Announcing... A Genuine MUST-ATTEND event for Optical Success Academy members.
"How To Build A Brilliant Practice In The AI Era"
What: The Optical Success Academy Annual Conference Experience, 2026
Where: Titanic Hotel, Liverpool
When: 14th – 16th June 2026
Who: Your Fellow Optical Success Academy Members and You!
Price: £2000 Just £1,499 or 3 x £533 if you book now
Bring The Team! You can add additional places for your business partner or key staff. You’ll save an extra £500 on additional seats for your team.
NOTE: You must be an OSA member to purchase an event ticket. If want to activate your membership and purchase an event ticket email info@opticalsuccessacademy.com
BOOKING DEADLINE
FROM THE DESK OF CONOR HEANEY…
Dear Fellow Independent Practice Owner,
This is it! The crown jewel in the Optical Success Academy calendar.
And this year, we’re bringing the Annual Conference Experience to Liverpool.
If there’s one event to step away from the day-to-day and work on your business alongside other ambitious practice owners… this is it.
And for 2026, we’re taking everything to another level.
We’ll be hosting the conference at the Titanic Hotel on the dockside, and I’m putting everything into making this the best conference we’ve ever delivered.
You’ll join 80 Optical Success Academy members for a two-and-a-half-day experience designed to help you grow your business, think bigger, and come back with real momentum.
Across the event, you’ll get practical strategies you can implement immediately, powerful insights, and behind-the-scenes access to what we’re doing right now at Jones And Co. Styling Opticians.
This year, we’re putting a serious focus on elevating every part of the experience: more interaction, more connection, and more practical takeaways.
We’ll also be joined by two exceptional guest speakers from outside the optical industry, alongside all-new content from me and the Jones And Co. and OSA teams, so you can see exactly how we’re thinking, what we’re doing, and what’s working right now.
My goal is simple: To deliver the most valuable Optical Success Academy event you’ve ever attended.
Why This Is Of Vital Importance To Independent Opticians
The very first report I ever wrote for Optical Success Academy back in 2014 finished with this quote from Charles Darwin:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
It was true in 1869 when Darwin was writing about the survival of the fittest.
And it is equally true, and 1000 times more important today.
Because the rate of change today, in the AI era, has accelerated to an astonishing pace. So your need to adapt is more vital than ever.
And that’s why this conference will focus on how to build a brilliant practice in the AI era.
The Future Is Shaped By What You Build Now
‘THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT’ is a mindset that leads you to positive action doing the things that will MAKE the future bright for you and everyone who depends on you.
But the future isn’t fixed. There are no guarantees. It’s cause and effect and you are shaping it right now by what you create, build and reinforce in your practice.
The future isn’t bright by default – it becomes bright when we build brilliant businesses, brilliant teams, and brilliant cultures on purpose.
And the one place you will get the masterplan, the clarity and the courage for doing this successfully as an independent optical practice is at the OSA Annual Conference!
52 Ways To Fill Your Appointment Book – and one SUPER STRATEGY
Do you ever feel stuck for ways you and your team can fill your appointment book with ideal clients?
If I had to pick one ingredient that creates a brilliant practice, it is this: the right number of NEW clients booking into your practice every single month.
That’s why I’m going to show you how you can get all the clients you want as a premium-positioned, higher-end practice at this year’s conference, in more clarity and with more NEW ways than ever before. (52 actionable ways to get the right number of clients booked in every single week. This will be highly practical, with takeaway resources.)
When you connect the dots between doing these things and getting your practice to its revenue and profit potential – when you fully understand the opportunity that is in your practice for the taking – you will almost magically get this marketing done every week with pleasure!
I will also reveal, in step-by-step detail for you, one brand-new SUPER STRATEGY. One strategy with the potential to meet your growth target this year all by itself. Imagine that… if one simple marketing strategy for your practice, done well, could deliver ALL the new clients and appointments you want this year.
It sounds like a bold claim, and it is, but I can back it up, and it’s something NEW we are currently rolling out in Jones And Co., and I can’t wait to share it with you.
This works especially well if you have already done the work of creating a brilliant customer experience, and you have clients who love your business and love the service you give them. If that’s you, this SUPER STRATEGY is something you should be very excited about. I’m extremely excited about it for Jones And Co., more than I have been about anything in recent years, and it genuinely is brand new to us and OSA.
