Beyond the Price Tag: What Black-Owned Businesses Want You To Know
By ESSENCE Staff ·Updated July 29, 2025 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… The New Voices Foundation, an entrepreneur-supporting organization established in 2017, is proud to be a part of the ESSENCE family of companies and organizations. As we look ahead to the next 55 years and beyond, our combined commitment remains clear: to celebrate, support and sustain Black-owned businesses.To mark this important moment, we asked our New Voices Family of entrepreneurs a simple question: What do you need to not just survive, but thrive as a business for the next 55 years?Their answers highlight the support and understanding they need to grow and scale, especially as they face challenges that most customers never see in a market dominated by billion-dollar brands. Here’s what they want you to know.Pricing Is About More Than Profit— It’s About SurvivalFor small businesses, pricing is both deeply personal and a balancing act. Their products and services reflect not just materials and labor (with fair wages) but also the real costs of high-quality ingredients, small-batch production and time-intensive care poured into every order.“Every price reflects more than just the item or service, it includes team wage, gas for deliveries, supplies, software and the time spent ensuring everything is done right. Unlike larger corporations, I can’t operate on razor-thin margins or loss-leader pricing just to attract attention.” —Hyacinth Tucker, The Laundry Basket“As a small, Black-owned brand, I’m constantly walking a tightrope—wanting to honor the cost of quality, custom-made tools while staying accessible to the very community that I created my products for.” —Rochelle Ivory, On the Edge Baby HairEntrepreneurial brands also cannot leverage bulk discounts or operate on thin margins or at a loss to gain market share like larger corporations can afford to. That means pricing can’t match the mass-produced competition. Inventory Management Is Not Simple —It’s StrategicRunning lean isn’t just a choice, it’s a necessity. Without the benefit of expansive warehouses or the bulk-buying power of larger companies, emerging businesses must make razor-sharp inventory decisions to avoid overextending their cash flow and limited storage space.“Our wigs are handcrafted in Atlanta by skilled local craftswomen who are fairly compensated for their work, so each piece in our inventory represents a significant investment before it generates any rental revenue. Shipping premade factory wigs might be more affordable, but we care deeply about quality and want everyone who wears our wigs to genuinely feel luxury.”—Shante Frazier, WellCapped“I have to juggle how much to make, when to restock, how long things will stay fresh and whether I’ll be able to get the same ingredients again at the same price. I also don’t have the space to store tons of product, so I’m constantly rotating my inventory, just to keep things moving and maintain quality. This means sometimes I sell out or there’s a wait. But in return, I offer quality, intention and transparency.” —Desiree Calixte, Easy Oat BurgersManaging inventory is a delicate dance for small businesses, which means that popular items may sell out more quickly, impacting the ability to immediately fulfill all customer orders. Even in digital entrepreneurial companies like BrickRose Exchange, the mental and technological “inventory” of services, platforms and prototypes still requires heavy lifting—and funding.Free Shipping Is Not Free For Small BusinessesConsumers have been conditioned by big retailers to expect free shipping, but this “freebie” cuts deeply into the margins of entrepreneurial companies. Larger brands also benefit from bulk shipping rates and mature logistics networks, while smaller businesses often handle shipping on a more individual basis, incurring higher per-package costs.“Offering free shipping can eat up 50 percent of our profits. For us, that’s the difference between growing and barely breaking even.”—Candy Schibli, Southeastern Roastery“For me to offer free shipping, I would have to increase the cost of my product. This would essentially price me out of the market.” —Brittany Golden, IGL NailsTo compete, many small brands either raise prices to cover shipping or absorb the cost, sacrificing profit that could otherwise support staff, marketing or inventory. This does not amount to greed, it’s survival economics.Customer Service Comes With Heart, Not Head CountWhen you reach out to a small business, you’re often speaking directly with the founder or a small team of employees wearing multiple hats. There may not be a call center or 24/7 customer service support, but there is care and genuine commitment.“We wish more people knew that when they reach out, they’re likely speaking directly with a founder, or someone deeply invested in the brand, not a script-reading rep. Our goal is to deliver excellence, but sometimes it takes us a bit longer because we’re juggling it all.”—Nancey Harris, Vontelle Eyewear “As a small marketing consultancy with part-time subcontractors, our capacity to provide customer service differs fundamentally from larger agencies. Clients should know that personalized attention, care and expertise are cornerstones of our approach, and we make every effort to respond efficiently.” —Kristen Dufauchard, aKrewe NOLA ConsultingFrom personalized emails to tailored product solutions, emerging brands deliver a hands-on, highly customized customer service experience that most larger companies simply can’t match.There’s No “Big Machine”— Just Big PurposeBehind every product or service is a story of resilience, community investment and a dream in motion. Whether it’s Urban GLŌ self-funding a retail space or MelanBrand Skin formulating inclusive skin care for melanated children, these businesses aren’t just building brands, they are building legacies.“We’re not backed by venture capital, we’re backed by values and the village. We are building systems that don’t just sell, but serve.” —Bianca J. Jackson, BrickRose ExchangeBlack-owned entrepreneurial businesses are rooted in purpose and representation, and in redefining what wealth, health and success look like in our communities.What You Can Do: Be Intentional, Be Vocal, Be LoyalThe ask isn’t complicated, but it is critical. If you believe in equity, entrepreneurship and community empowerment, your support must be intentional and ongoing for Black-owned businesses.Paying full price is one of the most impactful ways to help, since discounts can be devastating to small business margins. Sharing their work on social media provides invaluable, free marketing, while leaving positive reviews builds trust and increases visibility. Patience is also key—real people, often the entrepreneurs themselves, are working hard behind every screen to deliver quality and care. And lastly, celebrate these businesses, their missions, products and services, by telling friends, tagging posts and spreading the word as much as you can. Your support isn’t charity. It’s solidarity. It’s empowerment. And it makes all the difference. As Patrice Chappelle of MelanBrand Skin says, “We don’t need saviors, we need shoppers, sharers and supporters. You’re not just buying skin care, you are investing in our children’s future.” Want to take action right now? Choose one of these entrepreneurial brands, follow them on social media, make a purchase or simply share their story. Continued economic empowerment and legacy-building for the next 55 years starts with us.Hyacinth Tucker, The Laundry BasketRochelle Ivory, On The Edge Baby HairCandy Schibli, Southeastern Roastery The post Beyond the Price Tag: What Black-Owned Businesses Want You To Know appeared first on Essence.
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