When hurricanes hit East Texas in 2008, Dr. Tony Jacob made a decision that completely changed his professional path. He packed up and moved inland to New Braunfels, a charming town between San Antonio and Austin. This relocation became the foundation for what would grow into the largest private optometry network ever sold in Texas.
“I had moved to New Braunfels and decided to kind of start from scratch all over again,” Dr. Tony Jacob explains.
Perfect Geographic Position
New Braunfels sits at a strategic spot on the Texas map that offered Dr. Jacob multiple advantages:
- Located halfway between San Antonio and Austin, providing access to two major markets
- Lower overhead costs than either major city
- Position along Interstate 35 making travel between locations simple
- Incredible population growth (over 44% between 2010-2020
This location proved to be an intuitive choice that gave him an expanding patient base without requiring him to move again.
Growing Beyond One Practice
While Dr. Tony Jacob’s first practice opened in nearby Lockhart, New Braunfels served as his home base. This separation created an important mental boundary that helped him think beyond a single location.
From New Braunfels, he spotted an opportunity in Kyle, Texas – about 12 miles from his Lockhart practice. This second location taught him crucial business lessons.
“At some point you have this epiphany that, ‘I can’t do everything. I can’t see patients and run a business very well,’” he explains.
The expansion forced him to learn delegation. Unable to be in multiple places at once, he developed systems and teams that would later enable his network’s remarkable growth.
A Community of Entrepreneurs
New Braunfels offered more than just a convenient location. The town’s growing entrepreneurial community provided a support network that boosted Dr. Jacob’s business education.
In 2017, he joined Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), connecting with other business owners who pushed each other to improve. These relationships were key to his development as a CEO.
“I had also removed myself from patient care at that point. I had unlocked that level, felt like I’d done really well, and knew how to open one office. I knew how to open two offices. But the next level was how to become a CEO, and what does a CEO really do? So I just spent a ton of time reading books about it and spending time with other CEOs.”
Through these connections, he discovered important tools:
- Culture Index for optimizing personnel
- Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) for operational efficiency
New Braunfels provided the perfect balance – a professional community without the intense competition of larger markets. This environment gave him space to experiment and develop his unique approach to healthcare business.
Balancing Work and Life
Perhaps most importantly, New Braunfels gave Dr. Tony Jacob the quality of life needed to sustain his business journey. The town’s mix of natural beauty, cultural activities, and family-friendly atmosphere created a place where he could build his business without burning out.
“After the pandemic had occurred, you start contemplating life. You’re thinking about, ‘I’m spending time at home again.’ And, ‘Gosh, I do want to spend more time at home with my family.’”
This work-life balance proved crucial during years of intense growth. While he invested tremendous energy into expanding his practice network, New Braunfels provided a rejuvenating home base.When his practice network was acquired in 2021 in what he describes as “the largest private transaction in the state of Texas for optometry,” it represented not just business success but the culmination of a journey that began with a hurricane-prompted move to a Central Texas town that offered both opportunity and quality of life.