I hear this saying often from old black people. The belief is, if you go to a black business or service, you will most likely run into problems. I will say that I have had trouble with black owned businesses in the past, but I have also had a lot of trouble with white owned businesses as well. This saying to me reeks of the mentality that blacks are automatically inferior to whites when it comes to business, intelligence, and fairness. I often hear complaints from other blacks, that they feel ripped off from black businesses as they charge more, or that the customer service is horrible, and that is why they shop at white businesses or use white services. It to me seems to be self hatred. In my personal experience in going natural, I have tended to buy from black owned businesses in regards to my hair care products. The beauty supply business is pretty much monopolized by Koreans here in America, but they tend to focus on more mainstream products and products geared towards those with relaxers. For most of my hair care products, which I tend to use products that are more natural and less processed, I tend to have to use black owned companies such as Anita Grant, Oyin Handmade, Inky Loves Nature,Curls By Sisters Smith, and others. These companies focus on a niche market, they are typically products not made in a factory, but rather on site, and they only sell online or in select small stores. You won't find these things at Wal Mart or Target. My experiences with all these companies have been positive, and they are all black owned. My only complaints have been the price with one company (at one point when I was purchasing from Anita Grant, who is based in the UK, the pound was tearing up the dollar and so even though she kept the same prices, it was costing me more) and slow shipping with Inky Loves Nature, who more than made up for it with some free samples. The customer service and products for all these companies has been great, they were able to communicate with me, and it was an overall positive experience. Now I have had problems in the past as well, but I don't attribute that to black business in general, but rather poor business skills of the individual.
Now I attribute my positive experiences with these companies to a few things. They have great products. They have great customer service. I have certain expectations of these companies. These companies are smaller than Wal Mart and Target and they can't compete with them price wise, and I know that I will pay more for these products than Suave or Herbal Essences, or some other big name brand out there in the market. I know that the shipping might be a dollar or two more than when I shop online at the big stores. They again don't have the volume to get the negotiating power of the big chain stores. I know sometimes it might take longer to get to me if I do a custom scent or order because I know they don't have the staff of a big store. I do expect to have great customer service, and so far these companies have provided that, and yes sometimes I do price shop, in this economy you have to be that way, but I know that if I support smaller businesses I am stimulating the economy and helping myself sway away from dependence on big conglomerates. So I figure it to be a win/win situation.
Now I have had problems in the past as well, but I don't attribute that to black business in general, but rather poor business skills of the individual. So why do we expect black businesses to be sub par and less than those of white businesses?
23 comments:
Black people kill me with that garbage about their own people have lousy businesses. This ish has to stop ASAP. What alot of black people fail to realize is that there are billions of our dollars being spent in consumer products every year. Why not put those dollars to good use in black businesses? We talk about how we don't support each other, and the minute a black person starts up a business, we are the first to criticize our own. That makes no sense. White, Hispanic or any other race's businesses are no better than anyone else, because there is always a select few in those businesses who have lousy customer service, or give lousy product. Sometimes you gotta take the bitter with the sweet and keep it pushing when it comes to things like that. But don't be quick to put down your own people by saying that another races' business is better than the other's. That's wrong, and very discriminative. I feel like if black people want to see black dollars being spent legitimately, SUPPORT YOUR PEOPLE! Good post btw.
There is one little aspect of why this could be so. Because of the whole skin color identity there is an over familiarization with black people when they meet each other. The boundaries are instantly broken because of the assumption of being one and the same. This only happens in countries where blacks are a minority. Back home you go to a shop, some customer service is good, some is just plain bad. But the boundary between customer and client is always there. There are many situations in which I meet blacks and they act like they already know me and so can act towards me which ever way they want. And sometimes I get offended. And they will treat the non black person better simply because they recognize their boundaries represented by their race. When I was doing customer service I always fought the urge to be too friendly with black people. I had to keep reminding myself that that was a customer.
Today I met these rappers on the street selling their music. One came towards me with is CD. Now I had alot going on in my mind. I just shook my head and walked past him and he yelled,
"You don't talk to black people?" That right there is the familiarity I am talking about. People assume because you are black they can do anything they wish with you and if you don't then you are brainwashed, hate black people etc. I doubt he would have said the same thing if it was a black male that didn't pay attemtion to him. As a Black female you are supposed to be open to harrassment.
So I put it down to familiarity, they remember their business ethic when a non black person comes in.
Also there is another interesting experience I had when I worked at a grocery store. I was always friendly with the blacks. I guess it showed. So everytime I would start the checking out of a black person's groceries, the supervisor would come to my register to bag their groceries. It was so blatant. It would happen every single time. WHen I worked at another store I had to act more professional and aloof. To a black person that may appear like I am giving bad customer service but to me I am aware of the fact that I am being watched. Just my take.
Great Post. Right on the money.
I never understood this way of thinking. When I got married I ONLY used Black vendors. I went out of the way to hire Black individuals that were just starting in the business. I ran across only one person who did not have good business skills and he was let go and replaced with another Black vendor. The service I received was excellent I could not have asked for better. I have since referred and acted as a reference for these vendors. I love helping out black business and I am actually going to start plugging them on my little piece of the blogosphere. Starting with some earrings I ordered today, as soon as they come in I will put up a pic. Thanks for writing about this subject.
I have no problem doing business with black people...I do, however, have a problem doing buiness with blacks who have a Willie Lynch mentality.
