By: Rovie Erlandez
Tom LeNoble’s life reads more like a Hollywood screenplay than a corporate résumé. Boardroom deals, hospital battles, and personal reinvention intersect in a story that is both extraordinary and deeply human. A former executive at Facebook (now Meta), Walmart.com, Palm, and MCI, LeNoble stood at the forefront of some of the world’s most influential companies. He helped scale billion-dollar brands, worked alongside visionary leaders, and navigated the adrenaline-fueled world of Silicon Valley startups.
But LeNoble’s real story did not unfold under bright office lights or in shareholder meetings—it was written in the shadow of life-threatening diagnoses, personal losses, and moments when everything seemed to fall apart. His upcoming memoir, My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels (early Fall 2025), pulls back the curtain on those defining chapters and reveals the courage, humor, and grit it takes to lead a life well-lived.
LeNoble’s career trajectory mirrors that of a classic American success story. Early on, he contributed to the growth of high-powered companies like Walmart.com(WMT), Facebook (META), Palm (HP), and multiple startups, where the pace of innovation left little room for hesitation. He learned that risk and resilience go hand in hand: “Risk and resilience are partners. You can’t have one without the other,” he often shares.
Yet the same tenacity that fueled his professional ascent was tested in the most personal of ways. “I’ve been told three times I had six months to live,” LeNoble recalls. “Each time, I had a choice…give in or rise up. I chose to rise.”
Those experiences reshaped his outlook on leadership and life. The boardroom taught him strategy. The hospital room, he says, taught him courage.
Reinvention as a Way of Living
For Tom LeNoble, resilience was never about returning to who he was before—it was about becoming someone stronger, wiser, and more authentic. That philosophy fuels his work today as an international keynote speaker, where he shares the lessons learned from both billion-dollar boardrooms and life-threatening hospital rooms. LeNoble has spoken on stages across the U.S. and abroad, captivating audiences of executives, entrepreneurs, students, and community leaders with his message that risk and resilience are inseparable partners.
His talks go beyond motivational storytelling; they are practical roadmaps for navigating uncertainty, leading with authenticity, and embracing reinvention as a lifelong discipline.
In addition to his speaking career, LeNoble built a coaching practice that serves global leaders and changemakers, extending his message into one-on-one and organizational transformations. His influence also reaches into philanthropy, where he is deeply committed to empowering youth, advancing opportunities for women, supporting first-generation students, and uplifting underserved communities.
“Reinvention isn’t a one-time event,” he insists. “It’s a way of living.”
A Memoir with a Message
My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels is not just another executive memoir. It is equal parts personal narrative and call to action. LeNoble urges readers to embrace risk, lead with authenticity, and write their next chapters with intention.
His message is clear: titles and balance sheets do not define leadership—showing up fully does. “Leadership isn’t about titles or balance sheets,” LeNoble writes. “It’s about showing up fully, especially when the odds are against you.”
The book traces his early career in Silicon Valley, his battles with life-threatening illnesses, and his ultimate reinvention as a coach and speaker. Each chapter underscores the idea that setbacks are not dead ends—they are invitations to grow.
While his professional résumé is impressive, what sets LeNoble apart is how he has chosen to use his influence. Beyond the companies he helped scale and the leaders he has coached, he remains deeply committed to causes that matter. From empowering women and youth to supporting arts and education initiatives, his legacy stretches far beyond the tech industry.
In an era when uncertainty defines both business and personal life, Tom LeNoble’s journey offers a roadmap. His story blends the grit of a startup founder, the wisdom of a survivor, and the generosity of a servant leader.
As the release of My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels approaches, one thing is certain: LeNoble’s story is not just about surviving life’s hardest blows—it’s about thriving through them, with courage, authenticity, and an unwavering belief that the strongest chapters are always the ones yet to be written.
