Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Barratt.
Cynthia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in El Paso, Texas, and grew up there. I attended the University of Texas-El Paso and then moved to Austin and graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Journalism degree. I had aspirations of being a newspaper reporter/writer. Those were dashed when the salary was not enough to pay for rent, etc. I was working at a movie theater, Joske’s (now Dillard’s) and cleaning apartments while attending University and taking 12-15 hours.
By the time I reached my senior year – something had to give – it was, unfortunately, my grade point average. It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t great, either!
Backtracking for a moment, I was one of three girls (the eldest) and my parents wanted me to get a degree. My mother attended college after having three children. She impressed upon me the importance of a degree. In our immediate family, she and I are the only ones to have earned a degree. This was not an easy task because I am blind in one eye and am dyslexic. Had it not been for my parents and particularly my mother, I would not be where I am today.
In the 50s and 60s, the schools wanted to label me as “retarded.” My mother was so incensed, she told the schools, “I wasn’t retarded – just lazy! Thank God for my parent’s belief in me and their determination to keep me in mainstream classes. Today, I am President and CEO of a $50mm company which I co-founded with my partner and husband, Nat Adkins. Obviously, she saw something in me the schools didn’t.
Has it been a smooth road?
As I said earlier, it was not easy. I worked very hard to make good grades and I was in National Junior Honor Society. Remembering back, the grade school playground and kids – well they were just kids. I was tormented, but as a result, I am strong and very empathetic.
Being poor, I didn’t have the best fitting prosthesis and it showed. The winds and flying real estate irritated my eyes which were constantly matted with mucus and blood. I wanted so desperately to wear glasses to hide my eye and associated problems. Because they weren’t needed, there were no glasses, so that was that!
High School was more forgiving. I joined Spanish Honor Society, ROTC and tried to play on the tennis team, which was a disaster! I was constantly getting hit with balls and missing shots – but it is a fond memory of trying to compete and being accepted.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with OCuSOFT – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
OCuSOFT is primarily an ophthalmic company. We are expanding into dermatology because there is a natural crossover in conditions. Nat and I started OCuSOFT in 1986. We have always been in the Richmond/Rosenberg area. Our claim to fame is that we were the first company in the US and maybe the world to recognize the need for a commercial eyelid cleanser. Ours is OCuSOFT Lid Scrub. Since then, there have been many large companies enter the category that we pioneered. I am pleased to say, today, we own over 75% of the space, despite all the competition.
Prior to its introduction, patients in dermatology with ocular rosacea and patients in eye care with blepharitis were told to dilute baby shampoo and cleanse their lid margins and lashes with this solution using a Q-Tip. As you can imagine, compliance was very low.
When we were developing our products, I asked my parents about taking these products to Ocularist, professionals who make ocular prosthetics. They told me, “you have a moral obligation.” We had limited resources and I was reluctant to spend them in an unchartered market. The bottom line, together with Mark Soper of Soper Brothers in Houston, we developed kits to serve a variety of patient’s needs.
Our company and I personally have worked with the American Society of Ocularist for decades to refine these kits and our product offerings. I know my parents would be pleased that we are helping patients and families like us who had virtually no options.
Today, we sell in several channels of trade: Direct to Doctors and Professionals, Retail Chains (Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, etc.), Wholesalers (Cardinal, McKesson, ABC) and Direct to Patients. Currently, we sell nationwide and have limited product distribution in over 50 countries.
The OCuSOFT Team is 155+ strong. Our community involvement makes me very proud as well as being named by our Team in independent surveys as the Best Place to Work for Houston Business Journal, as well as Best and Brightest, and finally Top Workplaces by Houston Chronicle for eight consecutive years.
Industry Outlook
Since we started the company in 1986, there have been a lot of mergers and acquisitions which has consolidated the market. Therefore, doctors and patient choices are somewhat limited. Because 52% of the world’s ophthalmic products are consumed in the U.S., there is still a lot of potential for all companies and especially OCuSOFT.
Unlike in the past, consumers today are more educated and involved in their healthcare and they will drive our industry. We are nimble and innovative and excited about our future. We have a pipeline of products that will not only keep us relevant for the next 10 years but continue to improve the quality of patients’ lives. Simply put, that’s what we are all about!
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
When we first started our company in 1986, we were in 350 sq. feet. In May 2012, we moved into our 19 acre, 72,000+ sq. ft. campus. It was something we strived for, worked for and prayed for and it was so humbling to see our dreams come to fruition.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like the most about the Houston area is the amount of theaters, museums and related cultural events and Nasa. There are always options and a diverse array of opportunities to be entertained as well horizon-broadening experiences.
My least favorite aspect of our area is the traffic and the growth without the adequate road infrastructure to support all the vehicles on our roads.
Is there any pricing information that is relevant to our readers? If so, and if you would like us to share it, please include details below.
Unlike big pharma companies, all our patient/consumer products are very affordable. With a couple of exceptions, most of our products are less than $25 to the consumer and under $50 on the cosmetic side.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ocusoft.com
- Phone: 800-233-5469
- Email: ocusoft@ocusoft.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ocusoftinc
- Facebook: https://www.facebookc.om/OCuSOFT/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/OCuSOFT
Image Credit:
Stacy Foster, Marilyn Parker, Kay Carlin, Clayton Reeves, Nat Adkins and various other Team Members and four-legged Team Members. – courtesy of OCuSOFT
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
