Infuse 3 March 2018 | 页面 22

I could appreciate why: at that stage,
FRANKIE4 was operating at a loss,
and sucking every cent of profit out
of our podiatry clinics. But I distinctly
recall this person telling me that if I
continued with FRANKiE4, we would
be so broke, we would have to sell my
son Max’s high chair.
I cried that night…a lot. I felt
embarrassed and stupid that I spent
so much time on something that
was ultimately putting my family at
financial risk. My husband told me to
have faith in my shoes, and to think of
all the positive feedback we receive
from our patients.
I woke at around 2 a.m. that morning,
and scribbled from top to bottom,
on a white board, all the numbers/
costs, ideas, strategies and forecasts
that would give me confidence to
keep going with this brand. When my
husband woke, I went through it with
him. We high-fived, rolled our sleeves
up and kept going.
It’s safe to say today that Max’s high
chair is safe and the business is
profitable.
© Dietitian Connection
How do you continue to
innovate and keep ahead
of the field?
My footwear is all about
hiding the support and
cushioning in what looks
like a fashion shoe. So
I'm ALWAYS looking at
women's feet. Market
research is an everyday
occurrence for me:
finding women that
present well, and seeing
what type of styles they
are wearing, help me
consider my next styles.
Being innovative is perhaps the easiest
part of my job. I am never satisfied with
the range, and I’m always looking for ways
to improve. It just means each season is
always better then the last. I’ll quit the
day it isn’t.
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Infuse | March 2018