Today we’d like to introduce you to Asaf Peled And Rob Morrison, Au.D..
Hi Asaf Peled and Rob Morrison, Au.D., so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Asaf Peled (CEO) – I was born in a small suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel and was enlisted in the Paratroopers (Airborn Rangers) as a medic at age 18. It was there that I found my passion for helping people. It was in my role as a medic that I knew my purpose in life was to help people and assist my community, but I was not sure yet how to do so. After my discharge, when I was 21, I came to New York City and worked for the Israeli government. During that time I earned my undergraduate and masters degrees from Farleigh Dickenson University, and upon graduating I was offered a position in a New Jersey-based hearing aid company. I became a licensed hearing aid dispenser in New Jersey.
Having worked as a medic in active military duty I experienced situations where I was not always able to help people. I found working to restore patients hearing immensely rewarding. I was able to see their smiles as I enabled them to live richer fuller lives. I wanted to do more of this, and I had (and have) big dreams of helping large numbers of people achieve optimal medical results in hearing care on a one by one basis with individualized care in a welcoming setting.
I am married and have three children, 12, 16, and 18. I moved to Florida and opened a chain of hearing aid locations to bring patients the highest level of haring care I could achieve. I have been in the industry for two decades and my company is in its fourth year. I have great pride in assisting thousands of Florida residents to enjoy happier full lives with my practice. I teach my children by example and tell them if you can dream it and work hard, you can achieve your goals.
Rob Morrison (President) – I began my undergraduate studies in Speech Pathology and Audiology at Ithaca College in upstate NY, eventually focusing my attention on Audiology and the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, Auditory Pathology and Vestibular (Balance) related Pathology. After completing my Masters and Doctoral work at Indiana University, I spent the first few years of my professional career with a start-up hearing aid company raising the venture capital necessary to fund the company’s expansion efforts nationally. Eventually growing the business to 30 locations in an Operations role across 12 states, I decided to shift gears and join the largest Hearing Aid manufacturer based in the United States, Starkey Hearing Technologies.
During my time with Starkey, I held a number of positions that allowed me to be a part of the Education and Training team as well as the Sales and Business Development teams- the latter of which I spent the majority of my tenure in. This opportunity gave me great insight into the value and importance of independent/ private practice ownership, as it relates to delivering the best quality care for patients. The opportunity to join my business partner Asaf Peled came in early 2016 at Hear Again America, allowing for me to use the operational and clinical skill sets that I’ve developed throughout my career, to grow our business throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Maryland. Exciting growth for Hear Again America on a national scale began in 2023 with the launch of our franchise model. To date, we have sold over 40 territories, representing 15 states and are poised for continued growth through the outstanding network of franchise owners that we have partnered with to provide the very best hearing health care across the United States. .
As with any organization, the people at Hear Again America are our bottom line. I’d be remiss not to attribute the continued success of the company to the great people in all of our offices that show up everyday to make a positive difference in the lives of others. They are the best team in the industry and their patient care and commitment are exemplary.
On a personal note, I am a High School baseball coach and enjoy watching both my son (16) and daughter (13), live out their respective dreams on various sports fields and competition stages.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As in any technology field, the hearing aid industry is constantly changing and evolving to incorporate new technologies and accessibility to the end users. In recent years, Over-The-Counter (OTC) hearing aids were formally introduced into the market, granting end-users the ability to self-diagnose and self-fit non-prescription hearing aids. The increased metrics of affordability and accessibility, in our opinion, has positioned OTC hearing aids in the market, similar to how Reading glasses impacted the prescription eyeglass market. In the end, we have also found that while the devices themselves can be commoditized, the expertise of in-person care (for diagnosis and prescriptive fitting), as well as the service that we provide in our clinics cannot be. Many patients don’t realize (until they call us or walk into our clinics for help with their hearing aids), that we have solutions at many price points that include our care- some that rival the cost of OTC products. They are extremely grateful for the service and support we provide, which is a leading indicator for patient delight and more positive outcomes. Ultimately, our goal is to improve the quality of life and find solutions for solutions that will work for our patients in their every day lives. We understand that helping our patients live lives full of meaningful connection, as opposed to social withdrawal and isolation is critical to their overall health and well-being. This is our “WHY’, and is the driving force behind the people who serve all of our patients each day at Hear Again America.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Hear Again America?
Hear Again America is a privately held hearing aid company, with over 40 locations, in 15 states. Our growth over the past few years has been great. Having a large portion of our offices in the state of Florida. We are a hearing health care clinic whose goal is to provide our patients with the best hearing care possible.
We have 9 offices from Key West to Boca to better serve the S. Miami community.
Since a hearing aid cannot be prescribed like eyeglasses, a proper hearing aid recommendation and fitting is highly dependent on the judgment and skill of the professional selecting the instrument. We test your hearing and select and dispense the hearing instrument best suited to your needs in addition to providing support, counseling, and servicing related to the hearing system.
We work with all major hearing aid manufacturers to make the best-suited recommendations for all of our patients. We work in this business to bring families and their loved ones back together through communication- to live life through meaningful connection rather than withdrawal from life’s important moments and relationships. We take great strides to make sure each of our patients is well educated by bringing our seminar (Lunch and Learn) series into all of the local markets that we operate in.
These seminars serve as a medium for us to reach out to the community, weed through some of the misleading and often confusing advertising that exists and serve as a source of education for potential patients. We feel that this approach builds the necessary trust that is required to serve our patients better than anyone else. I am most proud of the people that I have the honor of working with at Hear Again America.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
A great piece of advice is to focus on building strong relationships. Your reputation, the trust you earn from patients, and the team you surround yourself with will carry you further than any short-term strategy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://HearAgainAmerica.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hearagainamerica/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hearagainamerica/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hear-again-america
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HearAgainAmericaOfficial
