2:30 p.m. – Doors open for main event guests, Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, 222 S. Copeland St. 3:30-5:00 p.m. – Power Forward with Zack Kass, Ruby Diamond Concert Hall
Parking on FSU’s campus is limited, so please carpool when possible and allow plenty of time to find a place to park. All parking is on a first-come, first-served basis.Sponsor parking will be available at the St. Augustine Parking Garage by the Florida State Conference Center (Turnbull Center) on Pensacola Street – see enclosed map. You must show your event ticket to the attendant for admittance into the garage. We will have a trolley available to take guests to Ruby Diamond from 2 to 4 p.m. Trollies will pick up in the circular driveway in front of the main entrance of the conference center at 555 W. Pensacola Street. Following the event, two trollies will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for return service from 5 to 6 p.m. General parking is also available at the Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St., a short walk from the Turnbull Center and trolley pick up spot.View the parking map here.
The doors at Ruby Diamond will open at 2:30 p.m., 1 hour before the event; please note that admission will not be available before this time. For admission, please show your Power Forward event ticket and locate the seat designated on your ticket. The main event begins at 3:30 p.m. and runs through 5:00 p.m. The program will include a presentation by Zack Kass, followed by a question-and-answer session.Please arrive on time. To minimize the disruption to our speakers and audience, the doors will close when the program begins at 3:30 p.m. Late arrivals will be accommodated by escorting them to seats that minimize the disruption to the program.
To ensure maximum participation for the Q&A portion of the event, questions may be submitted via X (formerly Twitter) before and at the beginning of the event by tagging @FirstCommerceCU and using the hashtag #PwrFwd.  Questions also will be collected onsite at the beginning of the event. We will cover as many questions as possible in the time allotted for the Q&A.
Please follow us at @FirstCommerceCU and post about the event using the #PwrFwd hashtag. and you will be entered in a drawing for an autographed copy of Barbara Corcoran’s book “Shark Tales” and Robert Herjavec’s book “The Will to Win.”
For additional information about Power Forward with Barbara Corcoran and Robert Herjavec, click here.

Co-Hosted By

Thank you to our co-sponsor, FSU Office of Research. The Florida State University Office of Research is the administrative arm that supports faculty and student researchers in their scientific and creative endeavors. Managing on average more than $328.6 million in research awards from state, federal and private sources, the Office of Research staff focuses its efforts on helping faculty move their work forward at every stage of the research process from identifying potential funding opportunities to protecting intellectual property to identifying potential industry partners.

They ask the big questions, build partnerships, innovate, solve problems and make an impact. Their faculty and students pursue real-world solutions in sciences and engineering while enriching knowledge and experiences through the arts and humanities.

Florida State is where the life-saving drug Taxol was first synthesized. It’s home to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory where every day, scientists make breakthroughs in materials, biomedical research and energy. It’s where dedicated researchers are working daily to ensure all children are at reading at grade-level by second grade.

FSU pursues knowledge and solutions to make the world a better place.

Learn more at Research.FSU.edu

Platinum Sponsors

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet. They provide an inviting atmosphere to accommodate customer’s needs, while offering a large selection of all-new Chevrolet cars, trucks, and SUVs. In 2012, the popular NASCAR driver and 2004 and 2014 Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. opened the dealership in Tallahassee. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet has proudly served the Tallahassee area for over 10 years.For more information, visit DaleEarnhardtJrChevy.com

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Office of Economic Vitality. The Office of Economic Vitality is an economic development model that ensures accountability, transparency, citizen engagement, and professional management of economic development projects. The Office of Economic Vitality aims to develop programs and initiatives while simultaneously leveraging ideas, innovations, and intellectual capital through the continuous coordination of the community’s economic development partners. Learn more at OEVforBusiness.org.

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and Jim Moran Institute. The revolutionary and highly experiential Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship is dedicated to teaching those who wish to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. The entrepreneurship major has been offered at FSU Tallahassee and Panama City since the beginning of fall semester 2017. We attract students across disciplines and provide them with the education and skills they need to become entrepreneurs. A 1995 contribution from Jim and Jan Moran and JM Family Enterprises established the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship at FSU’s College of Business with additional support through the years. Since 2011, further enhancements to the Jim Moran Institute and its outreach have been made possible by Jan Moran and The Jim Moran Foundation. Learn more at JimMoranCollege.FSU.edu

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Fasig Brooks Law Offices. Fasig Brooks has been serving the injured in Florida for over 30 years. The legal team is dedicated to providing all clients with the resources, aggressive strategies, and compassionate counsel they need to move forward with their recovery. Their motto is “When life knocks you down, come back stronger.”Learn more at FasigBrooks.com

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet. They provide an inviting atmosphere to accommodate customer’s needs, while offering a large selection of all-new Chevrolet cars, trucks, and SUVs. In 2012, the popular NASCAR driver and 2004 and 2014 Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. opened the dealership in Tallahassee. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet has proudly served the Tallahassee area for over 10 years.For more information, visit DaleEarnhardtJrChevy.com

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Office of Economic Vitality. The Office of Economic Vitality is an economic development model that ensures accountability, transparency, citizen engagement, and professional management of economic development projects. The Office of Economic Vitality aims to develop programs and initiatives while simultaneously leveraging ideas, innovations, and intellectual capital through the continuous coordination of the community’s economic development partners. Learn more at OEVforBusiness.org.

