At Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI), we are known among our partners, collaborators, and volunteers for the interactive, fun, and meaningful Impact Jams we design and execute to channel shared resources towards communities in need.
On 29 November 2025, we once again partnered with Goldman Sachs’s Community TeamWorks (CTW) to host the “Small Business City Hunt”, a team-building and community outreach initiative under our Project GuideFong, where we engaged 19 CTW volunteers and seven FSI Community Business Support Interns, each bringing with them their respective skillsets and expertise.
Goldman Sachs Volunteers and Ethnically Diverse Youth Providing Direct Support to Small Local Businesses
Structured to provide direct and tangible support to locally ethnically diverse entrepreneurs in the Yau Tsim Mong District through high-impact tasks, the Small Business City Hunt first placed the volunteers into four different teams, focused on market research, social media, menu design, and translation, respectively.
Each group was tasked with completing specific objectives, including:
- Listing a Business on FSI’s GuideFong Directory:
Volunteers gathered essential information about the businesses, including unique selling points, product photos, and shopfront images, to create comprehensive listings on the GuideFong directory. By listing businesses on the directory, volunteers can help the business owners increase visibility for their products and services and potentially reach a broader audience.
From this Small Business City Hunt, three new businesses were successfully listed on the directory: Hamro Fancy, V Dimpal Fusion and Pizza House, and Tree of Life.
- “Meet the Entrepreneur” Interviews
Volunteers were introduced to selected ethnically diverse entrepreneurs to conduct the “Meet the Entrepreneur” Interviews, where they engaged with business owners to capture their stories and insights.
On the day of the event, volunteers interviewed Kamala Rai, Owner and Chef of Reeti Rivaz Griha, and Singh Tarsem, Owner of V. Dimpal Fusion and Pizza House. Stay tuned to GuideFong’s Instagram page for more interviews to come!
- Micro Business Projects:
Volunteers worked on tailored projects to address specific challenges faced by business owners and managers. In addition to creating marketing collaterals, a logo, and a banner for Hamro Fancy, volunteers also translated the menu for Reeti Rivaz Griha, and drafted a visibility strategy and conducted store audits for PFG Store.
Positive Social Impact, Gamified
In addition to these core tasks, volunteers were also encouraged to earn bonus points by completing optional activities to promote cultural immersion and digital advocacy.
For example, they could consider visiting notable checkpoints such as Bowring Commercial Centre (known as Mini-Chungking among the Nepalese community), cultural landmarks like the Kowloon Mosque to better understand the local Muslim community, or community hubs like the Home Centre to learn about the services they provide for ethnically diverse individuals. Volunteers could also support ethnically diverse small businesses by leaving Google business reviews and becoming a follower of the businesses’ social media accounts.
Bonus points aside, these tasks prompted participants to immerse themselves in the grassroots community to explore and understand the lives of Hong Kong’s ethnically diverse communities while gaining deeper insights into the small business landscape.
A Truly Immersive Experience of Ethnically Diverse Businesses in Hong Kong
This year’s Small Business City Hunt proved to be another great success, bringing volunteers closer to the community that they call home. By rating the event 9.5 out of 10, volunteers said that they would highly recommend the experience to others. Moreover, 91.7% of participants said that the session exceeded their expectations, and 100% of participants agreed that the session was organized and run smoothly.
Said Jialin Li, one of the volunteers: “Really enjoyed visiting the Nepalese restaurant and minibus museum in the area. It’s really a surprise for me as I live close by but never get the chance to connect with the shop owners and listen to their stories.”
“I enjoy the interaction and conversation with different shop owners,” said Nelson Chan, another volunteer. “It helped me understand the situation that the minority-owned businesses are encountering.”
“Ethnic minorities’ businesses are not only part of the economy, but also a part that defines Hong Kong as an international city,” noted one volunteer. “We have to provide them accessibility and visibility to the public.”
“Many small businesses are operated by ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, some for survival, some for cultural immersion,” said Elyn Zhang. “It is interesting talking to the business owners to find out what their passions and goals are.”
Work with Us to Create Positive Social Impact
We would like to thank our long-time partner, Goldman Sachs Community TeamWorks, for partnering with us on multiple Impact Jams in 2025, including this Small Business City Hunt, to empower under-resourced entrepreneurs and social impact leaders through skills-based volunteering and generous sharing of knowledge, information, and resources.
If you are interested in participating in our mutually beneficial Impact Jams, whether to kick-start your personal social impact journey, engage and develop your talents, or achieve your corporate ESG and CSR goals, FSI’s Impact Jams are customizable, impactful engagements conducive to creating lasting shared impact. Get in touch with us at communityconnections@shared-impact.com to learn more!
