Optometrist and business associate Ms Jillian Campbell, 31, has taken over sole ownership of Richard Lindsay & Associates in Melbourne as the practice celebrates 25 years in business.
Campbell graduated from QUT in 2013 with a masters degree before moving to Victoria to join the Australian College of Optometry, which allowed her to focus on her areas of interest, particularly specialty contact lens fitting and ocular pathology.
She joined Richard Lindsay & Associates, part of the ProVision network, in 2015.
“It has always been my dream to own a practice. The transition from Richard to myself has eventuated naturally as I have been taking on more responsibility in the last seven years,” Campbell said.
“This is the kind of practice I’ve always wanted to own – full-scope, independent, and specialising in contact lenses.”
After being based in East Melbourne, opposite the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, for 23 years, the practice had to relocate in October last year as the building it occupied was being demolished to make way for new apartments.
Campbell was directly involved in the process of finding a new location, and designing the new practice fit-out.
“We moved to Balwyn North, adjacent to the freeway exit, with plenty of onsite parking. Richard owns the building, so he is my landlord, and now my employee,” she said.
Campbell said Lindsay, who established Richard Lindsay & Associates in 1998, will continue working in the practice, which now employs four optometrists, and will continue to mentor her.
“Both Richard and Carly [practice manager], and ProVision, have been supportive with the transition. Phillip Fent, from Optometrist Business Brokers, and Craig Spiegel from Credabl, have also helped me broker the business transaction,” Campbell said.
Campbell has completed two postgraduate specialist certificates through the University of Melbourne and now works as a lecturer and clinical supervisor there. She has volunteered overseas in Vanuatu and India and previously worked with the Brien Holden Vision Institute. Campbell has also lectured at various conferences and this year is contributing to the Australian College of Optometry’s advanced contact lens course.
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