About Us

The VA Black Business Directory (VABBD) was founded in Northern Virginia

The VA Black Business Directory (VABBD), founded in 2020 by Ernisha & Tracey Hall as a non-profit organization with a focus on increasing the overall support of black-owned businesses.

The Virginia Black Business Directory (VABBD) is a unique and dynamic small business capacity building organization specifically designed to connect consumers with black-owned businesses. This makes the VABBD a unique resource for those looking to support local black-owned businesses. Additionally, the VABBD is geared towards providing educational programs, assisting with business development and skills, processes, and resources needed for a small business to thrive. Businesses thrive by providing visibility and accessibility connecting consumers directly with companies through the directory. The VABBD provides a comprehensive catalog of resources where entrepreneurs, small business owners and customers can easily find the products and services they need. We understand the power of cultivating entrepreneurial journeys and inspiring small business growth as a key driver for sustained economic prosperity in the Black community.

According to The State of Working America, there are currently 2.6 million black-owned businesses in America. However, eight out of 10 fail within the first 18 months due to lack of resources and funding. The VA Black Business Directory (VABBD) recognizes that recycling black dollars into black-owned businesses generates wealth within a community that has historically and unfairly continued to be marginalized due to lack of business funding and access to capital to remain open during economically challenging and successful times.

To date, the VA Black Business Directory (VABBD) has continued to increase business memberships through various opportunities. In 2020, we were interviewed by ABC News for a special feature highlighting, “Buying Black,” and the success of Fredericksburg Regional Black Restaurant Week, the Fredericksburg Food Truck Festival, and the Virginia Black Business Expo. That same year, the House of Delegates presented the VA Black Business Directory with a House Resolution (HR 604) for Fredericksburg Regional Black Restaurant Week (FXBGbrw) to express admiration for the contribution and success of black-owned restaurants in the Fredericksburg area.

Our goal as an organization is to ensure that VABBD directory members thrive and achieve generational wealth by creating entrepreneurship opportunities. The VABBD is a community improvement economic development organization focused on capacity building and sustainability of small business.

As of January 2023, we have more than 1250 members representing 1421 organizations and businesses listed in the directory. The VABBD's long term goal is celebrate the success of our members and to aide in eliminating systemic racism while increasing visibility to entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations creating change for our community. Have additional questions, click here to learn more about us.