I started using Qhmet Biologics a few months ago. I love the detangling ghee. Anyway, I agree with this post. We spend billions of dollars, but most of it is going to support other communities.
I have to travel to find Black beauty supply stores. It seems that Koreans have the monopoly on Black hair care products. I saw a documentary on someone's blog about this subject and I was definitely enlightened. I try to help Black businesses as much as I can, but even people from my Mother and her generation say that Black businesses are disorganized and second rate compared to businesses run by non-Blacks. It's a sad way to think. Also, getting back to hair products, does anyone know of a good natural detangler anti-frizz product?
so, I can only talk from my own experience as a pale face fella in Canada. Let's see. Probably my two biggest mentors in business have been black men. Not that I thought of it that way, it is because of who they are as individuals. But I can tell you especially in the case of one of them, this is one of the most disciplined, loyal and trustworthy individuals I know, and a very naturally smart business mind. ugh, I feel almost icky writing that because to me it comes a across like "gee shucks, and he was black ?"
do we have to state the obvious. There are plenty of good and bad traits to pass around. There are plenty of dishonest and or incompetent people of all stripes (in fact incompetence is incredibly common !). So, I naively am one again surprised by this idea that someone would actually say such a thing...
Now, the examples of the hair care products, there it makes sense to seek out the companies who would understand these things best, so of course that's what makes sense. You're not choosing there because or race per se but race applies by the very nature of the product. There's a big salon I pass every day that caters to this market and they seem to do very well. (And they have even cut my very unexciting straight hair).
I guess that what I am saying is that in my own experience, this awful stereotype has not been true. It's been the contrary. I reckon that there is some truth to what Grata says too though, in terms of minority people treating their own differently, thats something I've witnessed for sure. I think what she wrote here is very interesting.
Funkystarkitty50,
I use Infusium 23. If not, I would look like Rudy Huckstable; not that there is anything wrong with that. Not unless you're into looking like a 10 year old girl.
Off topic. You guys must have heeard about the Rihanna and Brown saga. I thought Rihanna was dating white, then she ends up with a DBR LOL! The evangelicals must be laughing.
I don't have problems with black companies.
When I was in Chicago, we hired this guy for, I forgot what. In the middle of working, when we saw he took a break we all came out and offered him some pizza and a drink.
I think one thing that MIGHT put people off is that I think BF tend to be ...not sure the right word
jewish =haymish. Black =homey-ish?
I think its the same thing. Relaxed, acting as if all are relatives and they're home.
Anyway, since my home was like that, we enjoyed it. Could that be it maybe?
i agree w/ this post, i'm tired of the mentality that "white is right," no its not, we're all human and we're all equal if a buisness has poor service its because the buisness is bad not because they're black.
i wonder what would happen if a bp got a DNA test for european admixture and then searched census records and traced their european ancestry back to a white family of today and showed up on their doorstep asking for 400 years worth of payment... someone should do that and see what happens...lol totally random, it make a good movie lol a comedy...
lol, they could title it, "Every white person's worst nightmare..." lol, chris rock can star in it. The premise being a bp who seeks reparations from his estranged white relatives, the descendants of his white slave owner, maybe i'll send it to universal lol... lmfao
Grata,
I know Rihanna talked about dating white, but i don't believe she ever really dated any white guys.
Grata makes a good observation. I think that the sense of familiarity probably has a lot to do with it. The whole walking down the street harassment part was a good example of the expectations some blacks have for other blacks -- that everyone knows everyone, and so therefore they can say what they want to say, treat you however.
Off topic. You guys must have heeard about the Rihanna and Brown saga. I thought Rihanna was dating white, then she ends up with a DBR LOL! The evangelicals must be laughing.
For some reason, I was not surprised. I figured that the goody-goody image of their "perfect" relationship would tarnish sooner or later. I remember him saying that he watched his mother get abused by her BF, so the cycle continues. We don't know the whole story yet, but Rhianna doesn't deserve to be with someone who is going to be physically abusive to her and neither does any other woman. I don't care whether the guy is Black or White.
Grata,
I know Rihanna talked about dating white, but i don't believe she ever really dated any white guys
Rhianna dated Josh Hartnett I believe.
Low self-esteem and projection is common among many Blacks (your Feb. 3 "Seriously..." post as an example).
Often, if one fails to share that point of view - they must be some sort of sell-out.
I do remember Josh Hartnett and Rhianna, they hooked up apparently but never seriously dated.
Ugh Sid. My mother is one of these people. She told me straight out that she would never hire a black lawyer, patronize black businesses, nor would she go to a black doctor. She embarasses the hell out of me because I do not feel the same. I don't know where she got this stuff because her siblings and parents (my grandfather passed in the 90's) do not/did not think this way and it's been roundly condemned. Thankfully, my grandparents and my dad rubbed off on me alot more than she did.
I don't know if that's true among all black people because most people I know say that if you want to be charge an arm and a leg go to a white owned business . But if you want something done right and cheap stick to black owned or black run business.
"I know Rihanna talked about dating white, but i don't believe she ever really dated any white guys".
I hope she learnt her lesson. Otherwise she will be doing the whole Halle Berry thing.
See, black men know how to play victim to get Black women. They play the suffering black man card and black women fall for it every time. BW never stop to think about themselves. I am actually beginning to blame DBR behavior on BW because they have never said enough!
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