In Baltimore, a new social shopping platform, Xclusit, is transforming consumers’ engagement with Black-owned businesses.
Vincent Johnson’s Journey
Vincent Johnson, an Ellicott City-based entrepreneur and the CEO of Xclusit, crafted the platform to empower Black businesses.
Johnson, a Vanderbilt University graduate with a master’s in divinity, initially focused on Black economics.
His passion for entrepreneurship led him away from pursuing a PhD, instead dedicating himself to developing tech solutions that support Black-owned businesses.
His journey in the tech world began with his first app, Coupify. Still, through direct engagement with businesses in Atlanta, he realized the need for a platform that catered specifically to Black business owners.
Xclusit
Xclusit stands out with its Instagram-style format, allowing businesses to showcase their products through photos and videos.
This design choice aligns with current marketing trends that favor short video reels, catering to the shorter attention spans of modern consumers.
“Research has shown that you know, the new wave of marketing is short video reels because of people’s attention span,” Johnson told Technical.ly.
“The algorithm, for me, understands and knows okay, you are a business and you are promoting. So because of that, you need to pay to play, you need to pay to be seen.”
The platform operates on a subscription model, charging businesses a $30 monthly fee. However, Xclusit offers the first two months free, allowing users to familiarize themselves with the platform and its benefits.