In this episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with optometrist, entrepreneur, leadership strategist, and founder of LeadOD, Dr. Ben Thayil, for a thoughtful and transformative conversation about leadership, purpose, authenticity, and the inner work required for meaningful growth.

What begins as a discussion about leadership development quickly evolves into a deeper exploration of personal transformation. Dr. Thayil shares the foundational belief behind his leadership philosophy: true leadership growth starts on the inside. Professional success, business growth, and external achievement can only expand to the level that a person has developed internally.

Throughout the conversation, Katie and Ben openly discuss therapy, emotional healing, childhood experiences, and the hidden struggles that often exist beneath outward success. Ben reflects on the realization that many of the barriers limiting his professional growth were not external obstacles, but unresolved personal challenges that required deeper self awareness and intentional work.

Katie shares her own journey toward greater authenticity and alignment, reflecting on the freedom that comes from embracing vulnerability and showing up as her true self rather than trying to meet external expectations.

Together, they explore topics including burnout, emotional intelligence, parenting, purpose driven work, identity, and the importance of seeing people as individuals rather than positions or titles. They also discuss how healthcare professionals often underestimate the profound impact they have on the lives of their patients.

One of the strongest themes throughout the episode is the idea that purpose transforms ordinary work into meaningful service. Whether answering phones, scheduling appointments, caring for patients, leading teams, or raising children, connecting daily actions to a deeper purpose creates greater engagement, fulfillment, and impact.

This episode is a powerful reminder that growth begins with self awareness, leadership starts within, and authentic human connection remains one of the greatest gifts we can offer others.

Leadership growth begins with personal growth Leadership development is ultimately personal development. As people grow internally, their ability to lead, influence, and create meaningful impact naturally expands.

Authenticity reduces burnout and creates alignment Maintaining multiple versions of ourselves can be exhausting. Greater authenticity creates clarity, purpose, and sustainable energy.

Purpose transforms ordinary work into meaningful service When daily tasks are connected to a larger mission, engagement, fulfillment, and impact increase dramatically.

“Leadership development is personal growth with a title.”

“We build better organizations by building better people.”

“When we find ourselves stuck externally, it's often because we're stuck internally.”

Dr. Ben Thayil is an optometrist, entrepreneur, and leadership strategist based in South Florida.

As the founder of Lifetime Vision & Eye Care and LeadOD, he works at the intersection of healthcare and leadership, helping professionals build organizations that not only perform well, but align with the life they want to live.

His work focuses on a challenge many high achievers quietly face: creating external success while feeling fragmented internally.

That insight forms the foundation of his upcoming book, Big E Energy, where he introduces an inside out framework for leadership and life. The book challenges traditional ideas about productivity and energy, reframing energy not as hustle or output, but as the strength that comes from alignment.

Through coaching, speaking, and leadership development, Dr. Thayil helps leaders move from feeling exhausted and disconnected to becoming focused, resilient, and fully engaged in both life and work.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbenthayil/

Website: http://www.LeadOD.com

In this deeply personal and emotional episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with longtime friend and optometrist Dr. Jon Crum for a heartfelt conversation about healing, resilience, faith, personal growth, and the unexpected ways life can come full circle.

The episode begins with reflections on their shared history, including opening an optometry practice together in Chino Hills in the early 1990s and navigating the difficult realities of an abusive relationship that deeply impacted not only family life, but also the workplace, staff, and patients around them.

With honesty and vulnerability, Katie revisits the life changing events of November 1st, 2001, the moment both she and Jon made decisions that ultimately transformed the trajectory of their lives. Katie reflects on leaving an abusive marriage and expresses deep gratitude toward Jon for encouraging her to take the difficult but necessary steps to protect herself and her daughters.

From there, the conversation evolves into a thoughtful exploration of healing, identity, and personal growth over time. Both guests reflect on how experiences such as divorce, faith, parenthood, and aging reshape priorities and deepen perspective.

Jon shares his excitement about entering a new chapter of life, including finding love again later in life and preparing for a future engagement after enduring a difficult divorce. Katie reflects on redefining herself beyond past trauma, learning to trust her own voice, and embracing a more grounded and authentic approach to life.

Throughout the episode, themes of forgiveness, emotional safety, healthy relationships, faith, and second chances are woven together with warmth, humor, and deep mutual respect.

This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, growth can emerge from pain, and life can still surprise you with joy, purpose, and meaningful connection, even after the hardest seasons.

Healing often begins with difficult decisions Both Katie and Jon reflect on the painful but necessary choices required to leave unhealthy situations and create space for healthier futures.

