A School Stories: Meet Jessica Warburton

June 20, 2016Nina KovnerA School Stories

No one is going to give you permission to live. So get going already. – Kris Carr

As with many of the people in our community that I love and adore, I first connected with Jessica aka @hairhunter via Instagram. Once again, this platform has allowed so many to connect, engage and build life long relationships. When I met Jessica, one of our courageous and selfless military Veterans, last year at the first Butterfly Circus, I fully felt her beautiful spirit and presence. This is her story…

N. What does passion look and feel like to you?
J. One wouldn’t know it by looking at me but I am permanently disabled. (I really despise that word.) I have permanent nerve damage in my hands and feet due to heavy chemotherapy treatments. 6 years ago, I was diagnosed with a late stage of Ovarian canSer. (I misspell it on purpose because it is some added disrespect to a disease that doesn’t respect anyone ever.) I died on a surgery table. It sounds crazy, but for me, passion is that numbness and pain in my hands and feet that I cope with on a daily basis. It drives me in a way that nothing else can. When I have days where I don’t want to get out of bed, I look at a photo taken by my Mom right after the surgeon told her I wasn’t going to wake up. I had a ventilator breathing for me. It reminds me that I’ve been given an opportunity to do something that so many people don’t get after that. The opportunity to live.

N. Why did you join A School?
J. I joined A School because I want more. David and Alexis at the Butterfly Loft gave some crazy kid with a wild Mohawk a chance at that and I have to do my part to keep at it. I’m not all that great at branding and marketing so I look for multiple resources that can give me ideas and push me forward without bringing others down. I felt that Nina and other A Schoolers would be positive additions to the wealth of knowledge I’ve received from my Butterfly Loft family.

N. What have you learned on your journey in A School?
J. In a short amount of time, I’ve learned to set healthy boundaries. I tend to be a bit soft and have a hard time being stern with people. I was in the military for 8 years and had to learn to control that mentality at the same time. I can’t speak to clients like they are soldiers but I also can’t allow someone to walk all over me either. I’m finally finding a healthy balance and more professional ways to deal with issues that may arise.

I’ve also found that I’m far from alone in having certain struggles as a business owner. It is fantastic to have a crew of fellow stylists that I can reach out to and get a plethora of ideas and options when I can’t come up with options myself.

N. Why did you become an owner?
J. I became an independent stylist for so many reasons, but there were two main driving factors. When I started at the Butterfly Loft, I was in a pretty abusive relationship. I needed a way out. I did not beat cancer so that another person could hold me down instead. I knew that I had to leave my comfort zone in order to succeed and to escape. I made a plan when I started at the Butterfly Loft. I told no one of the plan and busted my butt at work. I saved up and it all paid off. These days I am happy, healthy and have my dream job.

N. What is your biggest lesson so far being an owner?
J. My biggest lesson was learning to take risks and get out of my comfort zone. I firmly believe that if I hadn’t taken the leap to being an independent stylist, I would still be in a bad relationship and believing that I’m incapable of work due to a disease. Now I regularly get out of my comfort zone and most of the time, it is worth it. Either I learn that an option won’t work and I find another that does OR I succeed in a way I had not thought possible. I’m okay with both outcomes because I learn either way.

N. How do you handle difficult situations with clients or team members?
J. I often ask David, Alexis and a handful of other mentors for ideas on handling sensitive issues. All of these mentors have been in the industry for a long time and are successful here. By success, I mean that they are happy with what they do. Success is a subjective term and one has to figure out what it means as it is different for everyone. Sure, making money is important but I want input from people who are about more than that. I’ve always looked for lighthouses. Lighthouses guide a ship to safety and success. My lighthouses know who they are and their energy radiates through a building. Those are the ones I need when the waters get choppy.

N. What ONE tool would you say is the most effective in marketing your business and why?
J. INSTAGRAM!!! I have connected with so many clients and other professionals through this social media platform and it has been the best whirlwind. I had never put much thought into it until David and Don (Nothing but Pixies) gave me some valuable career building pointers. Once I started making the adjustments, I saw my career fly.

