In the competitive world of marketing, being a "one-stop shop" is a powerful advantage. For Shiffy Kish, founder of Sky Media in Brooklyn, that versatility— from developing brands’ visual identity and messaging to creating music videos and large-scale immersive events — is the foundation of her business. But while Sky Media had the creative bandwidth to handle any project, Kish knew that to reach the next level of growth and to access government opportunities, her agency needed a different kind of tool: New York State MWBE certification. 

The Path to Certification 

The inspiration to seek certification came from a Sky Media  client. Kish noticed the NYS MWBE certification decal on the website footer while developing marketing materials for the client and realized that becoming a certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) was the logical next step to expand into the public sector for her firm. 

"It felt like a great resource to access a lot more potential business," Kish says. While her firm was already well-established with corporate clients, the certification process offered a bridge to New York State opportunities. 

Kish found the process very straightforward. By organizing her business documents and keeping them easily accessible, she was able to navigate the application requirements on her own. Thanks to New York State’s streamlined initiative to support minority and women-owned businesses, Kish received her certification in just 90 days. She credits the helpfulness of the state analysts, particularly noting the support of Marvin Tatum, who works hard to ensure eligible businesses like hers could efficiently and successfully cross the finish line. Tatum was “very understanding and patient when it came to gathering my documents,” Kish says. “Small business owners don’t always have everything at the ready, and we are still learning. So it’s okay to ask ‘what is that?’ when you don’t understand something” and Tatum was there to patiently guide her. 

Real-World Results 

Since becoming certified in early November 2024, the impact on Sky Media has been substantial. Kish didn't just wait for opportunities to come to her; just a week after she was certified, Kish attended the NYS MWBE Forum, where she signed up for agency procurement notification lists, and began networking with procurement decision-makers. 

The results speak for themselves. Sky Media has already secured, or is finalizing, projects with several major entities becoming repeat clients, including: 

• NYRA (New York Racing Association) 
• Bed Stuy Family & Health Center 
• NYS Homes and Community Renewal (NYS HCR) 

Sky Media has grown their team to help with growing their public sector business. This public sector growth has contributed to the need for Sky Media to move to a new, larger location in the Borough Park section of Brooklyn to accommodate their expanding team and bandwidth. 

Advice for Fellow Entrepreneurs 

For Kish, the most important lesson learned was the value of being proactive and humble. "Don't be afraid to ask questions," she advises. "It doesn't reflect poorly on you if you're new to the game. People at these agencies are often very forthcoming and want to help you navigate the ropes." 

Kish found that when you approach the certification and contracting process with a willingness to learn, the MWBE community is available to offer support. 

Today, Sky Media continues to serve its deep roster of corporate clients while simultaneously building a robust portfolio of government work. For other women entrepreneurs who may be on the fence about certification, Kish’s message is simple: the free resources are there, the process is faster than ever, and the opportunities are real.