Today we’d like to introduce you to Silvia Santilli.
Hi Silvia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to the United States from Brazil about ten years ago and had to rebuild both my personal and professional life from the ground up, adapting to a new culture, language, and professional environment. Before relocating, I had already built an entrepreneurial path in Brazil, owning and managing wellness businesses, so starting over did not diminish that mindset.
Living in Miami, I initially entered the visual content world through real estate photography and video, which led me to found Sirena Media in 2018. After the pandemic, both my personal perspective and the company’s focus evolved, creating a clear need for change. I shifted away from highly transactional work and toward more intentional video production centered on storytelling, institutional content, and projects with lasting value.
Today, Sirena Media operates nationwide as a federal contractor, with completed projects for the U.S. Department of Defense through the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). We also hold vendor contracts with the City of Tucson, Arizona, and the City of Seattle, Washington. In parallel, we are currently participating in contracting and procurement processes related to major international events such as the FIFA World Cup 2026, reflecting our ongoing evolution from rebuilding to sustained growth.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges was learning how to operate within complex business and government systems that were not native to me. Navigating contracts, legal language, solicitations, and procurement requirements involved a steep learning curve and constant attention to detail.
Learning how to read and respond to bids, comply with contractual obligations, and complete the certification processes required time, persistence, and a willingness to work far beyond the creative side of the business. Those challenges ultimately led me to pursue local, state, and federal certifications, including Minority Business certifications at the Miami-Dade and State of Florida levels, as well as the SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification. These credentials helped transform early obstacles into a more sustainable and scalable path forward.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sirena Media is a video production company that works with local businesses, state-level organizations, and public agencies. We create video content for corporate use, social media, trainings, and YouTube channels, helping businesses and organizations communicate clearly and achieve their communication goals.
Our multicultural, in-house team speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian fluently, allowing us to serve a large portion of the South Florida community. We handle fully remote projects as well as on-location filming, adapting our production approach to each project’s needs.
We have worked closely with the leadership of the City of North Bay Village on a series of public outreach and community-focused video initiatives, including projects developed in collaboration with the Police Department focused on senior fraud prevention and public awareness. We have also partnered with the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and local businesses across the region.
What I am most proud of is building a company that reflects my own values — professional responsibility, cultural awareness, and reliability. Having a team that works closely together and understands different audiences makes our process more efficient and the work more meaningful to me.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
For me, success means not giving up. It is believing in your dreams and projects, even when they seem completely out of reach. It is allowing yourself to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep going. Success is also about adaptation. When something is not working, I believe it is important not to be afraid to change direction or shift focus. Looking back, the fact that I moved from real estate photography to securing a federal contract with the U.S. Department of Defense in less than six years says a lot about that journey. It reinforces my belief that persistence, flexibility, and the courage to change can lead to outcomes that once felt impossible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sirenamedia.com/
