In this episode of 20/Happy Careers, Dr. Riyad Khamis shares his inspiring journey to building a passion-driven career in optometry.

Discover how he reignited his passion for neuro-visual rehab and vision therapy through greater autonomy and mentorship, started a thriving vision therapy clinic from scratch, and expanded into sports vision and speaking engagements — all while maintaining balance and avoiding burnout. Dr. Khamis also offers honest insights into the early struggles, rejection, and mindset shifts that paved the way for his success.

Whether you’re feeling stuck in your profession or searching for ways to design a career that energizes you, this episode offers valuable lessons on staying true to your “why,” embracing growth, and turning small starts into meaningful impact.

Key Topics:

• Early career disillusionment and how mentorship helped Riyad rediscover his passion
• Combining general optometry, neuro-visual rehab, sports vision, and speaking
• Balancing workload with intentional breaks and a flexible schedule
• The entrepreneurial leap: growing a vision therapy clinic from one patient to nearly 100 per week
• Overcoming rejection, slow growth, and misconceptions about success

Tune in for an authentic conversation about the ups and downs of crafting a unique and meaningful career — and how you can do it too.