Brandon Dill and Jon Martino first met while working in an optical lab together. The idea for Fuse Lenses came about when a mutual friend asked if he could replace his scratched lenses while still keeping his current frame. This was the birth of Fuse Lenses and now this company has been in existence for 7 years. Get to know more about the co-owners Brandon and Jon.

Brandon

Brandon has over 20 years of optical experience under his belt. Today, he does everything from paying taxes to repairing machines in the lab, organizing team meetings, supervising marketing efforts or just pouring coffee for his tired employees. Learn more about Brandon below in this Q&A.

Brandon, what aspect of this business or industry surprised you the most?

What surprised me is that great leadership can have effects throughout the whole company. From internal production, all the way to final sale, and even the customer’s overall satisfaction.

What are your future goals for the company?

I would like to grow Fuse through inspiration and customer-first innovations.

Is there a role model or source of inspiration that keeps you going?

I choose to listen to podcasts over the radio, reading over watching TV, I prefer being around friends that challenge me over “yes men” and I practice multiple self-growth techniques. I also have a few mentors that help guide me and I am always looking for people that can call me out on my short-sightedness.

What do you like about Clearwater, Florida?

I really like the weather -- especially the lack of seasons. It’s ideal for a ton of outdoor hobbies including boating, wake/kite boarding, diving, biking, and all kinds of sports. I cherish the days I can watch the sunrise and set on the water.

Jon

Jon got his start in the optical industry at the ripe age of 18. Since then, he has dedicated his entire life to finding the perfect balance of strong hard-coatings and fashionable colors for your Fuse Lenses. Find out more about Jon in the following interview.

How was Fuse Lenses started? How was that period of time like?

It started when a mutual friend scratched his lenses and asked if we could replace just the lenses, as his frame was still in great shape. We were mainly processing Rx lenses at the time and he needed non-Rx lenses. We found a supplier that offered lens blanks at a fraction of the price of Rx lenses. He was thrilled! He told all of his coworkers, friends, and family and he brought us all their frames that needed the lenses replaced as well. This is when we knew we had something big that we could scale. So we started adding more models and more lens types and our sales grew to the point that we needed to start hiring more employees and building our site.

This was a stressful time as we both were still working our demanding fulltime jobs. When it got to the point that we felt our growth was being limited by our day jobs as lab managers, we both knew it was time to go all-in and focus 100% of our time and energy to Fuse. Best decision we have ever made!

Jon, what is something you do for the company, day-to-day that might surprise us?

One thing I always try to practice is that I’m never above any chore or task. If I see something that needs to be done, I do it, whether it’s taking out the trash or cleaning the bathrooms. I’ve always had the mentality to lead by example, stay humble, and hustle hard! 

If you had an extra hour every day, what would you do with it?

With an extra hour, I would definitely spend it with my kids.

What do you do like about being by the water?

There is something about being on the water that really helps me reflect on how far I’ve come and also how much I still want to accomplish. The smell, the wind, the sand, I love it all, and it's definitely the main reason I’ve never left Florida!

Summary

These two great guys lead the team here at Fuse Lenses! Learn more about them and the rest of the crew in our about page.