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inVision Eyecare Stacey D. Raines, O.D., had a dream of one day owning an optometry practice. For a number of years, she had been the primary optometric physician and office manager for a Blytheville, Arkansas, eye clinic but saw an opportunity to open her own practice in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Since she could not forgo care for her patients in Blytheville, Dr. Raines enlisted help from her sister, Tina Simpson. During 2004, Simpson attended several new venture planning workshops offered by the Arkansas State University SBDC. Also, the SBDC provided Simpson with market and industry information to begin developing a business plan for the proposed clinic. With business plan in hand, Simpson approached the Arkansas State University SBDC to discuss the venture. Laura Miller, Business Consultant, reviewed the plan and recommended the Small Business Administration's Pre-Qualification Loan Guaranty Program. Miller and Simpson worked to fine tune the business plan and prepare a loan proposal for Dr. Raines. SBA approved the Pre-Qualification Loan proposal. Mark Morrow, loan officer at Simmons First Bank of Jonesboro, approved the project. The business opened in September 2004. "Stacey Raines with inVision Eyecare is one of the best customers a bank can have," says Morrow. "She is on fire for what she does and truly cares about her patients. As far as the business side, she clicks along like clock-work and never misses a beat. With the assistance of the ASU SBDC, Stacey has become a vital part of the Jonesboro health care community. Without the assistance of the ASU SBDC and the SBA, this dream of Stacey's could well be still just a dream. Thank you ASU SBDC and SBA for laying the ground work for making Stacey Raines and inVision Eyecare another success story for Jonesboro." Since opening, Simpson has joined full-time as office manager. Despite the rapid growth of the practice, Dr. Raines has found time to be active in several community organizations. "The main business goal in my life would have been a huge struggle if not impossible had I not enlisted the help of Laura Miller, Business Consultant, and the ASU SBDC," states Dr. Raines. "I had the credentials and experience to work in a private practice but was lacking the financial backing for this venture. The advice and guidance of the SBDC enabled me to present an impressive business plan to my lender, which secured financial backing in order to establish a private practice. Thru total dedication, the SBDC provided all the information that I needed in order to be successful. My dream became a reality September 2004 when the first patient walked through the doors of inVision Eyecare."
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