If It Was Easy HD

If It Was Easy

August 31, 2015Nina KovnerGROW

“I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” Thomas Jefferson

(originally posted in April 2014, revised August 2015)

A conversation I had with a super awesome hairdresser the other day has been completely stuck in my mind, so what better way to get it out than to share it. Here is how the conversation went…

We were discussing a very successful salon in Los Angeles. Like mad successful. How did we define successful? Happy team members, happy clients. A TON of traffic. I also happen to know they are very profitable. My friend said to me…”Why don’t other salons work like that? They could be awesome too!” My response was, I know. They could. But they choose not to.

You see, success is a choice. And it is NOT easy. No matter what people say. Oh, and let’s just smash the other myth, that there is a secret. I call total BS on that one. And then there is the “they are so lucky.” Really? Luck? I like what Thomas Jefferson said in the quote above, that luck is tied directly to work. Very smart man.

Don’t know what to do to be successful? Find out. When we choose to become a brand owner, we have opted into knowing what it takes and doing what it takes. We either acquire the knowledge or hire the knowledge. We create. Then we execute like a bad ass. Measure. Adjust. Create again. Period.

If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. What are you doing to grow your business? Hiring the knowledge or acquiring the knowledge? It’s a choice. And the most important thing to do right now it to make one.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

 

The Form

May 12, 2014Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

Never confuse movement with action.  -Ernest Hemingway

Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening.

Waiting at one of my fave new restaurants for my take-out order, I noticed a feedback form on the front desk. It was the first time I had seen it, on my 3rd time to the restaurant. I took me by surprise, as I would have given them awesome feedback, and told them how much I loved their space.

Then it struck me, there was no system in place to ask me for feedback, yet someone had taken the time and money to make the form, thinking it was a great idea. Sound familiar?

You see, a form is just a form. A form, with a system and process behind it, executed consistently, can become a business building tool. Once again, it’s all in the execution, not the idea itself.

Small business owners are almost always sharing with me how busy they are. One of my questions is always… “busy doing what?”

If we are ever going to grow and create more awesome in our biz, we have to continually evaluate our systems, processes and programs. And of course, all of our “forms”.

Before you create another beautiful form, brochure, card, contact us page, appointment inquiry, program, promotion or engage on another social platform, take a couple steps back and ask yourself these questions…

1. Do we have a system and process to execute this?
2. Is it bringing real value to our biz, clients or team?
3. Is it honestly helping us grow?

If the answer is no to any one of the above questions, well, I think you know what the next step is.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

Awesome businesses

The Execution Dilemma

July 29, 2013Nina KovnerGROW

“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.”

Anthony Robbins

Awesome businesses

Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you for listening. Enjoy.
The Execution Dilemma

While doing the research for this post, I came across some very different takes on the concept of consistency in business. So let me start off by saying this is not about stifling creativity, but crafting a system of thinking, creating and doing that awesome businesses have in common.

When I think about awesome businesses, and I am passionate about studying them and working with them, they all share one thing in common; they are passionate about executing the fundamentals consistently. So what the heck does that mean?

Here are some examples…
Zappos is passionate about consistently executing awesome service and delivering happiness.

Apple is passionate about consistently delivering solutions through design and innovation. They are passionate about thinking different.

Facebook is passionate about consistently executing ways for us to be more connected.

Starbucks is passionate about consistently executing an experience.

Hairbrained is passionate about consistently executing a platform that allows us to share our art (and passion).

Passion Squared is passionate about consistently executing ideas and tools that empower people + businesses.

So what are some fundamentals in the salon biz that we can passionately execute consistently? Here are a few in the marketing, client care and leadership areas…

  • Sharing our brand story & our why

  • Greeting clients at the door

  • Answering the phone (and email)

  • Pre-booking

  • Asking for referrals

  • Professional hair care recommendations

  • Recognition of team members and clients

  • Responding to team members and clients

  • Team meetings

  • Menu’s and brochures

  • Website design and updates

  • Inbox marketing (email)

  • Facebook (or any other social platform) posts, reply’s, responses, design

  • Pricing strategy (products & services)

  • Merchandising and promotion

The list above is certainly not complete, but the point is are you consistently executing your fundamentals?

One of the greatest opportunities I see in our industry is executing the fundamentals consistently. Not stifling creativity, actually quite the opposite. If we can commit ourselves to execution, our creative ideas may actually see the light of day. Small business may actually thrive instead of the continued struggling I see each and every day, wondering why they are not making it happen.

I consistently execute my blog every Monday. While the content (the creativity) changes each week, the fact that I do not miss a week is the point. I consistently execute. And by doing that, I deliver value, meet or exceed expectations of the community and in turn grow my business.

Think about it like fitness and health. If the outcome you desire is having a healthy mind and body, you make a decision to consistently execute the fundamentals; make good food choices and move. While the food and activities change, the fact that you make good food choices and move daily does not.

If you know you are not consistent in executing the fundamentals, then find someone who is and engage them to help you. Whether it’s a coach, a mentor, a friend, a co-worker, a team member, whoever, just get honest and clear as to what you need to make it happen.

