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Passion Profile: David + Alexis Thurston

June 15, 2015Nina KovnerPASSION PROFILE

“Whatever you are… be a good one.” Abraham Lincoln

In life, sometime we meet humans who immediately have an impact on us, ones that change our life for the better. That is exactly how I felt when first meeting David + Alexis Thurston, Owners of Butterfly Loft Salon Spa and Ubungalows in Encino, California.

Could it be cause I was born in Encino? No. It is because these two passionate humans are creating awesome + opportunities for so many. They are the real deal. What an honor it is to share some behind the scenes insight into the magic that is Butterfly Loft.

N. What does passion look & feel like to you?

BL. If you really care a lot about something, you are usually careful not to show exactly how much you care about it, for fear of coming across as uncool to others. However, when you are really passionate about something (or somebody), you cease caring about how you appear and what others think of your ambition, in fact you can’t help yourself… you talk and talk and talk about your passion. It becomes not something you do, but instead, something you are. You think about it when you’re trying to go to sleep (which is hard when you’re passionate about something), and you think about it in the shower and while driving in the car. When you’re passionate about something, and a critic puts you down, it stings even more, but when the passion is strong, you use it to proactively fuel your work to prove the critic wrong. I see many of our stylists having this kind of passion about hair… and we are passionate about our salon. It’s not what we do for a living… it’s who we are.

N. Why did you become owners?

BL. Before opening Butterfly Loft, I had created a hair product line. I would go on the road, and into salons to educate stylists about the product line. I loved doing what I was doing, but I was lonely. After each class, I would leave the salon having met many cool people I would have loved to know more. But, each time I would have to leave, and that’s the last I would see of them. No long-lasting attachments were being formed in my professional life.

Most people’s big dream in life is to have a home and populate it with a loving family. We created Butterfly Loft to develop a space that is a reflection of ourselves, and populate it with a salon family who we strive to inspire, and work with to create something bigger than we could alone. We experience great joy in attending our stylist’s weddings and being a part of their other major life experiences. The space we created is more than a salon, it’s where many get their sense of home, where they feel most right each day. We got married inside Butterfly Loft… it’s a special place.

N. What is the biggest challenge you have had and how did you overcome it?

BL.We believe that a team that rows together in the same direction can go so much further than each can rowing alone. But, having a large salon where each stylist is an independent, station-renting stylist makes it a challenge for most to create a team atmosphere.

Outsiders are often surprised that our stylists are all independent, because the salon oozes teamwork and collaboration. To accomplish this, we create as many opportunities as possible to get our stylists together, by hosting a dozen education events a year and hosting parties where everyone is invited. We often have one of our stylists teach a small workshop, passing on a skill they posses, and in return, ask one of the students to teach a workshop of their own to pay it forward. In our design, we focus on building common areas where stylists can exchange ideas and inspire each other. We have small dinner’s together where we discuss strategies on growing our social media following together as a team.

N. What is the greatest lesson you have learned?

BL. When hiring stylists and staff, don’t just hire anyone who wants to work for you. Character and personality are the most important ingredients when building a team. If you were stuck for two hours in a layover at an airport with the person, could you see yourself enjoying their company? If not, don’t hire them.

N. What is one skill you believe all successful owners need to have?

BL. The ability to operate comfortably using both the left (analytical) side of the brain and the right (creative) side of the brain.

N. Why that one?

BL. You need to operate in the left brained sphere in order to run any successful business. If you don’t have strong analytical and organizational skills, I would strongly recommend you do something other than own a business. But, in the beauty world, you need to use your creative side to come up with solutions to problems, to communicate effectively with artists, and to inspire the hearts of stylists rather than the typical business where you try to inspire minds.

N. Why are you so passionate about sharing the stylists of Butterfly Loft + Ubungalows work on Instagram?

BL. Every day, a stylist at Butterfly Loft does something that makes our jaw drop in awe. Instagram is an amazing tool for highlighting their talent. But my favorite thing about Instagram is that it provides a way for salon owners and stylists to work together as a team to accomplish something more than each could on their own. When one of our stylists creates great hair, we post it and the content brands us as being a great salon. And in turn, when we post the content, it brings the stylists much more exposure, which of course can also lead to more opportunity for the stylist. When we post the work of one of our stylists, over 25,000 people see it almost instantly. Instagram creates a true win/win relationship that every salon owner should utilize to strengthen their team.

N. Favorite Quote?

BL. Whatever you are… be a good one. – Abraham Lincoln

N. Starbucks or Coffee Bean?

Coffee Bean

A big shout out to my soul sister Larisa Love for introducing me to David + Alexis, an introduction that continues to make such an impact on my heart. And to David + Alexis for being so generous and open with their hearts, minds and business. So grateful for you two rad humans.

To learn more about Butterfly Loft and UBungalows + to stay connected with all their awesomeness, you can find them on Instagram @butterflyloftsalon @davidbutterflyloft @alexisbutterflyloft
on Periscope @butterflyloftsalon by visiting butterflyloft.com + ubungalows.com.

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

Passion Profile: Amber Elizabeth Dodzweit

May 25, 2015Nina KovnerPASSION PROFILE

“Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of all kinds because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish it’s work so that we may be complete.” James 1:2

While pro beauty makes up most of my business at Passion Squared, I also have the honor of working in the pro fitness and wellness worlds. Is the Universe trying to tell me something? Lol. I digress. I first met Amber through my awesome friend and former client Ashley Conrad, CEO of Clutch Bodyshop, and it was love at first sight. Amber is the real deal. Passion. Purpose. Bad Ass. Megababe and one of the most inspiring humans I know. Whether you are in beauty or fitness, there is so much we can all learn from Amber.

N. What does passion look & feel like to you?
A. Passion to me is anything you do that removes you from life’s pressure. That thing that you go to that sometimes is the only solace you have in finding peace- mindlessness even. To me, passion is finding a “therapist” without actually having to sit on a couch; it’s your release, your outlet. Your non-negotiable.

N. Why did you become an athlete & fitness coach?
A. Training and physical exercise saved my life. In my early 20’s I experienced a time that caused me to think that I would never be able to make it out of my circumstances. What pushing my body beyond its limits taught me was that pain was temporary and in fact, it was necessary for growth. It was this outlook that allowed me to keep going and ultimately grab a hold of everything I wanted for my life.

N.What is the biggest challenge you have had and how did you overcome it?
A. The biggest challenge specifically I’ve had has been against my own mindset. I think we all doubt ourselves and wonder if we truly have what it takes. There are daily battles I face so to identify one is hard…I would say that returning back to the fitness industry after I walked away was one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced. The tendency to shrink back in the face of expectation is so real- and coming back to the table to reclaim a career that I thought had ended was a huge leap of faith.

N.What is the greatest lesson you have learned?
A. The greatest lesson I’ve ever learned has to be “the shadow of our fear is always bigger than the actual thing.” Meaning, when you turn to face whatever might have you hiding…you realize how tiny and surmountable it is. Fear is like a projector casting a huge scary picture from a small concept.

N. What is one skill you believe all successful athletes + coaches need to have?
A. I think that successful athletes and coaches need to realize that succumbing to pain is optional. I think it’s important that we all experience what pain feels like- but the best athletes in the world feel it and continue on in spite of it.

N. Why that one?
A. I say that because it’s truly the subconscious mind that determines our reality. It translates to not only athletic but to life.

N. Why are you so focused on HIIT/Plyo?
A. I’ve been doing HIIT and Plyo workouts since the 5th grade. I was trained early on by an Olympic coach that happened to be on staff at my tiny high school. These workouts are how I was raised, I’ve tried all aspects of exercise and they always feel like home to me. This is beside the fact that daily studies are released supporting the fact that this form of exercise is superior in burning fat and building lean muscle. I recently read an article that stated that HIIT and bodyweight workouts are better than cardio, it just makes me so proud to share the truth with those that have battled the cardio machines their whole lives.

N. Favorite quote?
A. “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of all kinds because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish it’s work so that we may be complete.” -James 1:2

N. Starbucks or Coffee Bean?
A. Meh- Cabernet Sauvignon. :)

You can find out more about Amber and her new online training program at amberdodzweit.com.
You can also find her bad assery on Instagram @amberdodzweit and on Facebook.

Thank you Amber for sharing your awesomeness with us. I love you baby boo.

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

PASSION PROFILE: Keri R. Davis

March 30, 2015Nina KovnerGROW, PASSION PROFILE

Either you create your own culture, or your culture will be created for you. You choose. Keri R. Davis

What an honor it was to sit down with my 25+ year bestie and all around awesome human and biz bad ass Keri R. Davis to take a peek into her brain & heart. Keri has three Aveda Concept Salon in San Diego called Gila Rut, is an educator for Aveda Business College and won the NAHA MBA Salon of The Year, or what I like to call the bad ass biz award.

