By CASEY HARRISON

Dr. Jamyce Curtis Banks remembers the moment the idea sparked.

It wasn’t during a grand event or public celebration. It came quietly, as many movements do — during a conversation when a fellow NAWBO member shared the impact a magazine had made in elevating voices across her own community.

“I sat on a panel with Victoria,” Banks said. “She talked about how her publication wasn’t just a business but a platform — a way to give back. And I remember thinking, that’s what we need in NAWBO. That’s what our members deserve.”

That moment — seemingly small — was the first step toward something much bigger. What followed was the debut of the NAWBO Indy Boss Ladies Magazine, a first-of-its-kind publication from the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Indianapolis Chapter. With nearly three decades of history behind it, the magazine is a powerful new chapter in NAWBO Indy’s legacy — one that reflects what it truly means to lift up, show up and speak up.

For over 27 years, NAWBO Indianapolis has been a haven for women business owners navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. Through networking, mentorship, and shared experience, the organization has supported thousands of women in Central Indiana — many of whom started with little more than an idea and a dream.

“The strength of NAWBO is in our relationships,” Banks said. “But our strength can also be our weakness if we lean in and support each other behind closed doors. We can’t be our city’s best-kept secret anymore.”

Many women in business can relate to this sentiment. Despite owning nearly 40% of all businesses in the U.S., women entrepreneurs still face disproportionate barriers to capital, contracts and visibility. According to the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, women receive only 4.4% of total small business loan dollars, and Black women receive even less.

Jamyce is on a mission to change that — starting with the magazine.

The pages of Boss Ladies Magazine are not filled with celebrity profiles or curated perfection. Instead, they highlight women who’ve built something from the ground up — women who’ve battled rejection, juggled caregiving, reinvested every dollar and kept showing up.

Banks believes that to lift up someone else is to see their potential and choose to elevate them — without agenda or ego.

“That’s what I’m most proud of,” she said. “This magazine will open doors — not for me, but for the next woman. I want to leave behind something useful that celebrates our legacy and inspires the next generation of women in business to lead with excellence.”

Banks knows the power of being lifted up firsthand. When she launched her consulting firm years ago, she faced all the doubts women know too well: “Is this idea good enough?” “Will anyone take me seriously?”

But mentors and fellow NAWBO members helped her build confidence and clientele. Now, she’s doing the same for others, investing her time and energy into platforms that celebrate women doing the work.

But lifting others isn’t enough. Women must show up and be in the rooms where decisions that impact us are made.

“We are the ones holding up the economy,” Banks said. “Women-owned businesses contribute significantly to Indiana’s economy, yet we rarely see that story told, let alone supported and celebrated.”

That’s why this magazine isn’t just inspirational — it’s strategic. Each profile challenges readers to consider what proper support looks like — not just applause but access, panels and paychecks. As Banks reminds us, support means funding, contracts, consideration and commitment.

“When we talk about investing in women,” she said, “we’re talking about hiring and referring them. Putting them in the room. If you want to support women business owners, that’s how you do it.”

And in a world of digital connection and transactional relationships, it’s never been more important to physically show up. Women must continue harnessing and using their voices to advocate for policies and for each other to continue shattering glass ceilings.

“Showing up is not always glamorous,” Banks said. “Sometimes, it looks like taking a call at 9 p.m. to encourage someone who wants to quit. Sometimes it means sitting at someone’s table — not to lead, but to listen.”

And she’s not alone in this effort. The magazine’s creation resulted from a collaborative task force, each woman offering time, talent and tenacity to make the vision real. From long-standing members like Executive Director Lee Ann Richardson, who’s served as the chapter’s steady hand through decades of leadership transitions, to new members eager to connect, this project became a rallying cry for what’s possible when women support and collaborate with each other.

“I’ve had the honor of watching this organization evolve,” Banks said. “And this magazine — it’s the next evolution. It says we’re here. We’re leading. And we’re bringing others with us.”

The timing of the NAWBO Indy Boss Ladies Magazine could not be more urgent. In the wake of policy changes, economic uncertainty, and increased competition, the space for women in business is shifting — and shrinking in some sectors. Without intentional support, the strides women have made risk being lost.

As NAWBO Indy prepares for its annual event in June — aptly titled “Scale Up” — Banks hopes readers will see the magazine as a call to action.

“No matter where you are in your business journey,” she said, “there’s always another level. Scaling up doesn’t always mean more revenue. It might mean mentoring. It might mean giving. It might mean stepping back so another woman can step forward.”

Whatever it looks like, the mission is clear: Lift Up. Show Up. Speak Up.

Because when women support women, entire communities rise.

This article is the first in an editorial series in partnership with Polished Strategic Communications and the Indianapolis Recorder, celebrating the launch of NAWBO Indy Boss Ladies Magazine. Polished Strategic Communications, a woman-owned agency dedicated to amplifying diverse voices in business, education and community, writes and produces the series.