9 years ago, at the age of 50, Tracy and her family came to Australia to build a better life, and by her own admission - it’s been tough. Moving from the UK to Sydney then onto Perth, 3 visas and an email saying you have 30 days to respond or leave Australia, certainly tested their passion and devotion to stay in this beautiful country they now call home.

Personal challenges in Tracy’s life led her to seek more of a home life balance. It forced her to take a long hard look at her work life and how she could make a difference in other people’s lives too. So, at 59 years old, with 8 children and 10 grandchildren here she is – The Glasses Lady!

The Glasses Lady is Tracy’s first experience starting her own business.
 
“People said I was crazy, to be honest at times I almost agreed with them, but, after devoting so much of my life and time with family and working for other people I decided I needed to have faith, believe in myself, go for it and chase something that I’d wanted to do for many years and to try and make a difference. I work from my studio at home, offering mobile consultations in the home too. My husband and colleagues in the industry were, and still are a massive support. “

The Glasses Lady experience in a comprehensive deep-dive into a client’s individual features and personality. This Eyewear Styling Consultation is step 1 in the custom-made frames journey. Tracy takes the time to understand each client. Selecting frame designs, choosing from 300 colours and making individual adjustments to the shape and sizing to fit takes between 1 to 3 hours.

The next part of the journey is to the frame maker Roger Henley in Adelaide. He specialises in making handmade bespoke frames to fit clients who could not find an "off the rack" frame to fit. He uses the world's finest components and materials, believing that creating an individual piece is an object of beauty.

From placing an order, to completion and delivery, typically takes up to 5 weeks. And boy are they worth the wait!
 
“My work is my passion, I love making people happy. In all my years in optics nothing could beat the feeling of seeing someone’s face light up as they see themselves in a new pair of glasses that totally change their appearance, giving them confidence to take on the world.”
 

The evolution of The Glasses Lady has not been without its fair share of challenges. The never-ending hours involved in running her own business has been an eye-opener for Tracy.
 
“When I was an employee, I thought 8 hours without a break was mean, now it’s a treat. Being an owner-operator means I could do with more than 24hrs in a day. It’s hard to switch off, not think about business, and not talk about the latest glasses range to my husband during the footy. I can’t even rely on a coffee hit as I can only drink Decaf!”

However, the satisfaction born from following her passion and dreams makes Tracy “put on my big girl pants and get on with it”. She has big plans for the future of The Glasses Lady with the focus on personal eyewear styling remaining at the forefront.
 

Tracy and her team continually seek to expand their range without compromising on quality. In July they introduced an Australian range of unique, ‘elusive’ frames for women which will be joined in early 2023 by their men’s range.
 
Tracy is currently in talks with a supplier in Australia who has commissioned an aboriginal artist to create her designs on laminate to be applied to the acetate frames. The custom-made range will continue to expand on individual creations and their local WA lab will keep the team up to date with the latest lens technology.
 

Tracy loves being a part of the Perth Upmarket community.
 
“Perth Upmarket brings together the most creative, artistic businesses all in one place. Creating a shopping experience not seen anywhere else. The vibrant atmosphere, full of colour and uniqueness is captivating.”
 
You can find The Glasses Lady at Perth Upmarket on Sunday 19^th March at UWA.
 
Tracy can also be contacted here:
Website https://theglasseslady.com.au/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theglasseslady
 
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