Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Garza Offoegbu.
Hi Angela, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised with my three sisters by my amazing parents (Orlando & Josie Garza) here in San Antonio, TX. I currently reside here with my husband (Kennedy), daughter (Savannah), and I’m expecting another little princess come January 2022. I’ve always loved school, science, and learning and knew from a young age I wanted to work in healthcare but wasn’t sure how I was going to get there. Growing up, I had doubts if I belonged in the medical community. We had means but certainly weren’t rich, and all I knew about medical school programs was that they were expensive.
I started working at an eye care clinic during my undergraduate years, and that’s where I really fell in love with the specialty. I ended up graduating with honors and completing my bachelor of science degree from Texas Tech University. I got accepted on my first try to the University of Houston College of Optometry and was truly surprised that others saw potential in me. Navigating school as a first-gen college graduate and then as the first healthcare provider in my family was all completely new to me, and imposter syndrome was at an all-time high.
I ended up graduating again with honors from optometry school and have been a practicing optometrist since 2014. I can say with absolute certainty I love what I do. I’m passionate about helping others and in eyecare, the immediate reward of improving someone’s day with clearer vision is priceless. I worked in many different practice modalities and ultimately decided I wanted to open my own private practice. I hired practice consultants to help me navigate the process from the dream I had in my head to my clinic and what it is today.
We opened in the middle of the pandemic (July 27th, 2020) but through blood, sweat, and maybe a lot of tears, and certainly a whole lot of support from the community, we are continuing to grow and thrive.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth?! FAR from it! It’s not like I was expecting this venture to be easy, and I had prepared as best as I could for years for this kind of undertaking, but we’ve had some unpleasant surprises. For example, our optical was robbed around midnight only 6 months after opening.
I got COVID myself in early 2021 after trying for weeks to get vaccinated and had to be out of the clinic for 10 days – which really hurts a young business reliant on a sole provider. I try not to complain about that as I know many suffered much worse, and I was fortunate to regain my health back.
We also had to shut down for a whole week due to an unheard of snowstorm in TX! (That was crazy!) It’s improved more recently but supplies have been limited, and we’ve also had our fair share of products being on backorder.
We were vandalized with spray paint a few months ago. There’s always something! Through it all, I try to stay positive, stay focused, and be strong for my team. We’ve also had our fair share of victories and those keep me going.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
EYES of Cresta Bella is a full-service eye and vision care clinic, accepting both eye emergencies as well as scheduled appointments. We use the latest in technology to give you a modern eye exam experience. We also are purveyors of the finest eyewear worldwide and bring our clients unique and independent frame lines with exceptional design and function.
‘See the good’ is our motto. We not only want our patients to look and see good but also feel great and confident in knowing they’re enjoying the best possible vision from their eyewear. We are known for our concierge-like service and proudly strive to maintain our 5-star google review rating.
We also offer complimentary one-on-one frame styling appointments at our eyewear bar where you’ll get a chance to meet with one of our opticians to find the perfect pair of glasses for your visual needs and style.
Other eye care services include:
-Specialty contact lens fitting (ex: RGPs, scleral contacts)
-Glaucoma exams
-High-risk medication exams (ex: Plaquenil screenings)
-Diabetic eye exams
-Pre and post-operative care
-Cataract exams
-Dry eye exams
-LASIK consultations
-Keratoconus exams
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people aren’t aware that I’m the sole owner. Many assume we are part of a larger corporation and have multiple locations but we are very much a local, small, start-up eye care clinic. There are many benefits to being part of larger corporations but I really wanted to create something that was completely catered to our patients.
I felt making this investment was the best way to do that and so far (at least hopefully), I think our patients appreciate the extra care we provide in making their routine eyecare services less monotonous and more extraordinary.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.eyesofcrestabella.com
- Instagram: @eyesofcrestabella
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eyesofcrestabella
- Twitter: @eyesofcb
Image Credits
Melissa & Arturo Photography
