Media release from the Georgia Secretary of State Press Office:
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is excited to announce the third 2025 FIN FIT (Financially Fit) event will be held on Thursday, October 16 from 8:30am-12:30pm at the Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Floyd County Campus, Rome, GA. We are proud to partner with The Rome-Floyd Chamber of Commerce and UGA SBDC – Rome for this free small business event. This event is free and open to all Georgians. Free continental breakfast and workbook is included with registration.
Starting a business and making it profitable is challenging. Secretary Raffensperger is dedicated to empowering Georgians to acquire the necessary skills for success in starting their business and growing it.
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to scale, join us for a high-impact event designed to fuel your business success. The program includes a panel discussion with insights and resources to grow and sustain a small business, a hands-on learning lab to help sharpen your strategy and move your business forward, and information on the Invest Georgia Exemption (IGE), a powerful tool for Georgians looking to raise capital to fund their new venture or just grow their already thriving business. Join us to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, small business owners, and growth-minded leaders in your community.
“These live events are engaging Georgians all across the state,” said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “I’m proud to reach so many Georgians and spark innovation and entrepreneurship.”
The first part of the event will be a panel discussion moderated by Donna Lowry, Award Winning Journalist. Panelists will include April Berry, Senior Commercial Lender, ACE- Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs; Marguerite Pressley Davis, Founder & CEO, Finance Savvy CEO®, Angel Investor & Small Business Advisor; JJ Johnson, Multi-Unit Franchise owner of StretchLab Studios, Atlanta and Smoothie King, Rome; Peter Matthews, Area Director, UGA Small Business Development Center, Rome, GA; and Corey L. Townsend, Senior Vice President and Business Development Officer, Ameris Bank.
The second part of the event will be a hands-on learning lab, with a free workbook for each attendee. This will be led by Marguerite Pressley Davis, Founder & CEO, Finance Savvy CEO®, Angel Investor & Small Business Advisor.
“These panelists bring decades of knowledge to empower attendees,” said Noula Zaharis, Assistant Commissioner of Securities. “Join us, and walk away another step forward on your path to financial fitness.”
FIN FIT is a financial empowerment seminar series hosted by Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger as part of his multi-faceted financial literacy effort and is administered through the Securities and Charities divisions of the Office of Secretary of State. These free programs feature industry leaders who discuss resources that can help increase attendees’ knowledge about money, their relationship to money, and financial issues and strategies for growing their wealth.
The office of the Secretary of State invites all Georgians to attend these free and informational events.
To register for this free event, click here.
To learn more about FIN FIT, click here.
To review and download our free financial resources, click here.
To view our financial literacy library of past webinars and live events, click here.