The Art of The Question hd

The Art of The Question

August 24, 2015Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

In school, we’re rewarded for having the answer, not for asking a good question.  -Richard Saul Wurman

Questions… Our brain is triggered by questions. We move towards what we focus on. Awesome questions create awesome learning… In my life, with years of education, sales and marketing experiences, I have learned so much about asking good questions. #questionwisdom

Last night as I was getting ready for “sweet dreams”, and yes, if you didn’t know, when I post my sweet dreams message, I am in fact, getting ready to turn in for the night. I just happen to sit on #teamearlybird but will never ever tell you which team to sit on. Do you. Do awesome. So I digress… Let’s continue…

Last night, my awesome buddy and super smart human @andrewdoeshair posted a question he gets so very often, as do I, which is… “How do I get more followers?” You can see his post here. It’s awesome. He is awesome. He creates value. He is interested. He engages. It’s no wonder he has such a passionate group of followers and has managed to create wildly successful businesses and a rad life.

While I have blogged on the topic of engagement, relationships, and social, you can find just a few posts here, and here, and here… I will break it down one more time, well not really, I will blog on this topic til it no longer needs to be blogged on. Why? There still seems to be so much confusion about the word “social”.

Let’s look at the formal definition…

Social adjective (aka action word)
: relating to or involving activities in which people spend time talking to each other or doing enjoyable things with each other
: liking to be with and talk to people
: happy to be with people
: of or relating to people or society in general

Wow, it’s an action word. Who knew, right? Lol.

So now let’s try flipping the script, shall we?
1. Instead of asking how to get more followers, ask how can I be of value?

2. Instead of asking how to get more followers… ask how can I create more valuable content that followers want to follow.

3. Instead of asking how to get more followers, ask how can I create awesome work, consistently, and share it.

4. Instead of asking how to get more followers, ask how can I spend way more time listening than talking? Engaging, two way conversations, relationship building, you know, the stuff that matters.

5. Instead of asking how to get more followers, engage. And by engage I mean follow others who are of value to you, like, comment and share, authentically. Authentically. I mean authentically. There are some Insta experts out there that tell you to randomly search hashtags and make a super inauthentic comment on random peoples pages. #lame

6. Instead of asking how to get more followers, ask how can I become an awesome storyteller. Find out what’s important to your target audience and share. Consistently.

It’s not that we don’t know how to get more followers, and by followers, I mean create something of value for people to follow, it’s just that many of us are looking for a magic bullet, a secret sauce, and a short cut. And I am here to tell you, just as Andrew did so well in his post, there is no magic bullet or secret sauce.

Oh wait. There is a short cut… You can buy followers. I know, crazy huh? And good luck with that.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina @passionsquared

PS: A big shout out of thanks to Andrew for inspiring this post! Love your face buddy.

Pride of Ownership Header

Pride of Ownership

August 17, 2015Nina KovnerGROW

Small Business isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s for the brave, the patient and the persistent. It’s for the overcomer.  -Unknown

Not everyone is meant to be a small business owner. And that is OK. There are leaders and followers, owners and team members. We each play a very important role in the world, no matter where we sit in it. After decades of working with and for owners, and being one, I have learned a ton about what it takes to be an owner. The key is in the knowing. In the self-awareness, in the acceptance that you may or may not be cut out for this. And that too, is OK.

The owner arrives earlier.

The owner stays later.

The owner serves.

The owner leads.

The owner creates leaders.

The owner seeks.

The owner struggles.

The owner shines.

The owner is grateful.

The owner creates.

The owner gathers.

The owner connects.

The owner is consistent.

The owner is compassionate.

The owner communicates.

The owner coaches.

The owner gets coached.

The owner engages.

The owner empowers.

The owner listens.

The owner is honest.

The owner invests.

The owner fails.

The owner succeeds.

The owner learns.

The owner responds.

The owner commits.

The owner sources.

The owner solves.

The owner sacrifices.

The owner is passionate.

The owner perseveres.

The owner has boundaries.

The owner knows when to say yes.

The owner knows when to say no.

