The Right Optics podcast is brought to you by Silmo, the leading eyewear and optics trade show. Broadcaster Nick Coffer interviews key personalities from the optics world. Hear their stories, their passion for optics and their insight into the industry.

Hayley Brunsden: Vision, Courage and the Art of Starting From Scratch

Three years ago, Hayley Brunsden opened CBTR Opticians on the Georgian high street of Beaconsfield — and within two years, the practice had already won two national awards. What sounds like an overnight success is in fact the result of relentless determination, sharp instinct and an uncompromising attention to detail. Her story involves a motorway diversion, a Watford FC football match, and a to-let sign spotted at exactly the right moment.

But beyond the anecdotes lies something more substantial: a clear and deliberate philosophy of practice-building. From pitching one of the world's most prestigious lens manufacturers before a single wall had been painted, to talking her way onto the books of fiercely protective eyewear brands at SILMO — and when a Swiss brand said no to the UK market, going straight to the MD and asking again — Hayley has consistently backed her own vision. That vision extends to every touchpoint of the client experience: a pre-appointment survey that asks whether you're sweet or savoury, a carefully curated selection of independent brands whose stories she can tell with genuine conviction, and a practice that clients choose to travel for. Warm, funny and admirably relentless, Hayley makes a compelling case for why more people should simply go ahead and create something of their own.

Key takeaways:

  • Back your vision before the conditions are perfect: Hayley pitched top-tier suppliers before her shop was even fitted out — conviction and clarity of purpose can open doors that a business plan alone cannot.
  • No doesn't always mean no: when a Swiss brand declined to supply the UK market, she went directly to the MD and turned the answer around — persistence, done with professionalism, is a legitimate strategy.
  • SILMO as a launchpad: the show proved instrumental in building her brand portfolio, giving her direct access to independent eyewear makers and the relationships that now define her practice's identity.
  • Every detail of the experience is a choice: from the pre-appointment questionnaire to the brands on the shelf, CBTR Opticians is built on intentionality — nothing is there by default.
  • Personal story sells: by handpicking a small number of independent brands whose narratives she genuinely believes in, Hayley has created a practice where the consultation itself becomes a curated, memorable encounter.