By Karen Wallace
EVP, Economic Inclusion

Eleven small businesses owned by women or people of color will receive a brand video at no charge thanks to an innovative program from Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM).

The 11 companies, located throughout Massachusetts, were selected from close to 40 applicants. The production companies that will create the videos are likewise owned by Black, Latino, LGBTQ, female and veteran entrepreneurs.

Each marketing video is valued at $10,000. The initiative is funded through a generous grant from the Eastern Bank Foundation.

The winning companies include 88 Acres, Canton; Nubian Markets, Roxbury; Dorchester Food Co Op; Dorchester; Long Wood Corporation; Dorchester; Anh Vu Sawyer, Boston; Candle Lux, Boston; Rozi Rides, Springfield; Roman Music Therapy, Wakefield; Commonwealth Kitchen, Dorchester; Rosetta Languages, Malden and Baku Care, Hadley.

The production companies will be Greener Concepts of Boston, EmVision Productions of Lynn and BeeMore Productions of Somerville.

“AIM has a clear mission to facilitate meaningful connections between AIM member businesses seeking to engage in inclusive procurement and a diverse range of supplier businesses. We are dedicated to fostering economic empowerment for all, with a specific focus on uplifting BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+, disabled, and veteran-owned enterprises,” said Brooke Thomson, President and Chief Executive Officer of AIM.

“We are grateful to the Eastern Bank Foundation for supporting this important effort to provide marketing resources to growing businesses throughout Massachusetts.”

Applications were judged on criteria that included financial soundness, value proposition, social impact and planned use of the videos.

Serving as judges were Juliette Mayers, Founder and CEO of Inspiration Zone in Norwell; Marianne Lancaster, President and Owner of Lancaster Packaging in Hudson; Keith Fairey, President and CEO of Way Finders in Springfield; Karen Wallace, Executive Vice President of Economic Inclusion at AIM; and Kyle Pardo, Executive Vice President of AIM HR Solutions.

“As a woman-owned company, we have experienced tremendous changes in our business in recent years. This award is not only an affirmation of my calling to bring music to more people. It is also providing a way for us to better articulate who we are as a business in this environment in which we have grown exponentially,” said Meredith Pizzi, Founder and CEO, Roman Music Therapy

Added Kevin Doherty, Chief Culinary Officer of Commonwealth Kitchen, “Having access to a professional production company that will create a video that showcases what we do and some of the firms we work with will provide a much-needed marketing help for customer acquisition.”