On 8 July 2023, Foundation for Shared Impact’s Community Business Support team took Goldman Sachs Community TeamWorks’s volunteers on a mission: a gamified business clinic where the volunteers met the owners and representatives of four ethnically diverse (ED) businesses to help them tackle their real business challenges.
Called “Small Businesses City Hunt”, the event was described by one of the corporate volunteers as “a discovery of a very vibrant community that locals seldom engage with”.
At Foundation for Shared Impact, our direct engagement with ED entrepreneurs and community leaders enables us to get a good grasp of the acute challenges they face in enhancing their promotion endeavors, accessing support services, and obtaining advice from experts or industry leaders. That is why one of the main initiatives under our Community Business Support Program is Impact Jam, which connects private-sector employees with under-resourced entrepreneurs to provide direct business support and consultation.
Making Real, Long-term Impact to Help ED Business Growth
The Small Business City Hunt couldn’t have come at a better time: with Hong Kong’s ED communities disproportionately hit during the COVID-19 pandemic and many businesses had to shutter due to a drastic drop in tourism, ED entrepreneurs and business owners are in need of support to increase their visibility and exposure to expand their local clientele for their growth and sustainability.
Divided into four groups based on their areas of interest and skill sets, the Goldman Sachs Community TeamWorks volunteers first gathered at the venue provided by our partner, Africa Center Hong Kong, to learn more about the support services we offer to ED entrepreneurs, such as GuideFong, Hong Kong’s first online directory for every ethnically diverse businesses.
The volunteer teams then went to the Tsim Sha Tsui and Jordan neighborhoods to visit four of the ED businesses currently listed on GuideFong to engage with the owners and staff and understand their challenges and needs. To conclude the Small Business City Hunt, the corporate volunteers all returned to Africa Center’s event space to present micro-projects that would help each of the four businesses resolve a bottleneck or challenge.
Corporate Volunteering to Resolve Entrepreneurial Bottlenecks
To quote a Goldman Sachs volunteer, “It was very nice to know the businesses and the area and to have meaningful interactions with the business owners. It seems that we really were able to make an impact and help the businesses long term.” So what exactly happened at the Small Business City Hunt event?
Goldman Sachs Volunteers’ Proposed Solutions for Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs
Ghana Locals For this restaurant specializing in authentic African culinary experiences, the corporate volunteers helped design a new layout for the double-sided menu and started working on the structure and design of a promotional leaflet.
Chakwal International Hair Salon For this three-decade-old professional barber shop, the corporate volunteers worked with the business owner to create a 30-second Instagram Reel and drafted a list of suggestions on social media and website marketing. The volunteers also suggested a new layout for the menu and drafted a bilingual service list in English and Cantonese.
Paul’s Kitchen For this restaurant run by a husband-and-wife chef duo, specializing in African fusion food, the corporate volunteers drafted a proposal with suggestions on Instagram marketing, including recommended updates to Instagram bio, hashtags, pinning feature etc. The volunteers also made recommendations on designing and structuring catering options as well as improving the current menu design.
AI Baick Fast Food For this newly-opened halal fast food and dessert restaurant, the corporate volunteers helped create a Google Business Profile, and listed the business on Google Maps and Open Rice. They also helped design a new layout for the menu and made suggestions on improving the business’ Instagram account.
Build Successful Corporate Volunteering Programs with FSI
The Small Business City Hunt was a great success, with close to 90% of Goldman Sachs Community TeamWorks volunteers strongly agreeing that the engagement gave them a sense of fulfillment in making a positive impact with their knowledge and skills. Moreover, all volunteers said that they would recommend the experience to other corporate skills-based volunteers.
If you share our passion for bolstering the Hong Kong entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing one-off or longer-term business consultation, helping us expand the reach of GuideFong, or mentoring ethnically diverse entrepreneurs and youth, get in touch with us at cbs@shared-impact.com!
If your company is looking for meaningful volunteering opportunities to achieve your ESG and CSR goals while reinforcing your talent development endeavours, find out how FSI’s core programs can help! We welcome individual skilled volunteers too, so find out how FSI can match you with skills-based volunteering opportunities to accelerate your professional and personal growth.
