Origin story: ‘My father believed I could revolutionize the hearing industry’
The origin story of Island-owned Ears To You is a reminder that sometimes, all it takes to change your life is one good idea.
“From a young age, my father and I would visit the Toronto Auto Show every year,” recalls Jeff Campbell, owner of Ears To You. “One year we did a walk-through of a brand new Mercedes Benz Sprinter. You could say that seeing that van, and hearing how it was fully customizable and being used in new, creative ways, started me down the path to Ears To You.”
At the time, Campbell had recently embarked on his career as a hearing specialist and his father, Don Campbell was regularly sharing ideas about how Campbell might get ahead in his new career. One idea in particular would plant the seed for Ears To You.
“My father believed I could revolutionize the hearing industry by providing an ‘at-your-door-service,’ moving away from traditional brick-and-mortar clinics that were the standard at the time,” Campbell says. “He believed it would make hearing health care more accessible to those who needed it most.”
As it turns out, Campbell’s father was right.
“My father passed away quite suddenly in 2018,” Campbell says. “As you might suspect, it was a very difficult time for me. Eventually though, it would motivate me to see his dream turned into reality. A little while later Ears To You was born.”
Campbell soon realized there were a lot of complicated details that needed to be ‘ironed out’ before Ears To You could hit the road.
“There was no template for what I was about to do,” Campbell says. “To say I faced some hurdles, would be an understatement. But with the help of my amazing wife, Candice, who happens to be a talented interior designer, we were able to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing layout for the interior of our new vans.”
Then came the global pandemic.
“Just as we figured out how to make this idea work, we were faced with a situation that no one was prepared for,” Campbell says. “We were suddenly facing public health concerns and supply chain issues.”
Rising to the challenge, Campbell used their unique ‘to-your-door’ service to help ensure his new clients could still get support for their hearing health during a difficult and uncertain time. In a way, the pandemic helped to amplify the need and the many benefits of his new, convenient service.
“We gave clients the comfort and liberty to maintain their hearing health in their own home, or in their driveways, ensuring their comfort and safety when it mattered the most,” Campbell says.
What’s next for Ears To You?
Ears To You currently has four mobile units on Vancouver Island, one on the Lower Mainland and one in Calgary. The rapid growth and sustainability of the business model has given Campbell the confidence to take Ears To You nationwide.
“We’ve introduced a franchise model, offering potential partners the tools, knowledge and experience to grow a business of their own, anywhere in Canada!” Campbell says. “I wish my father could see how successful his idea for a mobile hearing clinic turned out – he believed it would revolutionize the industry, and he was right.”
Book your appointment today by calling 250-619-5746 or book online here. Visit Ears To You online here and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
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