The Optometry Money Podcast
Welcome to the Optometry Money Podcast, hosted by Evon Mendrin CFP®, CSLP®, where he helps optometrists make better decisions around their money, careers, and practices. He explores cold-starts, practice buy-ins, career decisions, tax planning, student loans, and other money issues ODs are navigating.
Evon cold-started Optometry Wealth Advisors LLC, a financial planning firm dedicated to help optometrists nationwide master their money, build wealth, and plan purposefully with their finances. Learn more about the show, and Evon, at www.optometrywealth.com.
Episodes
145 episodes
Four Gaps That Can Break Your Estate Plan (Even If It’s ‘Done’)
Episode Summary:You’ve done the hard work of creating your estate plan. But is it actually ready to work when you need it most? In this episode, Evon breaks down the four critical gaps that can make or break your...
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Episode 145
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24:28
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End of the Interest-Free SAVE Forbearance - What It Means for Optometrists
Episode SummaryIn this timely episode, Evon unpacks the Department of Education’s recent surprise announcement that interest will resume accruing on the SAVE plan’s current forbearance beginning August 1, 2025. We explore what thi...
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Episode 144
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11:53
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How the Final One Big Beautiful Bill Act Impacts Optometrists - Taxes, Student Loans, and More!
In this packed episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP® and host of The Optometry Money Podcast, breaks down the biggest tax and student loan law changes optometrists need to know from the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).Evon discu...
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Episode 143
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45:41
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Are Individual Bonds Safer Than Bond Funds? What Optometrists Need to Know
Are individual bonds better than bond funds? What’s the actual difference between the two—and why does it matter for your investment strategy?In this episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, CSLP®, dives into the key distinctions between indi...
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Episode 142
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28:25
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Rewind: Financial Planning Considerations for Owners of Established Optometry Practices
Enjoy this rewind of a popular episode! In Part 3 of a 3 part series, Evon dives into the many financial planning considerations optometrists need to think about when you own a more established, mature private optometry practice - b...
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Episode 141
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26:25
What Most Investors Get Wrong About Dividend Investing
Dividend investing is one of the most passionately followed strategies online - yet much of the enthusiasm is driven by misunderstandings of how dividends work. In this episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, CSLP® of Optometry Wealth Advisors...
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Episode 140
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32:51
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Optimize Your Pay: 7 Key Factors for Setting Practice Owners' Compensation
As a private optometry practice owner, one of the most essential yet misunderstood financial decisions is figuring out how much to pay yourself. In this episode, Evon Mendrin dives into seven critical factors to consider when setting y...
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Episode 139
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28:36
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The Big Beautiful Bill Act: Tax & Student Loan Reforms Optometrists Need to Watch
In this special Friday episode, Evon returns to break down the recently passed proposed House bill - the “Big Beautiful Bill Act” - and what it could mean for optometrists. While it's a long way from becoming actual law, it's helpfu...
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Episode 138
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26:08
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(Rewind) Why Active Investment Management Fails with Andrew Berkin, PhD
In this rewind of a popular episode, Andrew Berkin, PhD - head of research at Bridgeway Capital Mangement and author of The Incredible Shrinking Alpha - joins the podcast to discuss why active investment management fails, and why you're unlikel...
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Episode 137
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1:03:52
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Creating a More Holistic Integrative Healthcare Patient Experience with Dr. Neda Gioia
In this episode of the Optometry Money Podcast, Evon Mendrin talks with Dr. Neda Gioia, the owner of Integrative Vision. Dr. Gioia shares her journey into optometry, what led her to cold-start her own practice, and how a personal health ...
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Episode 136
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42:30
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Beyond Indexing: An Optometrist's Guide to Factor-Based Investing
How can optometrists improve their portfolios beyond basic index funds, without risky trading? Evon Mendrin provides an OD's guide to Factor-Based Investing.Evon discusses:What factors are and their role in inve...
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Episode 135
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42:28
The Case for Index Funds: Why Optometrists Should Embrace Passive Investing
How should optometrists approach investing their hard-earned money? With thousands of mutual funds and countless investment strategies, deciding can feel overwhelming. In this episode, Evon dives deep into index investing—explaining clearly why...
