Why Black People Should Never Publicly Criticize Black Businesses...

We’ve all had less than stellar experiences when shopping, when dining and when traveling.  

Seemingly, at the busiest hours Walmart will elect to have two lanes open. Every now and then, our favorite seafood restaurants will try to kill us by over-salting the food. And then from time to time, the bank teller will fail to inform you that your larger than normal deposit is on hold for five business days. 

If we’re honest with ourselves, customer service is not Chic-Fil-A-esque at most places we patronize.

Companies with an abundance of resources, fully equipped venues and completely staffed on any given day of the week disappoint us. But we still frequent these places. 

The same non-black Walmart that has security measures to matchup your receipt with the items in your basket will never go out of business. The same non-black seafood restaurant that clogs arteries for a healthy price will never lose business. The same non-black owned banking institution that wants three forms of identification, that will never approve you for a business loan and still places your money on hold after you’ve banked with them for three decades will never lose your accounts.

But Kesha showed up 20 minutes late to clean your apartment, because she was instructed to stay late at her full-time job. She does an impeccable job mopping, dusting and organizing as she apologizes one dozen times for her delayed arrival. But you resent her and now you’ll never hire another black cleaning service.

You’re ready to give her a terrible review on Google, which will stay with her online business profile forever. She’s mid sentence, apologizing for the 13th time as your Twitter fingers type: “this is why I don’t fool with black businesses.”

Should the Kesha’s of our community reevaluate and ensure that business is protocol and not a matter of convenience? Absolutely. But let us always revisit the fact that most successful businesses in this country are not black-owned. There is no map that guides the black entrepreneur and business owner to a plot of land with significant resources and financial backing. Many black businesses are started and financed by the black business owner who has to work two or three other jobs to finance his or her true passion.

When Walmart ruins your day, do you ever find yourself saying, “I’ll never support another white business?” When your favorite Hispanic landscaper misses a patch of grass, do you find yourself saying, “I’ll never support another Hispanic business?” When the Asian-owner of the beauty supply store, follows you with both her eyes and her surveillance cameras throughout the store, do you find yourself saying, “I’ll never frequent another Asian-owned beauty supply store?”

There should always be a level of expectation where your money is concerned. As business owners, we must treat every situation and each client as if we’re being evaluated.

But black patrons must be fair to black businesses. Every business has its shortcomings. Some are just more exposed than others, because of the lack of cover-up money. 

In my career as an educator, I’ve taught maybe ten black students in over a decade. What if I told you that seven out of those ten were problem students for other teachers and therefore I’m not interested in teaching black students anymore? Hopefully you’d look at me sideways and think less of me. Black children, black adults, black families and black owned businesses do not represent any significant percentage of the functioning population in this country.

Let’s not exaggerate the less than stellar black exchanges or experiences anymore.