Message Medium

What Message Medium does

Message Medium is a New York-based digital marketing agency and education company founded by Maisha Walker in 1996, operating as an expertise-as-a-service business rather than a software platform. The firm helps small business owners and consumer brands build dynamic, visible, and profitable online presences through website design and development, SEO, email marketing, social media advertising, Google Ads management, eCommerce setup (with a particular focus on Shopify), and analytics implementation. Its named client base includes Mars Chocolate, Columbia University, Unilever, Yellow Tail Wines (WJ Deutsch), Save the Children, Red Mango, Nine Walks Wine, and a celebrity-founded brand (Kyle Lowry's FAMJUICE), alongside numerous SMB engagements sourced through SCORE seminars and similar channels.

Name

Message Medium

Legal name

Message Medium

Website

https://messagemedium.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Message Medium is a New York-based digital marketing agency and education company founded by Maisha Walker in 1996, delivering workshops, masterclasses, and consulting services on SEO, eCommerce, and digital marketing to small business owners and consumer brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Workplace Accessibility, Adoption & Change Management (Digital Adoption, training, comms) (BPAEAIAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Foundational Computer & Device Literacy (EDAAAIAA)

Keywords

• Digital marketing services
• Website design consulting
• ECommerce training programs
• SEO consulting agency
• Digital marketing education

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Paid Educational Programs: Revenue from paid masterclasses and workshops including eCommerce Digital Marketing Masterclass ($397 for 3-part class) and Tech Support sessions ($50 per group session).
2. Digital Marketing Services/Consulting: Agency services for building websites, digital marketing campaigns, and strategy for small businesses and brands. Accessed via 'How to Hire Us' inquiry.
3. Free Educational Content: Free workshops, checklists, articles, and tutorials used to build audience and generate leads for paid services. Newsletter reaches 10,000+ subscribers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Message Medium is a digital marketing agency and education company that builds websites and runs digital marketing campaigns (SEO, email, social, Google Ads, eCommerce) for small businesses and brands. It also sells paid training programs and workshops — including multi-part expert series via Verizon Digital Ready, hands-on Shopify store-building courses via Hofstra University, monthly Tech Support sessions with founder Maisha Walker, and a paid eCommerce Digital Marketing Masterclass — targeted at small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Product overview

Message Medium is a digital marketing education and consulting company founded by Maisha Walker, offering a portfolio of training programs, workshops, and resources for small business owners. The core offerings include multi-part expert series (Ask the Expert: eCommerce Series, Ask the Expert: Email Marketing 7-Part Series, and Ask the Expert: Digital Marketing Fundamentals Series) delivered in partnership with Verizon Digital Ready; hands-on Shopify store building programs (Build & Launch Your Shopify Store in Six Hands-on Sessions partnered with Hofstra University); and recurring Tech Support sessions with Maisha offering direct help with digital marketing implementation. The product portfolio is complemented by free Digital Marketing Checklists (Web Site, Digital Marketing, eCommerce, Google Ads, Facebook Advertising, Tech Stack), the Quiz-a-palooza educational content series, Inc. Magazine column articles, and legacy workshop programs like Growing Digital (2014) and the NYPL Online Customer Acquisition Series. The company does not offer a software platform but rather expertise-as-a-service through training, consulting, and educational content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Marketing Consulting & Agency Services Custom digital marketing strategy, implementation, and consulting engagements for small businesses and consumer brands. Covers website design and development, SEO, email marketing, social media advertising, Google Ads management, eCommerce setup, and analytics. Accessed by clients via the 'How to Hire Us' inquiry channel.
• Ask the Expert: eCommerce Series (Verizon Digital Ready) 6-part training series teaching entrepreneurs step-by-step to build, launch, and optimize online stores. Covers platform selection, product organization, policies, shipping, visual branding, design, and advanced features like wishlists and reviews. Delivered through Verizon Digital Ready for small business audiences.
• Ask the Expert: Email Marketing 7-Part Series (Verizon Digital Ready) 7-part email marketing training covering foundational strategy, platform selection (Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Constant Contact), automation setup, newsletter creation with AI, community building, and lead magnets. Delivered through Verizon Digital Ready for small business audiences.
• Ask the Expert: Digital Marketing Fundamentals Series (Verizon Digital Ready) 3-part series covering where to show up online, how to prioritize digital foundations, and connecting tech stack so marketing works. Includes Google Business Profile, website, email, analytics, ad tracking, and social media. Delivered through Verizon Digital Ready.
• Build & Launch Your Shopify Store in Six Hands-on Sessions 6-session hands-on training program (free through Hofstra University partnership) guiding participants through Shopify store setup including legal/technical setup, payments, shipping, product uploads, theme selection, photo enhancement, hero images, AI-assisted page writing, email marketing setup, domain connection, and launch.
• Tech Support with Maisha Monthly group tech support sessions offering 10-minute hands-on help segments for entrepreneurs and marketers. Covers Shopify store setup, Mailchimp/Klaviyo welcome series, Facebook/Instagram ads, Google Analytics 4 setup and reports. Priced at $50 per group session.
• eCommerce Digital Marketing Masterclass 3-part paid live online masterclass ($397) covering eCommerce platform selection (Shopify, WordPress, Magento, Yahoo Store, BigCommerce), store setup, payments, shipping, marketing features, fraud protection, and marketing strategies (email, funnels, Facebook/Instagram ads). Includes a 45-minute private session with Maisha.
• Online Customer Acquisition Series (NYPL) 5-part free workshop series delivered at New York Public Library covering social media advertising, email marketing, SEO, search advertising, and Google Analytics. Supported by NYPL's full marketing reach including homepage feature and email bulletins.
• Growing Digital Workshop Series 7-part workshop series launched in 2014 to help businesses reaching the $1-10 million revenue milestone. Covers SEO, social media, tracking & analytics, social & search advertising, email marketing, mobile marketing, online video, digital strategy/campaign planning, and team building.
• Microsoft Bing Webmaster Roadshow 2014 5-city live event series partnering with Microsoft Bing and Inc. Magazine in which Maisha Walker led discussions with digital marketing experts on the future of search and social media. Cities: Nashville (May 22), Chicago (June 19), Atlanta (July 10), Boston (July 31), Houston (August 14).

