Dr. Cathrine “Cate” Stark, a podiatrist and owner of Revolutionary Foot + Ankle in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She is a DPM (doctor of podiatric medicine) and surgery, including conservative and surgical treatment of foot and ankle conditions.
This week, we’re venturing across the Piscataqua River From Maine to Portsmouth, NH where our friend, Dr. Cathrine Stark has opened up Revolutionary Foot + Ankle, the beautiful new home for her podiatry practice.
Sure, when we think about doctors we might not immediately conjure up the term “artist,” but the more we consider all the ways healers help their communities, we find it hard to call them anything but! Doctors are also born from worlds of study. They gather knowledge and lived experiences in order to educate and restore others. In many situations doctors and artists ask us the necessary questions that aid us in living a better, more holistic life.
Enjoy our in-depth conversation below. We learned a lot about foot health and hope you do too.
xx,
Coco.
𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏
“The common thread is humility. You can be confident in what you know while remaining curious about what you don’t.”
𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏
Tell us the basics: your name, title, favorite music, film, artist, and/or foods!
I’m Dr. Cathrine “Cate” Stark, a podiatrist and owner of Revolutionary Foot + Ankle in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I’m a Temple-trained podiatrist, a mom, a dog person, and someone who genuinely loves what I do. I also have a pretty strong appreciation for humor, good food, and people who don’t take themselves too seriously.
Fave song currently: Flowers, Miley Cyrus
Fave food currently: Brisket tacos from Terlingua
What do you do for community, work, and pleasure?
Work is a huge part of my life, but the part I love most is getting to know people and helping them feel better. I opened Revolutionary Foot + Ankle because I wanted to practice medicine in a way that feels personal. I want patients to feel heard, understand their options, and leave knowing we made a plan together, not that something was simply done to them.
I also love being part of the Portsmouth community. Opening a practice here has given me the opportunity to build relationships with other healthcare providers, local businesses, and people who genuinely care about this area. I have started volunteering in community days which I love
Outside of work, I’m a mom to two little kids and a dog person, so life is pretty full. I love spending time with my family, getting outside, exploring breweries after a hike, and finding those little moments when you can slow down and enjoy where you are.
Revolutionary Foot + Ankle treats a myriad of conditions in a clear, concise way (and a sense of humor!)
𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏
What drew you to medicine, or specifically podiatry, and when?
Podiatry appealed to me because it combines medicine, biomechanics, surgery, problem-solving, and the opportunity to make a really tangible difference in someone's life. Your feet affect almost everything you do. They determine whether you can walk comfortably, exercise, work, travel, play with your kids, or simply get through the day without pain.
I love that I can take someone who has been struggling for months or years, figure out what's going on, explain it in a way that makes sense, and help them get back to the things they want to do.
I studied biology at Temple University, went on to Temple’s School of Podiatric Medicine, and completed a four-year residency at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. I’ve been practicing for about five years, and opening Revolutionary Foot + Ankle was an opportunity to build the kind of practice I always wanted to work in.
What do you wish people knew about foot health?
First, foot pain is not just something you have to accept because you're getting older, you're active, or you've spent years wearing uncomfortable shoes.
Second, your feet are not separate from the rest of your body. They influence how you walk, how you move, how you exercise, and how you compensate when something hurts. A small problem can become a much bigger one when you spend months changing how you move to avoid it.
Third, you don't have to wait until you can barely walk to see a podiatrist! I see a lot of patients who have tried to tough it out, stretch it out, buy every insert on the internet, or just hope the pain disappears. Sometimes those things help, but sometimes they delay getting the right diagnosis.
And finally, feet are incredibly individual. Foot shape, mechanics, activity level, medical history, and goals all matter. I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment.
What are the best shoes? Any advice for people who want to pay more attention to their foot health?
The honest answer is that the best shoe is the one that works for your foot and what you're asking it to do.
A great running shoe for one person might be miserable for another. Someone who stands all day at work has different needs from someone training for a marathon or someone recovering from an injury.
In general, look for a shoe that fits the shape of your foot, gives your toes enough room, feels secure around your heel, and provides the support and cushioning you need for your activities. Don't assume a shoe is right for you just because it's expensive, popular, or recommended by an influencer.
And please, don't assume that foot pain means you need to buy more stuff. Sometimes you need a different shoe. Sometimes you need strengthening, a change in activity, a more specific treatment, or an actual medical evaluation.
My biggest advice is to pay attention to patterns. Does your heel hurt every morning? Does your foot hurt after a certain distance? Is one shoe wearing out differently from the other? Is a toenail becoming painful or repeatedly infected? Those details can tell us a lot.
