As a Stanford undergraduate, Ms. Schmutte began designing inserts to address the problem; after her graduation, she worked on them as a side project for several years.

The PerfectFit Pointe inserts are made from a moldable putty that fills in gaps created by uneven toes and protects pressure points around bunions and corns. The company sells the putty as part of a kit that dancers use to make their own inserts. They spread the putty on their toes and slip their feet into a sleeve of fabric. Then they put on their pointe shoes and let the putty flow to the empty spaces in the toe box. It solidifies within 10 minutes.

Each time they dance, they slide the putty molds into their shoes. The putty can last up to six months for professional dancers and longer for those who practice and perform less frequently.

Part of Ms. Schmutte’s strategy from the start was to get her product onto the feet of elite dancers. “I knew it would be hugely helpful if I could get a high-level professional dancer to try these and give them their blessing,” Ms. Schmutte said.

When she encountered resistance from some ballet studios, she began sending private Instagram messages “out of the blue” to professional dancers she admired, she said. Among them were Sara Mearns, a principal dancer for the New York City Ballet, and Sasha De Sola, a principal dancer for the San Francisco Ballet.