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Verizon Digital ReadycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with Verizon to deliver digital marketing education programs including 6-Part eCommerce Series and 7-Part Email Marketing Series through the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready platform. Programs registered through Verizon's dashboard platform.
• Hofstra UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Free Build & Launch Your Shopify Store course in six hands-on sessions. Also offers Digital Marketing 101, Leveraging Email Marketing, and Leveraging Google Analytics workshops through Hofstra's continuing education.
• Brooklyn Public Library - Glow & Grow InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2025Digital Marketing 101 for Beauty Businesses as part of Brooklyn Public Library's Glow & Grow initiative, empowering emerging beauty entrepreneurs with digital marketing knowledge.
• Columbia University Harlem SBDCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2021Maisha Walker serves as Digital Marketing Business Advisor at Columbia University's Harlem Small Business Development Center, providing digital marketing expertise and advisory services to the business community.
• New York Public Library (NYPL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 20165-part workshop series teaching entrepreneurs and marketing professionals how to acquire customers and build visibility through digital marketing. Library featured the series on NYPL Home page, Facebook, Twitter, email bulletin, and quarterly print newsletter. Sessions covered social media advertising, email marketing, SEO, search advertising, and Google Analytics.
• Microsoft BingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2014Selected to lead 5 live events on the future of SEO & Social Media in Nashville, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, and Houston, partnering with Inc. Magazine and Microsoft Bing Webmaster team including Duane Forrester and Bruce Clay.
• SCOREminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for digital marketing workshops including Building a Service Business Website, Leveraging Email Marketing, Digital Marketing 101, Facebook and Instagram Ads, and eCommerce workshops.
• WISE (Women's Information Services)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with WISE for Building a Service Business Website workshops targeting women entrepreneurs.
• HCDC (Harlem Community Development Corporation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Leveraging Email Marketing workshops through HCDC.
• NFL Players AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvited to educate NFL players about building businesses and creating brands that serve them after leaving the field. Led panels at NFLPA Conference.
• Inc. MagazinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured columnist for Inc.com publishing 'The Internet Strategist' blog. Also partnered for Microsoft Bing events and various speaking engagements. Featured speaker at Inc. Leadership Conference and Inc. 5000 conference.
• Deluxe CorpminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServed as keynote speaker for small business forum with Deluxe for Business, a 5-city tour appearing on NBC News.
• Ink from ChaseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted 6 nationwide events interviewing entrepreneurs about marketing strategies in a technological age for Ink from Chase.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DigitalMarketer: DigitalMarketer combines digital marketing training/certification (similar workshops/masterclasses) with agency and consulting services for SMBs. Closest direct comparable: founder-led brand, education-plus-services model, and SMB target market all align with Message Medium's positioning.
• Neil Patel Digital: Neil Patel Digital is a founder-led digital marketing agency (SEO, content, paid media) that also publishes extensive free educational content, tools, and courses. Comparable to Message Medium in combining agency services with content/education as a top-of-funnel channel.
• Single Grain: Single Grain is a digital marketing agency that pairs paid services (SEO, paid media, content) with educational content marketing. Similar agency-plus-content GTM motion and SMB/mid-market customer base.
• LYFE Marketing: LYFE Marketing is a digital marketing agency focused on social media management, SEO, and PPC for small businesses. Closely comparable on SMB target customer, service mix, and education-led content approach.
• Brafton: Brafton is a content marketing agency offering strategy, production, and SEO services with extensive thought-leadership content. Comparable on content-first GTM and agency services for SMB/mid-market.

Broad incumbents

• WebFX: WebFX is a much larger, full-service digital marketing agency offering SEO, web design, PPC, and content services to SMBs and mid-market clients. Comparable on services offered and SMB focus, but operates at significantly greater scale.
• Thrive Internet Marketing Agency: Thrive is a multi-service digital marketing agency providing web design, SEO, social media, and PPC services. Comparable service offering to Message Medium, though at substantially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• SmartBug Media: SmartBug Media is a full-service digital agency with strong focus on inbound marketing, HubSpot, content, and SEO. Comparable services and SMB/mid-market client base, though larger and more inbound-platform-centric.
• HubSpot (HubSpot Academy): HubSpot Academy is a free certification and education platform for inbound marketing, sales, and CRM. Adjacent competitor because it offers free vendor-certified training that overlaps with Message Medium's paid masterclasses and workshops.

Others

• Ramit Sethi's Growth Lab / I Will Teach You To Be Rich: Founder-led education brand that sells premium courses and workshops around business/money topics, with content-led acquisition. Comparable to Message Medium in using a strong personal brand, premium paid workshops, and educational content to monetize expertise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/messagemedium
• Facebookfacebook.com/messagemedium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Message Medium