The Brand Lesson Beauty Pros Need To Understand from Costco, Trader Joe’s & In-N-Out Burger

November 10, 2025Nina KovnerPodcast

In this Extended Encore episode, we’re combining three episodes, from three iconic legacy brands, Trader Joe’s, Costco, and In-N-Out Burger, and what they all share in common, and can teach every salon, stylist, and beauty professional about the truth that never changes: your salon brand story is your foundation.

Each of these brands knows exactly what problems they are solving, how they solve those problems, who they are solving problems for, and the solutions they deliver, and they never stray from it.

Trader Joe’s isn’t trying to be Whole Foods. Costco isn’t chasing Amazon. In-N-Out Burger isn’t expanding its menu to keep up with fast food fads. They all built trust by being consistent, keeping their brand promises, and staying focused.

That’s what so many in the pro-beauty industry miss. Your brand story isn’t something you write once and forget. It’s the foundation that guides your decisions, your pricing, your marketing, your content, your leadership, your client experience, everything.

In This Episode
From Costco:
How a clear promise of value and fairness turned a warehouse into a high lifetime customer value.

From Trader Joe’s:
How storytelling and culture created a shopping experience people actually love.

From In-N-Out Burger:
How a simple, focused menu became their secret to obsession.

What it all means for your salon: when you know your brand story, you stop chasing trends, comparing your brand to others, and start creating from a place of clarity, focus, and alignment.

Because brand story is your foundation.
It’s what builds trust, loyalty, and higher lifetime client value in every great brand and every great salon business.

If you are ready to stop comparing and start creating and leading with more clarity and alignment, join me in MENTORED. with Nina L. Kovner. Our first step is building your brand story. To get started, tap Subscribe on the @passionsquared Instagram page.

Thank you for listening and sharing with your business besties!

In-N-Out: The Power of Simplicity, Brand Strategy, and Staying in Your Lane

June 12, 2025Nina KovnerPodcast

This week, we’re driving straight into the In-N-Out experience, a brand that’s never chased trends, but instead chose clarity, consistency, and connection. No chicken sandwiches. No seasonal drops. Just a focused menu, a powerful brand promise, and systems that deliver, over and over again.

In This Episode:

  • Why In-N-Out’s brand promise is embedded into every experience
  • The power of a simplified menu (and what it teaches us about over-complicated service menus and product lines)
  • How consistency builds lifetime customer and client value
  • Why slow growth is sometimes the smartest growth
  • And why pricing isn’t just about numbers, it’s about trust

From hairstylists to salon owners to beauty brands, this one’s for anyone ready to stop overcomplicating and start focusing on what matters most. Focus is a strategy. Consistency is the real flex. And trust is how you build something that lasts.

If you are a salon owner, salon coach or independent stylist, and want to have a deeper understanding on how to not only create a brand story, but also, how it connects to every decision a salon makes in their business, click here to learn more about Creating Your Awesome Brand, a complete course for beauty pros.

Thank you for listening, leaving a rating or review, and sharing this episode with a business bestie who can benefit from the lesson.