Costco: A Masterclass In Trust, Brand Promises, and Lifetime Team and Member Value

In the premiere episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, Nina dives deep into one of the greatest brand loyalty stories of our time: Costco.

Through personal reflections as a newer Costco member (yet longtime studier of the brand) and decades of experience in brand strategy, Nina unpacks why Costco continues to build lasting trust, while other brands seem to be breaking it.

This episode breaks down the fundamentals behind Costco’s success: their unwavering commitment to lifetime customer value, keeping brand promises (no matter the pressure), investing in their people, and always playing the long game over short-term gains.

Nina connects these lessons back to the pro beauty industry, creative small businesses, pro beauty brand execs, offering real-world takeaways on how clarity, consistency, and true care are at the heart of every enduring brand.

Whether you’re a salon owner, hairstylist, creative entrepreneur, or brand leader, this episode lays the foundation for understanding what it really takes to build and retain trust.

If you want to learn more about creating your brand story and how to connect all the dots in your salon business, click here to learn more about Creating Your Awesome Brand, A Complete Course for Beauty Pros.

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

The End, The Beginning, and Everything In Between

Why I’m Ending the PEOPLE PASSION PURPOSE Podcast—and Starting a New One That You Need To Hear

In this final episode, I share why I’m closing this podcast and what’s next: Building & Breaking with Nina L. Kovner, a new show about how brands are built, how trust is broken, and what it all means for salon owners, beauty brands, and creatives. It’s the end of one story, and the start of something deeper. Thank you for being here, whether you’ve been a listener since 2018 or are just jumping on this wild and wonderful ride. 

Episode 1 of Building & Breaking drops May 1! Buckle up. Lol. 

Commission Percentages vs Compensation Programs

In this episode, Nina invites you to look at the words and language you use as a salon owner and how they align with your brand and the outcomes you seek. Traditionally, there’s been a focus on commission in the salon industry, which becomes problematic and creates unrealistic expectations, confusion, and disappointment. Whether you are an employment-based salon owner or a lease-based salon owner, this is an episode that may be the spark you need to dive deeper into your brand work, and in turn, create a more clear, aligned, consistent, and valuable story around the compensation or lease program you offer which can help you find the folks who see value in what you offer and are the best fit for your brand. You can find Passion Squared on the socials @passionsquared and on the web at passionsquared.net Thank you so much for listening! 

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Your experience matters. We would be so grateful if you shared your experience with our podcast by leaving a review wherever you enjoy your podcasts. It matters to us, and so do you. Thank you- Nina