Leading Thoughts: Mentor or advocate

A message from:

Mentor or advocate

Before I met entrepreneur and business owner Kevin Nolan, I remember someone told me “don’t mistake this guy for a painter.” Kevin and I were about to serve as panelists together at a business event. While he had started out painting houses, by this time Kevin was a disciplined businessperson who had founded and was leading Nolan Painting. He was also building a reputation as a nationwide consultant who was helping other business owners to be more successful.

A few years later, Kevin was in line to become the volunteer Chairman of The Main Line Chamber of Commerce when I became a candidate to take on the role of President & CEO. Kevin was among those who advocated for me to be hired. Fourteen years later, I still appreciate the confidence he placed in me.  Today, Kevin’s term as Chairman of the Chamber has come and gone. After nine years of service on the Board of Directors, Kevin has gone on to live a life that emphasizes self-responsibility while inspiring those around him. He has run a marathon in every state, sometimes running 26.2 miles twice in a weekend.

And, of course, he has built a thriving painting business in addition to growing the Nolan Consulting Group, which he co-founded with his brother Brian. One of his key strategies has been to market his company by giving back to the community, including sponsoring and organizing runs like The Main Line Chamber Foundation’s annual Main Line Run, for example.

He also has encouraged me and, when he saw the need, challenged me to look at things differently.

Kevin will tell you he made some mistakes along the way. He encountered difficulties and solved problems. That’s part of the job for an entrepreneur. Many of his hurdles are referenced in his new book written with the help of writer and editor Amy Lynch of Fernling Creative. It’s called Organizational Muscle.

Kevin and his new book are at the heart of the Chamber’s Make More Series: Middle Market Business Growth Summit to be held on May 23 at the Radnor Hotel’s new Triple Crown restaurant. Attendees will not only hear Kevin share lessons learned but will also get to share successes with each other through facilitated table discussions.

This event represents the new iteration of the Make More Save More Series, which was launched by the Chamber in 2011 with a successful five-year run. Everything we learned from that series is being incorporated into the Summit and carefully planned follow-up activities. The event will be the first step in a multi-part initiative that will be offered to business owners seeking to grow in 2024.

We want to especially thank our sponsors for the Summit, led by the Kreischer Miller accounting firm, Wells Fargo, the Stradley Ronon law firm and Highmark Blue Shield, with additional support from UBS The Garvey-Clark Wealth Management Group, Meridian Bank, Sherwin Williams and Nolan Consulting Group. Bank of America has stepped up as our first table sponsor, with other sponsorships available to companies seeking to engage with business owners and operators.

Find out more about this important regional event at the Main Line Chamber of Commerce registration page.

Thanks for reading. I can be reached at [email protected].

What's coming up: