Foot Solutions Franchise: The Custom-Orthotics Franchise System

Foot Solutions occupies a distinctive niche at the intersection of health & wellness retail and specialty medical-adjacent services. Built around custom orthotics, biomechanical assessment, and curated supportive footwear, the brand has franchised a repeatable store model that combines healthcare-adjacent credibility with retail economics. This article explains the history of Foot Solutions, how its franchise model works, what makes its systems valuable, and why the company’s focus on custom orthotics creates a defensible, differentiated franchise play.

A short history: from pedorthics to a franchise system

Foot Solutions was founded in Atlanta in 2000 by Raymond J. Margiano, Ph.D., a trained pedorthist who spent decades in the footwear and orthotics field before creating a retail concept focused on foot wellness. The idea was straightforward: offer professional foot assessments, gait analysis, and truly personalized orthotics and footwear under a retail roof where consumers could receive immediate evaluation and solutions. Over the next two decades the business expanded by franchising, growing into a network of stores across the United States and internationally.

In 2020 Foot Solutions was acquired by a group of private investors led by CEO, John Prothro (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnprothro/ ), who installed new leadership to scale the system and modernize operations. That transaction signaled investor confidence in the longevity and economics of the concept, and it helped accelerate investment in technology, training, and franchise development.

Today Foot Solutions presents itself as a global foot-wellness franchisor with more than a hundred stores (U.S. and abroad), with offerings that span custom orthotics, arch supports, advanced insoles, and supportive footwear. The brand emphasizes foot-health expertise delivered in a retail setting rather than the clinic model used by many podiatrists or orthopedists.

The Foot Solutions franchise model: what franchisees buy

At a high level, franchisees purchase a proven retail system that blends product sales with professional services. Key elements of the model include:

• In-store foot & gait analysis: Customers receive a detailed assessment—often including computerized foot scans and gait mapping—performed by trained staff (many stores use credentialed pedorthists or extensively trained fit specialists). This diagnostic step is central: it creates trust, clarifies need, and drives higher-margin custom orthotic sales.

• Custom orthotics production & fitting: The brand produces personalized orthotics tailored to the individual. Quick turnaround and a professional fitset the model apart from mass-market insoles and create repeat and referral business.

• Retail footwear & accessories: Stores also stock supportive footwear, specialty shoes, and related accessories (socks, braces, over-the-counter inserts)—creating ancillary revenue beyond orthotics.

• Local, community-oriented sales: Many franchisees position stores as trusted local foot-wellness centers and partner with physicians, physical therapists, and sports medicine providers for referrals.

From a franchise economics perspective, Foot Solutions typically fits the “high-value, moderate-volume” retail profile. Initial investment ranges are from $164,800 to $272,300 which includes opening inventory as well as $45,000 to $50,000 which must be paid to the Franchisor.  Of this amount, $45,000 is the Franchise Fee and there is a 5% Royalty Fee on Gross Sales after the franchise unit opens.

Systems, training, and the operational playbook — why the model scales effectively

Many franchise models claim to be “turnkey”; Foot Solution’s growth hinges on a few concrete systems that genuinely make the offer scalable and repeatable:

1. Standardized assessment technology & protocols

Foot Solutions invests in standardized foot scanning, gait analysis tools, and diagnostic workflows. This standardization means every store can deliver a consistent diagnostic experience—important when the product is a prescription-like orthotic that must be precise to solve pain issues. A consistent clinical intake and measurement protocol reduces returns and increases patient satisfaction.

2. Training and credentialing

Franchisees receive initial and ongoing training in pedorthic principles, orthotic fitting, sales counseling, and retail management. That cross-discipline training (medical/technical + retail selling) is essential: customers expect clinical competence and welcoming retail service in the same visit.  This is one of the key differentiators to the model is the deep training, certification and expertise that the customer receives when they visit a Foot Solutions location.

3. Supply chain & manufacturing processes

Foot Solutions has built supplier relationships and orthotics manufacturing workflows that allow locations to deliver custom orthotics reliably and often within short lead times. Speed and quality control make the product more compelling than mail-order solutions or generic inserts.

4. Local referral programs & clinical partnerships

Because foot pain commonly intersects with physical therapy, sports medicine, and podiatry, the brand encourages franchisees to develop local partnerships. These referral pipelines help maintain steady customer flows beyond walk-in retail demand.

5. Marketing, point-of-sale, and CRM systems

Foot Solutions provides marketing templates and centralized brand assets that local owners can deploy—paired with CRM tools to capture follow-ups, schedule rechecks, and track long-term outcomes. These systems underpin repeat business (new orthotics over time, seasonal footwear purchases) and increase lifetime customer value.

Collectively, these operational systems convert what could be an individualized clinician trade into a retail franchise with predictable unit economics.

Why custom orthotics are a differentiated, defensible niche

Several fundamental market dynamics make Foot Solution’s focus on custom orthotics strategically attractive:

• Medical need + consumer willingness to pay: Foot pain, plantar fasciitis, knee strain, and balance issues create real pain points that consumers will pay to address—especially when a solution is personalized and demonstrably effective. Custom orthotics sit somewhere between medical devices and lifestyle products: they solve a legitimate functional problem and are priced accordingly.

• Low price sensitivity for proven relief: Compared to commodity insoles, custom orthotics command higher margins because of the professional service, diagnostics, and customization involved. Customers who find relief are likely to recommend and to repeat purchases for new footwear or replacement orthotics.

• Barrier to entry: Manufacturing custom orthotics requires technical capability and quality control; thorough in-store assessment also requires trained staff, which raises the bar for competitors who rely purely on ecommerce or off-the-shelf products. This creates a defensible moat for stores that combine clinical credibility with retail access.

• Recurring relationships & referrals: Foot health often requires follow-up and replacement products over time. Additionally, satisfied customers generate physician referrals—an organic growth channel that pure retail competitors find hard to replicate.

Success stories & evidence of concept

Foot Solutions’s long-running presence (since 2000) and international footprint demonstrate that the model is repeatable. The franchisor points to individual franchisees who have built multi-unit portfolios and to local stores that have become community health hubs through physician partnerships and sports-team contracts. Third-party franchise directories and industry rankings have also noted Foot Solutions as a consistent player in health & wellness franchising lists.

Moreover, the 2020 investment by private backers and subsequent development activity underscore the perceived scalability: new leadership invested in marketing, M&A readiness, and system upgrades—actions consistent with a brand preparing to accelerate unit growth and improve same-store economics.

Franchise economics & what prospective owners should consider

• Margin profile: The highest-margin revenue tends to be custom orthotics and high-value footwear; staffing costs and rent are the primary overheads. Location in medical districts, shopping centers with high foot traffic, or near active adult communities often yields the best unit economics.

• Labor & training: Success depends on hiring or training staff who can deliver both clinical competence and retail service. Some franchisees hire credentialed pedorthists; others train experienced retail fit specialists under the franchisor’s programs.

• Regulatory & reimbursement considerations: Foot Solutions accepts some forms of insurance or FSA/HSA payments at certain locations, but reimbursement rules vary by provider and region. Franchisees should understand local reimbursement landscapes if they expect to rely on insurance channels.

The value proposition for franchisors and franchisees

Foot Solutions represents a compelling mid-market franchise for entrepreneurs who want to operate a specialty retail business with clinical credibility. The model’s strengths are clear: a measurable product (custom orthotics) that solves meaningful problems, standardized diagnostic and fitting systems that support replicability, and multiple revenue channels (orthotics, footwear, accessories). The brand’s longevity, franchised footprint, and recent investor backing suggest the concept is stable and positioned for further growth.

For franchise investors, the offer is attractive if you value a health-adjacent business with the potential for strong margins on technical products and a community-oriented referral model. For the franchisor, continued success will hinge on maintaining training quality, ensuring fast and accurate orthotics production, and expanding awareness so consumers recognize the value of custom solutions over commodity inserts.

If you’re considering Foot Solutions as a franchise opportunity, review the current Franchise Disclosure Document carefully, talk to existing franchisees about onboarding and margins, and evaluate the local market for referral partners such as podiatrists, PT clinics, and sports medicine centers. Those steps will help confirm whether the brand’s tested systems and unique custom-orthotics focus fit your investment goals.

For more information on the Foot Solutions Franchise System, visit the corporate site:

https://footsolutions.com/franchising/