Ivan Quiroz, Senior Director of Service Delivery at 2020 On-site, spoke about his leadership style, the diversity of
his team, and how you feel the impact of your work regardless of where you are within the organization.
What inspired you to join 2020 On-site?
I worked in optics at Lenscrafters for 6 years, and through that I found the passion for optics. I discovered that a doctor leaving one of the practices I was running was going into mobile optometry, which I had never heard of at the time. After a conversation with him, a lightbulb went off, and it seemed as if this idea was solving most of the problems people were experiencing within the industry. I realized Mobile Optometry is an industry to watch; it creates access to top-quality care and removes barriers that some would typically experience.
A couple of years later, 2020 On-site explored expanding their retail side and reached out to me for an interview. I took the interview to learn more about the company, ended up joining the team, and brought three managers with me.
What would you say to someone who is considering joining the team?
Beyond our purpose, the exciting part is the opportunity for employees to take a very entrepreneurial approach to their work. From the start, I’ve felt my voice and ideas have been heard. We build our culture around the ideas of our people. You won’t find yourself picking up the slack or taking on other people’s responsibilities. We view those who go fast and do more as great motivators we all want to emulate. We want to be innovative, use critical thinking skills in an impactful manner to create better outcomes for our customers and the communities we serve. We know it takes a team effort.
In my 4+ years here, I’ve seen ideas come to fruition right away, or I’ve put them on hold temporarily until the time was right to introduce them at a later date. So there’s never a lack of listening or execution - it’s embedded in our purpose.
What opportunities have you had to progress to where you are now?
The company is consistently growing, and the trajectory we are on opens up opportunities that didn’t exist before. For example, the regional retail manager role didn’t exist. Our leadership saw a business demand and a need for us to build towards this and brought me in. Most of our employees started in a role that has evolved into something different they’ve shaped themselves.
We all have a growth mindset and an entrepreneurial spirit that allows us to grow into niche roles. Coupled with resources and tools and the opportunities to work with the leadership team, it helps us achieve our personal career goals. There also is a continuous cycle of teaching and learning that promotes internal development.
How is your leadership team unique? What sets it apart?
Our company is so diverse, from backgrounds to the pedigree of the leadership team, from IVY leaguers and doctors. I don’t have a college degree, but what matters here is the skill set you bring, your desire to grow the organization and best serve the customers and patients. We are so centric on our core values and the desire to use our diverse experiences to benefit the company. The diversity here is organic and is part of every facet of what we do.
What’s most rewarding about your job?
The impact we make is eye-opening. We hear a lot of patient stories that motivate us to be the best we can be. It doesn’t matter where you work in the organization - you can always find a connection between your work and a positive outcome for someone else. You are playing a role in helping someone see differently.
Whether you are implementing technology for booking appointments or use during assessments; you coordinated the documentation in the office; you launched the marketing; or you have secured the partnership with a company or campus, your job here has enabled patient access to eye care.
Ocular health is often overlooked by individuals who don’t wear glasses. Yet, our on-the-ground experience has proven that at least once a month, our mobile clinics discover a complicated, often urgent issue with a patient’s eye.
One of the most significant impacts we make is on students in the public school system. We see students without a prescription or access to lenses and frames who are almost legally blind. Assessing their vision, and securing a pair of fashionable and functional glasses for free, can literally change their lives.
As a leader, how do you help people grow their skills and develop professionally?
I believe in a virtuous teaching cycle at any moment. I teach and support my team, and they teach and support me. Steve Jobs said it best - "We don't hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do." Anything my teams might have to do, I’ve done it myself. My team will do whatever it takes, and the leadership models that. It’s as much about leading as it is about learning.
Why is this opportunity unique? Why join the team?
It’s a workplace full of driven entrepreneurs who want to make a difference for patients and clients. You will have tough days, but they are coupled with the support of the best people you will ever meet. For each tough day, you will experience many more that inspire and rejuvenate you, and remind you of why you are here. They will keep you going, and you will go on to the next day, week, project, and goal as determined as ever. That’s what keeps me going. I know I’m going to win with my team.
If you’d like to join our growing team and work with leaders like Ivan, we’re currently recruiting for a number of roles including a Marketing Manager and an Inside Sales Specialist. Visit our Jobbio page to learn more about our team and see how you can get involved at 2020 On-site.