There is no secret. If someone is telling you there is, save your time and money and walk away. It’s a lie.

Today I challenge you to take a look at your business fundamentals. How are you doing on the consistency and execution side of things? Can you do better? Think about it. Do you need help? It’s available.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

Seth Godin

Decisions

January 4, 2013Nina KovnerGROW

What do you make? Decisions.

Seth Godin

 

Seth Godin

As many of you know, I heart Seth Godin. It’s one of those professional crushes so to speak. Yes, I have many of those.

His mind, his brain, his ability to turn what may seem complex into the most simple to understand thoughts. Today is a great example of that as Seth talks about the importance of making decisions.

Seth’s Message On Making Decisions
On today’s Blog, Seth says, “You don’t run a punch press or haul iron ore. Your job is to make decisions. The thing is, the farmer who grows corn has no illusions about what his job is. He doesn’t avoid planting corn or dissemble or procrastinate about harvesting corn. And he certainly doesn’t try to get his neighbor to grow his corn for him. Make more decisions. That’s the only way to get better at it.”

Faith Without Works Is Dead
While I am a deeply spiritual person, I do not subscribe to any formal religion. But this statement, which does come from the Bible, is one of my favorites and also one of my mantras.

When I speak about passion, dreams, faith, hopes, believing in yourself, and vision boards, I also mention taking action and executing on those passions, dreams and hopes. Why? Without taking action and making decisions to execute on your ideas, they are just that, ideas, thoughts and dreams that will never materialize into anything. Thus, faith without works is dead. Think about it.

My Secret Recipe
As I wrote in a blog a while back, titled I Think I Can, I spoke about how to turn your dreams into reality. My recipe is take two cups of passion, add a cup of skills mixed with a gallon of execution, and you are well on your way to doing big things. It really is that simple. So many times we miss the last ingredient, and find ourselves no closer to our dreams, simply because we missed that last and most important step.

So my challenge to you, today and always, is to start making decisions. Take action on your ideas. Your dreams. Your hopes. Yes, make that vision board, they are awesome, but also take the time to figure out how you are going to take action on those visions. You can do it, I know you can. I have faith in you. Now get to work!

Click here to subscribe to Seth’s Blog. It’s an easy read, and one that is sure to get you thinking, growing and possibly making more decisions.

(shared with LOVE from your passionista Nina)

Promise Me You'll Always Remember

I Think I Can

October 18, 2012Nina KovnerGROW

“Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.”

Henry Ford

 Promise Me You'll Always Remember

I’m Not Good At That
How many times have you said I’m not good at that?  I would suspect, more than you care to admit.  Before you went to beauty school, were you good at it?  If you were like me, the answer would be a big NO!

To be honest, I could hardly use a curling iron and had no clue how to put a roller in someones hair.  But I made a commitment, and I tried, and after a while, realized I was actually really good. This is my story.  Every step along the way, every opportunity that was presented to me, if I did not know something, I figured out a way to learn it.

I have always believed I could do something, and with the skills I acquired along the way, my undying passion and my ability to execute on ideas, I made good things happen.

Passion + Skills + Execution
No matter where you are in your career, there are three things you must possess to be successful in business and live a fulfilling life.

Passion
Many of us discovered our passion when we walked through the doors of beauty school.  Well, at least that’s my story.

Passion is misunderstood.  There are a few articles written recently that say “follow your passion” is a completely misleading phrase.  Meaning, if we are taught to follow our passion, and our passion is, let’s say, watching TV all day, then maybe that’s not exactly how we will live a happy and prosperous life.  Unless of course, you are independently wealthy.

What I believe is if you find something you are passionate about, it is entirely possible to turn that passion into an awesome career & life.  However, passion alone is not enough, you must take the steps and do the work to turn your passion into something meaningful, and something that pays the bills.

Skills
You may learn these in school, in advanced classes, or you may be self-taught.  And if you did not learn what you needed to, find out where you can learn it, or find people who know it, or who have done it.

I have had awesome mentors, and have made a commitment to lifelong learning, no matter where I was or what title I had in my career.  I still do.

When Gordon + I set out to create Passion Squared, I did not know how to use WordPress, the platform I am using to write this blog, but that did not stop me.  I made a decision to learn, and found the resources I needed to learn, then sat down, and learned.  Sounds simple, but how many times do you stop at this step, because you think, “I’m not good at that”.

So, either learn the skills or hire the skills, doing neither will not help you get closer to your dream.

Execution
This is what separates people who make things happen and people who talk about making things happen.  Execution does not get talked about enough.  We are told to follow our passion, and work really hard, and things will just magically fall into place for us.  Not true.

How many times have you said you wanted to do something, and just never followed through?  How many times did you have an awesome idea to generate new referrals or marketing program, and realize six months later it never happened?

Execution is everything.  You can have great ideas and great intentions, but unless you make a decision and commitment to execute on those ideas and intentions, they are just ideas, not executed.

So now you have the secret recipe.  Take two cups of passion, add a cup of skills mixed with a gallon of execution, and you are well on your way to doing big things.

Promise me you’ll remember, you are smarter than you think.  You are.  I know.  I am you.

(shared with LOVE from your passionista, Nina)