Why Values are the Strongest KPI

At Eye-Q, values have never been a poster on the wall, they've always been the foundation.

Growing up around this business, I've seen that from the very beginning my father and his business partner built Eye-Q not just with a vision for accessible eyecare, but with an unwavering commitment to doing things the right way: with compassion, with ethics, and with purpose. All while being fully transparent.

Now, as I take on more responsibility in this journey, I'm beginning to understand the weight of that legacy.

The last six months have been a whirlwind of learning. Every day stretches me, teaches me. But more than anything, it's tested and reaffirmed one core truth:

Values are easy to talk about when things are going well. Their real test is when things go wrong.

Recently, we faced a situation where a few team members breached the trust that holds any organization together. It was deeply disappointing. But it also became a moment of reflection.

Instead of reacting emotionally, we chose to respond with clarity and calm. An internal team handled the matter with fairness and focus - not to punish, but to protect the culture we are all responsible for. Because at Eye-Q, value alignment is not just encouraged, it's non-negotiable.

Interestingly, I was reminded of something a professor said during a lecture I attended at Kellogg earlier this year:

"Hire slow. Fire fast."

At the time, I thought of it as a sharp business insight. Today, I understand it as a values safeguard.

What I learnt in class was that every person you bring in either strengthens or weakens the culture, which is why hiring must be deliberate. And when someone crosses a non-negotiable, a decisive step isn't harsh, it's necessary to protect what the organization stands for.

In business, especially as the second generation, you're not just chasing growth. You're also guarding a legacy. And if we want to build something that truly lasts, integrity must lead the way.

Because in the end, it's not just about what we build, but also about how we build it.