Comments on: Challenges faced by Black business owners

By: St. Louis, Mo. Paint Contractor

St. Louis, Mo. Paint Contractor — Sat, 08 May 2010 15:58:24 +0000

I agree with Duane 100%, I believe the issue at hand is deeper psychologically then whats stated. I believe the same root reason for black on black crime is related to why blacks don’t do business with blacks. Me as a black business owner who has had countless experiences with this issue over the years, I believe the problem is the fact that some of us value race differently. White is looked at as right and black is looked at as alright. If we start looking at each other as equals we as a race would progress. The same rules apply with finding any reputable business, do checks and see if they have references from higher end areas. Great Post

By: MIB

MIB — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:34:29 +0000

Mr. Hawkins accurately captured the primary challenge facing Af-Am businesses: access to capital and credit. It’s important to note, though, capital and credit are the main hurdles to most businesses.

While the challenges aren’t unique to Af-Am entrepreneurs, the solutions are in many cases. For example, a higher retail price can justified by a marketing strategy emphasizing exclusivity, lifestyle, convenience or some other aspect of branding. Part of effective customer service is learning the priorities of your customers.

By: BH

BH — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 21:46:10 +0000

This has always been a pet peeve of mine too. I’m willing to pay a little more t a black owned business, but I expect to get what I pay for. Too many times the products or the service is just substandard.And most of these businesses are not open to any criticism that could help them be a better business.

An idea: Maybe what is needed is an index of Black businesses with QUALITY services and products. Not just a list of Black owned businesses, but those that know what customer service is all about.