Her Story
About Tana
Tana Middleton is an experienced optical professional and retail leader with 10 years of experience in the vision care industry. She began her career as a Sales Associate and has advanced to the role of Assistant Manager at LensCrafters through her commitment to exceptional customer service, operational excellence, and leadership. Prior to transitioning into optical, she built a successful 15-year career in banking, where she managed teller operations, mentored team members, and developed a strong foundation in relationship management, sales, and customer care.
Drawing on her extensive experience in both banking and optical retail, Tana is passionate about delivering outstanding service while building lasting relationships with customers. She enjoys helping patients find eyewear solutions that meet their lifestyle and vision needs and believes that personalized care is the cornerstone of a positive customer experience. Her leadership extends beyond customer interactions to overseeing daily store operations, supporting team development, and fostering a collaborative, service-driven culture.
In addition to leading retail operations, Tana has developed hands-on expertise in optical laboratory work, including cutting lenses, assembling frames, and ensuring high-quality eyewear production. Her areas of expertise include optical dispensing, retail management, customer relationship management, team leadership, sales, mentoring, and laboratory operations. Guided by her personal philosophy, "Be the strongest you can be," Tana is dedicated to continuous growth, empowering those around her, and making a meaningful impact on every customer she serves.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tana
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to resilience, perseverance, and a determination to never let challenges define my path. From an early age, I learned to overcome obstacles, and growing up with two brothers helped instill strength, confidence, and determination. Experiencing the loss of close family members further shaped my character, teaching me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of moving forward with purpose. Each challenge has made me stronger and reinforced my commitment to achieving my goals.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to pursue work that you genuinely love rather than simply choosing the safest or most comfortable path. Meaningful growth happens when you're willing to step outside your comfort zone, embrace new challenges, and take calculated risks. Following your passion while remaining open to opportunities can lead to greater fulfillment and long-term success.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to stay persistent and never give up, even when the journey feels challenging. Success takes time, resilience, and a willingness to learn from every experience. If you're passionate about what you do, your work becomes far more meaningful. Equally important is showing empathy, building genuine relationships with customers, and earning their trust, as these qualities are essential to long-term success.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is that it continues to be predominantly male led, which can sometimes create barriers or require women to work harder to establish credibility. However, this also presents an opportunity for greater diversity and stronger female leadership. Working alongside a female store manager has been an empowering experience that has increased my confidence, reinforced the value of supportive leadership, and demonstrated the positive impact women can have in driving success within the industry.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are loyalty, honesty, and open communication. I believe trust is built through integrity and clear, consistent communication, and these principles are essential for maintaining strong relationships. When any one of these values is compromised, it can affect teamwork, performance, and personal connections, which is why I strive to uphold them in everything I do.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.