In her 13 years as a Certified Public Accountant, Kenya M. Sykes noticed small businesses owned by African-Americans, women and gays didn’t always have their unique needs met by large firms. In 2008, she set out to redress this discrepancy by founding her own boutique tax and accounting firm, K. M. Sykes, CPA P.C., to focus on serving minority-owned businesses. “[Coming out] gave me the confidence and fortitude I needed to do anything,” Sykes explains. “After coming out, I went on a job interview wearing a man’s suit and button-up shirt. I let my experience and education speak for me–and not my attire—and I got the job.” She adds, “I felt invincible and from that moment on, I have never apologized for who I am and I never will.” Not one to back down from a challenge outside the office, either, Sykes recently launched The New York Women’s Athletic League, Inc., an organization for women’s team sports.
