20/20 Vision Throughout South Central Alaska 

A previous client of SBDC, Home Optics®, “Glasses & Contacts Where You Are!”celebrated 11 years in business in May 2007. As many women business owners learn, when they approach their bankers, loans are refused for myriad reasons…for Joy Leedham the banks refused because they did not believe her business idea would work.

Her idea?  Sell eyewear frames and contact lenses to clients in the convenience and comfort of their own homes or offices.  Joy not only brings a large inventory of frames to her clients to choose from, she also picks up and delivers the final order from the labs after the prescriptions have been placed in the frames.

With her own small investment, Joy began her business and eventually proved the banks wrong.  Although a home-based business, Home Optics® has a location in Anchorage at Salon Exte’, for appointments or special shows.

Over the past eleven years Joy has consistently attended almost every trade show/fair in the Anchorage/Eagle River/Chugiak area. This consistency has helped Joy grow a database of thousands and created the need to hire part time help.

With growth came organizational concerns and Joy turned once again to SBDC for help.   SBDC’s counselor helped Joy streamline her operations, create better inventory controls, and identified opportunities that had gone unnoticed due to her heavy workload.  Since then, Joy has increased her staff to include a full time employee, broadened the scope of work and individual activities for her two part-time employees,  expanded her government contract opportunities, and enhanced her plans for the company’s future as well as begun discussions for a profitable exit strategy.  Joy definitely has 20/20 vision for Home Optics®!