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BFS Events Past Speakers

 Industry leaders FROM THE BOUTIQUE FITNESS SOLUTIONS ERA WHO SHAPED OUR STAGE

During our active events years, BFS convened founders, executives, investors, operators, and strategic voices across fitness.

 This archive highlights the leaders who contributed to BFS events and helped advance conversations around growth, leadership, capital, franchising, operations, brand strategy, and business performance.

Jim Donnelly

Jim Donnelly

Founder & CEO, Restore

BFS Event
CEO Summit by BFS · 2023
Session
Scaling via Franchising:
Theme
Business Growth
Role
Speaker

Has made it his life mission to make wellness affordable and accessible to everyone, a driving mindset that underpins all endeavors at Restore Hyper Wellness (Restore).

Jim believes that too often, individuals contemplate wellness retroactively, only after an issue arises that needs fixing. At Restore, Jim and his team are establishing a proactive pathway towards wellness, offering individuals a resource to embark on a journey to better health. This approach aims to enable individuals to enjoy prolonged well-being and pursue their passions more vigorously.

Restore emerged from a fusion of Jim Donelly’s personal requirements, those of his partner Steve Welch, and a broader recognition of society’s demand for accessible, science-backed services for pain management, immunity enhancement, injury recovery, and overall Healthspan longevity. Over the course of just 5 years, Jim has overseen Restore’s growth from a single Austin location to a vast network encompassing over 100 facilities spanning 28 states, with numerous additional locations in the pipeline.

Jim Donnelly takes immense pride in the consistent national recognition bestowed upon Restore for its exceptional work. Some of these accolades include:

  • Ranking #27 on Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest Growing Private Companies in Texas
  • Earning the #17 spot in Fortune Magazine’s Top Workplaces in Health Care & Biopharma
  • Securing the #32 position among Great Places to Work – Best Workplaces in Texas
  • Achieving the #91 rank on Entrepreneur Franchise 500
  • Being acknowledged as the top contender in the Miscellaneous Personal-Care Businesses category
  • Garnering the distinction of Best in Business from Inc. Magazine
  • Holding the prestigious #1 spot on Inc. Magazine’s list of Hottest Franchise Businesses in America

Prior to his involvement with Restore, Jim Donnelly co-founded IgoUgo.com, a recipient of a Webby Award as the premier travel website in the U.S. In less than five years, IgoUgo rose to prominence as the leader in user-generated content for travel websites before being acquired by Sabre Holdings / Travelocity.

Jim’s focus on the luxury retail market materialized in the creation of luxury condominiums for esteemed homeowners including Michael Jordan, Cam Newton, and Chris Daughtry. Additionally, he contributed to the establishment of salons, spas, and high-end health clubs such as the Charlotte Athletic Club. The culmination of these experiences significantly influenced the genesis of Restore.

About the BFS Speaker Archive

What is the BFS Past Speakers archive?

The BFS Past Speakers archive is a curated record of founders, executives, investors, operators, and industry leaders who participated in BFS events during our active events years. 

What industries are represented in the BFS speaker archive?

The BFS speaker archive primarily represents leaders from the fitness industry, including operators, franchisors, investors, technology providers, marketers, real estate experts, and business strategists who contributed to BFS events during our active events years. 

Why did BFS create this archive?

BFS created this archive to document the leaders, conversations, and business themes that shaped its event history and continue to inform its work with growth-oriented operators. 

How are featured speakers selected?

Featured speakers are selected based on their industry relevance, leadership experience, connection to BFS event themes, and contribution to operator-level conversations. 

Where can I find past BFS events?

 You can explore the broader history of BFS events through the Past BFS Events archive. 

Were these speakers part of the Boutique Fitness Summit?

 Yes. These speakers participated in events hosted by BFS, which was founded in 2018 as the Boutique Fitness Summit, operated as Boutique Fitness Solutions, and hosted its flagship event as The Summit by BFS. The organization is known today as The BFS Network. 

 The conversations have evolved.
The founder lens remains. 

BFS began by creating space for the fitness business conversations the industry was missing.

Today, that work continues through peer networks, advisory, executive training, and proprietary market intelligence for successful multi-location founders building the next stage of growth.