N. Where does your inspiration come from?
J. I’m a real nerdy, gothy kid at heart. While a lot of my motivation comes from past struggles, I pull inspiration from another part of me. I believe the two are a bit different. I pull ideas for vivid colors from comic books, Tim Burton movies, and Disney. Who am I kidding? ALL of my color ideas come from those things!

N. How do you practice self-care?
J. I firmly believe in working hard enough all year so that I can spend a week doing nothing and drinking crazy colored concoctions out of a coconut with a little umbrella in it. I also know how important it is to take care of my body. I have the joy of visiting my oncologist every 6 months and if I am not eating right or working out, he gets after me in a way that would make my mother envious. I hate going to a gym so I do barre fitness, Pole classes, aerial silks, yoga and I have been roller skating since I was about 4 years old. Basically, if you would see it at a circus, I probably enjoy doing it. I also surf when I can. I’ve been surfing for about 13 years now. I mean, I call it surfing but others might say I just fall off a big stick in the water but whatever. It’s my zen place outside of Disneyland.

N. Coffee Bean or Starbucks?
J. Coffee bean!! I LOVE their tea lattes!

N. Favorite quote?
J. I actually have two favorite quotes.. When I was sick, a friend of mine sent me one that has always remained “It’s not about how you weather the storm, it’s about how you dance in the rain”. The other is one I read in a book by Kris Carr.. “No one is going to give you permission to live. So get going already.”

You can find Jessica aka @hairhunter sharing her beautiful hair stories on Instagram and her website.

A big shout out of love + gratitude to Jessica for sharing her story with us. You inspire me with your courage and bad assery. We are so grateful to be on this journey with you in A School. Thank you for your service!

Love + Awesomeness

-Nina

If you are a creative small biz owner in the pro beauty world and looking for a ton of love, support and help with creating an awesome biz + life, A School may be a good fit for you.

Richelle Brigola Blog Header

A School Stories: Richelle Brigola

May 30, 2016Nina KovnerA School Stories, GROW

If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. My Mom

This A School Story begins with a little bit of history; I have known Richelle since high school. How? We both went to Dana Hills High School in Dana Point and graduated together in the Class of ’84. Richelle and I reconnected (yes, 30th!) at our 30th high school reunion last year, and that is when I learned she had created an awesome life in the world of hair. What a gift it is to work with such a cool human that I have so much history with. Love how the world works. I am beyond thrilled to share Richelle’s story with you…

N. What does passion look and feel like to you?
R. Passion to me looks and feels like that moment when you create an amazing piece of work on a salon guest and think to yourself “Damn!  I can’t believe I did THAT!”.  It’s going to bed at night thinking about what you will be creating the next day in the salon.  It’s waking up psyched to put plans into motion.  It’s realizing that you are looking at everyone’s hair, make up, clothing and in your head you’re giving them a make over.  It’s a constant buzz that doesn’t stop.

N. Why did you join A School?
R. I joined A School out of curiosity… I re-met Nina at our high school reunion.  She told me about Passion Squared, I checked it out, it sounded interesting and I signed up.  It’s probably the best business decision I have made!

N. What have you learned on your journey in A School?
R. My journey with A School has been more than just a learning experience…  A School has given me the confidence and tools to believe in myself and to trust the process. A School has made me feel part of a larger community of caring and supportive individuals.  I have learned not to compare myself, my salon, or work to others.  My journey is my own and it is okay to walk a different path.

N. Why did you become an owner?
R. I became an owner out of necessity… the salon that I was working at was falling apart.  The owner was dealing with some major personal issues which the affected the vibe and community of the salon.  It was never my goal, but I am happy how things have worked out.  I am fortunate to have found a small studio and I have three awesome stylists working with me as independent contractors.

N. What is your biggest lesson so far being an owner?
R. My biggest lesson so far as an owner is sometimes you have to put on the big girl panties and they’re not always comfortable!

N. How do you handle difficult situations with clients or team members?
R. In dealing with difficult clients or team members I try hard to take my ego out of the equation, take a step back and view the situation from the other person’s point of view.  It also helps me to let a little time pass so that I am not reacting. This way,  I can take the time to analyze the situation.  I will admit that I do not do well with conflict. If I am able to make it go away quickly and easily,  I will!  That is not always a good strategy and I am working on that.

