Blinks and Bites

For years, Richard Sanchez has given three key pieces of advice to business students and other budding entrepreneurs — stick to a sound plan, don't get distracted by fleeting trends and keep doing one thing well instead of trying to “chase two rabbits.”

He now admits to violating that last tenet, though it's actually working out for the best. Clearwater-based Advantica shortened its name to a single word to reflect the fact that it is now a provider of both vision and dental care services.

Advantica Eyecare, which was the Gulf Coast Business Review's Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008, was acquired in February by Essex Holding Co. of St. Louis, which also owns Delta Dental. The move allows Advantica to offer Delta plans to its 2.5 million vision members in 16 states, while the much-larger Delta will in turn be able to offer vision coverage.