How New Braunfels Became Dr. Tony Jacob’s Central Texas Hub

When hurricanes battered East Texas in 2008, Dr. Tony Jacob made a pivotal decision that would transform his career trajectory. The young optometrist packed his belongings and headed inland to New Braunfels, a charming town nestled between San Antonio and Austin. Little did he know this relocation would become the foundation for what would eventually grow into the largest private optometry network ever sold in Texas.

“I had moved to New Braunfels and decided to kind of start from scratch all over again,” Dr. Tony Jacob explains. His journey to this Central Texas haven wasn’t planned years in advance or mapped out with sophisticated market analysis. Instead, it emerged from a simple desire for stability after weathering literal storms on the Texas-Louisiana border.

The Geographic Sweet Spot

New Braunfels occupies a unique position on the Texas map. Situated approximately halfway between San Antonio and Austin, the town offers convenient access to two major metropolitan markets while maintaining its distinct small-town charm.

Thanks to this geographical advantage, Dr. Tony Jacob was able to seize multiple opportunities. He could draw patients from both urban centers while establishing a home base with lower overhead costs than either city would require. The town’s position along the Interstate 35 corridor also facilitated easy travel between locations as his practice expanded.

According to recent census data, New Braunfels ranks among America’s fastest-growing cities, with population growth exceeding 44% between 2010 and 2020. This explosive growth validated Tony’s intuitive choice of location, providing an expanding patient base without requiring relocation.

Building Beyond The First Location

While Dr. Tony Jacob’s first practice opened in nearby Lockhart, New Braunfels served as his residential and strategic headquarters. This separation between home and work created a crucial mental boundary that allowed him to expand his vision past a single-location mindset.

Operating out of New Braunfels, Tony spotted an opportunity in Kyle, Texas, approximately 12 miles from his Lockhart practice. This second location would become pivotal in his business education.

“At some point you have this epiphany that, ‘I can’t do everything. I can’t see patients and run a business very well,'” he explains about the transition that occurred while managing multiple locations from his New Braunfels hub.

The Kyle expansion taught Tony the critical skill of delegation. Unable to be physically present at multiple locations simultaneously, he learned to build systems and trust teams—competencies that would later enable his network’s remarkable growth.

The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

New Braunfels provided more than geographic convenience. The town’s growing community of entrepreneurs created a supportive network that fueled Dr. Tony Jacob’s business education.

In 2017, Tony joined Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), connecting with fellow business owners who pushed each other to grow. These relationships proved instrumental in his development as a CEO.

“I had also removed myself from patient care at that point. I had unlocked that level, felt like I’d done really well, and knew how to open one office. I knew how to open two offices. But the next level was how to become a CEO, and what does a CEO really do? So I just spent a ton of time reading books about it and spending time with other CEOs,” he shares.

Through these connections, he discovered tools like Culture Index for personnel optimization and the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) for operational efficiency. These frameworks transformed his business approach and accelerated growth.

The New Braunfels location provided the perfect balance of professional community without the cutthroat competition found in larger markets. This environment allowed Tony to experiment, learn, and develop his unique approach to healthcare entrepreneurship.

Quality of Life Sustaining Long-Term Vision

Perhaps most importantly, New Braunfels offered Dr. Tony Jacob the quality of life necessary to sustain his entrepreneurial journey. The town’s blend of natural beauty, cultural amenities, and family-friendly atmosphere created an environment where he could build his business without burning out.

“After the pandemic had occurred, you start contemplating life. You’re thinking about, ‘I’m spending time at home again.’ And, ‘Gosh, I do want to spend more time at home with my family,” he reflects.

This work-life integration proved crucial during the years of intense growth. While Tony poured tremendous energy into expanding his practice network, New Braunfels provided a rejuvenating home base that prevented the entrepreneurial grind from becoming unsustainable.

When his practice network was acquired in 2021 in what Tony describes as “the largest private transaction in the state of Texas for optometry,” the sale represented not only business success but the culmination of a journey that began with a hurricane-prompted move to a Central Texas town that offered both opportunity and quality of life.

New Braunfels didn’t simply house Dr. Tony Jacob during his entrepreneurial journey—it shaped his path, connected him with crucial resources, and provided the balance necessary to build something extraordinary.