I promise that this session alone will be worth the price of your conference ticket many times over. Don’t miss it.
HERE’S SOME OF WHAT WE WILL COVER ACROSS THE 2 DAYS:
This 2.5 day, interactive event is crammed full of immensely practical strategies and tactics that you can use to grow your business to heights you never thought it could reach.
🧱 How to build a brilliant practice in the AI era
AI will not replace humans, but the humans and businesses who use AI intelligently will replace those who don’t. So it’s vital that you know this, and have an effective AI strategy. I’ll show you how to create competitive advantage in a world where all your competitors have access to the same AI tools. And you’ll discover how to build a business that becomes more valuable, not less, in the AI era.
🤖 My honest take on AI and how we’re using it inside Jones And Co.
Learn what matters, what doesn’t, and what practice owners should actually focus on. AI won’t fix a weak practice – but it can massively amplify a strong one… if you use AI intelligently.
The good news for independents is that in the AI era, the human stuff becomes even more valuable and that’s what makes a strong independent practice special. I’ll prove to you why trust, empathy, communication and leadership will become even more valuable in the AI era. And how you can increase those things in your business.
🦸♂️ 52 Ways To Fill Your Appointment Book – and one SUPER STRATEGY.
52 actionable ways to get the right number of clients booked in every single week. This will be highly practical, with takeaway resources. And I’ll reveal one super-strategy with the potential to meet all your new client needs by itself – in step-by-step detail. This is not to be missed!
😍 How to create marketing that ‘bottles the experience’ so your ideal clients arrive pre-sold and ready to buy!
This is how to get clients arriving already understanding your value, already bought into your approach, and already wanting the kind of practice you’ve built. I’ll show you how your marketing can do more of the heavy lifting before someone ever walks through the door.
📈 How to increase your average eyewear sale, and conversion rate, in a market with more competition and ‘cheaper options’ than ever
Hear directly from the Jones And Co. team about how to create premium positioning and pricing in a way where clients effortlessly say yes and buy multiple pairs. And how to make it feel completely natural, consistent and comfortable across your team, while actually enhancing the client experience in the process.
🏆 How to build and lead a brilliant team
This is about raising standards, improving accountability, and creating a culture where people actually perform. I’ll be sharing leadership lessons I’ve been learning, often the hard way, as I continue to build and evolve my businesses. And you’ll hear from Kathryn Heptonstall who has been my right-hand woman for nearly 20 years. Kathryn helped me shape Jones And Co. into what it is today. She is the reason I can have two successful businesses without me needing to be in the building.
☀️ How to build a bright future through a brilliant experience and brilliant marketing
The independent practices with the brightest future will be the ones that create a consistently brilliant experience, along with brilliant marketing that communicates their unique value very clearly. Your team and AI is part of how you implement this strategy, so it doesn’t require much of your time. Give people a reason to choose you, remember you, and talk about you!
How You’ll Build A Brighter Future From This Event:
- A clearer understanding of what actually makes an independent practice valuable in a world where more businesses will start to look, sound and operate the same, and how to use that to your advantage.
- The ability to simplify your thinking, focus on what matters, and make better decisions about where to spend your time and energy.
- Clarity on how your practice is perceived by your clients, and what to improve to strengthen that experience.
- A sharper awareness of the small details that clients notice and remember, and how to use them to elevate how your practice is experienced.
- A stronger sense of what makes your practice different, and how to protect and build on that as you grow.
- Insight from like-minded practice owners who are facing similar challenges and making real progress, giving you perspective, reassurance and ideas.
- The time and space to step away from the day-to-day, reset your standards, and return with a clearer direction for the next phase of your practice
What To Expect From The Optical Success Academy Annual Conference Experience...
Who Will Guide You Towards A Bright Future?
Conor Heaney
Founder of Optical Success Academy and Owner of Jones And Co. Styling Opticians in Manchester
Conor Heaney is an optometrist and the owner of Jones And Co. Styling Opticians in Manchester. After buying the practice in 2009, he transformed it from near bankruptcy to a highly profitable business.
