When you’re considering opening a business, the last thing you want to think about is how much red tape you’ll have to cut through to get up and running.
It’s a fair concern, particularly for most businesses in the healthcare industry. Most enterprises have numerous, complex regulatory and licensing issues to handle before the doors can even open.
While we offer eye exams and prescription eyewear at My Eyelab, our eye care franchise operates like a retail store rather than the typical eye care franchise. Because of this, your journey to opening a My Eyelab can be quick and painless. Once you’ve signed the franchise agreement, you’ll complete a variety of tasks ranging from real estate selection to lease negotiations, among others. Another added, notable benefit of franchising with My Eyelab is, we don’t require excessive licensing to open your business. The primary licensing requirements owners must meet is obtaining both a certificate of occupancy and business license– that’s it! Plus, with the help of our support team, you’ll get up and running in no time.
As with any retail business, you’ll need a license to sell products and provide services in your city and state. Fortunately, My Eyelab franchisees just need their general business license to operate. The requirements for a business license in each state can vary. To find out what’s required to obtain a business license in your state, visit your state’s official website. Most states have resources on obtaining a business license and all the requirements that you need to meet.
Simplified Eye Care Operations
Once you’ve obtained your business license, My Eyelab handles the rest. When you sign our franchise agreement, you sign a third-party agreement with Now Optics, which acts as a secondary arm to the store’s operation and allows you to use our proprietary telehealth technology to offer prescription contacts and glasses. While each state has its own optical care laws, My Eyelab’s telehealth technology allows franchisees to operate without an optician or ophthalmologist in states that don’t require a licensed optician to perform eye exams.
However, while there’s no specific medical requirement to open a franchise, there might be specific criteria for hiring employees depending on the state. No matter the regulations, our franchisee support team is available to help you navigate your state’s regulations and help you through the process of obtaining a business license to ensure you open in a timely manner.
The Best of Both Worlds
Because My Eyelab operates as a retail and eye care franchise, our franchisees get the best of both worlds. For example, My Eyelab requires a lot less technical construction than other retail stores. The main features of your buildout are the exam equipment, point-of-sale system, business management software and systems, and static frame inventory for your show room. With that in mind, franchisees pay for static inventory that has no expiration date, unlike many restaurants and retail concepts’ inventory. Additionally, we don’t run into the same distribution issues typical retail stores do, since My Eyelab has centralized inventory management for frames and lenses. With our streamlined process, store buildouts contribute to a quick store opening, for which you normally need as few as 4-to-6 employees.
A Franchise that’s Ahead of the Rest
Thanks to our relationship with Now Optics, we offer eye exams at a lower price than traditional eye care businesses because we don’t have to hire doctors nor do we have labs onsite, making our products and services less cost-prohibitive for the customer. As a franchise owner, you also reap these cost savings!
Even in the wake of the pandemic, there’s still a heightened demand for essential services and products like eyewear and eye care. With our telehealth technology, franchisees have continued to safely cater to their communities and expand the My Eyelab eye care footprint across the country.
Want to Learn More about My Eyelab?
Thanks to our simplified franchise model and stress-free onboarding process, opening your very own eye care franchise is painless. Unlike other eye care franchises, our franchisees reap the benefits of opening a retail eye care business without going through the hassle of endless optical licensing requirements.
While not all franchisors show the same level of support for their franchisees, we’re dedicated to helping you through the process every step of the way. Experience in the industry isn’t required, thanks to our expertise in the business. All that’s required is a business savvy, entrepreneurial-spirited franchisee.
