Trust ladder

Listed. Claimed. Verified.

Every business on Around The Way shows one of three statuses. Paying doesn't move a business up the ladder. This page explains what each status means, what evidence we accept, who reviews, and how to report a problem.

Browse the directory List or claim a business
Listed

The business has been added to the map. Basic information is present but no one has claimed the profile yet, and we haven't independently confirmed ownership.

What we look at

  • Public sources (website, socials, business filings, community submissions).
  • Enough info to reach the business — usually a name, category, neighborhood, and one contact channel.
Claimed

An owner or authorized representative has created an account, linked it to the business, and now controls the profile — updates, photos, hours, and posts.

What we look at

  • Verified email or phone that matches the business's public contact.
  • A claim submission we reviewed and approved.
  • Ongoing edits attributable to the linked account.
Verified

We've confirmed Black ownership and operating information. Verified listings display the gold shield.

What we look at

  • A signed attestation from the owner (name, title, statement, timestamp).
  • At least one corroborating signal: business filing, credible third-party source, direct outreach, or in-person confirmation when practical.
  • Reviewed by Around The Way staff, not automated.

Who reviews

Around The Way staff — not an algorithm.

Claims and verifications are reviewed by our team. We aim to respond to new claims within two business days. Complex verifications can take longer when we're waiting on documentation or a callback.

Revocation

Status can be removed.

If ownership changes, a business closes, or new information shows a verification was granted in error, we revoke the status and note the reason internally. The business is not deleted — the status simply returns to Listed or Claimed.

Report a problem

See a listing that looks wrong?

Every business profile has a "Suggest a correction" and "Report listing" action. Corrections and reports go to the same review queue as claims. We follow up on every submission.

Open the directoryRead the Trust Center

This page is maintained by Around The Way to describe how we assign status to listings. It is not an independent certification. Paid partner tiers add visibility across Around The Way's own placements only — they don't grant Verified status and never appear inside Kin+ editorial.