Growth changes what we value most Life experience shifts perspective toward emotional safety, faith, authenticity, family, and meaningful connection over external appearances or expectations.

Second chances are possible at any stage of life Finding peace, love, and fulfillment is not limited by age or past experiences. Healing and joy can still emerge after life’s hardest chapters.

“I’m living my best life now.”

“There’s always that one person out there that you’re destined to be with.”

“The only way you move to the next level is to see what wisdom comes from the experience.”

Dr. Jon M. Crum is a principal of Crum Optometric Group, Inc. and a stakeholder in Total Vision Holdings, LLC, with more than three decades of experience in optometric leadership and business management.

Born in Fullerton, California, Jon attended University of California, Los Angeles, earning a degree in Psychobiology in 1986. He later received his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern California College of Optometry in 1990 and has practiced in the same Chino Hills location for more than 33 years.

Beyond optometry, Jon is deeply committed to genealogical research and American historical preservation. He is an active member of several lineage based organizations, including the Sons of the American Revolution, the Society of Colonial Wars, the Jamestowne Society, and The Order of the First Families of Maryland.

He is also involved with Wreaths Across America and collaborates with the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum on educational outreach efforts for the America 250 semiquincentennial initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Website https://drjoncrum.com/

In this episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu welcomes back repeat guest Tony Sommer for a thoughtful and deeply personal conversation about authenticity, growth, fear, family, and the wisdom that comes through life experience.

Recorded once again in Atlanta, the episode reflects the comfort and familiarity that has developed since their first conversation months earlier. What begins with lighthearted discussions about pollen, travel, and Disney gradually unfolds into a meaningful exploration of identity, grounding, and what it truly means to live authentically.

Tony shares his deep connection to the field of myopia management, revealing how his own experience with progressive myopia prevented him from becoming a fighter pilot after attending the Air Force Academy. What initially felt like a personal loss ultimately became the driving force behind his passion for helping clinicians protect children’s vision and future opportunities.

The conversation also dives into vulnerability and fear. Tony openly shares his lifelong fear of heights despite serving in the military and becoming a parachutist in an effort to confront that fear directly. Katie reflects on her own journey toward authenticity, explaining how she has stopped trying to remove her conversational quirks and instead embraced simply being herself.

Together, they discuss the wisdom that comes from life’s trials, including parenting adult children, healing from childhood trauma, learning patience, and releasing the need to control every outcome. Katie speaks candidly about learning disabilities and the coping mechanisms she developed from childhood experiences, while Tony reflects on the growing importance of family, grounding, and multigenerational connection in his life.

Throughout the episode, both return to one central truth: growth does not come from avoiding challenges. It comes from remaining grounded, present, and authentic while moving through them.

This episode is a warm, vulnerable, and deeply human reminder that wisdom is not about having everything figured out. It is about continuing to learn, adapt, and show up honestly as yourself.

Authenticity creates freedom and connection Both Katie and Tony reflect on how embracing quirks, fears, and imperfections creates deeper connection and removes the exhaustion of constantly performing different versions of yourself.

Wisdom is built through life experience and reflection Parenting, trauma, career pivots, setbacks, and personal challenges all become opportunities for growth when approached with reflection and openness.

Fear does not have to stop action Despite a lifelong fear of heights, Tony became a military parachutist and continues pushing himself outside his comfort zone. Courage is action despite fear, not the absence of it.

“Authenticity is critical… you can’t be different people all the time.”

“I’m not late, I’m on time. I’m safe and I’m present.”

“The only way you can move to the next level is to see what wisdom comes from the experience.”

Tony Sommer brings more than two decades of leadership experience in specialty vision care and medical technology, combining commercial strategy with a deeply purpose driven approach to innovation.

Most recently, Tony served as General Manager, Americas, for CooperVision Specialty EyeCare, where he led growth across the United States, Canada, and Latin America while advancing specialty lens adoption and myopia management initiatives.

Prior to CooperVision, he served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Visioneering Technologies, helping launch and scale the NaturalVue portfolio and build the company’s U.S. commercial infrastructure from the ground up.

Earlier in his career, Tony led the U.S. Vision Care Sales organization at Bausch + Lomb, guiding teams through major periods of market transformation and growth.

Before entering the eye care industry, Tony served as a U.S. Air Force officer and combat veteran, deploying in support of Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. His military experience shaped the leadership philosophy he carries today: mission driven, team focused, and centered on meaningful outcomes.

Tony lives near Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and their three children. He continues to advocate globally for access to vision care and for developing the next generation of leaders who serve both patients and purpose.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsommerjr

Latest Project | Treehouse Eyes: https://www.treehouseeyes.com/