Baby You’re A Firework

October 24, 2012Nina KovnerHEROES

  “The ordinary man is involved in action, the hero acts. An immense difference.”

 Henry Miller

Jodi DiPiazza, an adorable 11-year-old girl living with autism, uses music to connect with the world.

This video from Comedy Central’s Night Of Too Many Stars brought tears of joy to my eyes, to watch a young artist realize a dream against so much adversity. Beautiful.

It is so amazing what happens when we take a moment to step outside ourselves, and our never ending to-do list, and remember what living is all about; giving back and being of service to others.

If you are having one of those days, all wrapped up in your to-do list and need some inspiration or a reality check, please take a moment to learn Jodi’s story and experience Katy Perry and Jodi DiPiazza singing Firework.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QX-xToQI34I#!

Jodi also loves the Internet, and created her own website when she was just 3 years old.  You can check out Jodi’s website by clicking here.  You can also follow Jodi on Twitter @jodigirl2001.

To learn more about how you can help beautiful young people living with autism like Jodi, click here.

Jodi + Katie are both true heroes in my book.  And I am so grateful to have discovered this story of hope.

(shared with LOVE from your passionista Nina)

It's About People

It’s About People. It’s Always Been About People.

October 2, 2012Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW, HEROES

“We are massively underestimating this culture shift… We are in the era of the humanization of business. We’re living by small town rules again.”

Gary Vaynerchuk

Watch Gary Vee as he passionately shares his thoughts on the social revolution and what it means for our businesses.  Listen at your own risk, lots of f-bombs and passion inside.


What excites us most about the social web for salons is most salons have always acted by “small town rules”.  Salons and hairdressers are social by nature.  Many of you have always cared deeply about your clients, your team and your community.  A big first step is to take all of those values and principles you practice every day and apply them to the web. Ta-Da!

The social web is…
1. About people.
2. About listening.
3. About caring and loving.
4. About building relationships.
5. About meaningful conversations.
6. About giving a sh#t!
7. About authenticity.
8. About saying thank you.
9. About providing valuable + engaging content.
10. About building and growing word of mouth, referrals, organic discovery and your business.

The social web is not…
1. About selling.
2. About spamming.
3. About self-promotion.
4. About collecting likes and fans like baseball cards.
5. About asking people (over and over) to like and follow you.
6. About getting before you give.
7. About hype.
8. About bragging.
9. About posting just to post.
10. About outsourcing. (Can you really outsource listening to your clients? Think about it.)

Now you may be saying, wait a minute, I have to make money to pay my bills and I have to sell more stuff to do that.  We understand, trust us, we have lots of bills too.  With the new social economy and the connected consumer, you must first deliver value on your social pages, just like you do in your salon every day.  You have to earn the business in the social space, not expect it because you have a website and Facebook page.

The first step is to understand, practice and consistently execute Steps 1-9 on the first list.

It takes time, but it is well worth it when you build an engaged community that loves you, what you stand for, the results you provide and they become raving fans on the web which turns into word of mouth and referrals! How awesome is that?

If you are looking for help to better understand the power of the social web and how it can help you grow, click here.  We look forward to hearing from you and growing with you.

PS: This blog post was inspired by two of our social + digital heroes, author of The Thank You Economy Gary Vaynerchuk and author of The End Of Business As Usual Brian Solis.  A big shout out of thanks to these two leaders who speak their truth, how refreshing.

(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)


 

Dad 1966

My Dad, My Hero.

June 17, 2012Nina KovnerHEROES

The Final Analysis Prayer…Dad’s Favorite.

“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.”

Mother Teresa

Dad

This picture was taken in July 2011, Dad asked me to teach him how to use Twitter.  He always had a passion for technology (and Starbucks).  As a doctor, things such as pagers, cell phones (he had one of the first big clunky ones), and online medical research databases helped him save lives.  He also believed so much in the power of social and digital platforms for connecting people and was part of creating one of the first online communities for people in addiction recovery.

Dad 1966

This super cool handsome picture of Dad was taken in October 1966, the month and year I was born. I love this photo and am fascinated that we have taken to Instagram to get the look and feel of “old school” photography. Awesome.

My Dad and I also shared a passion for music.  For Fathers Day last year, he asked me to make him a Lady Gaga CD.  He had read about her in The Economist and Wall Street Journal online. At 74 years old, my Dad, the coolest guy on the planet, was asking for a Lady Gaga CD.  I made many CD’s for my Dad, but this one was extra special, and I had no idea at the time it would be the last CD I ever made for him.  He wrote me an e-mail after listening to it which said: “Born this Way, what a beautiful message. I think I’m becoming a little old monster”.  He even shared his new found love of Gaga with his fellow doctors.

On December 12, 2011, my Dad went to heaven and the world lost the greatest man I have ever known. I miss my Dad so much today, I miss him everyday.  He was the best Dad in the world, so kind, compassionate, smart and funny.  He was also so excited and supportive of Passion Squared, and even though he never got the chance to see us launch, I know how proud he would be of the work we are doing.

A special shout out of love and immense thanks to my partner in passion Gordon Miller for standing by my side through these incredibly difficult 6 months and for allowing me to honor my Dad today on our blog. I heart you Gordon, infinity and beyond.

Wishing all of the beautiful and awesome Dad’s a very Happy Fathers Day.

(shared with LOVE from your passionista Nina)

Lollipop Moments

June 11, 2012Nina KovnerGROW, HEROES

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

Mother Teresa

 

This inspiring video at TedxTalks by Drew Dudley completely re-frames the meaning of leadership, and shows that we all have the power to help change the world by making a single person’s life a bit more beautiful.  All it takes is a making a positive impact on one moment to one person, one day at a time.  WOW.

The amazing industry we play in everyday offers us all so many opportunities to create “lollipop moments” – whether it be for those entering our profession looking for direction, for peers in need of some mentorship, or even for our clients.

If it were not for those who created “lollipop moments” for us, we would not be where we are today, and so we are forever grateful to the people who created them for us.  Do you have a “lollipop moment”?  Think about it.

(shared with LOVE from your pasisonistas Nina + Gordon)

Call Me Point B

May 18, 2012Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW, HEROES

“Dreams are like the paints of a great artist. Your dreams are your paints, the world is your canvas. Believing, is the brush that converts your dreams into a masterpiece of reality.”

Anonymous

 

This awesome TEDTalk by Sarah Kay gives us goosebumps every time we watch it.  Our words, our poetry and our art can be so incredibly powerful- uplifting the minds, hearts and souls of those who hear it, read it, see it and experience it.  WOW!

“If I should have a daughter, instead of Mom, she’s gonna call me Point B … ” began spoken word poet Sarah Kay, in a talk that inspired two standing ovations at TED2011. She tells the story of her metamorphosis — from a wide-eyed teenager soaking in verse at New York’s Bowery Poetry Club to a teacher connecting kids with the power of self-expression through Project V.O.I.C.E. — and gives two breathtaking performances of “B” and “Hiroshima.”

TEDTalks

 

(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)