N. What does passion look and feel like to you?
K. When I see something that I am passionate about, I see beauty, in all things — not just industry beauty or physical facial beauty. I see passion in nature. I see passion in people helping people. I see passion in laughter … and I love to see the igniting of the light bulb in someone’s thinking.

When I feel passion, it feels like butterflies in my stomach. I feel anxious or driven in a good way … as if it can’t come fast enough, yet I don’t want it to end so I can relish the greatness of it.

N. Why did you become an owner?
K. What a loaded question! I was so young (26 years old) when we opened our first salon. Thinking back that far is challenging, but what I do remember is that the salon I worked in for my first 3 years in the industry was my biggest learning experience. It taught me what I didn’t want. I hate to say that, but sometimes when we learn what we don’t want, what we do want becomes clearer. Kind of like a relationship!

As I observed hairdressers that had been practicing their craft for 20+ years, what became clear was that they had nothing to show for their hard work … not in their personal life or business life. And when I say that, I am referring to a retirement plan, and exit strategy, owning a home. I felt that they felt stuck. That could have been just my observation, but that is what drove me to want to do something that gave me security.

When I went to work for the second salon of my career, my observation got even clearer. I could not find a salon to work in that offered me a career opportunity. I could only get a job! This was a huge distinction because I wanted a place where I could grow roots — a place where I could see myself for a long time and elevate my position/career. I wanted a mentor.

This was the changing point for me. It became evident that my path was to create an environment that offered career opportunities to people where they could grow and where they felt taken care of through health insurance, retirement and paid vacations. Basically, for me, things needed to operate like a ‘real’ company.

I wanted to be a facilitator to be able to help people see what was possible for them where they may not have seen it for themselves. This became my mission and has become my passion. This vision has not changed over my 24 years of business ownership!

N. What is the biggest challenge you have had and how did you overcome it?
K. I think the biggest challenge I have had (there have been many) is accepting that people have their own ‘process’ of execution and achieving a final result or goal that is often different from mine.

Overcoming this is a process in itself, so I breathe a lot and remind myself that people have their own amazing process of getting things done. As long as the communication is clear and we are working toward the same end result, it is a beautiful thing to observe and respect different ways of arriving at the same place. In some cases, they arrive in a better place.

N. What is the greatest lesson you have learned?
K. To practice gratitude for all that we have been blessed to encounter in our lives … business and personal.

N. What is one skill you believe all successful owners need to have?
K. A vision and the communication skills to get people aligned to that vision.

N. Why that one?
K. Without clear vision of where you want to go, the energy and culture becomes fragmented. People are moving in different directions and when coaching, we need to have a clear vision/goal of where the company is going. Otherwise, we have nowhere to direct them.

N. Why are you so passionate about salon culture?
K. To me, culture is EVERYTHING. In my mind, this is my second home. I want to feel amazing when I walk in. I want our staff and guests to have that same feeling. Without a strong culture, the customer experience is inconsistent. That being said, this would create an entirely new set of problems.

Culture is the glue that connects the experience of your company. From owner to staff members, from guests to community. It is who you are!

N. Favorite quote?
K. I have two:
“Either you create your own culture, or your culture will be created for you. You choose.”
“Be now what you want to become.”

N. Starbucks or Coffee Bean?
K. Neither: I make my own!

You can find Keri on Facebook, and follow Gila Rut Salons on Facebook + Instagram.

Thank you Keri for sharing your heart + brain + passion with us. I am so grateful to have you in my life, my heart and my head.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

Mad Love For @larisadoll

October 13, 2014Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW, PASSIONISTA PROFILE

“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.”

Zig Ziglar

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

Social listening and healthy stalking does have its privileges. And that is exactly how I discovered and met one of the most passionate and inspirational hairdressers I have ever known, Larisa Love aka @larisadoll on Instagram.

If you read my blog or listened to my Masters Series interview with Winn Claybaugh, then you have heard me speak of this awesomeness creator. I have been watching and listening to her for almost a year now.

One of the most awesome things I get to do at Passion Squared is connect with the best of the best, study them, learn from them, and many times actually meet them offline, then carry that message to my clients and community.

I’m not gonna lie, I am a big fan, and when Larisa and I set our date to meet, I got butterflies in my tummy. Why? Respect. Plain and simple. I knew this girl was special, but I also knew I only knew her online persona. And awesomely enough, she also works in the most beautiful bungalow at Butterfly Loft Salon in Encino. So butterflies were for sure an appropriate emotion.

So what did I learn about what makes Larisa so awesome?

1. Authenticity
Larisa is the real deal. As beautiful inside as out. This is probably the most important thing to learn about her success. Authenticity is everything in today’s world, and you can be Insta famous, have a gazillion followers, but fall flat offline if you are not truly authentic.

