What would it take to own my own practice?

The basics: practice acquisition typically requires 5+ years of clinical experience, a solid business plan, and access to finance - usually £100,000–£500,000 depending on the size and location of the practice. A de novo (starting from scratch) is possible but less common than acquisition.

Finance: most acquisitions are funded through a combination of personal savings, business loans, and sometimes vendor financing. High street banks have optical-specialist lending teams. Your business plan needs to demonstrate a realistic path to profitability, usually within 3 years.

Experience: beyond clinical competence, lenders and vendors want to see management experience - running a team, understanding of practice P&L, and ideally some exposure to the commercial side of the business you're buying.

Where to start: the most useful first step is usually a conversation - with someone who's done it, and with a specialist optical accountant. The Federation team can help connect you with both.