Ben's New Business

Well, in the past two years, I haven't mentioned anything about Ben's new business. I'm a terrible wife! When we first moved here, he worked at Costco as an optometrist, but just as life was getting comfy, Ben decided to open a specialty clinic called Washington Vision Therapy Center.

It specializes in helping kids correct their vision (not just glasses). He trains their eyes to work together. Your eyes have to work and focus together to read, play sports, things like that, but if one eye isn't working with the other one, then it makes it really hard for them to read things. It has been really cool to watch this business starting from nothing. It has been so much work on Ben's part. Every little detail from creating all the forms, hiring staff, creating a logo, creating all the financials, designing a website, and much more. I've been so proud of him. It's been so many long hours, but he absolutely loves what he does!

 

Here's his fancy new sign.

 

Signs are definitively expensive, so I made this sign in the front of the office (just to get us by until he makes enough money to buy one). Not too bad, especially from my Cricut!

 

But, as crazy as life gets, he always makes time for me and the kiddos!


Here's his website if you want to see it, go to www.wavtc.com

 

So, it's been two years getting this business going, and it was a slow start, but the Lord was always blessing us and still is, and it looks like it's finally starting to take off (a lot of cools stuff is happening).

For one, Ben entered this 3 month long business plan competition. He mainly wanted to do it, to let the community know what vision therapy was, and to get feedback from business people if his business plan was right. He had one written up already, so he though it would be no big deal. Well, it actually took A LOT of time, and he had to get the business plan and financials perfect.

There were 32 businesses that they started with. First they submit a short business plan that is reviewed by a panel of judges. Ben passed that round where they eliminated half, so now he was in the top 16 left.

The next round, he had to set up a booth in the convention center with the other 16 businesses. He even made a brochure of the “What and Why” about his company with a few numbers, so it would be easy for the judges to look at. They had 30 judges, read the business plans of each of the businesses ahead of time, and then they would go around and interview each of the businesses. They wanted to know more about the business, asked them questions…very grueling. These judges are from big companies, investment firms, CEO’s, etc. I’m proud to say the Ben did VERY well. Many of the judges told him that they would invest in him and that he was on the top of their list. There was even one judge that told him he waited until the very end to see him, because he really didn’t have any questions for him because he had the best business plan.

Well, he made the next cut, and was one of the top 8. They then had to submit their final business plan and give a 10 min oral presentation in front of a panel of judges. Then they would award the winner at an awards banquet. The top 8 were some really good businesses. I thought, he's gotta at least make the top 3. Once they read off the 3rd and 2nd place, I thought, oh no, maybe he didn't win at all. But then they announced his name as the winner! It was so AWESOME! The money was wonderful, but mostly, just the validation that his business could succeed, made it worth it. Great way to end the year off!