2. Focus + Direction
Larisa has such insane clarity of direction and focus for such a young (in years) human. People often ask me what is one of the most common challenges I see working with small businesses in the beauty and wellness worlds. My answer. Focus and direction.

3. She Knows Her Why
Larisa is crystal clear on her why, promise, purpose and target market as a brand. She is consistent in her work, her brand identity, her boundaries, and how she presents her brand and creates stories that matter on Instagram. She knows her brand why. Remember, as the awesome Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it.”

4. Instagram Can Build A Business
Larisa learned very early in her short 4-year career as a hairdresser that Instagram would be the platform to engage, connect, build relationships and ultimately grow a business that has her booked until 2016 with 800 people on her waiting list. She chose one platform, she chose to focus intently on it, and she has never wavered. She spends at minimum 2 hours a day creating content, posting and engaging with her followers. You may think 2 hours is a lot of time. My question back to you is are you happy with your marketing plan and how it’s helping you grow your business?

5. Consistency
This could be Larisa’s middle name. Her beautiful work speaks for itself. But what matters even more is her consistency. In branding, in hair, in engagement, in posting, in content creation, and in voice.

Can every stylist have 40K followers and an 800-person waiting list? I don’t really know. But what I do know, is the above traits and actions are just some of the reasons Larisa has been SO successful, and it also happens to be traits and actions I see in many others creating awesome in their business.

As I have said before and I will always say, there is NO secret or magic pill. Creating awesome takes commitment, courage, consistency and most of all caring. And Larisa is all of those things and so much more.

If you are not already, follow @larisadoll and learn. Then go out and create your own kind of awesome.

A big shout out of gratitude and thanks to Larisa, her beautiful, kind and talented BF @dylankelly and David and Alexis, the awesome owners of Butterfly Loft Salon for such a special evening. I am in awe of all of you and so grateful to know you.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

(awesome photos courtesy of @larisadoll)

My Night With Jared Leto

September 22, 2014Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“If you are willing to walk the path of a dreamer, then anything is possible.”

Jared Leto

(images via Jared Leto Instagram, follow him, cause he’s awesome!)

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

So yes, this happened. My awesome Sis Lisa got tickets to see Jared as an early birthday present to me. I mean, wow. Best Sis ever, right? This post is about my night, and actually, my recent love affair with the human that is Jared Leto.

The Leto Experience
I have been a kinda fan of his for a while. But I became a mega fan when I watched his awesome doc Artifact. I mean to be honest, I think I have watched it a gazillion times. And each time I cry. So there’s that. And his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, OMG. No words really except for the fact that I lost some of the most awesome humans during those times in the 80’s to AIDS, and the story touched deep in my heart. So when Jared won the Oscar, well, you can only imagine my emotions, and yes, I cried.

So, to be able to see him live, I wondered if my love affair with him from afar would become stronger after seeing him LIVE. Well, of course, the answer is YES, squared!

What is it about him that I am so obsessed with? His humanity. Yes, he is a #megababe, but that is not what it is. He is real. He is authentic. He connects. He creates. He engages. He cares. He is vulnerable. He dreams. He is imperfect. He is passion. He is love.

As I sat at the Hollywood Bowl that night, having a panic attack, which is another blog, I knew I had to get incredibly focused as to not lose my s#%t! So I choose to focus intently on him. On his dialogue. On his energy. On how he connected with the audience. And again, I cried.

Authenticity + Transparency
In a world craving transparency and authenticity, to experience Jared Leto LIVE confirmed to me that the true way to make a difference in the lives of others is to truly care. To authentically & passionately connect and engage. To be whole. Not one person on Instagram and another at a concert.

At the end of their set, he shared with the audience that the band would be at their merch tent signing CD’s for as long as they could. Are you kidding me? An Oscar winner? A mega rock star? Signing CD’s? Yes. Because they care.

The Lesson
The lesson in all this? Authenticity, transparency, passion & caring are and will continue to be the foundations of an awesome business.

No matter how big or how small you are, if you allow your head to blow up, become driven by ego, get too “busy” and full of yourself, and think you are “too big to fail” all I can say is proceed with caution.

If you are a passionate studier of business, if you are passionate about artists, please see Artifact. And if Jared comes to town, well, you know, you just gotta go!

Tag Archives: passion

Passion Profile: David + Alexis Thurston

Passion Profile: Amber Elizabeth Dodzweit

PASSION PROFILE: Keri R. Davis

Mad Love For @larisadoll