In this episode of Eating Glass, we sit down with Anne Mahlum, founder of Back on My Feet and SolidCore. Anne shares her incredible journey from growing up in North Dakota with an addict father, to starting a running club for the homeless, and ultimately building a nationwide fitness empire. Discover how Anne’s personal struggles fueled her drive to create impactful businesses, and learn the secrets behind scaling and maintaining a successful company. Tune in to hear about her unique approach to community building, overcoming challenges, and her vision for the future. Chapters: [00:00:00] Anne's Early Life and Challenges [00:00:11] Podcast Introduction [00:01:40] Ramp Sponsorship [00:02:40] Anne's Background [00:04:15] Starting a Running Club [00:06:00] Scaling Back on My Feet [00:07:52] Discovering Pilates and SolidCore [00:09:55] Early Stages of SolidCore [00:11:00] Building Community in Fitness [00:12:15] Nonprofits vs. For-Profits [00:13:30] Marketing and Brand Niches [00:15:15] Retention and Success Metrics [00:16:30] Brick and Mortar Challenges [00:18:45] Scaling and Geographic Expansion [00:21:00] Vertical Integration and Innovation [00:23:00] Community Building Strategies [00:25:30] Trust and Customer Relationships [00:27:15] Fitness Trends and Resilience [00:31:00] Selling a Company [00:35:15] Taking Money Off the Table [00:39:00] Money and Success Philosophy [00:43:00] Future Aspirations and Advising [00:47:45] Selling to Private Equity [00:52:15] Problem Solving and Leadership [00:56:00] Rapid Fire Questions [01:00:15] Episode Wrap-Up ABOUT THE HOSTS: Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024. Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later. Connect with Anne: Website: https://www.annemahlum.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemahlum/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mahlum/