The owner takes responsibility.

The owner is responsible.

The owner laughs.

The owner loves.

The owner cries.

The owner cares.

The owner is brave.

The owner has courage.

Not everyone is meant to be an owner.

Are you?

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

 

5 Steps To Creating #InstaAwesome

5 Steps To Creating #InstaAwesome

August 10, 2015Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Dale Carnegie

Ok, so I am pretty sure you do not need convincing that Instagram is the platform of the moment for so many people and businesses. And by that I mean, the impact of relationship and biz building for creative small businesses and the humans who lead them and work in them. #fact

But there are still so many myths and misconceptions on how to create awesome with the platform so I thought I would share what I know to be true and where to begin… And yes, I have written about this many times, and yes, I believe it cannot be repeated enough. So here we go…

Why
First and foremost, as with any platform, we always start with why, as the great Simon Sinek says. The objective. As in, why are we engaging on Instagram and why does anyone care? Instead of focusing on followers, focus on creating value, consistently. Yes, consistently. Let me say that one more time, consistently.

1. What is your story?
People respond to stories. Brands and businesses tell stories. What is yours? And while we are on that topic, what is in your about section? It matters. Why are you, who are you, and how do I connect with you?

2. What value will you bring to the conversation?
Listen more than you talk. But when you do talk, what value are you bringing to the table? This is not about self-promotion, it is about creating value.

3. What will your theme be?
All the best Insta’s have a theme. A look. A feel. A vibe. They exude energy. And your theme needs to be consistent with your brand identity. Your overall brand look and feel.

4. What hashtags will you use to connect, engage and become more discoverable?
Yes use hashtags, even more important, use them consistently. Unless you are Beyoncé, then clearly there is no need, we will seek you out. But if you are not Beyoncé, here are the general guidelines for local businesses…

a. Use popular hashtags that are consistent with your content and story. i.e. #ombre #braids #bridalhair #fitspo #athlete
b. Use branded hashtag, always. In my case, its #passionsquared
c. Use your local hashtags. In Portland, its #PDX, in Downtown LA, its #DTLA, find yours by searching hashtags on Insta or Google it.

5. How much time are you willing to invest in building relationships, engaging, and content creation?
Ok, this is where the pro’s and amateurs divide. If you are serious about building relationships, engaging, and listening, then you will invest the time. Period. How much? It depends on your content and engagement plan. I spend 2+ hours a day on Instagram. It is my primary social platform. And yes, a majority of my referrals come from Instagram. Is there a secret? Nope.

BONUS Tips!
When capturing, creating and posting content, please keep these things in mind…
Take a gazillion photos so you can choose the best one. One photo is not enough. How many are enough? You will know when you get the money shot.

Only post quality stuff. Really, did Nina just say that? Duh. Yes, I did, cause it needs to be said.

What do I mean by quality stuff? Lighting, Background, Detail, Clarity

Want to see how some others are doing it? Follow these passionate and talented humans. And look for themes, quality, consistency, storytelling, backgrounds, lighting, clarity, and detail. And educated eye and is an awesome eye. And why do I share these? Because I know for a fact Instagram has helped empower their biz + their lives. And I only work with facts. Not hype. Not theory. Simply facts.

@larisadoll
@xostylistxo
@glamiris
@hairgod_zito
@jaywesleyolson
@theconfessionsofahairstylist
@lalasupdos
@butterflyloftsalon
@andrewdoeshair
@anthonythebarber916
@sugarskulls
@heatherchapmanhair
@amberdodzweit

And of course, @passionsquared

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

A Land With No Starbucks

A Land With No Starbucks

August 3, 2015Nina KovnerGROW, MY TRUTH

“Sometimes we are so focused on the things we want, we miss out on the things we need.” Unknown

When I first saw my new favorite place on Facebook, the home of my Aunt & Uncle, I had no idea if I would ever get there, nor less did I know the impact it would have on my state of being.

You see, I have been so wrapped up in life, and moreover, my business, and have not had a real “off the grid” break in years.

