MyEyeDr. CEO and HPU’s Health Care Expert in Residence Mentors Students 

High Point University Students have learned life skills, leadership and more from a variety of global leaders who are part of the Access to Innovators Program. HPU’s Health Care Expert in Residence Sue Downes, co-founder and CEO of MyEyeDr., mentored HPU students on campus on March 28.  

“I have been blessed to have so many people in my life mentor me along my career, and to help me through good times and bad times,” said Downes. She said her goal was “to share some of my experiences and create an open mindset, and then connect with students on their questions, whether about entrepreneurship or health care. We need these young people to help evolve health care.” 

In addition to a Q&A session with entrepreneurship students, Downes shared lunch with healthcare management students, provided career advice film content for HPU+, which is the university’s own streaming service, and participated in an Access to Innovators podcast. 

Erin Morrow, an HPU junior education major from Windham, New Hampshire, had the opportunity to record a podcast episode with Downes. As the co-inventor of Finger Flyer, an EdTech tool created to engage high school students in STEM topics, Morrow said her biggest takeaway was how Downes overcame challenges.   

“She talked about finding the kink in the hose and unraveling it,” said Morrow. “Being a business owner obviously on a much smaller scale, that’s something I struggle with. In the broad scope, it’s so hard to focus on problem areas of your company. You want to see it as great, but there are issues and challenges you face and it is about finding them, addressing them and fixing them.”        

Downes advised entrepreneurs to remain disciplined and focused rather than spreading efforts too thin. Trying to be everything to everyone was one of her biggest mistakes in building her business, Downes said. Another mistake she admitted was hiring employees for where the company was at that time rather than where it was growing to become.  

“Be the best at what you can do and lean all of your energies, priorities and resources on those priorities,” said Downes.   

Ashley Longbottom, a junior entrepreneurship major from Wallburg, North Carolina, said she was inspired as she moderated Downes’ Q&A session with entrepreneurship students. Longbottom noted Downes’ stories about being transparent with her employees and family were touching for those who think they need to keep things private to protect their ideas. 

“She was very open about being transparent with how she felt, and that it was OK not to know everything,” said Longbottom. “That was a big eye-opener for me. She was very inspiring when it came to persevering and breaking through anything that came in front of you. She encountered so many bumps in the road. She said when you have that wall in front of you, it’s not just about breaking through it; you can go around it, over it, under it, but the point is you can’t stop at the wall.” 

Longbottom also appreciated Downes’ ideas about having a growth mindset, which matches HPU’s values, and ways Downes’ company evolved to hire for future growth rather than where her business stands today.     

Downes started MyEyeDr. in 2001 with one office to help families “have an expert in their corner to help them navigate the administrative side of care” after her father was in the hospital and she found she spent more time with insurance companies understanding his benefits than focusing on his care. Now MyEyeDr. has grown to more than 870 locations in 27 states. In 2021, more than 3 million patients saw MyEyeDr., and that number is growing.  

“We see our daily work as making the world a better place – one set of eyes at a time,” said Downes. 

Downes is one of many global leaders who comprise the Access to Innovators Program at HPU.