​RDU SMB Meetup  | August 25, 2026  |  5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

​Keller Williams Raleigh

​4700 Homewood Ct Ste 200, Raleigh, NC 27609

​TOPIC: "Under the Hood: How Three Owners Actually Run Their Businesses on AI"

​Speakers:

• ​Monte Marcum, OWNER/FILTA RALEIGH-DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL

• ​Steve Rock, PRESIDENT/ ROACK GRADING

• ​Brandon Smith, PARTNER / DISRUPTIVE PROCESS SOLUTIONS

​Everyone's talking about AI, but few will show you exactly what they're doing with it. Three local owners pull back the curtain on their day-to-day — the tools, the workflows they've built, and the honest wins and headaches along the way. Come see what it really looks like inside a business using AI, not just talking about it.

​Event Details

• ​Beverages and appetizers included

• ​Raffle prizes giveaway

• ​Consistently rated 4.9+ out of 5 by attendees

• ​Bring cash for our 50-50 raffle tickets

​Hosted by Helen Zhang, Partner - Futurise Growth Partners, and Alejandro Morales - STOA Agency.

​Proudly sponsored by Exit Factor of Raleigh-Durham, Three Sierra, and Athena Assessment.

​Starting August 2026, RDU SMB Meetup will require attendants to pay a small fee when signing up for the event. This will help us fund the food, drinks, prizes, and venue-associated expenses. The cost of this ticket is non-refundable.

​The event may be recorded by a camera crew. Attendants will be able to opt-out from the media coverage at the moment of check-in.

​Event Agenda

• ​05:00pm to 06:00pm - Open Networking

• ​06:00pm to 07:00pm - Intro and Panel Discussion

• ​07:00pm to 07:10pm - Raffle and Closing Remarks

• ​07:10pm to 08:00pm - Open Networking

​FAQs

​Q: Can I invite others?

​A: Please do! But please forward them this RSVP page to register.

​Q: Is there a cost to attend?

​A: Yes. $5 for early bird, $10 for regular registration window. Non-fundable.

Q: What should I wear?

​A: Dress Casually, this is a fun get-together of local business owners.

​Q: How can I support the community via sponsorship?

​A: Sponsorships range from $200-500/event, but can make a big impact on the community, please reach out to the host Helen or Alejandro to get more information about sponsorships.

​You can also donate books and gifts. Our promise to you is that all the sponsorships we receive will be put back in the community.