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and Jim Moran Institute. The revolutionary and highly experiential Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship is dedicated to teaching those who wish to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. The entrepreneurship major has been offered at FSU Tallahassee and Panama City since the beginning of fall semester 2017. We attract students across disciplines and provide them with the education and skills they need to become entrepreneurs. A 1995 contribution from Jim and Jan Moran and JM Family Enterprises established the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship at FSU’s College of Business with additional support through the years. Since 2011, further enhancements to the Jim Moran Institute and its outreach have been made possible by Jan Moran and The Jim Moran Foundation. Learn more at JimMoranCollege.FSU.edu

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Fasig Brooks Law Offices. Fasig Brooks has been serving the injured in Florida for over 30 years. The legal team is dedicated to providing all clients with the resources, aggressive strategies, and compassionate counsel they need to move forward with their recovery. Their motto is “When life knocks you down, come back stronger.”Learn more at FasigBrooks.com

About the Speakers

Barbara Corcoran

Barbara Corcoran

Real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran will talk about how she went from making straight Ds in high school and college to turning $1,000 into a $5 billion-dollar real estate business. Corcoran will also share unique perspectives on lessons she has learned as an investor in more than 80 businesses during her 10 seasons starring on Shark Tank. Tallahasseans may also remember Corcoran as the inaugural speaker for the first ever Power Forward Speaker Series in 2013. She set the stage for a decade of inspiring entrepreneurs in Tallahassee and returns to mark the 10th Anniversary of this powerhouse event. Learn more about the inspiring true story of Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran–and her best advice for anyone starting a business.

Visit Barbara's Website
Robert Herjavec

Robert Herjavec

Globally recognized business leader Robert Herjavec will share his transformative journey of coming to the United States from Yugoslavia to pursue the American Dream. From delivering newspapers to waiting tables to building a global computer company from his basement, Herjavec’s story will inspire and ignite an entrepreneurial passion among people of all ages. Beyond his success as CEO of cybersecurity company Cyderes, Herjavec has invested more than $16 million in local startups during his 14 seasons on Shark Tank. Learn more about Robert Herjavec, a dynamic entrepreneur, investor, and leading Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank.

Visit Robert's Website
Barbara Corcoran

Barbara Corcoran

Real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran will talk about how she went from making straight Ds in high school and college to turning $1,000 into a $5 billion-dollar real estate business. Corcoran will also share unique perspectives on lessons she has learned as an investor in more than 80 businesses during her 10 seasons starring on Shark Tank. Tallahasseans may also remember Corcoran as the inaugural speaker for the first ever Power Forward Speaker Series in 2013. She set the stage for a decade of inspiring entrepreneurs in Tallahassee and returns to mark the 10th Anniversary of this powerhouse event. Learn more about the inspiring true story of Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran–and her best advice for anyone starting a business.

Visit Barbara's Website
Robert Herjavec

Robert Herjavec

Globally recognized business leader Robert Herjavec will share his transformative journey of coming to the United States from Yugoslavia to pursue the American Dream. From delivering newspapers to waiting tables to building a global computer company from his basement, Herjavec’s story will inspire and ignite an entrepreneurial passion among people of all ages. Beyond his success as CEO of cybersecurity company Cyderes, Herjavec has invested more than $16 million in local startups during his 14 seasons on Shark Tank. Learn more about Robert Herjavec, a dynamic entrepreneur, investor, and leading Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank.

Visit Robert's Website

Previous Power Forward Speakers

Power Forward speakers inspire and motivate our community’s leaders and business owners. Past speakers have included:

Spencer Rascoff - '23

Spencer Rascoff is a New York Times bestselling author who co-founded four tech companies, invested in over 50, and was CEO of Zillow for a decade. Zillow is now a real estate colossus, worth around $10 billion.

Chris Gardner - '21

Chris Gardner is an entrepreneur, international bestselling author, and award-winning film producer. His autobiography, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” became a New York Times #1 bestseller and has been translated into more than 40 languages.

Peter Diamandis - '20

Peter Diamandis is a global entrepreneur who has launched more than 20 companies during his career in the areas of human longevity, space travel, venture capital, and education. He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation.

Kevin O’Leary - '19

Kevin O’Leary, Shark Tank’s “Mr. Wonderful” is the highly acclaimed, tell-it-like-it-is investor and entrepreneur who has helped many startup businesses make their first million in sales.

Chip Conley - '18

Chip Conley is the hospitality maverick who helped Airbnb’s founders turn their fast-growing tech startup into a global hospitality brand. He is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of the Modern Elder Academy, offering a new roadmap for midlife.

Jim Kelly - '16

Jim Kelly is a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback who spent his entire NFL career as a Buffalo Bill. He has led various business and philanthropic ventures, including Hunter’s Hope Foundation, in honor of his son. He’s known for his resilience, as his story is “A Journey of Perseverance.”

Randi Zuckerberg - '15

Randi Zuckerberg is the Founder & CEO of Zuckerberg Media, a New York Times bestselling author, host of “Dot Complicated,” and former Director of Marketing at Facebook. And yes, she is also the sister of Facebook Co-founder & CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Steve Wozniak - '14

Steve Wozniak is an electronics engineer, computer programmer, inventor, and the co-founder of Apple Inc. He has helped fund multiple entrepreneurial efforts dealing in areas such as telecommunications, technology, and pop culture conventions.

Barbara Corcoran - '13

Barbara Corcoran took a $1,000 loan to start The Corcoran Group and turned it into a $5 billion real estate business. She is a star on ABC’s entrepreneurial reality hit “Shark Tank” and the real estate contributor for NBC’s “Today” show.