Company Provides "Hookups" for Black Businesses Offering Discounts

Black Biz Hookup may be the first of its kind – a group buying website whose merchants offering “daily deals” are black owned and operated.

On Feb. 1, Black Biz Hookup launched with 10 businesses in five states. Three weeks later, the company is in eight states and in the next two months, it’s expected to be in 17, the company’s founder Brian Roberson said.

Using the group buying model popularized by Groupon and other sites, the company allows consumers to purchase one “daily deal” that provides discounts on various goods and services from hair, home and child care to dinners, tax preparation and groceries.

But while the businesses are black owned and operated, the customer base is expected to be far more diverse. The site is open to anyone who wants to support black businesses and is searching for great deals on products and services in their city, Roberson said.

Still, before Black Biz Hookup there weren't many places that existed to meet those customers need.

"Just looking at the landscape and seeing how other sites are, we realize there was a lac of black presence in this type of industry," said Roberson, whose educational background is in computer technology.

After they noticed the lack of black businesses on other group buying sites, it took Roberson and his two partners a few months to lay the foundation. They did it with a credit card, desire and a vision.

“We want to help black businesses thrive,” said Roberson, 34, of Atlanta. “In this competitive landscape, they need all the help they can get. It’s all about helping.”

It’s about something else too, “We want to make a mark.”

When Evan Miller, owner of Shear Design Barbershop, went surfing for opportunities to advance his business, he checked out Groupon. But the company, which has thousands of clients and is being sought by Google in a billion-dollar deal, didn’t appeal to the 31-year-old.

He chose to go with Black Biz Hookup instead.

“It’s more focused on black businesses,” Miller said. “The people going on the site may have more of a need of what I have than if I did it with Groupon.”

So far, three people have purchased coupons that offer $15 haircuts for $7, said Miller, who is putting together another packet to promote his second barbershop, scheduled to open in Marietta next month. 

How It Works:

Customers can provide their email address to get the information on daily deals or they can go to the site at:  www.blackbizhookup.com.

For a desired deal, click on the “Buy Now” button, and complete the payment process.

Once your payment is accepted, you will be emailed a link to your coupon.

Black Biz Hookup use affiliates in the participating states to educate black business owners about the site and promote its benefits. So far, the company has 18 affiliates and is seeking more.

There are no upfront costs to sign up with the company, Roberson said. The company takes a small percentage of each hookup that is sold. The amount will depend on the hookup and will not exceed 8 percent, Roberson said. 

Still, despite the popularity of the group buying model, Roberson was surprised to realize many black business owners aren’t familiar with the model.

That lack of knowledge points to a deeper problem.

“They don’t know how their customers are spending their money, who they are spending it with and why they are spending money with the competition,” Roberson said.

“Their customers want to try something they haven’t tried before and they want good deals to do it.”