The week Leila Spann was laid off — again — she didn’t panic. She didn’t rush to find a new job. She did something radical: she stopped.
She looked at her daughter, took inventory of her exhaustion, creativity and ambition and gave herself permission to do what women are rarely told they can: begin again.
“I was tired of being disposable,” Spann said. “Three layoffs in seven years, and I was still performing at a high level. I realized it was never about my value — it was about the system. And I didn’t want to keep fitting into something that clearly didn’t fit me.”
That turning point became the seed for enbloom Marketing, a brand, strategy, and storytelling consultancy that helps mission-driven companies, especially those in healthcare, technology and education, ditch reactive tactics in favor of clear, cohesive marketing strategies.
“I wanted to help organizations be as intentional with their marketing as they are with their mission,” Spann said. “So many leaders are stuck in survival mode, just posting and emailing and hoping something sticks. I help them slow down and make every touchpoint count.”
Before starting enbloom, Spann had built a career working in high-pressure, fast-paced environments. She scaled mission-focused brands, led marketing teams at tech startups, managed national campaigns for legacy names like Ball and Kerr Mason jars and launched the marketing campaign for the new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Indianapolis. Her work earned her a place on the 2022 Indianapolis Business Journal Tech 25 list, recognizing her impact and leadership in the tech sector.
But over time, it became clear that professional success alone wasn’t enough. She felt a deeper purpose calling, one that couldn’t be fulfilled within the confines of burnout and business as usual. After giving birth to her daughter and battling postpartum depression in silence, something in her broke open.
“My daughter was watching. I couldn’t keep climbing a ladder that led away from the life I actually wanted or the legacy I wanted to leave behind,” Spann said. “I needed to create something that allowed me to be present, creative and free — something she could be proud of, too.”
Launching enbloom was more than a career pivot — it was a lifeline.
Spann poured herself into the brand, driven by a renewed sense of purpose and a vision for doing business differently. She transformed the setback into an opportunity, creating a standout marketing campaign that led to “Indianapolis Business Journal” coverage. Within six months of taking the business full-time, she had replaced her income and was awarded the Indiana Latino Expo’s 2024 Indiana Latino Female-Owned Business of the Year, a milestone that affirmed not just the success of the business but the heart behind it. Her growth didn’t come just from strategy; it came from alignment, authenticity, and a clear sense of purpose.
“I stopped measuring success by outside standards and started focusing on building honest, intentional relationships with clients who value clarity, creativity and purpose as much as I do,” Spann said.
That alignment led her to NAWBO Indianapolis, where she now serves on the BOSS LADIES task force. For Spann, it was one of the few times she felt surrounded by women who truly got it — the juggle, the ambition, the grit behind the gloss.
“I’d been in so many rooms where people performed success,” she said. “NAWBO was different. It was real women, building real things and lifting each other along the way.”
As part of the task force shaping this magazine, Spann has been instrumental in amplifying the stories of women who’ve carved their own paths — often quietly, often against the odds. Her work mirrors this.
“I want other women, especially moms, to know they’re not alone,” she said. “So many stories of motherhood tell us we have to let go of our dreams to be devoted mothers. I don’t believe that. We can lead with purpose, honor our ambition and bring our dreams to life — not in spite of motherhood, but alongside it. You can build something beautiful from right where you are.”
Spann is living proof. From setbacks to blooming, she’s rewriting the rules — and helping others do the same.
This article is part of 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.
