Three dispensing and retail directors tell Insight how they made their way to investing in an optometry practice – sometimes in pretty quick order – and how their partnership with Specsavers helped make it happen.
For many in the eyecare industry, the idea of owning a practice can seem like a distant dream – something achievable only after decades of experience or with daunting financial risk.
At Specsavers, that dream is built into the structure of the organisation itself. Through its well-established Pathway Program, the company offers optometrists, dispensers and other retail professionals a clear, supported route to partnership, with extensive mentoring, business training and ongoing professional development.
Partnership at Specsavers isn’t a leap into the unknown.
New partners are supported not only through the store launch and set-up, but also in the months and years that follow – from marketing and operations to training of staff, leadership development and clinical excellence.
And with the launch of seven new stores across Australia and New Zealand during the past 12 months, collectively providing 10,000 additional sight tests throughout the year – the opportunities for partnership keep coming.
New partners – Mr Brenden Clark in Inverell (NSW) and Ms Holly Cafe in Swan Hill (VIC) – are among them, with the journey to ownership proving both transformative and deeply rewarding. There’s also Ms Tess Thompson who – at only 30-years-of-age – has a stake in three practices in Toowoomba (QLD) with more than 70 staff.
Each has brought their own energy and vision to their communities, with the trio showing that Specsavers’ partnership model can empower professionals from diverse backgrounds to thrive as business owners and community leaders.
Brenden Clark – Specsavers Inverell, NSW
Ten years ago, Mr Clark was searching for a career that would stick.
He had jumped from trade to trade – “mechanics, boilermaking, you name it”.
“I was lucky enough to get a job in Maryborough Specsavers and that was my first stepping stone,” he says.
That job, as an optical assistant, turned out to be a turning point.
“It was the first time I felt genuinely excited about work,” he says. “Every day was different. You got to help people, see the impact of better vision, and be part of a great team.”
Clark worked his way up through store management before completing Specsavers’ Pathway Program, a structured leadership course that prepares future partners for ownership.
With strong mentoring from senior partners and head office, he was ready when the chance came to open his own store – Specsavers Inverell, which launched in July 2025.
“The support from Specsavers was incredible,” he says. “They made the whole process seamless – from finance and recruitment to training a brand-new team. Other directors even opened their stores to us so our staff could train hands-on before launch.”
Running the Inverell store has already been “an amazing experience”, Clark says, noting that local demand for affordable eyecare has been huge.
“People used to travel hours to see an optometrist. In just a few months, we’ve already identified conditions like glaucoma, cataracts and even strokes – issues that might have gone undetected otherwise.”
With a new optometry partner joining in November and a growing team, he is looking to strengthen the store’s community ties.
“I want to raise awareness about regular eye health checks. If we can improve even one person’s quality of life each day, that’s a win.”
Holly Cafe – Specsavers Swan Hill, VIC
For Ms Cafe, becoming a partner wasn’t simply a career move – it was the culmination of more than a decade of growth and genuine passion for helping others.
“I started with Specsavers in 2012,” she says. “It was my first full-time job, and I thought I’d stay for a little while. But it grabbed me in the heart.”
Like Clark, she worked her way through nearly every role on the retail side – from optical assistant to in-store trainer and manager – completing the Career Development Program (now the Specsavers Learning Journey) at the beginning of her career.
When the opportunity arose to become retail partner at Specsavers Swan Hill, in regional Victoria, she jumped at it.
“Opening the store was a rollercoaster – and I don’t usually like rollercoasters,” she laughs.
“But the support from Specsavers was next-level. From regional managers to the state director and local marketing teams, they were with us every step.”
One highlight was spending time in another established store before opening day. “The Sunbury team opened their doors to us so our new staff could see what a real Specsavers culture looks like. That was invaluable.”
The Swan Hill community, which has previously faced long trips for affordable eyecare, has embraced the store enthusiastically.
“Before we opened, people had to travel two hours for an appointment,” Cafe says. “When we announced we were coming, our post reached hundreds of locals – our books were full for three weeks before opening.”
Today, she and her team of 10 are embedded in the community. They sponsor local sports clubs and charity events, and focus on building lasting relationships.
“We’re not just here to sell glasses. We live here, shop here, and raise our families here,” she says.
That sense of connection fuels her outlook on the future.
“With Specsavers’ ongoing support – leadership programs, mentoring, constant communication – I feel confident to keep growing and evolving. Partnership is a big step, but you’re never on your own.”
Tess Thompson – Specsavers Toowoomba, QLD
At just 29, Mrs Thompson oversees three bustling Specsavers stores in Toowoomba – including her newest, at Toowoomba Plaza, which opened only a month ago.
“It’s been full-on, but I love it,” she says. “I’ve got an amazing team of around 70 people across all sites, and no two days are the same.”
Thompson joined Specsavers in 2015, hired by one of her now-business partners.
“I started as an assistant, became an in-store trainer, and then a manager,” she says. “I even took a short break to work in accounting, but then was asked back in a management role.”
Returning to Specsavers reignited her career ambitions. She completed the Pathway Program before stepping into partnership two years ago.
Her latest challenge has been launching the new store – transforming a former pharmacy into a modern optometry and hearing space.
“Support office handled everything – design, IT, marketing, even fixing last-minute hiccups. It was incredibly well organised,” she says.
Thompson thrives on leadership and people development.
“I’m the people person in our partnership,” she says. “My passion is coaching others to be their best – building up junior dispensers, mentoring managers, and creating strong teams.”
That support is reinforced by Specsavers’ national structure.
“We have a regional manager who oversees our area, trainers who focus on team development, and constant communication from state and national directors. It’s a very connected network.”
Looking ahead, like the others she is focused on cementing the new store’s place in the community.
“Ultimately, I want it to be known as a store of excellence – a pillar of the community for eye health and customer care.”
Shared vision
While their journeys differ, Clark, Cafe and Thompson share the same underlying motivation: to make a tangible difference in their communities while building thriving, values-driven businesses.
Each speaks of the sense of belonging
that Specsavers fosters – a culture that doesn’t end with partnership, but deepens through it.
As Cafe puts it, “They don’t hand you the keys and walk away.”
And for Specsavers’ growing network of partners, that ongoing support is what turns ambition into ownership, and ownership into impact.
