Sandi Sieger chats with renowned Australian podiatrist and physiotherapist, Caroline McCulloch, currently making waves in the Australian footwear industry.
Combining fashion with function, the Queensland mum is the mastermind behind successful Australian footwear brand FRANKiE4; the new go-to for any woman with a busy lifestyle.
Providing Australian women with the ultimate foot supporting technology without compromising on style is the FRANKiE4 promise, providing heel and arch support, distributing weight and pressure evenly throughout the foot, alleviating leg and join pain and showcasing an asymmetrical design that supports the nature shape of the foot.
The quintessential dilemma for women is gorgeous shoes that are comfy and practical. Do you think you’ve solved the problems of Australian women with FRANKiE4?
I truly believe I have. It was the day a patient of mine burst into tears when she saw her options for orthotic friendly shoes, or even just supportive shoes, that made me realise there was a massive gap for stylish functional footwear available to Australian women. FRANKiE4 footwear has been designed to improve body mechanics and increase comfort with every step all within stylish and practical designs.
Your background is in podiatry and physiotherapy – how has this helped to shape the design and feel of FRANKiE4 footwear?
My technical brain dukes it out with my style sensibility on a daily basis. But it’s this very battle that defines FRANKiE4.
FRANKiE4 is the culmination of years of extensive market and product research. Proprietary designed, all our FRANKiE4 prototypes undergo rigorous performance testing and quality control, including testing prototypes within my two podiatry practice here in Brisbane. My team and I oversee the entire process from concept and design through to manufacturing and trust me, some do not make the cut and get thrown out the door – literally! All of this is done to ensure the final product is of the highest quality in form and function.
Women no longer need to compromise! I’m saving soles in style – for myself, my clients and women everywhere!
What sets FRANKiE4 apart compared to others on the market that claim to be ‘foot friendly’?
There are many other great footwear brands in the market but what sets FRANKiE4 apart is that our footwear range is designed from scratch taking into account form, function and fashion. Having a podiatry and physiotherapy background I was constantly prescribing orthotics for my patients or altering footwear to improve function and fit for them. In today’s busy world, our feet were just not built to deal with the hard (cement, tiles, pavements etc.) floors our lifestyles have us pounding every day, and our feet were just not meant to be squished into pointy toed shoes – this has caused/is causing women all sorts of problems. We need cushioning and support but ultimately we also want to feel confident in ourselves and what we are wearing. To provide women with footwear that ticks all these boxes has been my ultimate goal and the feedback from women all over Australia and even the world now has been amazing. It drives me even more to keep working on new styles.
We have both podiatry and retail stockists which is the biggest complement. FRANKiE4 footwear tick both boxes – FASHION and FUNCTION!
You’re a mum as well as a businesswoman. How do you balance life, family and work?
I love what I do, so it makes everything else easy. I have a great support network around me and a husband who is amazing (and also a podiatrist) so we are constantly bouncing ideas of each other whether it is work or family related. I really try and have strict family time with the kids which is always a hoot. I have also tried to adapted my work life to suit my family life but it is a constant juggling act to get right; every working mother has this same battle. I’ve even had some of my tools from the practice, such as the grinder, brought to my office studio so I can build all my prototypes at the studio now which is great.
What advice do you have for young people starting out in business?
Believe in yourself, believe in the product (or service) and surround yourself with likeminded passionate people. Don’t let little setbacks stop you from achieving your potential. It took 2 years of prototypes and many shoes thrown out the door to start FRANKiE4. Almost 5 years on we’ve got over 60 stores around Australia stocking the range and thousands of women around Australia thanking us every day. Keep going!
