e.l.f. Cosmetics Revisited: The Broken Brand Promise We Didn’t Expect

August 21, 2025Nina KovnerPodcast

    In this short follow-up episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we’re revisiting e.l.f. Cosmetics, a brand we recently celebrated for its clarity, consistency, and connection with its audience. But something shifted. After releasing their most recent ad campaign that contradicted their values-forward brand and staying silent when their audience called it out, e.l.f. showed us just how fragile brand trust can be.

    In this episode

    • Why your brand promises aren’t mission statements or marketing, they’re a commitment
    • What happens when brands veer from the values they’re known for
    • Why silence can speak louder than any campaign
    • And what salon owners, hairstylists, and pro beauty brands can learn about consistency, courage, and listening when it matters most

    Because brand trust isn’t built by perfection, it’s built by consistency and alignment.

    You can listen to the original episode on e.l.f. Cosmetics here.

    Thank you so much for listening and sharing with your business besties.

    PS: Mentored. with Nina L. Kovner is coming soon. Be sure to follow @passionsquared on Instagram to be the first to know when Mentored. launches!

    Red Lobster: Losing and Rebuilding Brand Trust, One Decision at a Time

    August 15, 2025Nina KovnerPodcast

      In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, I’m diving into the story of Red Lobster’s recent comeback and what it teaches us about brand clarity, decision-making, leadership, and trust.

      From the chaos of the Endless Shrimp promotion to the arrival of new CEO Damola Adamolekun, this isn’t a story about flashy reinvention or performative PR. It’s about showing up, listening, simplifying, and making decisions that align with your brand promise.

      In This Episode:

      ·       How Red Lobster lost alignment with its brand promise and how it showed up to fix it

      ·       Why visible, responsive leadership builds trust (and what that looks like on TikTok)

      ·       The power of simplifying your menu, service offerings, or product offerings

      ·       How to make decisions that strengthen, not dilute, your brand

      ·       Why transparency is one of the most powerful trust-building tools you have

      ·       The role consistency plays in turning things around for good

      And, as always, I connect the lessons back to you, as salon owners, hairstylists, creatives, and pro beauty brand leaders, so that you can apply them in your businesses.

      Plus, I give a little sneak peek into Mentored. with Nina L. Kovner at the end of the episode. Be sure to follow @passionsquared on Instagram to be the first to know when Mentored. launches!

      Thank you for listening and sharing this episode with your business besties!

       

      Rihanna & Fenty: The Power of a Personal Brand in Business, Leadership, and Building Trust

      August 8, 2025Nina KovnerPodcast

        In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we take a closer look at Rihanna, not just as an artist, but as a personal brand that has redefined what it means to lead, serve, and build businesses that matter.

        We explore how Rihanna’s brand began with a purpose, to challenge the lack of representation in beauty and culture, and how that clarity shaped everything from Fenty Beauty to Savage X Fenty. This isn’t about celebrity. It’s about service, trust, and an emotional, human connection.

        You’ll also hear why I’ve decided to transition Passion Squared to a personal brand after 13 years (spoiler: I’ve resisted this for a long time), and why personal brands, when built in service to others, are becoming more powerful than ever in today’s trust economy.

        In this episode

        • The difference between personal and business brands and why both are built around who you serve
        • A breakdown of Rihanna vs. Fenty using Nina’s brand story framework
        • How to leverage your personal brand to grow your business brand
        • What the Red Lobster CEO and ELF’s Twitch strategy have to do with personal brands and leadership
        • Why your brand is not what you do, it’s how people feel when they experience your brand

        Whether you’re a hairstylist, salon owner, creative, or a pro beauty brand exec, this episode will help you rethink how your personal brand can impact your business.

        Thank you so much for listening and sharing this episode with your business besties.

        Southwest Airlines: What Happens When You Abandon What Made Your Brand Different

        July 31, 2025Nina KovnerPodcast

        In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we take a closer look at how Southwest Airlines went from beloved to broken by abandoning the very promises that made them different.

        Southwest wasn’t built by analysts. It was built by Herb Kelleher, a rebellious, people-first founder who believed business and air travel could be joyful, human, and accessible.

        From the single aircraft model to the “bags fly free” benefit to the heart in their logo, everything they did reflected clarity, consistency, and care.

        But over time, the brand lost its edge. Systems aged. Culture shifted. The Southwest key differentiators disappeared. And with them, so did the trust, and also, their customers.

        In This Episode

        • How simplicity creates consistency, efficiency, and builds trust
        • How real culture is built through everyday decisions, not contrived mission statements on a wall
        • What happens when you remove the things that differentiate your brand
        • How brand identity is meant to help tell your brand story
        • How beloved brands break, not all at once, but decision by decision

        Whether you’re a salon owner, hairstylist, or beauty brand leader, this is a reminder: Your brand is a promise. And every decision either keeps it or breaks it.

          If you are a salon owner, educator, coach, or independent stylist seeking more clarity and simplifying your decision making, click here to learn more about Creating Your Awesome Brand, a complete course for beauty professionals.

          Thank you so much for listening and sharing this episode with your business besties!

          Madison Reed: Filling the Gap Between Box Color and Balayage with Clarity of Brand Story and Market Position

          July 24, 2025Nina KovnerPodcast

          In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we take a closer look at how Madison Reed filled the gap between drugstore box color and major salon transformations by knowing exactly who they serve, what those clients value, and how to deliver consistency at scale. Madison Reed isn’t stealing your clients. They’re speaking directly to the consumer who values the solutions they offer.

          We explore how their simple, focused menu and product offering, Limitless Pro+ membership, and multi-channel strategy reflect a crystal-clear brand story, and why some clients will always prioritize simplicity, frequency, and comfort over complexity and transformation.

          We also examine the deeper lessons behind trust, market position, and the pandemic-era controversy around at-home color kits, because sometimes what looks like competition is an invitation to find more brand clarity, staying focused on what your clients need, and always keeping lifetime client and customer value in mind when making decisions.

          In This Episode

          • The price pyramid and Madison Reed’s middle-market position
          • Why some consumers seek simplicity, not transformation
          • The Limitless Pro+ membership and brand story alignment
          • What the salon industry can learn from pandemic color kits
          • Why losing a client isn’t always a failure, and how it is an opportunity to seek deeper understanding and clarity
          • The OPI TikTok moment and what it can teach us

          Because when your brand story is clear, you create a connection. And when you meet your clients where they are, you build trust that lasts far beyond a box or tube of color or one visit to the salon.

          If you are a salon owner, educator, coach, or independent stylist seeking more clarity and simplifying your decision making, click here to learn more about Creating Your Awesome Brand, a complete course for beauty professionals.

          Thank you so much for listening and sharing this episode with your business besties!