Why cultural fluency is the key to customer loyalty and business growth – Joycelyn David

In a globalized, borderless economy, cultural fluency—not just traditional DEI training—is fast becoming a make-or-break skill for small businesses. On the most recent episode of The Small Business Show, we sat down with Joycelyn David, bestselling author of The Multicultural Mindset and CEO of AV Communications, to explore how embracing cultural fluency can unlock growth, drive team engagement, and give small businesses a competitive edge.

David defined cultural fluency as a deeper, more nuanced understanding of people from different backgrounds, going beyond ethnicity or skin color. Unlike DEI initiatives that have become politically charged or deprioritized in recent years, cultural fluency focuses on fostering authentic, human connections across differences. David credits this mindset with tripling her agency’s size since acquiring it, proving it’s not just the “right” thing to do—it’s a growth strategy.

While some companies have distanced themselves from DEI under the current U.S. administration, David believes the pendulum will swing back as consumers demand more inclusive experiences. In fact, she sees this moment as a major opportunity for small and mid-sized businesses:

“For brands, especially small businesses... it represents a tremendous opportunity for small to medium-sized businesses… to connect with their customers authentically and understand why they buy.”

To start building cultural fluency, David offered three actionable tips:

• Start with leadership: Business owners must examine their own biases and have conversations that stretch their comfort zones.

• Create cultural immersion moments: Celebrate diverse holidays like Lunar New Year, Ramadan, Hanukkah, and more—not just Christmas.

• Hire people who aren’t like you: Diverse teams bring new perspectives that prevent cultural missteps and spark innovation.

She also emphasized that inclusive internal practices don’t just support better customer service—they’re essential to attracting and retaining talent. “If you’re not paying attention in this area, you’re going to lose customers and the talent needed to grow your business,” she said.

Whether helping a retail client train their frontline staff in multilingual greetings or guiding large enterprises through cross-cultural communication, David’s message is clear: thriving in today’s marketplace means thinking borderlessly—and leading with cultural awareness.