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What you are saying is that in Houston most of those who patronize black businesses are black. That other races won't patronize blacks.
That is not true in the West Coast. Of course it depends on your business. There are tons of black businesses that are undercapitalized or somewhat "ghetto" in operational style all over the US. As was mentioned in prior posts, blacks out here live for the most part in integrated areas and successful black businesses have white or other race customers.
California is a majority non white state as I said before. You don't have to worry about being black affecting your ability to get customers if you own a successful business. People who are black get promoted in their jobs all the time. A lot of variables come to play in promotions.
Most white people in the west if they are conservative are fiscally conservative, not religiously so like in the South, where past years of segregation have some bearing on the older white mindset. You have a larger liberal population. More race mixing.
Some blacks are scuffling and some are doing very well. Just like anywhere else. But most of us live more integrated lives out here. And your race won't keep you from having a diverse customer base if you have a business that is in demand and provides good service. I know black lawyers, dentists, doctors, judges, UPS Store franchise owners, general managers of car dealerships, insurance agency owners, tax accountants, etc. They all make more than $40,000 a year and all have clients who are majority white.
In fact the girl who does my wife's hair in Phoenix tried Houston out for awhile. She was scuffling. She is a master at hair weaving and has more business than she can handle in Phoenix. And she works in a multiracial high end shop. In Houston she never took off. California is the same. There are blacks who have their niche market, and do very well in their respective businesses. Out here, black hairstylists may be in La Jolla or upscale white areas, not just in the hood.
You know blacks as a race don't have the net worth of whites, and latinos are just a little ahead of us, so you can't expect to see as many black thriving businesses anywhere.
California is a more liberal state than Texas. While subtle racism exists everywhere, you'll just have to see for yourself the difference in living in California versus Texas. I've lived in both, plus Arizona and Nevada. Texas is different than out here.
That has everything to do with the fact that there's likely more of a demand for ethnic hair care in Phoenix, while that market is pretty much saturated in cities like Atlanta, DC, and Houston. The catch: in a city like Houston, you have to be a HIGH QUALITY weaver to get these ladies out here to patronize your business. Having a unique skill is what's going to make you stand out, so forgive me for questioning that she's actually as good as you claim.
You're saying a lot of things for which you have yet to support. You and livinginhouston can pretend all you want to that small businesses in "the hood" is all that black folks out here have, but you have no basis for it. Plain and simple.
I understand what you are saying livinginhouston. My impression is that it is easier to integrate in CA even if you are green. I think people will judge you on how you present yourself more than your skin color.
In fact, being from the midwest I'd say it can even go in the opposite direction. I've experienced some of that, people assuming I'm naive or backwards, stuff like that.
It's funny because I'm from the Chicago area, not the backwoods. But you will find many Californians are actually geographically challenged and you might have to point out where you originally came from on a map to them, but most of them know where Texas is
That has everything to do with the fact that there's likely more of a demand for ethnic hair care in Phoenix, while that market is pretty much saturated in cities like Atlanta, DC, and Houston. The catch: in a city like Houston, you have to be a HIGH QUALITY weaver to get these ladies out here to patronize your business. Having a unique skill is what's going to make you stand out, so forgive me for questioning that she's actually as good as you claim.
You're saying a lot of things for which you have yet to support. You and livinginhouston can pretend all you want to that small businesses in "the hood" is all that black folks out here have, but you have no basis for it. Plain and simple.
I don't think it matters at this point. You can be "right" all you want with statistics (if you are, I don't know).
Once someone feels a certain way you can't change it by trying to prove to them they should feel better.
That is his experience. He's entitled to have it and want something different for himself.
I don't think it matters at this point. You can be "right" all you want with statistics (if you are, I don't know).
Once someone feels a certain way you can't change it by trying to prove to them they should feel better.
That is his experience. He's entitled to have it and want something different for himself.
I have no problem with any person, black or white, preferring San Diego over Houston. The only thing I'm battling here is the spreading of misinformation based on their own skewed observations. It was just earlier that one of them said that the only upwardly mobile blacks in Houston were pro-ball players. That's not an opinion, that's just FALSE, and by far one of the most ridiculous statements I've heard in a while.
That has everything to do with the fact that there's likely more of a demand for ethnic hair care in Phoenix, while that market is pretty much saturated in cities like Atlanta, DC, and Houston. The catch: in a city like Houston, you have to be a HIGH QUALITY weaver to get these ladies out here to patronize your business. Having a unique skill is what's going to make you stand out, so forgive me for questioning that she's actually as good as you claim.
You're saying a lot of things for which you have yet to support. You and livinginhouston can pretend all you want to that small businesses in "the hood" is all that black folks out here have, but you have no basis for it. Plain and simple.
You misunderstood what I am saying. The hair weaver that I mentioned is top notch. In Houston you have so many black people, that a new person coming to town will have to work harder to build a clientele. People already have a person they see. Building a clientele takes time.
