Meet Dr. David Dada | Business Owner & Optometrist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. David Dada and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. David, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business? Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My parents are Nigerian immigrants who owned their own business and taught me and my siblings that, as minorities, we had to work harder than everyone else. They gave us the foundation for the drive, work ethic, and discipline necessary for anyone who has plans to start a business. Thus, going into optometry school, I knew that I wanted to have my own practice in the future. I first got the idea to open my own optometry clinic after growing dissatisfied at my previous places of employment. When I worked in other commercial places, I noticed there was always something missing. There was often a disconnect between the doctors and the retail side of the clinic. I wanted to create something that could offer harmony and continuity throughout the patient’s experience, from start to finish.

I wanted to be able to set the tone and environment for an office, focusing on making the patient feel welcome and comfortable and giving them the best experience possible. Frankly, I was also just tired of working for someone else, tired of having to get approval for things like hours or vacation time, and tired of having to go through upper management if I wanted to do an event like a health fair, etc. I knew there was a lot I could offer my community, and charting my own path was the best way to go about achieving that.

I think I can speak for many business owners when I say that starting a business is a rough process. Though my own process was planned for a 3–4-month launch, it took closer to eight months to build and launch my business. There was so much to learn in that time, especially in term of how to operate a business. I already knew how to be a doctor, but not a business owner. It’s not something they teach you in optometry school. I had to learn about insurance, inventory, managing employees, and a lot more. It’s an ongoing learning process but well worth it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Restaurants: Reggae Riddims, Bocas Grille, Bahamas Breeze, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Herbers Cuban Cafe, Gratttin Dog

Monday: Beach day at Ponce Inlet
Tuesday: Top golf
Wednesday: Escape Room/Dave and Busters
Thursday: Icon Park
Friday: Cranes Roost
Saturday: Church at Altamonte Springs SDA Church
Sunday: Volcano Bay

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents and my wife, Rochelle Dada.

Website: www.essentialeyecareoptical.com

Instagram: essential_eyecare_optical

Facebook: @EssentialEyecareOptical