He had to overcome a fear of selling, a lack of leadership ability, zero marketing know-how, and non-existent business skills in order to get the stats he has today. His practice now has an average dispense value of over £1300, over £1.4+ million in revenue, an enviable reputation for excellence and more five-star reviews than you can shake a stick at. But most importantly, he created the systems for achieving these results without him being in the practice. Conor works in his practice just one day a week.
Conor spends the rest of his time showing like-minded independent opticians how they can grow their practice, make more money, and have more freedom. Since 2015, Conor has been connecting amazing independent practice owners in the community that is Optical Success Academy with 130+ members in the UK, Ireland, America, Canada and all over the world. He knows what you want to know about making more money from your practice as well as having more impact, more freedom and more fun!
Martin McCourt
Chairman of Joseph Joseph and Former CEO of Dyson
Turn premium products into the obvious choice - by presenting them in a way clients instantly understand, want, and choose.
Dyson is a company that started with one man and an idea and today is a global brand with £7 billion in revenue. And they remain a very entrepreneurial company.
Martin was personally hired by James Dyson to grow the company for him and Martin was at the helm for 15 years at Dyson, so he has many lessons and stories to share.
He is extremely busy, in demand, and still very much active in business, so I’m delighted that we have been able to get him.
Today, Martin is the Chairman of Joseph Joseph, the award-winning and fast-growing brand known for innovative kitchen and homeware designed to make life easy.
Both Dyson and Joseph Joseph are premium brands that have mass-affluent appeal.
Martin will reveal practical takeaways based on his passion for products that are different, well-made, a joy to own and use, and the fact that there is a large population of people who want and happily pay premium prices for products that deliver all this.
If you want to help more clients see the value in premium eyewear and seek you out, I can’t think of a better person to learn from.
Martin will be one of the highlights of the OSA Annual Conference in Liverpool so don’t miss it.
Helena Langdon
Former Head of Digital Marketing at Innocent Drinks.
Make your marketing unmistakably you - so the right clients pay attention and are drawn to you.
Helena amassed millions of likes and took Innocent’s followers from 200,000 to 1,300,000 in under 5 years while the company grew to £500 million in revenue.
Helena did everything from writing tweets on the train on her way into work, to writing and producing huge campaigns across social media, outdoor advertising and on TV, to dealing with serious (and sometimes ridiculous) customer service issues.
At the conference Helena will show you how your independent practice can punch far above your weight with clear communication, smart digital strategy and authentic brand personality.
Why This Is Relevant To Independent Opticians!
This session with Helena has the power to transform your practice’s whole approach to marketing. And whether you’re a social media whiz or an absolute beginner, you’re guaranteed to get new ideas, practical tips, and stuff that will make your marketing more successful.
Here’s just some of what you’ll learn:
- How To Make Your Newsletter More Effective – i.e. funny, entertaining, shareable, talkable, newsworthy and referral and revenue-driving.
- How To Create Content – and not let fear hold you back!
- The Biggest Do’s And Don’ts To Run Your Social Media Channels Properly In 2026.
- How To Turn Clicks, Likes, Shares, Views Into Actual Sales And Money In The Bank Account.
- The Secrets To Building A Client Base That Is A Community With A Real Sense Of Loyalty And ‘Being Part Of The Club’.
Your Fellow OSA Members!
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn said,
"You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with.”
The people you spend the most time with shape who you are. They determine what conversations dominate your attention. They affect which attitudes and behaviours you are regularly exposed to. And eventually you start to think like they think and behave like they behave.
“According to research by social psychologist Dr. David McClelland of Harvard, the people you habitually associate with determine as much as 95 percent of your success or failure in life.”
Here’s the lesson:
👉 Surround yourself with people you admire.
We become like the people that we (choose to) expose ourselves to. It follows that you can accelerate your personal growth in whatever direction you desire by spending time with people who already are who you want to become.
That will infect you with the behaviours and attitudes that helped them achieve their success, making it more likely that you will realize similar results in your life.
Having run Optical Success Academy for over a decade I can say with confidence, the smart business owners you meet in Optical Success Academy is not just the icing on the cake. It is the most important value I can give you. Bringing you together in a community of positive, aspirational, success-oriented and humble business owners is the real work I do in OSA.
And it is what matters most. WHY? Because you are the sum of the people you hang out with.
The OSA Annual Conference Experience is the biggest meeting of the year where you will see and experience and be part of the full OSA community. Being plugged into this community, that is truly unlike any other in our industry, will be TRANSFORMATIONAL for you.