I did not say that small businesses in the hood is all that blacks have. I said that blacks in the South tend to integrate less with other races than in the north and west. Income in Texas is lower due to the conservative nature of the state and the lack of unions.
Of course there are black professionals in Houston. H ouston just has a large underclass population, and we are in recessionary times. Every job program that Obama has proposed has been blocked by Republicans, so the unemployment rate is dropping ever so slowly. People are not getting pay raises and incomes are stagnant, so that has an effect on the bottom line of small businesses. Less customers with money to spend. The black unemployment rate is in the double digits.
I said there are blacks who are scuffling in ALL major cities. There are blacks making above average money in most major cities.
My main point is that in major cities with a 6-7% black population, racial mixing is more prevalent, and blacks who have viable businesses in those cities will undoutedly have more NON BLACK customers.
That is why I feel one has to experiment with different cities until he/she can find a niche market.
You misunderstood what I am saying. The hair weaver that I mentioned is top notch. In Houston you have so many black people, that a new person coming to town will have to work harder to build a clientele. People already have a person they see. Building a clientele takes time.
I did not say that small businesses in the hood is all that blacks have. I said that blacks in the South tend to integrate less with other races than in the north and west. Income in Texas is lower due to the conservative nature of the state and the lack of unions.
Of course there are black professionals in Houston. H ouston just has a large underclass population, and we are in recessionary times. Every job program that Obama has proposed has been blocked by Republicans, so the unemployment rate is dropping ever so slowly. People are not getting pay raises and incomes are stagnant, so that has an effect on the bottom line of small businesses. Less customers with money to spend. The black unemployment rate is in the double digits.
I said there are blacks who are scuffling in ALL major cities. There are blacks making above average money in most major cities.
My main point is that in major cities with a 6-7% black population, racial mixing is more prevalent, and blacks who have viable businesses in those cities will undoutedly have more NON BLACK customers.
That is why I feel one has to experiment with different cities until he/she can find a niche market.
Why are the demographics of your customer base so important, as long you're successful?
Wages are lower here, but so is the cost of living. After considering the differences, I'm sure it's safe to say that I'm doing better than most blacks in California.
If I have you misunderstood, then I apologize, but much of what you and livinginhouston have been saying suggests that you feel there is a glass ceiling for blacks in Houston that doesn't exist in San Diego.
Im black I own a vending and ATM company here in Houston let me give you my experiences. I have been somewhat successful but only for one reason. No one knows Im the owner. When I started out I had minimal steady growth some of my machines were boycotted,plugged out,vandalized or not used once the location figured out I was the owner. So now I hire a white lady to answer the phones handle accounts and my white friend to pretend hes the owner LoL I am just the "deliver" or "route" guy. I don't tell anyone Im the owner and when I told other black business owners they laughed at me and said yeah you never say you are the owner. Since then business has boomed. A fact in Houston is many of your customers will be non black and many non blacks here are very prejudice and don't want you in their business if you are a black owner hence hampering your growth.
Im black I own a vending and ATM company here in Houston let me give you my experiences. I have been somewhat successful but only for one reason. No one knows Im the owner. When I started out I had minimal steady growth some of my machines were boycotted,plugged out,vandalized or not used once the location figured out I was the owner. So now I hire a white lady to answer the phones handle accounts and my white friend to pretend hes the owner LoL I am just the "deliver" or "route" guy. I don't tell anyone Im the owner and when I told other black business owners they laughed at me and said yeah you never say you are the owner. Since then business has boomed. A fact in Houston is many of your customers will be non black and many non blacks here are very prejudice and don't want you in their business if you are a black owner hence hampering your growth.
Full of what? Sadly that's how the world is sometimes. I believe I lost at least 10 to 20 accounts when starting out due to my color. Yes its very sad most likely you are not black and are blind to it. Even my uncle owns many rental homes he tells people hes the maintenance man.
Nairobi, I understand what you are saying. Having a large black community helps if there is great apathy towards the black community or individual. Houston is nice in that way. There is a huge black population that is not prospering nor moving up and just getting by - thanks to the low cost of living in H-town.
They claim Houston is good for black businesses. In one statistics , I think close of 80% or so of the businesses have a revenue of 30k - 40k , that ain't business that is just a salary of a receptionist. And most of those businesses are probably from the hair saloon and barber shop.
In order for blacks to prosper they have to trade in with others and I don't see that in Houston - is what I am saying.
Read my previous post. In order to trade in with others you have to take your face off of the front of the business and have someone do that for you. Best thing to do is have a non black person handle the forefront of the business, manager, main contact person etc. Majority of people in Houston that are non black don't want to do business with blacks and its worse if you are a young owner like myself. You have to put in a little trickery and your business will work. Houston is GREAT for building a business but your color will affect you learn to use smoke and mirrors and you will be successful. There is a reason for that revenue average.
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That's not an opinion, that's just FALSE, and by far one of the most ridiculous statements I've heard in a while.