N. What ONE tool would you say is the most effective in marketing your business and why?
R. The one tool that is most effective in marketing my business is still word of mouth.  I do post my work on Instagram and Facebook and my clients love seeing themselves or their friends on social media.  I think this helps drive the referrals.

N. Where does your inspiration come from?
R. My inspiration comes from my Mom.  She owned salons during most of my childhood and was a nail tech who developed her own acrylic line.  Interestingly enough, she was a salon owner and doing nails before California required nail techs to be licensed. Sadly, she is no longer able to work in the beauty industry due to health reasons.  I have learned from her the value of believing in one’s self and to take chances… you never know where it will lead you.

N. How do you practice self-care?
R. Practicing self care is just that, practicing… I try very hard to attend CrossFit three times a week, walk the family dog with my husband in the evenings and have regular massage appointments.  I also have started scheduling lunch breaks when I am working.  These things don’t always happen because some days or weeks it’s too crazy busy and that’s okay.

N. Coffee Bean or Starbucks?
R. Starbucks!

N. Favorite quote?
R.”If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” -My Mom

You can find Solo Capelli Salon and Studio Line on Instagram and Facebook!

A big shout out of love + gratitude to Richelle for sharing her story with us. I just love how the universe works and how we have been brought back together, so grateful to be on this journey with you!

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

If you are a creative small biz owner in the pro beauty world and looking for a ton of love, support and help with creating an awesome biz + life, A School may be a good fit for you.

Aura Mae Blog

A School Stories: Meet Aura Mae

May 2, 2016Nina KovnerA School Stories, GROW

“Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

I honestly can’t remember when I discovered the beautiful Aura Mae, but when I did, there was an instant connection. Her spirit is larger than life, and I just knew she was someone special. What inspires me most about Aura is how she has figured out how to do life in a way that feeds her spirit. Whether its creating art with haircolor, or creating art with food, or watching her with her sweet dog Gracie Mae play in nature, Aura just gets it. What an honor it is to share a little glimpse into the awesome biz, and life that is Aura Mae…

N. What does passion look and feel like to you?
A. Passion is the reason I get out of bed. It’s the knowledge that I make a difference and that if I didn’t show up, the world would be a less colorful place. That I matter. That we all matter.

N. Why did you join A School?
A. My salon is celebrating its Silver Anniversary this year. We have survived so much and I wish I could say that it is because of my brilliant business acumen, but it is most likely despite my best efforts that we are still here. Our current focus is on remaining relevant to a new generation of clients. I knew that what I had done in the past wasn’t going to be enough to reach the Connected Generation and I sought out A School to help me understand how to connect with them. Also, I had recently gone through what I call The Dark Night of My Creative Soul where I was struggling to find my passion in my business and in my work behind the chair. I knew that I needed something to help keep me focused and accountable if I wanted the business to survive.

N. What have you learned on your journey in A School?
A. Mostly that I am not alone in my struggles. That running a small, creative business is real work and there is real help available. I don’t have to figure everything out on my own. I can turn to my peers for insight, guidance and support.

N. Why did you become an owner?
A. My college jobs were in food service and medical care. I quickly realized that most of those customers were miserable and more than willing to share their misery with me. My Uncle Mike was a handsome, successful, suave hairdresser and salon owner. During one of my early Saturday morning appointments, I realized that his salon customers were actually happy to be there. I decided that I wanted to work with happy people and I wanted to run a business that created that experience. I left college and signed up for beauty school immediately.

N. What is your biggest lesson so far being an owner?
A. You can’t let toxic staff stay, not matter how much you believe in their potential and your ability to bring them to it.

N. How do you handle difficult situations with clients or team members?
A. I listen (a skill I have worked hard to be better at!) and try to understand their perspective. Then I focus on what I can do to resolve the issue. I am good at helping people reach compromise, but I won’t tolerate unkindness in the salon from staff or customers.