Decision Time!
With all of that said, what are you waiting for?
If you stay at home, you will miss out on doing the work that has the power to transform you and your business.
There will be no chance of breakthroughs by staying at home.
All independent practice owners are under pressure and busy and that is exactly why the smartest business owners give themselves the time to re-energise and reflect on the big picture of their business.
Yes, you will find The OSA Annual Conference Experience Friendly, welcoming, and fun and you will enjoy the experience in a luxury hotel. But if you’re running a business, attending the best events like this are not a luxury – they are an essential to your success.
If you’re coming, I’ll see you in Liverpool in June! It’s a brilliant city, home of The Beatles and proudly crowned European Capital of Culture, with a huge amount of character.
We’re staying at the Titanic Hotel Liverpool, set in the historic docks. It’s an incredible setting.
You will have a ball!
The Future Is Bright,
What Members Say About The OSA Conference Experience
"The live events have just got better and better. They’re the highlight of the membership"
The live events have just got better and better. They’re the highlight of the membership. You get to spend time with other members, the OSA team, and Conor, and you experience things you’d never normally do.
If you want your business to survive, grow, and develop personally, then OSA is essential. Running a small business today is tough, and you need that support from like-minded people.
Dan Sanders – Perspective Opticians, Knowle, UK
"OSA is my boost."
OSA is my boost. The live events are one of the best parts. You get just as much value from the networking as you do from the sessions. It’s also a chance to step away, reflect, and plan. Independent practice can be isolating, and OSA gives you a network of people who support you, share ideas, and understand what you’re going through.
Sarah-Jane Smith – Long Stratton Eye Care, Norfolk, UK
“Oh my God, this stuff works!”
In the past I’ve attended by myself and taken all this knowledge back into my business to motivate my staff. But this time around I had the opportunity to bring 2 of my staff members here. And the feedback, just after the first day, has been, “Oh my God, this stuff works!” Seeing a bigger group of opticians across the country that follow the same ethos has really given them reassurance that we’re on the right path.
Deepak Oberai, Albert Road Opticians, Station Road Opticians & Stanley Sq. Opticians, Cheshire, UK
"New perspectives on your business"
Being in that environment, having conversations, and sharing ideas gives you new perspectives on your business.
I don’t think there’s another organisation like OSA. It’s quite unique within the optical industry.
Ravi Sohal – Ideology Opticians and Black Heath Eyecare, London, UK
"I always leave feeling reinvigorated."
The live events are incredible. I always leave feeling reinvigorated. I bring as many of my staff as possible because they come away inspired, excited, and full of new ideas. I’ve never left an OSA event disappointed.
Erika Morrow – Foresight Unique Eye Care and Eyewear, Savannah, Georgia, USA
"It’s given me the motivation, the confidence and the direction to take the practice."
Its brilliant because not every practise can be a Jones and Co., but we see from the practice of the year contest and speaking to other members how the same strategies can work in each and every practice. It’s given me the motivation, the confidence and the direction to take the practice.
Huw Owens, A1 Eyewear, Wrexham, UK
"OSA has helped me fall back in love with my practice."
I love the live events. They’re fun, and they give you the chance to meet people in similar situations. Being an independent can be lonely, so having that camaraderie is really important.
The other members are incredibly helpful, open, and willing to share. Nobody holds anything back — they’ll share numbers, experiences, and advice freely.
OSA has helped me fall back in love with my practice. It’s developed into something I truly enjoy again.
Helen Corson – Jackson’s Opticians, Nantwich, UK
"It really helps you grow your business."
I love the live events because they take you away from your practice and give you time to work on your business. They help clear your thinking, and you’re surrounded by like-minded people who are in similar situations. It really helps you grow your business.
Annette Latham-Jackson – Jackson and Gill Opticians, Hye-on-Wye, UK
"The energy from other practice owners and what you get out of the experience is incredible."
The live events are the absolute best part of OSA. The energy from other practice owners and what you get out of experience is incredible. The knowledge could last you for years.
You leave wanting to do everything, because you realise how many ways there are to improve your practice.
Dr Allie Markowski – Connecticut Vision, Suffield, Connecticut, USA
Optical Success Academy
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