So when the opportunity arose, my Uncles surprise birthday party, and knowing I would get to see a big part of my East Coast family, I was all in. No, it was not the ideal time to take off, no, it was not in my budget, but yes, it was the best decision I have made in a long time.

Little did I know, I would be arriving in the land of no Starbucks (or Coffee Bean, or Uber, or cell service) and boy, what a shock to my system that was.

Many of us get so hung up in what we want, or think we want, or think we need, that we can lose sight of what we really need; love, connection, family, air, reflection, relationships, you know, the stuff that matters.

So how does one live in the land with no Starbucks? Simply. And beautifully. And purposefully.

While I did prepare a bit by bringing my travel French press, I did not have any espresso to put in it. Thankfully, my cousin was in a much more populated area when I inboxed her asked if she could stop by Starbucks so at least I could have my morning espresso, and she graciously obliged my addiction.

But my routine of what I think I need and want went sideways from there. What do you do when you cannot make a phone call? Or have no wireless connection or limited connection? You breathe. That’s what.

Many forget the day of having nether of those things, and yes, we all survived. Generations of awesome humans survived with far less than what is available to us today. And while I LOVE the social + digital web, as being a core of my business, and love how it can empower the people I love, I realized how much we are tethered to our devices, and missing out on so many beautiful things, like life.

I am not one to say put down your devices, I would never and will never believe in that, but what I do know now is that we all need to disconnect. And I can speak for “us all” as I work with people every day who are stressed, filled with anxiety, “too busy” to do important things, overwhelmed, etc.

Think of it this way and play a little game that goes like this…
Want: Starbucks + cell service
Need: Rest + recharging our batteries

Want: To do everything on my to-do list today
Need: To create awesome, quality work

Here is my challenge to you (and to me). Put down your devices. One a week, or a few times a month. And if you cannot seem to disconnect on your own, travel a few times a year to a place you are forced to, like I was, and just be present. Look up. Look around. You will not even believe how beautiful a land with no Starbucks can be.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

PS: A huge shout out of love + gratitude to my entire East Coast fam for making my week “off the grid” so awesome. I love you all so very much and cannot wait to come back (travel French press included)!

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4 Steps To Creating + Curating Awesome Content

July 6, 2015Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

Purpose driven marketing begins (and ends) with a story. – Me

The daily dilemma is seems for so many marketers today, (and if you are reading this and you own a business or work in one, you are a marketer) is what to share on social platforms. And my answer is always the same, which is with questions back, which I know is so frustrating to many. Why do I ask questions? Because I do not know the answer until I know more about the story you want to tell. And how do you figure that out? Start here…

What is your purpose and promise as a business?
What do your clients and future clients value?
What is your objective for engaging on social platforms?

When you know the answers to the above questions, then go here…

1. Create content that communicates your purpose and promise.

2. Create content that tells authentic stories.

3. Create content that your clients and future clients value.

4. Use hashtags (Instagram) and search tools (Google, Pinterest) to curate content that your clients and future clients value and help you tell your story.

BONUS: Make the client the hero of your story. It’s not about us. It’s always about them. And be human. Human always works.

Here is an example for Passion Squared…

My purpose and promise is empowerment, clarity, truth, authenticity…

My clients are creative small business owners and the people who work in them who are seeking love, inspiration, support, clarity, guidance, comfort, reassurance, stress relief, authenticity + truth.

My content communicates the above through quotes, blogs, newsletters, videos and broadcasts.

The content I curate is from sources that fit my promise, purpose and my story. I would not curate (share) from sources, which I would call off brand; content that is dis-empowering, shaming, bullying, negative, self centered or demeaning.

My objective for engaging is to listen, build relationships, share and connect with humans who need my services.

Yes, you can continue to randomly post content a few days and week and wonder why you have little to no engagement, and why you are having so much trouble building a community of followers, or you can do the work. By the way, this is the same process for creating awesome offline content. So either way, its best to start here.

Want to learn how to create more awesome in your career, life + biz? If you are a creative small biz owner, check out A School for Owners. In A School, you get a ton of love, support + brain food, all in a safe, sacred space.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina