Episode 375: Dr. Michael Neal

Dr. Michael Neal is not just an optometrist—he’s a visionaryentrepreneur on a mission to revolutionize the hiring process in healthcare.

As the Founder & CEO of Build My Team, Dr. Neal turned hisown hiring nightmares into an innovative system that now helps healthcarepractices across 40+ states and Canada find the right people with ease.

It all started in 2002 when Dr. Mike and his wife, Dr. Amy Neal,launched Lakeside Vision in Hawley, Pennsylvania with big dreams. But yearafter year, their growth stalled—not because of their skills as doctors, butbecause of hiring mistakes that led to constant staff turnover. Every time theylost a key team member, they were forced to cancel vacations, scramble to fillpositions, and endure the painful cycle of hiring the wrong people.

That’s when Dr. Mike had an epiphany. Instead of hiring based onexperience alone, he flipped the script. He asked, “What kind of person willtruly thrive in this role?” By identifying key performance factors—like speedof learning, mindset, and natural strengths—he created a data-driven hiringprocess that transformed his practice. Suddenly, they weren’t just fillingroles—they were building a high-performing, engaged team.

Word spread, and soon, friends in the healthcare field asked forhis help. The method worked so well that Dr. Mike expanded it into what is nowBuild My Team, a company that helps private practices hire smarter, faster, andwith greater success. Modeled after the recruitment strategies of Disney andthe Four Seasons, Build My Team removes the guesswork from hiring, ensuringpractices bring on team members who are truly a perfect fit.

When he’s not helping practices build world-class teams, Dr.Mike is a dedicated dad to two amazing sons, a marathon runner, and an aspiringultra-runner, often training alongside his wife.