Big money movers and shakers are once again set to flood the streets of Atlanta this August, as the fiscally-focused festival Invest Fest gears up for its return. Co-founders of Earn Your Leisure (EYL), Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, made the announcement alongside Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens at City Hall, marking the event's fourth consecutive year in the city. The jam-packed weekend brimming with financial savvy is slated for August 23 to 25 at the Georgia World Conference Center.
The festival, which attracted a sizable crowd of 50,000 in 2023, has drawn the likes of billionaires and millionaires including Steve Harvey and Tyler Perry, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. This year, the stakes are just as high, if not higher,, with Mayor Dickens touting the significant financial boom the event brings to Atlanta through hotel bookings, restaurant patronage, and vendor engagement. A local business, Head's Plumbing, scored a win during a 60-second pitch competition held at the presser, nabbing a $5,000 grant after detailing their business model and the city's fit as the festival's home, REVOLT TV reported.
Invest Fest stands as a bastion for economic enlightenment, especially within Black communities and among millennials. The event melds music and culture with a business twist, offering attendees more than just stages and stalls. Bilal highlighted the festival's uniqueness to REVOLT TV, "Invest Fest is a unique situation because it combines all of the aspects of music and pop culture festivals but for the business conference." He elaborated on the festival's blend of networking, education, and fun, with an emphasis on fostering a new era of Black Wall Street in mentality rather than mere storefronts.
Despite its stellar line-up of content, the festival has not been immune to growing pains. Last year's event faced criticism over scheduling snafus, prompting EYL to take feedback to heart and ensure a smoother operation this round. With a focus on marketing everyday people this time, and less on celebrity, Bilal offered his three keys to entrepreneurial success: "Branding, marketing and network," he told REVOLT TV. Ticket sales have commenced, with general admission starting at $250, and ballooning to $10,000 for lifetime VIP access, details on headliners and additional features are expected to drop in April.
For those looking to join the ranks of the financially astute, Invest Fest has become a not-to-miss event. As the excitement builds for the 2024 festival, it's clear that Atlanta is positioning itself as more than just a host city, but a beacon for the burgeoning business brains of tomorrow.
