Anne Mahlum is a self-made entrepreneur and motivational speaker who inspires people to take bold action, lead with purpose and build lives on their own terms.
5.00 of 5
Top rated!5 of 5
Your talk was the perfect way to kick things off! Your story was inspiring and your storytelling energizing. The founders were buzzing about it throughout the retreat. Really appreciate your time, energy and passion!
Rise of the Rest Founder's Retreat
Anne Mahlum is an American entrepreneur, investor and motivational speaker known for turning bold ideas into lasting impact. As a two-time founder and former CEO, she has built organizations that transformed lives and reshaped industries. Raised in North Dakota, Anne did not follow a traditional path to success. Instead, she built her career through action, resilience and a deep belief in human potential. Today, she speaks globally on leadership, entrepreneurship, purpose and social change, inspiring audiences to take ownership of their lives and decisions.
Anne Mahlum’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2007 with a simple but powerful observation. While running past a homeless shelter in Philadelphia, she saw the potential for running and community to serve as tools for transformation. That insight led her to partner with the shelter and start a small running club. What began as a grassroots effort quickly evolved into Back on My Feet, a national non-profit organization that uses running to empower individuals experiencing homelessness to regain confidence, stability and purpose.
Under Anne Mahlum’s leadership as CEO, Back on My Feet expanded to 14 cities and grew into an organization with an annual budget of $8 million. Since its inception, it has helped thousands of individuals secure employment and move toward more self-sufficient living. Anne’s work demonstrated how discipline, consistency and community can unlock change, even in the most challenging circumstances. Her leadership during this period earned widespread recognition and positioned her as a compelling voice in social entrepreneurship.
Anne Mahlum proved her ability to create success again in 2013 when she founded the pilates-inspired fitness company [solidcore]. As founder and CEO, she scaled the business from a single concept into one of the most successful fitness brands in the United States. In less than a decade, she raised more than $210 million through private equity and expanded the company to over 120 locations nationwide.
At its peak, [solidcore] employed more than 2,000 people and served hundreds of thousands of clients, including former First Lady Michelle Obama. Anne led the company through rapid growth while maintaining a strong internal culture, and she became known for her bold decision-making and clear vision. In April 2023, she successfully exited the company and shared millions with her employees following the sale, reinforcing her belief in rewarding the people who help build success.
When you book Anne Mahlum for your event, you bring a speaker who speaks from lived experience. Her talks are candid, energetic and grounded in real outcomes. She speaks openly about risk, failure, discipline and the personal choices that shape meaningful careers and lives. Anne regularly addresses topics such as leadership, entrepreneurship, being bold, finding happiness and driving social change.
Her ability to connect with audiences comes from authenticity. She does not rely on theory alone, but on lessons learned through building organizations from the ground up, leading through uncertainty and making hard decisions. Corporate leaders, students and entrepreneurs alike find her message motivating and actionable.
A true self-made success, Anne Mahlum’s entrepreneurial ventures have resulted in a personal net worth of over $100 million. Today, she focuses her time on investing, advising founders, speaking and writing her book. She is also an athlete who enjoys playing beach volleyball, and she actively supports initiatives aimed at helping individuals struggling with addiction and those who have been wrongly convicted.
Anne’s work continues to reflect her passion for empowering people to live life on their own terms. She believes fulfillment comes from courage, self-awareness and a willingness to act before everything feels certain.
Anne Mahlum has been honored repeatedly for her leadership and entrepreneurial spirit. She has been featured by CNBC for her continued success and recognized by the Washington Business Journal as a “Women Who Mean Business” winner. Her impact through Back on My Feet led to recognition as an ABC World News Person of the Week and a CNN Hero.
She has delivered three TEDx talks focused on finding your passion, letting go of complacency and helping others. Her insights have also been highlighted in prominent media outlets, reflecting the influence of her work across business, fitness and social impact.
Anne Mahlum stands out as a speaker who challenges audiences to think differently, act decisively and build lives driven by purpose rather than convention.
5 of 5
Your talk was the perfect way to kick things off! Your story was inspiring and your storytelling energizing. The founders were buzzing about it throughout the retreat. Really appreciate your time, energy and passion!
Rise of the Rest Founder's Retreat
5 of 5
Anne presentation was amazing. One of the highest rated speakers we have ever had and we have had every big name speaker out there.
The Dijulius Group
5 of 5
Wow, just wow. Anne’s energy and ability to inspire left our audience fired up about their own potential. I highly recommend her for any event.
John Hancock
5 of 5
Anne will captivate your audience with her humor, passion and conviction about what she believes is possible. She is one of the best speakers I have ever seen.
AT&T
5 of 5
I’ve never seen a more authentic, powerful and convincing speaker than Anne. She has a story like no other and she knows how to tell it.
EPAM
Keynote by Anne Mahlum:
In her most requested keynote, “Outsmart the Odds,” Anne inspires audiences to reshape their self-perception and take charge of their lives, regardless of their current circumstances.
From her humble beginnings in North Dakota, Anne shares her journey to becoming a two-time founder, CEO, and influential thought leader. With humor and charm, she imparts digestible lessons on belief systems, fear, choice, betting on yourself, letting go, and unapologetically pursuing more.
Anne’s authenticity and vulnerability guide the audience towards self-discovery, leaving them with a resounding “yes, I can” sentiment. A genuine and empowering speaker, Anne is an ideal choice for events aiming to inspire and uplift.
You will learn how to:
Popular
Keynote by Anne Mahlum:
Anne Mahlum, a highly successful entrepreneur, and CEO, shares her journey in the keynote, “How to Start, Build, and Scale Your Company.” In 2007, she founded Back on My Feet, a running club for a homeless shelter in Philadelphia, witnessing transformative changes in individuals through sport, community, and hard work. Anne successfully raised funds, expanded programming, and scaled the organization to a $6.5M budget in 14 cities within 6.5 years.
Later, she founded [solidcore], growing it to 100 locations and two thousand employees in 9.5 years before a $90M exit in April 2023. With extensive experience as a founder, CEO, and leader, Anne is well-positioned to speak on startup life, leadership, scaling, organizational sustainability, branding, community engagement, hiring, fundraising, and the art of successfully selling a company.
You will learn how to:
Watch Anne Mahlum in action!
