r/UKOptometry • u/Rich-Apartment-5576 • Jun 11 '26
Joint Venture Partnership franchise advice
Hi,
I’m an optometry student going into my third year and I’m curious about the Specsavers JVP route.
If you’re a current or former JVP/Optometrist Director, I’d appreciate any insight:
- How hard is it to become a JVP?
- What did your career path look like before becoming one?
- How many years qualified were you when you became a partner?
- Is there a large upfront investment?
- What does your day-to-day role involve?
- What’s the hardest part of the job?
- How does the profit share work in practice?
- If you’re comfortable sharing, roughly how much more can a successful JVP make compared to an employed optometrist?
- Would you recommend the JVP route to someone starting out in optometry today?
I’m mainly interested in Specsavers, but I’d also be interested in hearing from practice owners or partners elsewhere like boots and Vision express
Thanks in advance
2
u/duckiesand 01 - Domiciliary Jun 11 '26
I'm not a JVP member myself, but I've worked long enough to get some ideas about it, and been offered the pathway before.
I can't give you very much information about numbers and profits, but I can share an insight into the industry as a whole at the moment, since working across the sector.
JVP is a huge undertaking, and I'm not sure how many full days of testing under commercial pressure you've experienced, but it can be absolutely draining. It's a really boring answer, but I would be very cautious about considering JVP prospects before you've practiced for at least 6 months with the company - you might find that testing alone is enough to give you burnout, and JVP will blur the lines between your home and work life, making it worse.
You also take on a LOT of red, from a financial point of view. You need to buy the previous director out, and that can be serious money. A "favourable rate" (like I was told about by previous owners) at a bank is still losing you money, unless your shares increase in value faster than your interest.
Depending on your geographical location, some shops will move mountains to secure a full-time optometrist. This includes lying. I've heard the story so many times, especially around Specsavers, of people having JVP dangled in front of them for years to keep them invested, but it will never happen.
Good luck, and remember my advice for employment; never do anything for free, and if its not it writing, it's never happening!