In this episode, Nina shares their frameworks for both decision making and creating awesome client agreements, two critically important tools for you to simplify your life as a leader and creative small business owner. The truth is you likely spend way too much time, energy, and stress not making decisions, avoiding problems, and feeling resentful when clients show up late, cancel at the last minute, or do not show up at all. Clear, detailed agreements, along with a framework for making decisions and solving problems are your bestie. You can find the Decision Making Framework here and the Creating Awesome Client Agreement Framework here. You can find us on the web here and on the gram here. You can learn more about A School here. Thank you so much for listening.
Your experience matters. We would be so grateful if you shared your experience with our podcast by leaving a review. It matters to us, and so do you. Thank you- Nina
In this episode, Nina share’s some insights into why some brands stand up publicly and fight injustices in our world and why some choose not to. This episode is not about politics, it’s about clarity of brand story, vision, and values. It’s about the choices you make as a brand in relation to what your people value, whether it be clients, team members, or tenants if you are leading a lease-based business. It’s about aligning your actions with your brand promises. Thank you so much for listening with an open heart and brain. If you would like to keep the conversation going, you can find us on the gram and on the web.
NOTE: This is our first episode after 6 months, and there were some glitches, lol. We decided to keep the glitches in the episode to honor being perfectly imperfect. Perfection is a myth. Repeat as often as needed.
Your experience matters. We would be so grateful if you shared your experience with our podcast by leaving a review. It matters to us, and so do you. Thank you- Nina
In this episode Nina chats with Stacey Rackham, owner of Mint Hair Crafting salon. Stacey shares her journey on becoming a salon owner, leader, why inclusivity became a brand promise at Mint, and how growth can sometimes be super uncomfortable, and we even hear the sweet story of how Stacey found her fur baby Walter! You can find Stacey (and Walter) on the socials @minthaircrafting@staceyrackhair
Your experience matters. We would be so grateful if you shared your experience with our podcast by leaving a review. It matters to us, and so do you. Thank you- Nina
“Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better than we found them, more able to get where they’d like to go.” Seth Godin
About every other day, I get asked “Nina, where do I find content for my social pages?” And my answer is always the same, what is your brand story, promise, purpose and objective. When you know this, then, and only then, will you begin to find inspiration to create or curate (share other peoples) content.
This past week, I was inundated with posts on Facebook and Instagram about the hair transformations of Kim Kardashian and Jared Leto. Now let me get something very clear, this has nothing to do with whether I am a fan of either of them. But for those that follow me, you know I am obsessed with one of them. #teamjared
What I witnessed were so many hairdressers and trade publications I love bashing their hair (and hairdressers) and even posting a message to clients to NOT come (pictured above) into the salon and ask for a certain color. OMG, are you kidding me? I am confident most had no idea the impact these posts were having on their brand. Thus, my intense need to write this post.
Now, onto my point. Your content is your marketing. It is your story. Your brand. Your promise. And if you are using your Facebook and Instagram pages to help grow your business, then why in the world would you post anything that tells clients NOT to come in to see you or ask for a certain look?
Each day I work with passionate humans looking to learn how to engage authentically and effectively on social platforms to help grow their business.
In my lifetime, I have NEVER seen anything like the empowering opportunities the social web gives to creative small businesses. It is astounding. If used properly, of course.
The beauty of our world is that we are free to believe, share and post anything we want. All I am asking is that you understand the effects of your posts and are clear on your objectives for the platforms you choose to engage on.
Remember, your content is your marketing. Every post, share, comment, like (even what you are liking and commenting on other peoples pages)… Each moment is telling your brand story to your current and future clients.
What does your content say about your marketing? It matters.
Love + Awesomeness-
Nina
PS: A big shout out to @jasonbacke of @tedgibsonbeauty for being an awesome model of content that supports his brand. Well done!
People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe. -Simon Sinek
Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening. Enjoy!
According to one of my go-to awesomeness creators on all things marketing and business, Seth Godin, he states “A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”
So, when we think of creating, building and growing a brand, such as a salon, Pilates studio, or education business, we must begin with defining our WHY and our promise, which are the foundation of our brand story. Without a story, and I am not talking about an old school mission statement, we are not a brand; we are just another business that can be easily replaced with another.
Your brand is not your name, logo or the colors you choose for your business card, the words you use or wall paint. That is your brand identity and ultimately become your brand image. And while those choices you make are very important and critical, having an awesome logo or name and no clarity around your WHY or promise, will not matter in the end. You see, its your WHY and promise that once defined, help guide you into the best name, logo, colors and words, not the other way around.
Here is a series of questions for you to ponder to begin to define your brand.
1. What is your WHY?
Why are you in business? Why should I choose you over someone else? What problem are you trying to solve? Passion Squared WHY is to help empower the people I love through providing proven ideas, systems and processes to help create awesome in biz + life. The problem I want to solve is small business failure for beauty and wellness professionals.
2.What business are you in?
Hint: Its not haircuts or exercise classes. Passion Squared is in the empowerment business.
3. What is your promise to your team, clients and community?
After engaging with your business, what will the outcome be? Passion Squared promise is to share honest ideas, insights and inspiration that will empower the community to take action on those ideas and create awesome in their business, with love.
4. What three words best describe your experience?
If you can get it to one word, even better. Passion Squared one word is empowerment. My three words are awesome, create and empowerment.
5. If a client were writing a 5 star YELP review about your business, what would it say?
If it matches or comes close to your why and promise, you are awesome. A client of Passion Squared would say after engaging with my business, my client had more clarity around what steps they needed to take to grow and felt empowered to create awesome in their business.
Begin here. Take the time. Get the team involved. Listen to what your clients say about your business today. Read your YELP reviews and Facebook page comments. Rome was not built in a day and neither are real, sustainable brands.
PS: Your brand is not the product lines you choose to carry or use. It’s actually the other way around. Based on your brand why, promise, story, identity and image, you choose the product line that fits your brand.
