to be four separate cities that were fighting it out to see who got the largest retail business, now the four cities are working together for the mutual benefit of the entire Shoals area.  The business climate has improved and the river is no longer the great divide that it once was.  I think too it’s a large draw area here; we draw customers not only from the Shoals area itself, but from Russellville, Haleyville, Southern Tennessee, and eastern Mississippi.  In my opinion is just a great place to have a business.

What do you think the benefit of having a consolidated Chamber of Commerce has on business?

It helps tremendously, as a business owner I don’t feel like it’s a struggle anymore to see who is going to be the top-dog.  You know we’re all in it together with the goal of growing the Shoals.  There just doesn’t seem to be the animosity that it used be.  If Florence gets a new business or Muscle Shoals gets a new business or Tuscumbia gets a new business no one seems to be put out about it.  Used to be each community encouraged their citizens to spend their money in their own town, where now everyone feels that spending the money in the Shoals is the priority.

What inspires you?

I think early on it was kind of the fear of failure.  I moved back in 1991 and went into a practice right out of school and was just scared to death it wasn’t going to make it.  I always been pretty successful in anything I’ve chosen to do, but this was something new and I was really afraid that it wouldn’t make it.  I think it motivated and inspired me to work harder.

I think now it inspires me that we’ve put together a business model and business plan that seems to be working well.  I’ve had the opportunity to work with multiple doctors and it’s nice to see what works for us works for them and they’ve become successful.  I think now it inspires me to see my business plan work and it makes me want to come to work each day and do it again.

At times I feel like I’m a Head Coach with assistant coaches.  I’m responsible for the overall success of the business, but also I’m responsible for insuring that my fellow doctors are becoming competent in the business and eventually they can go out and open their own practice using my business model and business plan. As my practice grew, I had to learn to let go.  Early on, I had a hand in everything, but now I share the responsibilities with my fellow doctors and my office staff.  I can’t say enough about my great Office Manager, Heather Davis.  She is our compass and keeps everyone pointed in the right direction.

What is the biggest struggle or hurdle you had to overcome?

I think the hardest thing was when I got out of school and was hired to come to Florence and work for an Optometrist with a three location practice, one in Huntsville, Decatur and Florence.  Right out of school you know how to do an eye exam, but you don’t know much about any other aspect of a practice.  I wasn’t very privy to the business side of things all I really knew was what patients I saw each day.  Toward the end of my first year I found out the business was really struggling and was about to go bankrupt.  I had a choice to make, I could leave and find another job or I could buy the Florence location and try to turn it around.  Being the inexperienced business person right out of college I was at the time, I chose to buy the Florence location from the owner.  It was a big struggle because I really wasn’t aware how bad the business was really hurting.  We found out that the vendors didn’t want to do business with us except on a cash basis since the former owner had been on a credit hold.  Even though we didn’t assume the liabilities of the former owner, the vendors still held a grudge toward us.  It took a while to build the trust back with the vendors.

Starting off in the hole was hard, if I knew then what I do now I would have been scarred to death to have taken it on.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

I would recommend that they have a good business plan with defined milestones.  I think what helped me early on and I would highly recommend, is to form a good relationship with your banker to obtain favorable financing.  Another thing I would suggest is to surround yourself with good people who can share your vision of the business goals.

A new entrepreneur should be prepared to work hard and put in the hours that are required to get a business off the ground.  I always hear people say “Oh, you work for yourself so you can take off when you want, or you can go on vacation whenever you want.”  Well in real life it doesn’t work like that.  If a new business owner isn’t working, then he’s not earning a paycheck.  You just have to be prepared to do whatever it takes.

With the resources available through the Chamber of Commerce, UNA and the Entrepreneur Centers, do you think it easier today to start a new business?

I definitely think it would be a big help.  Sometimes when I hear of the different training events and opportunities available for new entrepreneurs I wish they had been available when I came out of college.  In the healthcare business, the colleges tend to teach you how to do the medical aspect of your profession but go light on the business development side.  I would encourage prospective entrepreneurs to take advantage of any training, seminars or help that is available.

Where do you see the Florence Eye Center practice in five years?

Our goal is to be the best eye care business in the state of Alabama, even in the region or the nation.  It kinda of a lofty goal, but it not just me, all of the other doctors in the practice feel the same way.  We hope within five years we’ll have two or three more locations, we don’t know where yet, but we’re hoping to grow more.

We also are looking starting a mentoring program for new Optometrist coming out of college to teach them the business side of the Optometric Practice.

When you’re not being Dr. Basden, what does Barry like to do in his down time?

The thing I enjoy most is Auburn football, if there any way possible I’ll be at the game.  I try not to miss a game unless I just have to.

The other big thing in my life is my two daughters, I have one that is 17 and the other is 13.  I just enjoy hanging out around the house and spending quality time with them.  I know it won’t be long before they will be going off to college and I just want to enjoy the next few years with them while their still home.  I really enjoy spending time with my wife and just being at home with the family.

We have a pool and during the summer if I’m off I’m usual hanging out around it.  I visit my Dad a lot since he still lives in Tuscumbia.  I use to hunt and fish a lot, but these days I just don’t have the time to do it, I still enjoy it, but right now my family Is the most important thing for me.

What was the best day in your life so far?

I guess that the day that comes to mind first is the day my oldest daughter was born.  I was floating on a cloud and to this day it brings tears of joy to my eyes just thinking about her birth.  It has been such a journey to have had the privilege of rearing her from an infant to the beautiful young lady she has become.