I’ve always believed it’s real people sharing real experiences that truly shape career decisions.

As a first-generation university student, I started my career working directly with young people from diverse and lower socio-economic backgrounds, helping them see possibilities they hadn’t considered before. That early work sparked a passion for meaningful outreach and opening doors.

Over the past 14+ years in optics and healthcare, I’ve worked with more than 25,000 students, supporting their journey from education into the workforce. I’ve partnered with employers, universities and professional bodies to raise the profile of optics and STEM careers, and co-developed the award-winning ‘New Dimensions’ programme with the College of Optometrists.

During seven years at Specsavers, I led the early careers function, including the launch of their first national outreach initiative, before moving into a role focused on supporting pre-registration optometrists across the UK. Through this work, I saw hundreds of business owners strengthen their recruitment pipelines, with many students progressing to become fully qualified professionals.

The practices that invested in early, authentic engagement were the ones building stronger, more sustainable recruitment pipelines.

I founded Early Insight to make that approach accessible to organisations of all sizes, which ultimately led to the creation of Into Optics® — a support model and outreach programme specifically designed for independent optical businesses.

Alongside the careers platform, I provide outreach strategy, CPD sessions, mentoring support and hands-on consultancy to help practices confidently engage schools, nurture early talent and build sustainable, future-ready teams through meaningful local relationships.

Today, I work with optical and healthcare leaders who want to take a more proactive, long-term approach to their workforce, while protecting the personal, community-driven ethos that makes independent practice so powerful.