Your feet do a tremendous amount of work for you. They deserve a little attention before they start protesting.
𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏
What are some other businesses, artists, hikes, or places in NH or ME you want to shout out?
On Target Fitness is my gym, and I absolutely love them. Having a community that makes you want to show up, keep moving, and take care of yourself is so important, and they’ve created that for me.
I also love working with Angelica at Ebb and Flo PT. Her holistic, whole-body approach and the way she personalizes care to the individual really resonate with me. I appreciate working with people who look beyond the immediate problem and take the time to understand the whole person.
Dr. Jim Dolan at From the Ground Up in Stratham has also been a wonderful resource for me. I’m grateful to have other podiatrists in the area whose knowledge and experience I can learn from and lean on. Having that kind of professional community makes a real difference.
I feel lucky to be part of a Seacoast community where people genuinely care about what they do and the people they serve.
If you could design your perfect weekend in Portsmouth, what would it be?
My perfect weekend in Portsmouth starts with a slow morning and coffee from Emory Farm, with my family and absolutely nowhere we have to be at a specific time. I love taking my family to the Chris Rice Skate Park, grabbing lunch at Stoneface, and spending time outside. One of my favorite things to do is look for beach glass at Odiorne Point State Park. There’s something about being near the water, getting some fresh air, and finding little treasures along the shore that makes me happy. Honestly, my ideal weekend is a mix of good food, time with my family, and enjoying all the little things that make living on the Seacoast so special.
What advice or support changed things for you as an entrepreneur? As a doctor? Are they different?
One of the biggest lessons has been realizing that being a good doctor and being good at running a medical practice are two very different skill sets. I know how to take care of patients. I know how to evaluate a problem, think critically, explain options, and make decisions when things get complicated. But running a practice means learning about finances, operations, staffing, marketing, systems, and a thousand other things that aren't part of your medical training.
Opening Revolutionary Foot + Ankle has been a huge learning experience. I've had to get comfortable asking questions, seeking help, and admitting when I don't know something. I think there's a tendency in medicine to feel like you should have all the answers. In reality, knowing when to ask for help is a strength.
As a doctor, I think the most important advice is to listen to your patients and never forget that they're the experts on their own experiences. As an entrepreneur, I'd say surround yourself with people who know things you don't, and don't let your ego prevent you from learning.
The common thread is humility. You can be confident in what you know while remaining curious about what you don't.
If a young person, fresh out of high school or college, asked where they should start if they want to do what you do, what would you tell them?
First, spend time figuring out whether you actually enjoy medicine and working with people. Shadow physicians, ask questions, volunteer, and seek experiences that expose you to what healthcare looks like on an ordinary Tuesday, not just what it looks like in a medical drama.
If podiatry interests you, reach out to a podiatrist and ask to learn about the profession. Podiatry is a fantastic combination of medicine, surgery, biomechanics, and patient relationships, but people often don't know much about it until they need a podiatrist themselves.
I'd also encourage young people not to underestimate the value of being a good communicator. You can be incredibly knowledgeable, but if you can't explain something to a patient in a way they understand, you're missing a huge part of the job.
And if you're interested in eventually running your own practice, start learning about the business side earlier than I did! Understand basic finances, leadership, communication, and how systems work. You don't need to know everything before you start, but you do need to be willing to learn.
Most importantly, you don't need to have your entire life figured out at 22. Find work that challenges you, people you can learn from, and a direction that feels meaningful. You can build the rest as you go.
𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏
What is the most underestimated superpower or skill set a person needs as the captain of their own business?
The ability to tolerate uncertainty without letting it paralyze you.
When you run a practice, there are always things you can't predict or control. You make decisions with incomplete information, solve problems you didn't know existed yesterday, and sometimes have to figure out whether you're making a brilliant move or an expensive mistake.
You also have to be willing to do things you're not naturally good at. You can be excellent at your actual profession and still have a lot to learn about managing people, understanding finances, or marketing your work.
I think another underrated skill is knowing how to build relationships. Your team, your patients, your referral partners, your vendors, and your community all matter. You can't do everything yourself, and you shouldn't try to.
For me, opening Revolutionary Foot + Ankle has reinforced that leadership isn't about having all the answers or being the loudest person in the room. It's about making thoughtful decisions, taking responsibility, staying adaptable, and creating an environment where other people can do their best work.
And sometimes it's about being able to laugh when something inevitably goes sideways. Because it will. Probably right before lunch.
𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏𓏏
Thank you Cate!