Healthcare clinic puts its best foot forward

About the business

Launched in December last year, Passion for Feet cares for the feet of those living in the Scottish Highlands through services including foot reflexology, Thai foot massage, and cosmetic pedicures. The business specialises in improving the management of various ailments and providing general advice on day-to-day footcare, ensuring locals’ feet stay in a healthy condition.  

 Business Gateway has been a vital extension of my team throughout this process, and I would encourage anyone thinking about starting their own business to contact the team as you wouldn’t believe how much help is out there.

How Business Gateway has helped

Working with Business Gateway Highland, Julia benefitted from detailed advice on company regulations, premises, and routes to funding. She was also awarded a start-up initiative grant which provided the initial cash injection she needed to set up her treatment room in the Inverness Business Hub. This meant she had a fully equipped base to provide her specialist services.  

Through Business Gateway’s start-up services, Julia also accessed regular 1:1 support from a dedicated business adviser and used it’s Planning To Start tool. This allowed her to develop a tailored action plan that included information on self-employment, business plans, business insurance, and networking.   

This support has given Julia the confidence to launch a new offering for her business, playfully named ‘Granny’s Feet’. This service means her treatments can now be offered to the elderly and others whose mobility issues mean they wouldn’t otherwise be able to access Passion for Feet’s services. Julia hopes to expand this business area to assist as many people as possible in the future. 

Julia is currently training to become a qualified Foot Health Practitioner, which will allow her services to expand further to deal with issues such as ingrown toenails and fungus. She plans to promote this future development through video, thanks to the skills she picked up through attending Business Gateway’s ‘Video production’ webinar.  

Julia said: “Business Gateway has been a vital extension of my team throughout this process, and I would encourage anyone thinking about starting their own business to contact the team as you wouldn’t believe how much help is out there.”