Dear Business Owners, Your Brand Identity Should Never Be Based Solely On Race

"Why I think many black businesses are missing the mark in creating an organizational ethos that delivers consistent customer value-added experiences".

I was initially inspired to write on this topic after reading about the public relations fallout with an Atlanta-based restaurant called The Real Milk and Honey and Social Media Darling/Food Critic, Keith Lee. A quick recap of the situation that unfolded on and off social media last week. First I'll start with the stats: In this corner, you have The Real Milk and Honey In Atlanta, a well-known brunch and breakfast spot. In the other corner, you have Keith Lee, whose pockets hold a bulging 14.8 million adoring TikTok followers, 1.3 million Instagram followers, and a significant presence on YouTube.

Keith Lee's Brand Identity is all about helping small struggling businesses. He is invited by the restaurant owners, or area locals to visit and try the faire of said establishment. Many of these places are close to shutting their doors permanently and Keith comes to understand why they aren't successful. He looks to see if it's the food quality, customer service, or marketing. He shares his opinion about all three and about 90% of the time the establishment is blessed with what has been coined as the Keith Lee Effect. He is the modern E. F. Hutton, when Keith Lee gives the food, and service a good rating, almost instantly the restaurant goes from crickets to winding lines of customers.

Now, back to The Real Milk and Honey, Keith Lee and his family visited their establishment, and let's just say he was not impressed with the level of service he and his family received. It wasn't until they realized who he was that they tried to adjust but if you follow Keith, you know he goes out of his way to be treated like everyone else. He doesn't believe the customer experience should be based on celebrity. Mr. Lee posted his review which always includes kindness and respect towards the business and their employees.

Unfortunately The Real Milk and Honey did not seek out PR and Marketing professionals when they posted their response to his review. It went from bad to horrendously bad. The echoes of Keith Lee's visit actually reverberated with the experiences of many customers who too have felt the same dismay. This snowballed into a nuclear-like PR mess and shined a light on the Atlanta service industry in general in the most unflattering way, particularly black businesses.

I am not speaking about black business in monolithic terms, because there are countless black-owned businesses that are getting it right and doing right by their customers. I am speaking to the black service providers who believe that because you share the same skin color as your customer base they must accept poor service without complaint. We must stop this pathological mindset that utilizes emotional blackmail to get people to accept poor-quality products and services.

As a former business owner, I have to admit I felt a sense of entitlement to black consumers too! But you know what I learned? I learned that I had to earn their support just like everyone else. Black people didn't owe me anything just because I'm black. I don't care how great your shrimp and grits are, you can't build and sustain a business based on that or the fact that you're black. What is your value-add, Is it aligned with what you're customers are looking for? What is your value-added delivery system? How are you translating the values within your business ecosystem?

Remember, it all begins and ends with your why. If you're unclear on your why or your why is just a money grab, you may make it around the block a few times before that car loses steam and dies or a Keith Lee walks through the door.

~Veronica, The Constant Storyteller