N. What ONE tool would you say is the most effective in marketing your business and why?
A. Because we have been in business so long, most of our new business comes from brand recognition that we have built over time. We have built a reputation for being on the cutting edge of new technology. We were one of the first salons in our area to have a website and online booking. We had a van with a 3M graphics wrap that spread our name well (years after it was decommissioned we were still getting new clients say it was the van that brought them in.) We used to have a 24 hour emergency haircolor hotline (the staff took turns keeping the pager.) We were among the first Board Certified Haircolorists and people know that we will be the first to try new service offerings (like keratin smoothers and Olaplex.)

We’ve tried lots of paid advertising that didn’t show results (newspaper, billboards, tv) and today most new clients say they initially found us online searching “best Tacoma salon” which brought them to our website/Instagram/Facebook/Yelp. By the time they actually get in the chair, they know who we are as a business, which staff they might be best matched with and are already invested in our mutual success! In the pre-internet era, we used to struggle with turning first time clients into regulars. Now that people can learn about us before they come in, we are seeing clients who are more likely to be a good fit from visit one.

N. Where does your inspiration come from?
A. My haircolor inspiration comes from nature. I am known for working with a bright palette and I often try to capture the colors of plants, water, sky and animals in my work.

N. How do you practice self-care?
A. I developed The Aura Mae Way to share with others the pieces of the puzzle I stumbled upon while trying to live my most beautiful life: Eat more vegetables. Spend time outside. Love yourself and others. Find a spiritual practice that speaks to you.

I no longer put my focus on what I don’t want, I just load up on so much of the good that the lousy (thoughts, foods, actions) gets crowded out.

N. Coffee Bean or Starbucks?
A. Gosh, I don’t drink coffee anymore! Guess I have to pick the local business: Starbucks

N. Favorite quote?
A.“Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

You can find Aura’s salon, Azarra Salon & Wine on Instagram and Facebook and be sure to check out her other passion, as the Kitchen Beautician on Instagram.

A big shout out of love + gratitude to Aura Mae for sharing her story with us. You my friend are a total inspiration. We are so grateful to be on this journey with you!

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

If you are a creative small biz owner in the pro beauty world and looking for a ton of love, support and help with creating an awesome biz + life, A School may be a good fit for you.

A School Stories- Meet Priscila Soriano

A School Stories: Meet Priscila Soriano

April 11, 2016Nina KovnerA School Stories, GROW

“To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” Friedrich Nietzsche

It is such a gift to be connected to so many courageous and passionate humans like Priscila. In listening to her journey and passion for both the art of hair and the art of self care, I am beyond inspired. You see, at the end of the day, as leaders and awesomeness creators, we must learn to find our rhythm, and that includes how we will take care of the most important asset we have, ourselves. What an honor it was to get this glimpse into the awesomeness that is Priscila Soriano.

N. What does passion look and feel like to you?
P. Passion to me is an energy that comes from this unknown place within myself. An un explainable energy that pushes me to continue going even when I want to give up. Passion is what gets me up in the morning. Passion is what makes me accountable. Passion is what keeps me on check. Passion helps me believe in the growth of myself and others.

N. Why did you join A School?
P. I joined A School because I felt like I needed to get out of my comfort zone and make very important wise decisions on where I want my career to take me. A School was the perfect match for my personality.

N. What have you learned on your journey in A School?
P. Not only have I learned more about technical computer tech-y stuff but learned to do more soul searching, and just how important it is to stay true to yourself and be authentic to your audience in order to truly brand/market your business and engage. I had never felt more connected (and understanding) to the lessons I learn here.  I love that it goes deeper than learning the “technicals” on how to market your business but the understanding of WHY you want to put yourself out there. A School really makes you think about how you want to create and authentic connection with whomever you’re trying to reach instead of just selling them something or selling yourself. Learning how to create value. Continued education is a priority in my career.

N. Why did you become an owner?
P. I decided to become an owner of my own brand because I want to share my knowledge with the world as I continue to learn and grow. I want to mentor and inspire other stylists to continue going even when things get tough. Being surrounded by so many ass kicking women in our industry was a big push to pursue my dreams. I don’t think I would be where I am and headed where I’m going if it weren’t for them.

