A Peer Environment for Founders Navigating Complexity
The BFS Peer Network brings together multi-location founders and executives to pressure-test decisions, compare real-world context, and think clearly about growth, structure, and long-term value.
Growth Changes the Nature of Leadership
As businesses scale, leadership becomes less about execution and more about judgment.
Decisions grow less obvious. Timelines extend. Tradeoffs carry longer consequences.
Many founders reach a point where internal perspective is no longer sufficient, but traditional advisory, coaching, or mastermind formats don’t reflect the complexity they’re actually managing.
The BFS Peer Network exists to provide a credible, peer-level perspective during that stage.
This Is a Peer Network, Not a Curriculum or Coaching Model
The BFS Peer Network is designed for operators who already have momentum, teams, and responsibility.
It is not instructional.
It is not motivational.
It is not tactic-driven.
Conversations focus on judgment, tradeoffs, and second-order consequences, supported by peers who understand the context without explanation.
Who the Network Is Built For
▶ Responsible for complex teams, payroll, and capital decisions
▶ Navigating expansion, restructuring, or margin pressure
▶ Seeking independent perspective rather than direction
Members are admitted through an interview-based process to ensure relevance, trust, and peer parity.
Some operators choose to read reflections from peers to better understand the quality of conversation and decision-making inside the network.
How Engagement Works
The BFS Peer Network is designed to protect time, judgment, and trust.
Participation is vetted & confidential
Conversations are peer-led, not instructional
The cadence is deliberate, prioritizing fewer, higher-impact discussions over frequency
This is not a passive environment.
Members are expected to engage thoughtfully, contribute perspective, and respect the room.
The structure exists to support judgment, not performance.
What Members Gain
Participation in the BFS Peer Network typically results in:
▶ Greater confidence in high-stakes decisions
▶ Clearer perspective on people, structure, and scale
▶ Reduced isolation at the leadership level
▶ Fewer reactive moves during periods of change
The value is cumulative and compounds over time.
“I joined BFS to surround myself with like-minded, growth-oriented studio owners who were serious about scaling with intention.
As a multi-unit Pilates studio owner, I needed clearer operating systems, stronger leadership discipline, and the confidence to make hard people decisions.”
— Reina Offut, Founder & CEO, RTR Pilates (8 Locations)
Fit Matters
The BFS Peer Network is intentionally limited in size and scope.
It is not designed for early-stage founders, those seeking tactical guidance, or those looking for prescriptive answers.
Admission is based on stage, decision complexity, and mutual fit.
“I joined BFS to surround myself with like-minded, growth-oriented studio owners who were serious about scaling with intention.”
— Peer Network Member
How Membership Works
For founders considering the BFS Peer Network, the details below outline how membership is structured and what participation includes.
Core Peer Forums
▶ The BFS Peer Network is anchored by a small number of structured forums designed for substantive peer dialogue.
▶ Members engage in monthly, peer-led forums, moderated by the BFS team, and focused on real decisions and tradeoffs. The role of moderation is to protect the quality of discussion, ensure relevance, and maintain the integrity of the room—not to instruct or direct outcomes.
▶ Between forums, members have access to a private, member-only internal channel for asynchronous context-sharing and peer input as needed.
▶ Members also have direct access to the BFS executive team for perspective and escalation when appropriate.
For founders who align with the network but prefer a lighter meeting cadence:
The CEO Network provides access to the same BFS network, context, and executive perspective, without monthly peer forums.
Explore the CEO Network →
Events Designed for This Network
Membership includes access to a calendar of BFS-produced events designed specifically for this audience, including:
▶ Private webinars focused on decision-relevant topics▶ Operator roundtables and facilitated discussions
▶ Fireside chats with experienced founders, executives, and industry leaders
▶ Special-topic sessions responding to real-time market pressure
These events are not open-registration. Participation is limited to preserve conversation quality and relevance.
Annual 1:1 Strategic Conversation
Membership includes an annual 1:1 strategic conversation designed to support reflection, orientation, and decision prioritization.
This conversation is not coaching or consulting. It is intended to help members step back from day-to-day execution and evaluate the decisions in front of them with broader context.
Ongoing Context & Intelligence
Members receive ongoing access to independent industry insight, aggregated benchmarking context, and pattern recognition drawn from BFS advisory work and network dialogue.
This includes research releases, executive-level briefings, and synthesized insight intended to inform, not overwhelm decision-making.
Invitations & Network Access
BFS Peer Network members may receive invitations to complementary, invitation-only events hosted by trusted partners across the industry.
This may include private conferences, executive gatherings, or VIP access to relevant industry events. Participation is contextual and selective, based on relevance rather than volume.
Past invitations have included events hosted by firms such as Houlihan Lokey and preferred access to select industry conferences.
Participation Expectations
Membership in the BFS Peer Network assumes active, thoughtful participation.
Members are expected to engage consistently, prepare for conversations, and contribute candidly to peer dialogue. Confidentiality is foundational. The value of the network depends on trust, discretion, and respect for shared context.
This is a peer environment. Participation is not passive, observational, or transactional. Members are expected to show up as operators willing to engage seriously with the decisions and tradeoffs under discussion.
Details around cadence, format, and scheduling are reviewed during the application process to ensure alignment before admission.
Considering the BFS Peer Network?
If you’re facing decisions that materially affect your business, your team, or your personal bandwidth, an application may be the appropriate next step.