By Nicos Antoniades | The Optical Gallery | TEF Magazine
There’s a realness to this episode that I, as an independent business owner appreciated.
Beedie’s latest podcast interview isn’t with a brand exec or influencer. It’s with someone on the ground. A humble dispensing optician and practice owner who’s lived the highs and lows of independent business. Her name is Margaret Asare, and her story, as told in this Beedie on Eyewear episode, is a must-watch.
Margaret runs an independent practice in Hackney, London. A practice that’s been around for over 16 years, rooted in the community she grew up in. She built her business with intention: to bring beautiful, curated eyewear to an area often overlooked. Hackney has changed drastically since then. The 2011 riots hit hard, and her practice was looted and destroyed. Not a metaphor, literally smashed windows and stolen frames she’d hand-selected with love. That alone is heavy. But what she shares next is something all independent business owners will feel in their gut.
She speaks about the trust you have to build. The worry of whether your clients will return. The vulnerability of pouring everything into a store that doesn’t have the backing of a giant corporation. And the added sting when, years into your journey, a major chain opens right next door.
As an independent myself, I’ve had frames stolen. I’ve dealt with loss. But this… this was another level.
And yet, Margaret didn’t quit.
Instead, she doubled down on being part of the community fabric. Her clients pop in just to say hello. Her staff are often past patients. Young people do work experience with her, and some go on to study optometry themselves because of their time in her practice. That’s the kind of legacy money can’t buy.
And here’s the thing: if you’re considering starting your own independent practice, this episode is an essential watch. It offers real insight, not just into the passion and purpose, but the very real challenges you may be stepping into. It’s not all glamorous frame styling and store design. It’s relentless. But it’s also deeply rewarding.
This episode also touches on something that comes up time and again: the marketing gap.
Margaret mentions not having the budget to compete. And 10 years ago, I’d have agreed with her. But now? Maybe not so much.
Yes, big budgets help, but budgeting your time can be just as powerful. Learning new skills in a digital age through platforms like YouTube on; how to tell your story, how to create content, how to connect with your audience online, that’s something we all have access to now. The tools are free. The phones are in our hands. The client list is there (If you are an established practice) Your practice management system probably even lets you email them directly.
What matters is making the time. Being intentional. Choosing to invest in skills, not just stock. Margaret’s story shows how much people care about the person behind the practice. And that’s where independents win, we’re not faceless.