N. What is your biggest lesson so far being an owner?
P. My biggest lesson (which I am still learning) so far has been finding the COURAGE to be my true self, making myself vulnerable, And coming to terms with the fact that I am NOT perfect and I will never be able to please everyone! Learning to not take things personally.

N. How do you handle difficult situations with clients or team members?
P. I try to take myself out of the situation and look at it from a neutral perspective (leaving my ego out, yet staying human) so I can better come up with a fair solution in order to move on.

N. What ONE tool would you say is the most effective in marketing your business and why?
P. The modern day CELL PHONE!  You can take pix of your work and post them on SOCIAL MEDIA for the world to see and build a connection with your audience! All from your handy dandy cell phone!  I have been taking pictures of my work since I was in beauty school and have always put my work out there. It’s also really crazy to see how much my hair and photography skills have improved.

N. Where does your inspiration come from?
P. Rap music, travel, philosophy  and, FASHION! I am obsessed with fashion and it is EVERYWHERE! I love all forms of fashion from high to street to decades. Everyone in this world has their own personal style. I love being able to create a fashion statement on someone’s hair. Every single detail counts because how decorate ourselves whether it’s clothes, makeup, tattoos, or hair, subtle or dramatic. It allows us to express inner emotions without having to say a word. I’ve started to do more traveling and my favorite thing to do is people watch! I get so inspired just by slowing down and paying attention to my surroundings and little details that create a bigger picture.

N. How do you practice self-care?
P. Self care is always number one! How are we going to take care of anyone else if we can’t take care of ourselves? Self care is something very personal and sacred to me and it’s taken me a while to put my well being before anything else.  I had been battling depression and addiction since I was 11 years old! Both my parents are Mexican immigrants and were always working hard to provide me a better life. Being first generation Chicana I hope i can inspire anyone out there that can relate. When I was in middle school they weren’t around much so I decided to find a family somewhere else and disconnected myself from my parents. My friends and I started ditching school drinking 40’s oz. at the rail road tracks by school and just wanting to feel a part of something. Life has a way of guiding you in the right direction, if you allow it.

I started beauty school when I was 15 years old and ever since I started my career I had to continue to get my shit together because I didn’t want to loose the ONE good thing I had going for me. All I wanted to do was create beautiful hair. I saw that when I actually took care of myself things got better in my career and that felt so much better than and high! I slowly came to realize that what I was doing in my career was changing lives, helping build up another human being self esteem. I began to feel a lot of pressure trying to live a double life was becoming too much for me to handle. I knew something needed to change so I slowly changed my lifestyle until I got completely sober! On my journey I’ve learned to take better care of myself. Eating right, drinking water, exercising, going to the chiropractor, being more conscious of my thoughts and actions, feeling all the feels, all that shit. I learned that your mind and body are connected. Our emotions can create physical illnesses.

I practice self care every single day even between clients. That can be anything from drinking a big ass glass green juice, to stretching my body between clients and being mindful of my posture when working on clients, to meditation, taking the time to reflect on my emotions, thoughts and actions. Staying in tune to what your body needs is crucial! Being persistent my self care routine and balancing personal life and career has been the key! I had to surround myself with like minded people who love and support each other. I’m back in great terms with my wonderful loving parents and I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have a life worth living. I get to call Concrete Rose Salon my home and get to inspire and be inspired by my salon family! I’m just trying to do some killer hair learn as much as I can, pass on my knowledge and INSPIRE.

N. Coffee Bean or Starbucks?
P. Gotta shout out to all my VERVE girls!

N. Favorite quote?
P. “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” Friedrich Nietzsche

You can find Priscila on Instagram, and on the Concrete Rose Salon website.

A big shout out of love + gratitude to Priscila for sharing her story with us. You are a true inspiration and we are so grateful to be on this journey with you!

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

If you are a creative small biz owner in the pro beauty world and looking for a ton of love, support and help with creating an awesome biz + life, A School may be a good fit for you.