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Episode 134
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40:50
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Strategic Tax Planning Levers in the Optometrist's Tax Return
Are you pulling the right levers in your tax planning?In this episode, Evon walks through key strategic levers you can (and should) be using to improve your tax outcomes as an optometrist—especially if you're a private practice owner.&nb...
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Episode 133
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20:52
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Creating a Clear Pathway from Associate Optometrist to Partnership with Erich Mattei
In this episode of The Optometry Money Podcast, host Evon Mendrin welcomes back Erich Mattei of Akrinos for a follow-up conversation focused on creating a pathway for associate doctors to become partners in your optometry practice.Whethe...
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Episode 132
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1:03:16
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Fresh Student Loan News and Tradeoffs ODs Choose When Using IDR Plans Toward Forgiveness
In this episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP® dives into the latest twists in the federal student loan landscape—and what they mean for optometrists using income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. There’s big news on SAVE plan court rulings, loan consolidatio...
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Episode 131
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20:51
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Are Stock Market Declines Normal? What History Tells Us and What ODs Should Do About It
Welcome back to The Optometry Money Podcast! In this episode, host Evon Mendrin, CFP®, dives into the topic of stock market declines—a reality for every long-term investor. With headlines buzzing about economic concerns, tariffs, and policy cha...
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Episode 130
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28:36
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2025 Student Loan Update: New Court Decisions and Actions to Take
The student loan landscape is shifting again! In this episode, Evon breaks down the latest updates on the SAVE Plan, the recent court rulings, and what these changes mean for optometrists navigating their student loan repayment.
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Episode 129
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24:03
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Cold Start vs. Practice Purchase: Most Common Questions & Misconceptions with Dr. Jennifer Stewart and Dr. Aaron Neufeld
In this episode of The Optometry Money Podcast, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, sits down with Dr. Jennifer Stewart and Dr. Aaron Neufeld to dive into one of the biggest career decisions optometrists face: Should you cold start a practice or buy an existin...
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Episode 128
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57:12
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Scaling an Optometry Practice and Embracing Family Entrepreneurship with Tony and Kim Turin
In this episode of The Optometry Money Podcast, Evon Mendrin sits down with Dr. Tony Turin and his wife, Kim Turin, to discuss how they intentionally built and scaled their optometry practice from a cold start to three thriving locatio...
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Episode 127
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1:02:26
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Lessons from Expansion: Growth, Hiring, and Refocusing the Practice with Dr. Nick Lillie
In this episode of The Optometry Money Podcast, host Evon Mendrin, CFP® sits down with Dr. Nick Lillie to discuss his journey of expanding his practice, hiring an associate OD, and restructuring his business to align with his lifestyle and pers...
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Episode 126
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48:09
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Implementing a Strategic Planning Week To Level Up Your Optometry Practice with Dr. Chad Fleming
In this episode, Evon welcomes Dr. Chad Fleming back to The Optometry Money Podcast. Dr. Fleming shares his experiences with strategic planning and explains how setting aside time to work on the business through a strategic planning we...
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Episode 125
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42:51
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Scaling and Freedom: When, Why, and How to Add an Associate Optometrist with Erich Mattei
In this episode of The Optometry Money Podcast, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, hosts Erich Mattei of Akrinos to dive deep into a pivotal question for many private practice optometry owners: when, why, and how should you hire an associate optometr...
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Episode 124
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1:03:40
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Savings Rate: The Ultimate Indicator of Future Financial Success
In this episode, your host, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, CSLP®, owner of Optometry Wealth Advisors, dives into the critical importance of your Savings Rate as a foundation for financial independence. We explore how incremental improvements—or marginal g...
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Episode 123
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19:36
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Key 2025 Financial and Tax Updates Every Optometrist Should Know
In this episode, your host, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, CSLP®, owner of Optometry Wealth Advisors, dives into the critical financial and tax updates optometrists need to know as we head into 2025. Whether you're an associate OD, a private practice owne...
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Episode 122
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30:51
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Critical Year-End Financial Moves for Optometrists
As the year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to review your finances and ensure you’re ending the year on a strong note. In this episode of The Optometry Money Podcast, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, walks through a comprehensive year-end ...
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Episode 121
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39:52
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