In the holiday spirit of giving, Hennessy & WeWork along with investor, entrepreneur & manager Troy Carter recently selected Kent & Bond as the deserving recipient of a year’s worth of invaluable mentorship and office space, rent free, via the Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Lab in New York City. The winning company company is the first organic men’s body care and grooming brand and will officially move into the space, housed at WeWork Wall Street, in early January.

For twelve years, Hennessy’s V.S.O.P Privilège Awards program has recognized individuals who have, through determination and talent, achieved unparalleled levels of accomplishment and used their success to give back to others in their community. Past recipients include Daymond John, George Lopez, Magic Johnson, Spike Lee and Carmelo Anthony, among others.

Troy Carter

This year, Hennessy not only honored an individual, but introduced a collaboration with WeWork – the leading provider of shared workspace, community, and services for startups and small businesses – to invest in the next generation of entrepreneurship in New York. The 2015 V.S.O.P Privilège Award recognized investor, entrepreneur and manager Troy Carter, an early investor in Uber, Spotify, and others, for his efforts in redefining mentorship via his new startup accelerator, SMASHD Labs.

In October 2015, Hennessy, Troy Carter and WeWork announced the Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Lab contest, issuing a call to action for emerging businesses to apply to win a year’s worth of invaluable mentorship and office space in one of the most competitive cities in the U.S., New York.

Rodney Williams, Executive Vice President, Spirits, Moët Hennessy USA

“Hennessy champions the values forged since the brand’s inception 250 years ago: a spirit of entrepreneurialism, a commitment to heritage and the belief that the mastery of tomorrow is built on success earned today,” said Rodney Williams, Executive Vice President, Spirits, Moët Hennessy USA. “Carter’s business acumen and community involvement complement the intention behind the Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Awards, which is to spotlight individuals who use their achievements to benefit others. In this case, it is a springboard for developing the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

As square footage rapidly becomes the most valuable commodity within the modern business landscape, particularly in major metropolitan areas, the cost of doing business is often what puts burgeoning entrepreneurs out of business. The Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Lab, a creative space in Manhattan, gives one entrepreneur a place to chase passions for one year, without the burden of rent. Qualifying individuals were able to apply for the chance to conduct business in the Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Lab throughout October & November.

Announced in December, the Privilège Lab space has been awarded to organic, men’s grooming brand Kent & Bond, for one calendar year, to help this winning visionary continue pushing past boundaries.

As part of their tenancy, Kent & Bond team will receive mentoring sessions and guidance from influential business leaders, including Troy Carter and executives from both Hennessy and WeWork, over the course of 2016, in addition to all full-time WeWork membership benefits.

Additional information may be found by visiting Hennessy.com

Troy Carter, Kent Santin, Benjamin Bond, EVP, Spirits Brands at Moët Hennessy USA, Rodney Williams, WeWork VP Marketing & Partnerships, Derek Feinman. Kent & Bond founders enjoy a glass of Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège with entrepreneur Troy Carter, Rodney Williams of Hennessy and Derek Feinman of WeWork.

Troy Carter with Kent Santin and Benjamin Bond, Founders of Kent & Bond, prepare to move into their new space.