“NAWBO-Indianapolis impacts, influences and propels Indiana to be a leading state for women-owned businesses.”
That mission statement for the Indianapolis chapter of the National Association for Women Business Owners carries with it a lot of weight, but it is something President Judy Montgomery truly believes.
“We repeat it – we breathe it, eat it and sleep it,” she said.
The Indianapolis chapter of the not-for-profit organization currently has 270 members and 63 corporate partners. It is the fastest-growing and third-largest chapter in the nation.
“What sets us aside is we have an extremely active board of 17 dynamic women,” Montgomery said. “We’re one of the few chapters that have an executive director and an assistant, and this is in comparison to Chicago and Orange County (Calif.).”
By being a woman business owner, the only other requirements to being part of NAWBO is having an interest in the organization and paying membership dues once accepted.
NAWBO membership has many benefits, including luncheons, trainings and education events such as the series the organization held called, “Politics and Public Policy,” which educated members on how to work with the government and how important it is for business owners.
“We are constantly educating and bringing opportunities to our members,” Montgomery said. “A corporate partner of ours is Eli Lilly – it just doesn’t get better than that. When you have those names out there that are supporting women businesses, it’s very impressive.
“We have several board members that are stakeholders for the new Wishard,” she said, adding that there are also board members on the NFL 2012 Super Bowl Committee.
Once they become members of NAWBO, women are listed in the member directory, which companies interested in working with women-owned businesses can access.
Aside from business opportunities that NAWBO helps facilitate, at its base are the relationship possibilities with other members.
“I hate to say fellow members; we’re all friends. It’s a camaraderie you don’t have in a lot of other organizations,” Montgomery said. “One thing about women business owners is that we all have similar issues.”
Women-owned businesses are now the fastest growing businesses. This is something that NAWBO-Indianapolis Executive Director Stacy Shew contributes to the qualities women possess that turn into successes.
“In this economy, with the women I’ve met, they have reinvented themselves,” she said. “They’ve taken their strengths, attributes, knowledge and expertise and turned it into a business and made it a success.”
While women-owned businesses continue to grow, NAWBO-Indianapolis continues to support them while also having a strong stance on diversity.
“We have a very diverse board,” Montgomery said. “Our membership is diverse. That has always been part of our mission statement: to be across the board.”
NAWBO-Indianapolis also plans to support this year’s Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration by purchasing a table at the corporate luncheon as well as attending various events.
“Each year we partner with the Minority and Women Business Resource Fair in July. We also look for partnership opportunities at Summer Celebration,” Shew said. “We partner with several different organizations and agencies to support minority, women and veteran-owned businesses.”
Now is the time of year when NAWBO-Indianapolis board members start to look to the future of the organization, which will include big changes for the chapter.
“We’re hoping to have a national convention in Indianapolis which will bring women from all over the world to our beautiful city,” Montgomery said. “We are helping sponsor with the NFL a breast tissue gala. Indiana has the only breast tissue bank in the world. The NFL has sanctioned this city and NAWBO to have a gala in support.”
However, it will always remain a goal of NAWBO-Indianapolis to continue to grow in members and corporate sponsors.
“Our members support one another, do business with others and are involved on city and community levels and really aspire to be the best that they can be in whatever area,” Shew said. “The actions are genuine, but also intentional. That makes a difference when you genuinely care about something and you know what your goal is and you seek that out.”
