Faye Anderson-Day Talks Business

When Faye Anderson-Day, owner of Top Sight Optical in Eatonton, Ga., moved to Milledgeville in 2002 she had plans for a retirement filled with days of fishing and boating on Lake Sinclair and playing golf, three of her favorite pastimes. She had recently left Conyers, Ga. and, upon moving to Lake Sinclair, she discovered that the Lake Oconee region had much potential for growth. Despite her retirement plans, Anderson-Day opened Top Sight Optical in Fall 2002.
Anderson-Day was born on February 20, 1955. She grew up in Conyers, Ga. and attended Rockdale County High School where she developed the dream of working in the healthcare industry. After her children finished high school, Anderson-Day enrolled at DeKalb Technical College to train to become a nurse. After graduating, she worked at the Rockdale Country Hospital as both a nursing assistant and a unit clerk.
“There really isn’t enough money in nursing for the stress you have to deal with,” said Anderson-Day. “That’s when I came into the optical business. I just kind of fell into it.”
Anderson-Day’s optical career began in 1987, when she married the man who owned the Conyers Vision Clinic where she worked for fifteen years before successfully opening and running her own business, the Anderson Eye Center, only five miles away from her ex-husband’s shop. While in Conyers, Anderson-Day received many honors such as a profile in the “Women of the 90′s” section of her local newspaper and several reader’s choice awards for best optical business.
Today, Anderson-Day works at Top Sight Optical with three other women: her daughter, Kim McDonald, Dr. Jennifer Cousins, the company’s full-time optometrist and Top Sight Optical’s newest member, Barbara Foote, the company’s receptionist. In fact, the only man directly involved with Top Sight Optical is Milo, the 10-year-old Cockapoo who appears in many of the company’s advertisements with the slogan, “Don’t let your vision go to the dogs!”
“Working with an all-woman staff is wonderful,” said Anderson-Day.
However, working with family can have its disadvantages also, Anderson-Day admitted. Since working with her daughter Kim they have had to make a conscious effort to keep their business and personal lives separate.
“It really gets hectic at times and a lot of times business and personal feelings cross over, but we always seem to find a way to work through it,” said Anderson-Day.
Anderson-Day has made it her mission to offer the most personalized service possible to Top Sight Optical’s customers while also providing a “very homey” atmosphere to put the patient at ease.
“I try to live by the Golden Rule in my personal life and with every person who walks through the door at Top Sight Optical because that is what I’d want, personal attention and not the feeling that you’re just being sloughed off,” said Anderson-Day.
The Public Relations Writing class at Georgia College & State University, with the help of professor Valerie Andrews, has been diligently working with Top Sight Optical and Faye Anderson-Day this semester to develop a campaign to boost the company’s business. The class’ project is to develop a comprehensive media kit for Top Sight Optical complete with media releases, event ideas and invitations, brochures and public service announcements. Angelina Wallace, a member of the Public Relations Writing class, has enjoyed working with Anderson-Day and Top Sight Optical.
“I think it’s wonderful that we are able to work with real clients to gain hands-on experience,” said Wallace. “Working to promote Top Sight Optical as a class has been challenging but beneficial to us as students and I feel good about actually helping a business while gaining this valuable experience.”
Anderson-Day has plans for a final retirement in eight years, when she hopes her daughter Kim will take over Top Sight Optical.
“I would like to retire by 60 so I can spend time with my grandchildren and enjoy the lake,” said Anderson-Day.
While retirement plans are in her future, all of Anderson-Day’s efforts are currently focused on Top Sight Optical.
“I don’t sleep a lot,” said Anderson-Day jokingly. “I eat, sleep and think business all the time.”
Top Sight Optical features several services and products which include complete eye exams, trial lens fittings, brand name sunglasses and glasses frames, glasses repair services and adjustments, watersport, shooting and golf specialty glasses, contacts and specialty contacts.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 13 2007. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry