Today Hennessy announced the selection of 20 esteemed founders inducted to the "Never Stop Never Settle Society," a $1MM program to champion the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. The initiative was introduced in March 2021 to support a more equitable landscape for inclusive business growth and development. Podpal CEO, Aaron P. Woods proudly joins the new society with a vision to empower the next generation of podcast creators, and continue inspiring tech founders of color. 

As an honorary member, Podpal will be awarded with $50,000 in non-dilutive funding, access to professional development sessions with Moët Hennessy executives, and a membership to The Gathering Spot Connect, a Black-owned digital community offering culturally relevant content, networking, and business development resources. Members will also have access to a state-of-the-art physical office at Moët Hennessy headquarters in New York City.   

"There are so many black founders out there making a real impact and this type of recognition and award is extremely competitive. I’m honored to be inducted into this distinguished cohort that is backed by a global brand like Hennessy." - says Woods.

The "Never Stop Never Settle Society'' builds on Hennessy's long-standing commitment to Black communities, a legacy that dates back to the 1800s through a spectrum of investments and sponsorship of civic organizations to enhance community development. Co-created with non-profit partner The Marcus Graham Project, their work shares Hennessy's mission to support Black entrepreneurs through funding and resources for meaningful growth.

As the Never Stop, Never Settle Society invests and empowers Black entrepreneurs to make a lasting impact on their community, Podpal wants to be the platform that content creators use to start and grow their podcast—a vehicle for sharing their story, thought leadership, and personal journeys. 

"The "Never Stop, Never Settle" mantra truly embodies the attitude of the Podpal team and we’re excited that Hennessy saw our vision. It’s not enough to provide podcasters with a means to host and monetize their content. Podcasters need the right tools to stay consistent and build an audience worth monetizing. At Podpal, we’re removing the busywork related to podcast planning, publishing, and promotion so that more creators can focus on their message,” Aaron says.

When asked how the Hennessy award will impact Podpal moving forward, Woods replied:

This award will help advance Podpal’s mission to make it easy for aspiring, hobby, and professional podcasters to push their content out to the world. We’re excited that Hennessy has joined us in our mission and look forward to being a visual representation of what it means to “Never Stop, Never Settle.”