Fanny Pasquet didn’t always dream of becoming a podiatrist. She discovered this little-known program by chance, but it proved to be a turning point. She saw it as the ideal opportunity to combine medical science, human connection and sustainable entrepreneurship. We sat down with her to learn more about the Clinique podiatrique Béland Pasquet, where she puts her vision into practice every day.
An unexpected new passion
Fanny has always been deeply curious, which complicated choosing a career. Drawn to fields as wide-ranging as veterinary medicine, marketing and art history, she took a sabbatical year at the end of CEGEP to help her find her way. It was a pivotal break, full of discoveries and a penchant for travel!
As university deadlines were approaching, she started combing through different programs and stumbled by chance on the undergraduate Doctor of Podiatric Medicine program from Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). As she read the curriculum, something clicked: she discovered a rigorous program that offered variety, in a still-emerging field, one that provides plenty of room for entrepreneurship, innovation and meeting growing demand – far from the saturation found in other health care professions.
That’s where she met Raphaël Béland, who would become her business partner. Originally from Drummondville, Raphaël completed his pre-university studies before starting a bachelor’s degree in pharmacology at Université de Sherbrooke, earning his degree in 2015. He then did his master’s in physiology, specializing in endocrinology, which he completed in 2018. With this already impressive education under his belt, he started an undergraduate Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, in the same cohort as Fanny.
A professional rapport quickly developed. They shared the ambition of opening a clinic in Sherbrooke and, rather than seeing each other as competitors, they decided to join forces to bring this shared project to life.
Then, like so many others, their internships were suspended and their studies put on hold when the pandemic hit. Far from getting discouraged, Fanny and Raphaël invested the time to lay the groundwork for their project: drafting a business plan, visiting clinics, talking to peers and even scouting locations for their future practice. This is how Clinique podiatrique Béland Pasquet was born, a clinic that reflects who they are: warm, welcoming and involved in the community.
A little-known but essential profession
Podiatry is still a relatively unknown field in Quebec. UQTR is currently the only school in Canada that offers the program Fanny and Raphaël graduated from in 2021. But it plays an essential role: “It’s a bit like the dentist, but for feet,” Fanny says simply. Skin, nails, muscles, tendons: podiatrists deal with any foot condition that isn’t related to systemic disorders.
At Clinique podiatrique Béland Pasquet, Fanny, Raphaël and their team work with a diverse clientele: from toddlers learning to walk to centenarians. They offer a wide range of tailored care: custom orthotics, minor surgeries, ingrown toenail treatments, skin lesion biopsies, gait analyses (especially for runners), podiatric care for people losing autonomy and much more.
With an aging population and limited access to family doctors, the demand for this type of service is growing exponentially. For Fanny, the profession is deeply rewarding, because beyond improving people’s quality of life, it can allow her to act quickly, prevent complications, and, in some cases, make a lifesaving intervention.
A clinic that cares… and that’s committed
Right out of the gate, Fanny and Raphaël made a promise to stay true to their values, even if that made accessing financing more challenging. The result is a clinic designed responsibly. Buildings with green space, bike racks, charging stations: they did everything possible to foster sustainable habits.
Their environmental awareness was also honed by observing best practices in health care, particularly the amount of waste generated by single-use medical equipment (syringes, gloves, masks, etc.). Their response to this was to innovate to minimize their environmental footprint.
How? In part by rethinking how they cast orthotics. They said goodbye to plaster, which is water-intensive and requires shipping to an external lab, for a lighter, recyclable and resource-efficient foam. Even better, the clinic acquired a 3D digital scanner, eliminating waste from the process altogether. Casting is now done on site, and the data is sent electronically to the lab: no shipping or waste involved.
Their commitment extends to all aspects of the clinic: fully digitized files, eco-friendly cleaning products and a partnership with a company in Magog that transforms medical waste into bricks for construction. Two 150-litre boxes of waste are recycled there every two months. The result is an overall reduction in the clinic’s waste by 50% to 70%. For Fanny and Raphaël, investing more to reduce their impact was an obvious choice, despite the additional costs.
The deeply human approach of their practice dovetails perfectly with their environmental vision. Their conviction that sharing information helps the green transition along led them to create a Facebook group to encourage discussions about eco-friendly practices among Sherbrooke podiatrists. A second group, dedicated to continuing education, was also created, organizing collective “journal clubs” to break professional isolation and foster collaboration among clinics. Even their location reflects this intention: with several seniors’ residences nearby, the clinic offers a community-based, accessible service on a personal scale.
Learning to do it all
Being an entrepreneur means learning to do everything yourself, which Fanny quickly realized. When she opened the clinic, she didn’t think she would find herself on a Tuesday afternoon shopping for ant bait or having to dry out a wall after water damage. But she’s not complaining, because the variety creates a dynamic pace that she revels in. Fortunately, she and her partner complement each other perfectly: he contributes methodical rigour, and she contributes creativity. Most importantly, they share a vision. Meeting people, attending events and giving talks has also become an unexpected source of pleasure. Her talent as a communicator truly shines, and her interest in marketing has finally found a place to grow.
But Fanny knows that, first and foremost, she is a podiatrist. And like any entrepreneur worth her salt, she knows when to seek out support from others. For instance, she has turned to Evol’s Brigade conseil to hone her skills in human resources, social media and sustainable development.
Her advice to future entrepreneurs is along these lines: talk to people who have already walked the same path. Before opening the clinic, she visited around 15 others, from Gatineau to Montréal, as well as Shawinigan, Trois-Rivières and Drummondville, and she spoke with their podiatrists. There is genuine solidarity in this small community: she was able to study their architectural plans, benefit from their advice and even see examples of business plans and first orders. Basically, she believes that asking questions and surrounding yourself with experts is key.
The pride of having ventured
For Fanny, it’s a tremendous source of pride to see that her efforts are enabling her to make a living from her passion, completely independently. She is also very proud of the reputation the team is building — a mark of professionalism that reaches far beyond the clinic.
Their collaborative approach, particularly with other health care professionals, such as chiropractors, physiotherapists and doctors, increases the quality of their services. At Clinique podiatrique Béland Pasquet, they really take the time to ensure every patient receives personalized attention. No rushed consultations, no coming and going between consultation rooms. And people notice.
This compassionate, committed approach earned Fanny and Raphaël the New Business of the Year award at the 2023 Gala Reconnaissance Estrie, less than a year after opening – a memorable moment in their entrepreneurial journey.
What’s next? Fanny and Raphaël want to continue growing the clinic by increasing the availability of the podiatrist who supports them and hiring new staff, such as a foot care nurse, to meet growing demand.
Their goal is to expand both their client base and the range of services they offer, while strengthening connections with other professionals in the region. In a context of service shortages and difficulties accessing care, this interdisciplinary cooperation is essential.
Above all, they want to help raise awareness about podiatry, an essential profession that deserves to come out from the shadows.
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Fanny and Raphaël can rely on the support of Nathalie Lehoux, Regional Director for Estrie, who has over 30 years of experience in business. Her motivating leadership and the ease with which she tackles major challenges are well known, but it’s above all her kindness and responsiveness that made a big impression on Fanny and Raphaël. Nathalie’s support is matched only by their ambition!
Thanks to the engagement of invaluable partners: Économie Québec, through its agent Investissement Québec, the Government of Canada, National Bank, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, and Fondaction, Evol has a large envelope to support, through conventional loans, businesses with inclusive, diversified ownership that generate positive social and environmental impacts in line with the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDG).