In the West Michigan Is Going Places series, we are talking with local business owners and community leaders about their business successes and challenges and highlighting the resources available in the West Michigan business community.
In this interview we talked with Dr. Theodore Sees of Rockford Family Eyecare about his practice. Rockford Family Eyecare is committed to educating patients on visual health and providing personalized optometric and eye care services to the Rockford and Grand Rapids communities.
RM: Could you tell us a little about what your business does and how it got started?
Dr. Theodore Sees: My wife, Dr. Carrie Wright-Sees, and I both graduated from Illinois College of Optometry in the spring of 2007. After getting married that summer, we moved to Washington DC where we each practiced in the Maryland/Virginia/District of Colombia area. After six years away from family, we decided to open our own optometry practices in Rockford and Belding, Michigan.
How has your business changed since you first started out?
Dr. Theodore Sees: The business has changed quite a bit in the sense that now there are many more opportunities for patients to seek services elsewhere or even online. We want to provide the personal touch that patients want and need from their eye doctors.
What makes you passionate about what you do?
Dr. Theodore Sees: We both really love practicing optometry, but even more we really enjoy seeing returning patients year after year and building that relationship with them.
How has being here in West Michigan helped your business?
Dr. Theodore Sees: West Michigan is a wonderful place with very strong loyalty to small businesses.
What’s your approach to customer service and connecting with the community?
Dr. Theodore Sees: Our number one goal is to give exceptional customer service, services that we would want for ourselves. We love giving back to the community that has given to much to us. We are very active in many volunteer programs like the Rockford Rotary, Rockford Lions Club and Rockford Chamber. We donate over 50 free glasses and eye exams to kids in local schools who are less fortunate. We support local schools, sports, band, and other extracurricular activities.
How do you plan to grow or adapt your business for the future?
Dr. Theodore Sees: There will always be a need for good customer service, so that is always our most important goal. We also want to provide services that cannot be obtained at other locations or online. Services like myopia management, slowing down kids’ eyes from getting worse, and providing specialty lenses for those who cannot see well with the aid of glasses. Vision therapy for those kids who struggle with close work at school is another service we offer.
