Occasionally in life we are blessed to meet someone who is truly inspirational. A character that seems to have come straight out of an Austen novel and entered into the real world. For me, that person was Anne Mahlum. An entrepreneur, runner, spokesperson for the homeless, founder of Back on My Feet, and visionary, Anne is an inspiration for all of us who are, in her words, “looking for direction, but not knowing what it takes to get there.” In some ways, Anne’s journey started the day she first donned a pair of running shoes. At the age of 16 Anne found solace in running. When running she “feels free and very open,” it is a chance for the body and soul to become cleansed. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Anne’s first entrepreneurial adventure occurred while on a morning run. Back in May 2007 Anne was working for a non-profit organization in Philadelphia. Every day she would pass a homeless shelter on her morning run. Never one to shy away from strangers, Anne found herself striking up multiple conversations with the individuals whom called the shelter home. As time passed, it dawned on her that she should start a running club. She envisioned a club where homeless individuals could begin to recover parts of their identity, and, become reliable, responsible, as well as dedicated. Little did she know that her small running club would grow into Back on My Feet, a 501(c) 3 organization. Over the past six years Back on My Feet has grown to 45+ full time staff members, a budget of $6.5M, and 11 chapters across the U.S. Throughout this time more than 1,200 people have used Back on My Feet’s services to find employment and independent housing. In November 2013 Anne stepped down as…