We recently connected with Brittany Reinbold and have shared our conversation below.

Brittany, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I am not an academic or a neurotypical person so getting into business the way we are “suppose to” was a very overwhelming idea to me. Business plans and budgets…forget it. Of course I like to make an informed decision but sometimes dangling the carrot is more efficient and motivating to me. I’ve made this commitment, now I have to figure out how to make it work. There are logical, fact based decisions and then there are decisions that just feel “right or wrong”. A calculated risk if you will. A gut feeling. That was how I went about acquiring and developing my business because otherwise it would never have happened had I done it the conventional way. Learning by doing, every step of the way instead of learning and then doing. I always knew I wanted to own my own Optical but what was a realistic way of me doing it? I decided to go the route of purchasing an existing Optical of 35 years that was slowly fading away and asking a low price. Something I could afford. I bought the business because the core value and essence of what it once was, aligned with what I wanted to achieve. The business was run down and outdated but I saw the potential and the value in the right hands. I’d rather hit the ground with at least some momentum then starting cold out of the gate. First step was transforming the space and earning the trust of the clientele. I never closed my doors, instead I worked on projects everyday and on weekends to slowly renovate the business. The client’s didn’t mind because everything I did was new and improved plus they followed along with the revival story of this once great business that I was giving new life to. I built deep relationships with the existing clientele happy to see what I was doing every Day, week, month, year. I rebranded, implemented and improved everything. I weeded out the kinks and starting building younger and newer clientele slowly growing the business, step by step. I never took out a loan to do the renovations and improvements, I re-invested the profits we made so that nothing felt overwhelming. I’m going into my 5 year and we are on a major upward trend. I am so proud of this little business with a lot of history and love and proud that I was able to do it myself. It has had some tremendously hard times but ultimately I love coming here everyday and so proud of what we have achieved here. My business continues to flourish and I’m here to tell any person who is intimidated by start their own business that you CAN do it your own way. Trust your gut, be open to learn and hard work, you can do it!

Brittany, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a 3rd generation Optician born out of a family of strong, independent and entrepreneurial women. It has been my dream to have my own optical and it is here. EXHIBIT Collectors + Creatives is my baby and I am so proud of it. A place full of imagination and creativity, good vibes, and better glasses.
I work by private consultation but don’t discriminate a good ‘walk by’ interaction.
There are a lot of choices out there but one thing I know is that I will not only get people into glasses they may never have thought of but glasses that they will LOVE. No doubt about it.

I have 25 years of experience as an Optician and I love to really get to know what is is that my clients need, even and especially if they don’t. I want to know who they are as a person and dig deep to create the perfect style and vision package to accommodate what they want to say and their lifestyle.

I love this job because of the mix of medical and fashion and of course…the people.
Not only do I have an incredible curated collection of unique independent eyewear, I have the utmost in optical and lens technology for optical vision. It can be overwhelming walking into to an optical and knowing what will fit and work, understanding your prescription and what type of lenses you may need so that’s why I do it for you. A place can have all the product in the world but it’s about how it’s applied. Like an artist applying paint to a canvas…that is what I do.

I always say that it doesn’t matter if you are into “fun and funky” or “clean and classic”, I will get you into the most stylish, intentional and current version of that. Not one trend suits all people. I will upgrade your eyewear game no doubt about it. I also pride myself on having all price points from budget to luxury because everyone deserves great glasses no matter the budget.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth. Doing the absolute best job and giving people the best customer experience possible pays off in more ways the one. The connection and the final result. They will tell people about it and people will ask them about their glasses. Because I listened, got to know them and gave them the best result that people notice.

2nd, getting out there in the world. Not just sitting and waiting for people to come to me. I do regular markets showcasing my unique collection, connecting with people and telling them about how I work. I hand out discount cards that entice and intrigue them to come to the store. I have more people show up to my store to buy glasses that I met at markets then any google ad has ever brought me. Making personal connections and more affordable then online advertising.

Using socials to story tell. I showcase who I am and people feel like they know me. I showcase product to entice them and showcase the end result…my clients. People see themselves in real people instead of using models.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Number 1, enjoy it. When you aren’t posting content you enjoy, it comes across. There is a lot of trial and error with social media but it starts with what you love. Story tell. Write down ideas. Create. Don’t be afraid to post something, even if it feels silly. You have to put yourself out there. I use socials to make people feel like they know me. I post content to highlight what makes me stand out as a business in my field. I post about me, the product, the space, the client’s and sometimes I just post silly videos of me dancing or comedic reels. I get inspired by other creators and use trending audios to create posts relevant to by business. Socials are so multi layered that you just have to start. You will see what engages your audience and what doesn’t. It will evolve over time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.exhibitoptical.com
• Instagram: @exhibitoptical
• Other: www.travellingexhibit.com is a new travelling pop up service I am launching where I travel to different cities binging the experience to you!