Hornitos Tequila has announced “The Shot Fund,” a multi-year, investment platform dedicated to empowering creative entrepreneurs taking shots at trailblazing ventures in their careers. As part of “The Shot Fund,” the Tequila brand is committing to fostering the professional development and success of diverse and influential creatives in 2020 and beyond.
“Ever since our founder Don Francisco introduced Hornitos Tequila as a Reposado in 1950 and established himself as an innovator in the Tequila industry, we’ve been emboldened by the opportunity to take chances for the betterment of tequila,” said Rashidi Hodari, Managing Director of Tequila at Beam Suntory. “That boundary-pushing spirit stands as the driving force behind ‘The Shot Fund,’ an initiative that provides those who share our revolutionary mentality with the funds needed to continue pushing the envelope and breaking barriers in their field.”
The inaugural cohort of “The Shot Fund” making strides with support from Hornitos Tequila features creatives representing a wide range of cultures and industries, including:
- Dr. Woo: Acclaimed celebrity tattoo artist and creative visionary Dr. Woo concepted his own skincare line after seeing an unfulfilled need for consciously crafted products in the market, especially for those freshly inked. With financial backing and launch partnership from Hornitos Tequila, Dr. Woo debuted his first line of personal care products from PROJECTWOO, his new lifestyle brand, earlier this year to incredible praise, despite challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presented.
- Lourdes Villagómez: Mexican visual artist Lourdes Villagómez quit her job as a graphic designer to pursue her passion for creating art inspired by her Mexican culture. In 2020, Hornitos Tequila helped Lourdes expand her work into the United States by featuring it on the brand’s 2020 Hornitos Tequila Limited Release Artist Edition packaging. Hornitos Tequila continued to broaden Lourdes’ platform by spotlighting her artwork as part of a celebratory Dia de los Muertos activation hosted on the brand’s Instagram channel, and with a second packaging collaboration due out in 2021.
- Black Archivist: Black Archivist, a campaign by photographer Paul Octavious, showcases the power of the Black narrative and emphasizes the need for Black artists to tell the stories of their community through photography. To enable Black Archivist, Hornitos Tequila invested in the launch of this new venture, furthering the organization’s mission of providing cameras to Black photographers.
- Jon Gray, Ghetto Gastro Co-founder: Redefining the intersections of fashion, music, film and visual art by utilizing food as the spark to larger conversations around inclusion, race and economic empowerment, Ghetto Gastro co-founder Jon Gray is set to launch a new, innovative consumer packaged goods platform to be unveiled in December 2020. With funding from Hornitos Tequila to launch his new venture, Gray’s goal is to establish equitable food systems that dismantle traditional supply and access barriers.
- Diego Huerta: Texas-based Mexican photographer and filmmaker Diego Huerta took a shot at filmmaking with Charros & Escaramuzas, a documentary featuring the testimonials of men and women passionate about Mexico’s national sport, charreria, a competitive event similar to rodeos. Beginning this year and continuing throughout 2021, Hornitos Tequila will provide the financial resources needed to extend the film’s production, making Charros & Escaramuzas a bi-national project showcasing the union between Mexico and the United States, which is set to debut in 2021.
“We were set to launch our first product at the beginning of 2020 and, like many start-ups around the world, we faced major uncertainty about the future of our company when the pandemic hit,” said Dr. Woo. “With support from Hornitos Tequila, we were able to navigate these unknown territories and stay focused while trying to do some good for our community. Their partnership played a fundamental role in turning this idea into a reality as we officially embarked on this new adventure.”
“Hornitos Tequila encourages others to follow their heart and their passions, much like I did when I decided to pursue a full-time career as an artist,” said Villagómez. “The Shot Fund” class. “It is incredibly important to do what you love to do, and I am honored to collaborate with a brand that inspires people like me to follow their dreams.”
“The Shot Fund” was inspired by Hornitos Tequila’s own shot-taking history as a tequila brand, along with its track record of enabling change makers from all walks of life, including creators, artists, aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners and fans of the brand. This is further highlighted by the brand’s “A Shot Worth Taking” campaign, which has inspired fans to push boundaries and take chances at achieving something great since its launch in 2017.
Throughout 2020 and beyond, fans will have the opportunity to engage with the creative entrepreneurs featured in the inaugural “The Shot Fund” class on Hornitos Tequila’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.