A School Stories Marcia Beck HIVE a natural beauty collective

A School Stories: Meet Marcia Beck

March 21, 2016Nina KovnerA School Stories, GROW

“The mind is like a parachute…if it’s not open it doesn’t work!” Frank Zappa

What an honor it is to empower the people I love, each and every day. And that is what we do every day at Passion Squared, because we are in the empowerment business. How cool is that? #bestjobever

While most of the work I do is obviously confidential, I wanted to find a way to share the stories of the beautiful and passionate humans I get to work with every day. In this new blog series, A School Stories, we will be sharing a closer look into the passionate and courageous small biz owners that work tirelessly to live their purpose and empower those around them. I am so stoked to kick off this series with the beautiful and awesome Marcia Beck, owner, color specialist and creative director of HIVE a natural beauty collective in San Luis Obispo California. Meet Marcia Beck…

N. What does passion look and feel like to you?
M. Passion looks like diversity and it feels like an unstoppable desire to create.

N. Why did you join A School?
M. Like a lot of small biz owners I have the passion and the vision but I don’t have a business degree. I’m a hairdresser first, biz owner second. I realized that kinda needed to change. They both are different aspects of myself and I really wanted to honor both of them I just didn’t know how. I had the question, “how am I going to learn how to be the best biz owner I can be?” and then POOF… A School appeared in my IG feed. It was like a bolt of lightening…this is my answer!! It spoke directly to my heart…that’s how I knew A School was it!

N. What have you learned on your journey in A School?
M. I’ve learned that I’m not alone. Everyone out there deals with the same insecurities, questions, challenges that I face on the daily. It feels so good to have a tribe and to know someone’s got your back!

N. Why did you become an owner?
M. Well, there are several reasons I became an owner. First, I wanted to have more control over the environment that I spend the majority of my life in and I wanted to create a clean air salon. For me that meant not only less chemical toxicity but also less drama, less negativity, less noise pollution …the whole shebang. Second, I was tired of feeling like a victim. At the time I was working in a salon that I felt totally unappreciated, unloved, unimportant and unsupported….so I thought “how do I empower myself in this situation?”. The answer was clear…creating your own environment! It was the BEST decision I’ve ever made!

N. What is your biggest lesson so far being an owner?
M. Shit, there’s been so many! But if I have to choose one it would be to trust my gut…you always know what you need if you just listen. 

N. How do you handle difficult situations with clients or team members?
M. I try to approach every situation with an open mind and heart. I literally have a visualization technique that opens the heart right up! This helps to discover the truth in the situation. Which is ultimately what I’m after. I also listen to everyone’s story, spend a bit of time mulling it over (aka. consulting with my council…my hubs and my BFF) and then trust my gut on the best way to handle the situation.

N. What ONE tool would you say is the most effective in marketing your business and why?
M. As much as I want to say Instagram…it’s actually been Facebook. Facebook has allowed us to reach our local audience through post boosting. We can target in a very specific way. So as much as Instagram is taking over our industry it’s still Facebook that works best for drawing our target market.

N. Where does your inspiration come from?
M. My inspiration starts with a question. How can I accomplish this? How do they do that? What color creates that? How, what, why. The question is the ignition…it’s what stokes the fire of creativity. Then before I know it the fire is in full burn mode! Sometimes I can hardly control it!

N. How do you practice self-care?
M. By SETTING BOUNDARIES! I’m still working on this one but, for me, it’s the most important self- care there is!

N. Coffee Bean or Starbucks?
M. Def Coffee Bean!

N. Favorite quote?
M. “The mind is like a parachute…if it’s not open it doesn’t work!” Good ol Frank Zappa

You can find Marcia and all the awesomeness that is HIVE on Instagram, and their website! And be sure to check out HIVEU, which features awesome education for clients + pros!

A big shout out of love + gratitude to Marcia for sharing her story with us. Love you woman and so grateful to be on this journey with you!

PS: If you are in the SLO area, I am doing my Creating Awesome Brands + Biz + Life Workshop at HIVE on June 27th! For more info + tix, click here.

PPS: If you are a creative small biz owner looking to create more awesome, A School may be a good fit for you! Click here to learn more about this special + sacred program.