In business, we often talk about strategy and systems, but rarely about creativity. However, art holds lessons for both. The process of making figurative paintings, experimenting with acrylics, or even working on large-scale canvas can teach resilience. It can help you cast vision and have courage to experiment. Creativity, when nurtured, becomes a powerful tool not only for artists but for anyone seeking inspiration in their work and life.
In this episode of The Best Business Podcast, Daryl Urbanski welcomes artist Leslie Nolan. She is a painter and creativity coach who helps entrepreneurs have the courage to create their best work. For over thirty years, she was the Founder and Creative Principal of Nolan Design. Her contemporary symbolist artwork have been showcased at the United Nations World Conference. Today, Leslie works with clients worldwide through workshops, private coaching, and online programs. She has guided them to overcome blocks, reconnect with inspiration, and unlock their true creative genius.
Curious about how creative work intersects with business? This episode offers vivid perspectives and inspiration rooted in real work. Discover how Leslie’s journey from a government career to painting reinvented her creative life. We’ll dig into her show history and how she consults and teaches others to unlock their imagination.
Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
- Discover how challenges can actually open the door to creative breakthroughs and a renewed sense of purpose.
- Gain insights into how painting can help you break through emotional blocks and free up your creativity.
- Learn practical lessons on staying inspired, purposeful, and aligned as a creative entrepreneur.
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Episode Highlights:
Awakening Creative Power Through Leslie Nolan's Personal Loss
- Leslie Nolan is an award-winning designer who transformed her career into painting and coaching after rediscovering creativity through personal loss.
- The passing of her father in 2011 became the moment that reignited her emotional and artistic core,
- Her journey shifted from helping businesses through marketing design to guiding entrepreneurs to reconnect with their inner genius.
- She emphasises how challenges, grief, and transitions can spark reinvention and create bold new work.
From Entrepreneurial Roots to a Life in Design and Artwork
- Leslie grew up with schoolteacher parents who modelled independence and service.
- Due to that upbringing and environment, she learned early the importance of self-reliance.
- Watching her mother open a small cafe in New York planted the seed of entrepreneurship and creativity in her own mind.
- Her first jobs, from paper routes to handmade jewellery sales, gave her a taste of freedom in creating her own income streams.
- Freelancing in New York exposed her to managing multiple clients and projects at once, skills that prepared her for building an award-winning design studio later on.
Booking Gallery Exhibits Through Digital Art
- Leslie took one of the first Macintosh classes at the School of Visual Arts in New York.
- Learning to use digital tools gave her the ability to experiment with dynamic colors and tools.
- She invested in her solo Mac before agencies widely adopted it, gaining a competitive edge in producing work that others could not yet replicate.
- This early adoption helped her secure contracts with large firms, including NBC and Madison Avenue galleries and exhibits.
Shifting From Contemporary Exhibition to Breakthroughs
- Leslie began to realise that her design work was not just about creating an image but about empowering business owners to creatively communicate.
- She recalls helping a jeweller during the gold rush re brand his business, a move that eventually grew into a successful kiosk empire.
- These experiences revealed that design could act as a catalyst for transformation.
- Over time, her focus shifted away from marketing products to helping clients unlock the deeper emotional processes behind creativity.
Finding Stillness and Insight When Life Knocks You Down
- Major life changes, including marriage, relocation, Hurricane Sandy, and the loss of her father, left Leslie drained of inspiration.
- Though often described as “the energetic one,” she admitted to losing her creative mojo entirely.
- By returning to painting, she produced pieces that became both an outlet for emotions and discovering her purpose.
- Influenced by consciousness-based mentors, she developed an intention-led approach to painting.
The Power of Figurative and Symbolic Painting in Solo Healing
- Leslie describes painting as a “truth serum,” a process that strips away filters and exposes what is hidden in the subconscious.
- Unlike traditional coaching, symbolic painting allows people to literally see the emotional blocks that hold them back or move them forward.
- Her workshops guide entrepreneurs and individuals through grief, trauma, and reinvention.
- She emphasises that her studio is not just a place to learn technique, but a transformational space.
What Inspiration Entrepreneurs Need Most
- Many entrepreneurs lose their voice when they become trapped in endless “doing” rather than cultivating a deeper sense of “being.”
- Leslie teaches that reclaiming creativity is about listening inward and telling yourself the truth about what matters.
- When entrepreneurs take this step, they often experience pivots in their businesses.
- As Leslie puts it, “Sometimes we’re fishing in the wrong pool and as soon as we move, everything flows."
The Role of Discipline, Curiosity, and Creativity in Success
- Leslie credits discipline and timing that allowed her to sustain decades of work across business and visuals.
- She believes curiosity is “the soul’s flashlight,” pointing us toward opportunities even when the path seems dark or uncertain.
- Building client trust by delivering what they truly need has been a cornerstone of her business success.
- She continues to study, mentor, and refine her craft through cultures and colors in bold artwork in the US and internationally.
Leslie Nolan on Becoming What Her Parents Were – a Teacher
- At first, Leslie resisted the shift from “designer” to “painting coach,” fearing it would mean losing status and recognition in her field.
- Friends, however, always saw her as a teacher at heart, and her eventual acceptance of this role felt like a natural progression.
- Today, she embraces mentoring and guiding visionaries who are ready to step into their fullest creative expression.
- She reminds listeners that reclaiming their mojo means honouring the part of themselves that cannot be forced or hustled.
Leslie Nolan – Art and Creativity Coach, Painter, Curator, & Founder of Nolan Design Studio
Leslie Nolan is a creativity coach and contemporary figurative artist. She helps creative entrepreneurs reclaim their power and vision. In terms of education, she's an FDA graduate who studied at the University of New York, mainly Pratt Institute. She is currently completing her master’s at Rutgers University, Camden. In her practice, Leslie blends scholarship with hands-on practicality.
Her work has been featured in international venues, juried exhibitions, and collaborative projects. This includes the Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City. She has also served as a juror and curator, bringing her expertise in art-making and leadership. Leslie exhibits innovation to diverse audiences, from businesses and government agencies to holistic centers and universities.
As an artist, Leslie’s paintings are known for expressive brushwork, layered hues, and tactile texture. She explores figuration, distortion, and spaces filled with ambiguity. Her contemporary approach to symbolist paintings reflects both vision and vulnerability, sparking dialogue and connection. Whether coaching entrepreneurs or creating images, Leslie is dedicated to unlocking human potential and inspiring breakthroughs.
Expertise: Creativity Coaching · Art-Making · International Exhibitions · Symbolic Artwork
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