Like many brands during the pandemic, we were challenged to use our platform to ensure our communities were supported during these difficult times.

But unlike many brands, we already knew our focus. Hennessy has long championed the unwavering determination and resilience of multicultural communities in their pursuit of potential.

So when the economic effects of COVID-19 began to take hold, laying bare the systemic inequalities that disproportionately impact Black, Asian and Latinx communities and businesses, our role became glaringly obvious—as a brand that champions the pursuit of potential in multicultural communities, we had the obligation to protect that potential in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Together with Hennessy, we launched Unfinished Business—an ongoing program that provides immediate funding and long-term support to entrepreneurs of color across the country.

Working in tandem with organizations experienced in the fight for equity, we launched the program with an initial $3.7 million fund to provide immediate grants. We also provided a range of business resources, available through the Unfinished Business microsite, that aimed to help inform and empower business owners of color with information pertaining to government resources, additional sources of funding and action plans for weathering the pandemic.

More than a traditional advertising campaign, Unfinished Business is a long-term commitment and a living, breathing program that continues to work with our partners to provide support and funding to entrepreneurs and the communities they serve.

As the pandemic unfolded the data was overwhelmingly clear: businesses owned by entrepreneurs of color were hardest hit and the most unlikely to receive relief funding.

Our strategy was to “protect the potential” and future these entrepreneurs had already fought so hard for.

Our efforts were specifically designed for entrepreneurs of color operating businesses under 15 employees. They were least likely to have the resources to make it through the pandemic. But despite their size, they are all institutions to their communities and we were determined to make sure their business remains unfinished.

Our idea came to life in three parts. Financial, social and human capital.

Financial: The core of Unfinished Business is a grant program. To most effectively distribute funding, we enlisted three national organizations—One Hundred Black Men, the Asian American Business Development Center, and the Hispanic Federation—to ensure support was distributed at the community level.

Social: We launched the program with a social film that captured the reality of cities affected by COVID-19 and the stories of seven small-business owners of color speaking in their own words about the challenges they faced. The campaign also utilized short-form social stories, support from influencers on social media and a digital microsite to amplify the stories of our unfinished businesses.

Human: businesses chosen for our program were able to tap the business expertise of our three partner organizations as well as ad hoc consulting from London School of Economics MBAs.