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About

- I’m Tim Murphy -
I Help Businesses in Entertainment & Hospitality Scale, Pivot, and Thrive

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🚀 I’m an Expert in Scaling, Optimizing,

and Transforming Businesses

for Maximum Growth

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With over 30 years of experience driving high-impact transformations in the family entertainment, food & beverage, restaurant, and retail industries, I serve as a trusted advisor to top brands, private equity firms, and industry executives. My expertise spans turnarounds, M&A, revenue growth, and operational excellence — consistently delivering measurable results for businesses worldwide.

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💼 Proven Leadership & Business Success

 

✔ 30+ years in executive leadership roles - CEO, President, COO, CFO

✔ $500M+ in P&L responsibility and $570M+ in capital raised
✔ Transformed 150+ brands and 10,000+ locations
✔ Led M&A transactions and private equity-backed exits
✔ Advisor to major private equity firms, including Cerberus and The Carlyle Group

 

🎤 Recognized Speaker & Thought Leader

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✔ Key speaker at IAAPA, National Restaurant Association, and investment forums
✔ Featured expert on business growth, turnarounds, and private equity strategies
✔ Regular panelist at industry-leading events and conferences

 

📈 Looking for an Expert

to Transform Your Business?

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🔹 [Let’s Connect Here] and take your business to the next level!

Full Experience

Decades OF BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION

2023-Present

TM Entertainment Consulting

2019-Present

Coney Park & Happy City -

Family Entertainment Centers & Amusement Parks

2020-2024

APX Operating Company LLC (dba Boomers Parks) - 

Family Entertainment Centers and Water Parks

Chief Executive Officer

Board Director & Advisor to The Carlyle Group for Coney Park / Happy City in Colombia, Peru, and Chile.
Consult on strategy and operations for companies driving growth in entertainment, restaurants, food & beverages and retail including:

  • 2025 - Falcon's Beyond - Orlando, FL (LBE - Experiential Location Based Entertainment)

  • 2024 - TEX Fun & Social FEC - Texas City, TX (Houston Area)

  • 2019 to Present - Coney Park & Happy City family entertainment centers and amusement parks - Colombia, Peru & Chile (Latin America) - Owned by The Carlyle Group private equity firm - Peru Fund (The Carlyle Group - AUM $447 billion)

Board Director

  • Board Director - Coney Park - Lima, Peru & Santiago, Chile 

  • Board Director - Happy City - Medellin, Colombia

  • Owned by The Carlyle Group Private Equity Firm - Peru Fund (The Carlyle Group - AUM $447 billion)

​Chief Executive OfficeR

  • Transformed an underperforming portfolio of eight parks acquired through APEX Parks Group’s bankruptcy, improving EBITDA from negative <$10MM> to over $8MM+ by driving operational efficiencies, expanding revenue streams, and executing strategic acquisitions, licensing, franchising, and consulting initiatives.

  • Led a high-impact turnaround of Boomers Parks, consisting of six family entertainment centers and two Big Kahuna’s waterparks across California, Florida, and New Jersey, under the ownership of Cerberus Capital Management (AUM $65B).

  • Drove a successful exit strategy, selling the revitalized park portfolio for 6x EBITDA, significantly increasing its valuation from an initially distressed state.

2006-2020

CFL Investment Trusts LLC

​Chief Executive Officer

  • Led high-impact turnarounds, M&A, process optimizations, and strategic joint ventures across entertainment, food & beverages, restaurants, hospitality, resorts, retail, and real estate, driving growth and international franchise expansion.

  • Executive Leadership and Advisory Roles in Private Equity, M&A and Turnarounds: Held consecutive executive and advisory roles driving M&A, private equity investments, and corporate turnarounds across entertainment, restaurants, retail, and franchising, managing $40MM–$65MM+ portfolios and executing high-value acquisitions and operational transformations. Key roles include:

  • Entertainment Acquisition Advisor for Cerberus Capital ($65B AUM) (Boomers Parks) and The Carlyle Group ($447B AUM, Peru Fund) (Coney Parks & Happy City, 100+ locations).

  • Board Advisor for Ponderosa & Hurricane Grills ($35MM sales).

  • COO & CFO at Atlantic Street Capital (23 Jimmy John’s in Chicago - $50MM sales), optimizing financial strategy.

  • CFO roles at Zeal Group (Golden Corral, Firehouse Subs, Sears Outlets - $55MM sales), Dispenser Beverages ($65MM sales), and Laurus Intl (2K-seat call center, $40MM sales).

  • CEO Advisor for Fred’s Kitchen ($35MM sales), implementing financial and operational improvements.

2016-2019

Rebounderz Franchise & Development Inc.

Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer & Board Director

  • Led all facets of operations, including training, marketing, franchising, manufacturing, real estate, and compliance for a 14-unit international family entertainment brand. Developed memberships, prototypes, and site selection to drive expansion.

  • Drove company growth and secured a successful sale by expanding revenue streams and filing patent infringement lawsuits, generating long-term income.

2007-2010

Sonny’s BBQ Franchise Company

Chief Financial Officer

  • Advised CEO, implemented cost-savings, improved cash flow by $4MM adding by 8+ points through COGS optimization.-

  • Led franchise growth, oversaw acquisitions and prototype development for 40 franchisees and 153 locations.

  • Managed due diligence and secured $110MM in private equity funding for a restaurant chain and product acquisition.

2002-2006

Specialty Restaurant Development

1996-1999

Advantica Restaurant Group

Chief Financial Officer

  • Led $60MM Patriot Capital private equity acquisition, acting interim CEO for 15 Applebee’s, 7 Green Hills Grilles, and Ray’s.

  • Drove 750% revenue growth, opening new locations and optimizing food & labor costs, resulting in a 140% EBITDA increase.

Finance Director

  • Managed $500MM+ budgets across 2,800+ restaurants, including Denny’s, Hardee’s, Quincy’s, El Pollo Loco, Coco’s, Carrows, Mother Butler Pies, Winchell Donuts, Canteen Services, Volume Services, and more.

  • Led corporate finance strategy post $1B Chapter 11 bankruptcy, restructuring debt for Flagstar Restaurant Group.

Early Career Experiences

  • Chief Financial Officer - McGuffey’s Restaurants ($35MM sales)

  • Finance Manager - Darden Restaurants (formerly General Mills Restaurants) Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Bahama Breeze - $11B sales)

  • Controller - Classic Chevy International & Charley’s Steakhouse ($40MM sales)

  • Accounting Manager - Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT Center, resorts, commercial real estate - $83B sales)

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