Products & ideas for the laboratory professional.
Issue link: https://opticallabproducts.epubxp.com/i/538327
BY STEVE CURRY OPINIONS IN THE LAB THE NOTABLE BRITISH psychologist and author Richard Wiseman came to some interesting conclusions about the concept of "luck" with a simple experiment. Wiseman gave a newspaper to people who considered themselves "lucky" and "unlucky" and tasked them with counting the number of photos within. It took the "unlucky" individuals a couple minutes to complete the task, but those who self-identifed as "lucky" fnished the exercise in seconds. The reason is that while the former group tallied photos, the latter group happened to notice the following large text on the second page: "Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper." Adding insult to injury, the unlucky crowd also overlooked a second message that read: "Stop counting. Tell the experimenter you have seen this and win £250." What Wiseman discovered about luck is that unlucky people tend to have a narrow focus that causes them to miss opportunities when they present themselves. Lucky people, on the other hand, are governed by a positive outlook, resiliency, and intuition, allowing them to recognize and act on opportunities as they arise. Basically, lucky people can see the big picture. In today's challenging vision care market, optical laboratories need to adopt a similar view. Being laser-focused on lens processing only will hurt a lab in the long run. Lab owners must constantly be on the lookout for new ways to generate revenue when opportunity knocks. In this issue of OLP, we look at the need for labs to branch out with new proft centers (see "Alternative Revenue Streams Can Boost the Bottom Line," p. 8) and hear from a lab that found success trying a bit of everything (see "A Multi-Faceted Business Approach," p. 12). The opportunities to grow your lab business are out there. Are you lucky enough to see them? Steve Curry is Editor-in-Chief of Optical Lab Products and can be reached at sc@visioncareproducts.com. WE ARE 100% EMPLOYEE OWNED ORION Lens Polish Orion plastic lens polish for Digital and Conventional lenses. A new formulation that is capable of producing very high clarity and exceptional life. Very easy to clean lenses and machinery while fowing through flters without the buildup. The suspension characteristics produce a very easy slurry to disperse in larger systems. NORTH CAROLINA 800.234.1982 CALIFORNIA 800.445.6339 CANADA 844.858.7444 www.salemdist.com Blue 70 meter linerless lens tape with exceptional clarity and conformity. Sentry Lens Tape Blue 70 meter linerless lens tape with Digital generator coolant designed for use with natural diamond tools. Conventional generator Coolant designed for use with PCD and traditional diamond tools. STM640 STM 630 STM 630 Don't Miss the Big Picture