Erin Dinan is a certified coach, creative leader, and founder of Clear & Inspired. After two decades as an executive crafting powerful strategies and delivering extraordinary results in the retail and fashion world, she found her calling: helping people lead with purpose and live lives they love, making the contributions they are here to make. Through coaching, she supports leaders and creators in getting clear on what matters most—so they can make meaningful impact with more ease and joy. She lives in L.A. with her husband and two daughters, who inspire her daily to stay curious, present, and playful.
Could you elaborate on the nature of your business, highlighting its purpose and the ways it benefits people?
Clear & Inspired is a boutique coaching firm devoted to helping leaders and creators unlock their strengths and maximize their impact. Through executive coaching, group coaching, leadership development, and workshops, we support individuals in redefining success on their own terms—so they can do meaningful work, live fulfilling lives, and create impact that aligns with who they truly are.
At its core, Clear & Inspired exists to support a bigger vision: a more connected, compassionate, and sustainable world. My work—and my life—are guided by that purpose, one empowered leader at a time.
What inspired you to start your journey as a coach and entrepreneur? Were there any specific events, challenges, or people that motivated you to take this path?
Have you ever felt like you’re not enough? Not smart enough, not doing enough, not (insert-anything) enough? It was a regular conversation that I’ve entertained in my own mind for most of my life — and I’ve seen it in so many brilliant, capable people that I’ve known and loved. Becoming a mom amplified it even more. How could we ever do enough at home, at work, for others, and still take care of ourselves?
For years, I tied my worth to achievement and pushed through with stress as a constant companion. Eventually, I asked: What if life didn’t have to be a struggle… what if we could live better? With support from loved ones and my own coaching journey, I began to realign with purpose, joy, and what truly matters in my life. One small step at a time—writing a poem, going to yoga, saying yes to rest—I reclaimed myself.
Now, as a coach and founder of Clear & Inspired, I help others do the same: see who they really are and what they really want, lead with authenticity, and build lives that feel as good on the inside as they look on the outside.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?
We all wear masks—shaped by who we believe we should be or how we’re supposed to act—when stepping into any role. This layer of presence is often shaped by cultural conditioning, life experiences, and natural self-doubt. This is true for both men and women, though we’re conditioned differently, within systems that lead to unnecessary suffering for so many.
Women, in particular, are taught to believe we must do and be it all—while smiling and staying humble so as not to offend. It’s a tough position, especially as more women rise into leadership without many models of empowering, authentic leadership.
I love supporting women—bright leaders and innovative founders—who are ready to use their talents and passion to create meaningful impact beyond the quarterly earnings report. Women who want to positively impact lives, sustain the planet, and lead with intention. Women who are willing to get clear on who they truly are, take off the mask, and let their light shine to guide and uplift others.
Because really—who better to build the empowering organizations, communities, and systems our world needs?
What message/advice would you have for future women leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs?
I love quotes, and one that really speaks to this moment is from Howard Thurman:
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
My advice? Focus your energy on what lights you up. Hold your beautiful vision for your life and work in your heart, and take small, sweet steps to bring it to life. The world needs your talents, your ideas, and your unique gifts.
And when that familiar voice of doubt comes up—ask for support. Call someone who loves you and let them remind you of who you are. Reach out to a coach who can help you find clarity and generate momentum. Build a support system that lifts you up. We’re not meant to do it alone—receiving support is not a weakness, it’s a powerful act of courage and love.
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