Mobile comfort shoe fitting service

Seniors and their families, people with limited mobility, and staff at workplaces where people stand all day. Retirement residences or clinics may let you hold regular fitting days.

Margin on each pair sold, plus insoles and accessories. Most orders are taken at the fitting and supplied from wholesalers, so you carry little stock.

• Foot measuring and shoe fitting
• Patience and good listening
• Organising appointments and routes
• Building relationships with care homes and clinics

• Commercial general liability insurance, plus vehicle insurance that covers business use
• Check with your province whether any rules apply to fitting medical or therapeutic footwear, and avoid health claims
• Check whether a municipal business licence is needed where you are based
• Returns and wrong sizes can eat into profit, so set a clear exchange policy
• Winter driving and weather can disrupt visits, so plan flexible bookings

As an estimate, startup typically costs around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on your sample stock, vehicle setup and insurance. Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how many visits and fittings you book.

Check commercial general liability insurance, plus vehicle insurance that covers business use. Check with your province whether any rules apply to fitting medical or therapeutic footwear, avoid health claims, and check whether a municipal business licence is needed where you are based.

Returns and wrong sizes can eat into profit, so set a clear exchange policy. Winter driving and weather can disrupt visits, so plan flexible bookings. The estimate is at least about 10 hours a week.