H.E.R. was honored with the American Express Impact Award at the 2022 Billboard Women in Music Awards for using her music and platform to create positive social change while advocating on behalf of women both in, and beyond, the music industry throughout the past year. A large part of this social change has been her support of small businesses. The multi-Grammy winning R&B singer performed at “The Big Concert for Small Business,” an event that kicked off a grant program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. American Express continued its commitment to supporting women by honoring H.E.R. with the Impact Award and curating special gift bags for the 2022 Executive Honorees that highlight products from Black woman-owned businesses.
Supporting small businesses is core to American Express. From global programs like Shop Small and providing free resources and insights to small business owners through the Shop Small Resource Hub, American Express powerfully backs small businesses. American Express extends its support to Black-owned businesses through various programs including “100 for 100” spotlighting Black women entrepreneurs; the Coalition to Back Black Businesses; Backing Historic Small Restaurants; an expanded ByBlack national certification and directory platform developed by the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. exclusively for Black-owned businesses and more.
Building on their continued support, American Express is using the Billboard Women in Music Awards to highlight some of the amazing Black women-owned businesses gifting attendees of the event with custom reusable totes featuring items from Black women-owned small businesses.
SKNMUSE founder Ezinne Iroanya-Adeoye, one of the business owners featured, combines luxury with cultural authenticity to produce luxurious skincare products. Inspired by her first job, Ezinne realized that the existing skincare market did not cater to the needs of Black women. She founded SKNMUSE to address this need, giving Black women products to help them love and take care of their bodies. The company delivers on the promise of better skin and body care, all while uplifting other entrepreneurs— SKNMUSE sources 70 percent of their ingredients from small businesses. American Express included SKNMUSE’s bright, citrus-scented cuticle oil in their gift bags so that Women in Music attendees could experience their transformative hydrating properties, supporting multiple small businesses in the process.
Shanice Thompson, founder of Miletree Candles also featured in the bags, took inspiration from her Carribean heritage and walks on the beaches of Barbados to start her business. She started her business after losing her job to the COVID-19 pandemic, pursuing her passions and embracing her identity. Thompson’s candles are hand-poured in reusable ceramic containers, resulting in a modern and sustainable product that will enhance any home.
When co-founders Amanda-Jane Thomas and Shanita Nicholas started Sip & Sonder, they envisioned something greater than a coffee shop: they sought to create a community where entrepreneurs, freelancers, curators, and everyone in between could connect and create. Sip & Sonder now has two locations in Inglewood, CA and downtown Los Angeles that serve as multi-purpose spaces for creative collaboration and events. Women In Music attendees were treated to bags of their specially curated coffees sourced from various regions in Africa.
Glori Ovalle’s floral studio Glorimer Florals combines her flowering creativity with sustainable selections to create everything from stunning arrangements to mesmerizing installations for DJs, musicians, and artists. The custom arrangements are breathtaking, incorporating bright colors and a variety of textures to create living art. Ovalle’s work draws inspiration from a variety of sources, and she was recently featured in Vogue for her florals representing queens in queer clubs. Ovalle prepared bouquets of greens and vines for the attendees of Women in Music to take home.
Jennifer Martin re-imagined nostalgic snacks with heirloom corn, crafting healthy and delicious takes on original snacks. Pipcorn is dedicated to creating innovative snacks rooted in sustainability with an accessible price point for all. Though Martin did not initially see herself as an entrepreneur, she found support in her parents who encouraged her to dream big and work hard toward her goals. Now, Pipcorn is available at retailers nationwide including Whole Foods Market and Kroger.