Innovative Idea, Business Knowledge Spawns Entrepreneurial Company: Foot Healers Combines Podiatry Expertise, Products In One Location

From St. Louis Small Business Monthly Vol. 20, Issue II, September 2007

Innovative Idea, Business Knowledge Spawns Entrepreneurial Company: Foot Healers Combines Podiatry Expertise, Products In One Location
by Courtney Vogt

Clifford Holekamp saw a problem and made up his mind to fix it. With a stepfather who was a podiatrist, Holekamp had some insight into his practice. Through observation, he saw problems in the processes and services that the doctors were providing. For example, he saw that during office visits, his stepfather would tell his patients what products they needed to purchase,
and then the patients often wouldn%u2019t take the necessary steps to correct the problem.

With an innovative idea and a strong set of business skills, Holekamp came up with the business plan for Foot Healers while he was earning an MBA at Washington University. He envisioned a clinic where patients could find a podiatrist%u2019s expertise and the products that would treat their problems%u2014all at one location.

%u201CGoing to the doctor is intimidating,%u201D says Holekamp. %u201CBy the time patients get up the nerve to actually go see a doctor, they don%u2019t want to have to go through another step to get what they need. Combining the podiatry practice with a retail store eliminates that extra step.%u201D

Holekamp says that with over 100 podiatrists in St. Louis, Foot Healers does face significant competition. However, he points out that because of its unique approach to podiatry care and service, Foot Healers stands out among its competitors. Whether patients are seeking medical care from one of the three doctors that Foot Healers employs or simply a product to increase comfort, any of the locations can be of assistance.

Foot Healers%u2019 clinics are intentionally located in shopping centers in and around the St. Louis area. According to Holekamp, that makes a more convenient and comfortable atmosphere for patients, thus increasing the number of people coming through the doors.

%u201CA lot of clinics are located by hospitals, because that%u2019s near where the doctors work and live. For their convenience, we decided to locate where the patients live and where they shop,%u201D he explains.

By designing his business from the customer%u2019s point of view, Holekamp has experienced success that might not have come from a more traditional approach. He adds that by introducing a new style of medical service, perhaps people will expect change in the future.

%u201CI do believe that the bar will rise on the service level that people will expect from their health care providers. The practices that will earn growth will be the ones that provide the most expertise in both medicine and service. It is my goal that Foot Healers helps to raise the level of expectations that people have of their health care providers,%u201D says Holekamp.

His perspective as a business owner can be a valuable lesson to many entrepreneurs in virtually any industry. %u201CI enjoy studying people and finding better ways to cater to what they want or need. Foot Healers is delivering a much needed service in a way that makes it easier for people to get the health care they need.%u201D

As Holekamp began growing his dream company, one of his first strategies was to get involved in the St. Louis County Economic Council%u2019s St. Louis Enterprise Centers business incubation program. The program not only offered valuable office space, but advice and counsel to help grow his business.

%u201CFoot Healers utilized our St. Louis Enterprise Center in South County in exactly the way an entrepreneur looking to grow should. The company took advantage of our available resources including office space, equipment and conference rooms. Our Enterprise Centers offer a great support system. Having the opportunity to network, bounce off ideas with other business startups, and share the aches and pains that undoubtedly come with being a small-business owner also benefited their growth,%u201D said Denny Coleman, president and CEO of St. Louis County Economic Council.

With the concept of Foot Healers, Holekamp ventured into a field in which he was not an expert and built a successful business. He advises others that leaving their comfort zones can be rewarding, but not to underestimate the amount of work it takes to reach their goals.

%u201CI encourage other entrepreneurs to conquer their fears of the unknown, but only if they have done the research and planning to make known all that can be known,%u201D says Holekamp. %u201CDetailed planning and thorough research are the best methods to manage the intimidations and trepidations that entrepreneurs face when starting a new venture.%u201D

After the initial stages of operation for any business, Holekamp says the key to maintaining success is to %u201Cbe a perpetual student of business%u2014always studying your business and making decisions accordingly.%u201D

%u201CFoot Healers is truly an entrepreneurial success story and its founder, Clifford Holekamp, a rising star in the St. Louis business community,%u201D said Jan DeYoung, executive director of St. Louis Enterprise Centers.