Yo no soy boricua

[your_good_sons]

I am not Puerto Rican. I was wondering about a long time repeat customer who I have not heard from in over a year. I am browsing the Facebook pages of some competitor not far away. He is Puerto Rican. There's my customer giving him glowing reviews. There's pictures of her house. He lays flooring too. That's where they connected, last November he replaced the vinyl in her kitchen. He cleaned some upholstery I cleaned 3+ years ago, back in February. There was a statement in the before cleaning photo that it was "just cleaned by another local cleaner" and the after nice and clean. There are photos of him working on her carpet. All the comments were posted by people with Spanish last names. About half the comments were in Spanish. I live in a city of about 25,000. About 12,500 are Hispanic. Probably 5,000 Mexican and Central American, many illegals. About 5,000 Puerto Ricans who moved up from NYC in the last 10-15 years. About 2,500 are Dominicans, Cubans, etc. I'm pretty sure white is the smallest group in my city, but still about 50% in my zip code. I actually do less and less in my city and the immediate surroundings. I attribute that to the high poverty rate. Now I see I'm losing a big chunk to "one of their own". This really bothers me. People will not do business with people who are not one of their own sometimes.
I have a nephew who is half boricua. My brother-in-law was his mother's 2nd husband. She died when he was 9 of cancer. He has no contact with his biological father. I don't think he ever did past age 1-2, but he still identifies himself as boricua, even though he doesn't speak much Spanish, at least sometimes. He has a job that went from full time to part time not too long ago. I'd hate to use him as a token employee because of his background. I just hate losing customers because of who I am.

 

[Jeremy N]

It is a fact of life. You just have to roll with the punches and make the changes necessary to keep moving forward.

 

[Desk Jockey]

It seems like a foolish decision to choose services based on ethic background. We clean for a very small percentage of Hispanic's, probably less than 1%, mostly due to our rates.

In fact one of my favorite comments was from an affluent client, the first time we cleaned for him. He asked our tech's what ethic background "Chavez" was. They told him Mexican and he said "they sure don't charge like Mexican's!".

Personally I don't choose by race or ethnic background when looking for service. I ask friends and acquaintances whom they use and are happy with. Who's the best?

 

[Connor]

Hey, I'm not Puerto Rican, too!


I'm a jerk.

 

[dealtimeman]

Hey I am Puerto Rican! And Dominican! Send them my way!

 

[Goomer]

Hey I am Puerto Rican! And Dominican! Send them my way!

You best be picking one or the other.

Around my way, making the mistake of labeling a Puerto Rican as a Dominican is considered highly offensive, and can often lead to serious bodily harm, often inflicted by one of a wide variety of small, easily concealable edged/penetrating hand weapons, which seem to be a favorite amongst a vast majority of the urban Hispanic population.

 

[dealtimeman]

Mom is Pureto rica and dad is is Dominican. But the fact is I am american and that is what counts!

 

[Desk Jockey]

So where does "Lockhart" come from?

 

[dealtimeman]

Great grandfather was An English plantation owner.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Damn, no need to get uppity.


Mine was a slave.

 

[lust1kiddo]

If I was you papo...I would just hire a Puerto Rican and teach him how to clean and pay him well. I am Boricua/Ukrainian so I get to play both sides..try and work your business into the community. Trust me..hispanics dont hate white people. We aint going to mexican lawyers and doctors..but we do support our own when it comes to small business etc. Again..be smart about it and you can start printing money again.