Kevin Hart Disburses Over $1 Million To Black And Latinx Entrepreneurs

Sure, most of us know Kevin Hart from his hilarious performances in some of the biggest comedy projects, but the actor and producer has also been rather busy expanding on his professional brand over recent years, including as the co-founder of the ultra-premium Gran Coramino Tequila company.

Launching in 2022 alongside 11th-generation tequila producer Juan Domingo Beckmann, Hart continues to have an active hand in Gran Coramino’s impact on the widespread public, with the company putting its money where its mouth is, when it comes to its brand’s slogan “Hard work tastes different.”

Since committing $1 of every tequila bottle sale to the Coramino Fund, Hart is announcing today that he and his team have disbursed over $1 million dollars to over 100 Black and Latinx small business owners and entrepreneurs within the past two years.

I spoke exclusively with Hart to discuss this exciting news and why he and Gran Coramino chose professionals from these specific backgrounds to receive the grants.

Hart said, “Well, I think access – you’re talking about cultures, people who don’t really get opportunities because the information as to how is sometimes hidden. So, when you’re in a position where you can be a part of the change that is necessary and needed, you become an action item and not just a conversation. So, this gives us an opportunity to be a part of the action and try our best to support the new and the up-and-coming. This is something that you hope is contagious and catches on, and that other people will start to do and follow.”

Michael Pugh, CEO of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), initially combined forces with Hart, Beckmann and Gran Coramino to help close the racial wealth and opportunity gaps for Black and Latinx small businesses. Pugh said of working alongside Hart and witnessing his philanthropic ways, “As we were getting ready to launch the partnership, Kevin Hart took the time to meet two women who own a cafe in Pilsen, a predominantly Latino neighborhood in Chicago facing gentrification and displacement. It was a big event, with lots of people clamoring for his attention, but Kevin stepped to the side to talk with the owners. He asked them about the inspiration for their business, the biggest challenges they face, and where they hope to take their business in the next few years. When they answered each question, he really listened and shared some of his own experiences.”

With Hart having his own humble beginnings, starting out in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a shoe salesman, before making a name for himself in the stand-up comedy space, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would have meant to Hart to have had this type of support and financial backing, when he was striving to achieve his own career aspirations.

Hart said, “I mean, look – support is support, right? So, it would have been amazing to have support in any way, shape or form – but everything happens when it’s supposed to, so I’m glad it didn’t happen then. I’m glad that I’m in the position now where we can create and become a resource for those that need it.” He added: “Back then, the energy and effort that I was able to put into my craft had a high level of panic attacks to it because I had no other options. I had to figure it out – I had to figure out different ways, but right now, the priority is different. It’s figuring out how to be a resource or a diving board for others – for those other young creative entrepreneurs that are trying their best to get to their next stages in life.”

Jasmine Davis, a grant recipient of the Coramino Fund giveback program and Founder/CEO of Sweet Jazz Treats Bakery in Cincinnati, Ohio, recalls her interactions with Hart. She said, “It was very cool being able to ask Kevin questions directly about being a business owner. He gave me advice on how to continue to push forward as an entrepreneur, which was amazing. Definitely an opportunity of a lifetime!”

Davis went on to share that the funds she received helped her hire more bakers, increase their inventory and help create more opportunities within her community, including internships.

“I would like to thank Kevin and the Coramino Fund for allowing Sweet Jazz Treats Bakery to be able to continue to grow. Being a business owner, especially a minority business owner, has its difficulties, but this grant has helped me see I can continue to build and grow, and the sky is the limit.”

When I asked Hart if he would call himself an entrepreneur today, he said, “Absolutely.” So, how would Hart describe what it takes to be an effective and successful entrepreneur today in 2024?

Hart said, “The best way to be an effective entrepreneur is to not be afraid to try. Entrepreneurship is about having no fear and having a high level of energy attached to the dream that you believe in. When you feel like the thing you want to do is going to happen and can happen, then it does – that’s an entrepreneur’s mindset. It’s not about the no’s – it’s about getting to the one yes. I would say embrace the journey and embrace the idea of not being afraid to fail. Entrepreneurs aren’t afraid.”

As Hart moves forward in his career across various industries, I concluded our conversation by wondering if he has noticed an evolving mindset or a maturing shift within himself in recent years, as he continues to expand on his personal brand and his business opportunities.

“You get smarter by just surrounding yourself with smarter people. I think the biggest change for me is on-boarding and hiring people who have the backgrounds to basically help push to get to the next position in business, right? You need people who have been there – you need people who are operating at the highest levels. I think that’s the biggest change in me, is understanding that you don’t have to control as much – it’s best to relinquish some of that control to others that can help delegate and operate for you.”