By Beth Boeh, Founder & CEO, Boeh Agency

In December, we received approval for recertification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE).

It was a relief—and a quiet moment of pride.

WBE certification requires annual renewal, and while this was only our second recertification since first being approved, the process remains a significant lift each time.

Paperwork.

Documentation.

Time away from client work.

Real money.

So it felt like the right moment to pause and reflect on why this matters to me—and why we continue to do it.

The Easy Choice

If I’m being honest, it would be easy to let it lapse.

We don’t lead with our certification in every conversation. I don’t believe a credential alone defines who we are. You can look at our team and clearly see that we are women-owned.

And in today’s climate—where conversations around diversity and inclusion can feel increasingly scrutinized—it can feel easier and simpler to stay quiet.

But since I’ve never really been known for taking the easy route (even when I probably should!), opting out didn’t feel quite right either.

The First Time Was a Lift

Boeh Agency was first certified through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) in 2023.

At that point, we were a much smaller agency, without a lot of extra bandwidth. The certification process required deep documentation of ownership, leadership, financials, and day-to-day operations—and it took real time and focus at a moment when we definitely didn’t have everything in perfect order.

It would have made sense to wait.

Instead, we chose to do the work early—to build accountability into the business rather than treat it as something to address later. That initial effort set the tone for how we approach renewal now: intentionally and thoughtfully.

What This Certification Represents (to Me)

WBENC is the nation’s leading third-party certifier of women-owned businesses.

Their process confirms that a business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman—and that those roles are real and sustained.

For me, certification isn’t about a logo.

It’s about accountability.

It’s about transparency.

And it’s about choosing to be verified, not just self-identified.

It’s also about acknowledging a simple truth: for a long time, many people—women included—were not given the same access to capital, contracts, networks or decision-making tables. Not because they lacked talent or ambition, but because the systems weren’t built with them in mind.

Programs like WBENC don’t “give” anyone an advantage. They create visibility and access in spaces where it hasn’t always existed—and invite organizations to widen the table rather than guard the seats.

I don’t believe certification defines who we are—but I do believe it asks us to stand behind what we say we value, especially when that requires effort.

Where We Are—and Where We’re Going

I also want to be honest. We’re not a perfectly diverse team.

I’m not claiming we are.

What we are is a growing group of people who value different perspectives, backgrounds, and ways of thinking—and who believe better work comes from broader viewpoints.

Interestingly, one of the ways our team has become more diverse over time is by hiring more men.

Diversity isn’t one-dimensional. It’s not a single metric or visual shorthand. It’s about balance, inclusion, and creating space for people to contribute fully.

Why It Still Matters

I know conversations around diversity and inclusion can feel charged right now.

I also know how easy it can be to either over-explain or stay silent altogether.

For me, renewing our WBENC certification isn’t about making a statement.

It’s about staying aligned with the values I used to start this company in the first place:

  • Choosing integrity even when it takes more effort
  • Supporting systems that promote accountability and access
  • Believing progress doesn’t require perfection

Progress doesn’t happen by opting out.

Why It Matters to Our Clients

For our clients, our WBENC certification isn’t about optics—it’s about how we operate.

It reflects a commitment to transparency and accountability in how we build and run our business. It signals that we’re willing to hold ourselves to standards beyond our own internal definitions—and to do so consistently, not just when it’s convenient.

Many of the organizations we work with—especially in the water sector—are navigating complex stakeholder environments, evolving expectations, and increased scrutiny around how values translate into action.

We understand that tension. We live it too.

Choosing to maintain our WBENC certification is one of the ways we align our values with our work—and bring that same level of thoughtfulness, integrity, and realism to the partners we serve.

Choosing the Work

WBENC recertification takes time.

It takes focus.

It takes resources.

But it also reinforces something important: my values—and our company’s values—aren’t situational.

I don’t expect perfection.

But I do expect commitment.

And this is one way I continue to show it.

 

Boeh Agency is certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women.