Social Media for Opticians: The Rise of the Mobile Bespoke Optician

Insights from Garry Kousoulou’s interview with world-class mobile optician Kim Jurina.  

When I listened to Kim Jurina talk about her mobile bespoke optical business, it struck a very personal chord with me.

Because in many ways, that’s exactly how my own journey in optics began.

Long before social media, before Google reviews, before Instagram or LinkedIn, I started life selling eyewear in a far more traditional way. Quite literally from the boot of my car. I would travel from practice to practice, visiting opticians, carrying frames, making adjustments, solving problems, and building relationships face-to-face. I also spent time visiting people in their homes, helping them with eyewear, repairs and styling advice.

It was grassroots optical at its purest.

Looking back, it taught me something incredibly valuable: this industry has always been about relationships and trust. When someone invites you into their home or puts their eyewear in your hands, there’s a level of connection that goes far beyond a simple transaction.

That’s why Kim’s approach resonated so strongly with me.

What she has built today — a mobile bespoke eyewear styling service — is something I instinctively understand.

The difference, of course, is that Kim is operating in a world where social media exists.

When I started, if you wanted to reach new clients you relied on word of mouth, chance encounters, and endless miles on the road. Today, platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube allow opticians to share their expertise, their personality and their work with thousands of people instantly.

And I often find myself wondering…

If social media had existed back then, would I have stayed mobile?

Would I have built a completely different type of business?

Instead, my journey eventually led me into opening bricks-and-mortar practices.

But seeing what Kim has achieved today makes me realise something powerful: the mobile bespoke optician model may be more relevant now than ever — especially when combined with the power of social media.

One of the most interesting things that came out of my conversation with Kim is that, despite the thousands of miles between us, optical is optical.

Whether you are working in Canada or the UK, the fundamentals are exactly the same.

Reputation is everything.

In our profession it takes time to build trust. Clients are not simply buying a product; they are trusting someone with their vision, their appearance, and their confidence. That trust doesn’t appear overnight. It’s built through expertise, consistency, and genuine relationships.

What social media and digital marketing have done is accelerate the visibility of that reputation.

When used properly, tools such as Google Business Profile, Google reviews, and social media platforms can amplify what great opticians have always done well.

Instead of relying purely on word of mouth within a local neighbourhood, today’s optician can share their knowledge, personality and expertise online.

A great review on Google.

A recommendation on LinkedIn.

A helpful video on social media explaining how frames should fit.

These small signals create powerful digital trust.

For a mobile bespoke business like Kim’s, this is particularly powerful. When someone is considering inviting an optician into their home or workplace, they naturally want reassurance that they are dealing with someone credible and experienced.

That’s where reviews, reputation and visibility online become incredibly important.

Done properly, social media for opticians isn’t about vanity metrics — it’s about building trust at scale.

And when trust grows, businesses like Kim’s can truly take off.

How One of the World’s Best Opticians Is Redefining Eyewear with Mobile Bespoke Styling and Social Media

Final Thoughts: Relationships, Reputation and the Future of Optical

What stood out most from my conversation with Kim Jurina was not just her knowledge, her eye for fashion, or even the fact that she was a finalist for one of the biggest honours in global optical.

It was her mindset.

Across both parts of the interview, the same message kept coming through loud and clear: great opticians do far more than sell glasses.

As Kim put it so well:

“It’s not about sales — it’s about relationships.”

That line says everything.

Whether you are working in Canada, the UK, in a traditional practice or through a mobile bespoke model, reputation is built through trust, communication and consistency. That trust is what turns a first appointment into a long-term relationship, and a long-term relationship into referrals, reviews and real growth.

Kim also said:

“I don’t try to be anyone else. My clients get the real me.”

That authenticity is powerful. In today’s world, where social media, Google reviews and digital visibility matter more than ever, people are not only buying expertise — they are buying confidence in the person behind the brand.

And that is why social media for opticians matters so much.

Used properly, it allows opticians to show their personality, demonstrate their expertise, and build trust before the first consultation ever happens.

Another quote that stayed with me was:

“Frames aren’t just eyewear — they’re identity.”

That is exactly why opticians like Kim stand out. She is not simply choosing frames; she is helping people step into their future self with confidence.

For me, this interview was a reminder that the future of optical belongs to those who combine clinical knowledge, styling expertise, authentic human connection and smart digital marketing.

Or, to put it simply:

great opticians build relationships, and great marketing helps the right people find them.

 

The Very Best Quotes from the Podcast

About Kim Jurina

Kim Jurina is a licensed Canadian optician and founder of Eye Stylist Inc., a mobile bespoke eyewear business based in Edmonton, Alberta.

With more than three decades of experience in the optical industry, Kim has developed a reputation for combining technical optical expertise with a strong sense of fashion and personal styling.

Her business, Eye Stylist, operates as a mobile optical boutique, bringing curated eyewear collections directly to clients’ homes, workplaces or chosen locations. Instead of the traditional retail experience, Kim provides a personalised consultation where she studies face shape, style preferences and lifestyle before recommending frames.

The service focuses heavily on bespoke eyewear, allowing clients to design or customise frames that reflect their personality and identity.

Kim’s innovative approach has attracted international attention. In 2025 she was named a finalist for the International Optician of the Year Award, recognising her vision for redefining how eyewear is delivered and experienced.

Her work also supports independent eyewear brands and focuses on curated, high-quality collections rather than mass-produced frames.

At the heart of Kim’s philosophy is a simple belief:

eyewear should empower people to express their individuality with confidence.

And that belief is exactly what has helped her build one of the most distinctive mobile optical businesses in the world.

Best Quotes Garry Kousoulou FBDO

Throughout the podcast, Garry shares insights drawn from decades in optics, blending clinical experience with marketing strategy and human connection.

Here are some of the standout quotes from the conversation:

💬 “Frames aren’t just glasses — they change how someone sees themselves.”

💬 “You have about 30 seconds to build rapport with a client.”

💬 “Half of the success of progressive lenses happens at the moment of dispense.”

💬 “If you explain things properly to patients, they trust the process.”

💬 “The difference between a good optician and a great one is communication.”

💬 “Sometimes a client’s future self needs a little encouragement.”

💬 “Great opticians love people.”

💬 “Reputation takes years to build but seconds to lose.”

💬 “Social media today is the modern word of mouth.”

💬 “If you’re not visible online, you’re invisible to your future clients.”

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About Garry Kousoulou

Garry Kousoulou FBDO is a UK-based dispensing optician, entrepreneur, author and digital marketing strategist specialising in helping independent opticians grow their businesses through social media and local search.

With more than two decades of experience in optics, Garry has built a reputation for combining clinical optical knowledge with innovative marketing strategies that help practices thrive in a rapidly changing digital world.

He is the founder of Loving Social Media, a London-based agency that works with opticians and other professional practices to improve their visibility through SEO, social media strategy and Google Business Profile optimisation.

Earlier in his career Garry pioneered the use of social media within the optical profession, becoming one of the first opticians in the world to use Facebook to grow a practice and build community engagement online.

Alongside his marketing work, Garry is also an author and educator. His book Social Media and Digital Strategy for Opticians was written specifically to help independent practices understand how digital platforms can be used to attract new patients and build long-term relationships with their communities.

Beyond business, Garry is deeply committed to mentoring young people and supporting career development in the optical sector. Through work-experience programmes and community initiatives he has helped hundreds of students gain insight into professional careers.

At the heart of Garry’s philosophy is a simple belief:

great opticians combine expertise, enthusiasm and genuine human connection — and today, social media allows that message to reach the world.