Generation WHY

GENERATION WHY

April 20, 2015Nina KovnerGROW

Before you go and criticize the younger generation, just remember who raised them. Unknown

Here is the audio version of this post. It’s like me reading you a bedtime story. Thank you for listening.

This post was first created, from my heart, on June 10, 2013. Nearly two years later, it could not be more relevant. As I listen and observe the professional beauty biz, I continue to hear frustrated new professionals not always clear on what to do or where to go to find love + support, and equally, frustrated salon owners unsure + unclear how the heck to connect with what I call Generation WHY.

And as I wrote in June of 2013, this is a forever issue. Always blaming the next generation for things, and simply not understanding them. This is one of many reasons I am launching a new program A School for New Professionals on May 1 2015, to do what I do best and provide a place to help new professionals navigate their new career. Already having my A School for Owners, I see this as the almost perfect marriage and one that is desperately needed in the pro beauty biz. #excited

Original Post from June 10, 2013
It’s always the same it seems, the older generation, no matter which it is, is always somewhat down on the next generation. Whether it be the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, etc. There is always something people find wrong or irritating.

Is it that we lose perspective over time? That we get cranky and tired as we age? I am not a history expert, but I am a human who pays attention, so here is my take and some things to consider when generation bashing or trying to be an awesome leader of future generations.

Gary Vee, one of my biz heroes posted a quote to his Facebook page a few months back and it really resonated with me, Gary said…“We’ve just gotten smarter and realized that 22 year olds have more value than just getting you coffee”.

Here is what I know about the WHY generation…
1. They value purpose and meaning, not just a job or paycheck.

2. They want to know WHY, and “because I said so” does not fly.

3. They want leaders and mentors to tell them what’s possible, not what’s not possible.

4. They crave authenticity and relationships, in work and in life.

5. They are not waiting for our permission to dream or do important work.

I hear so often how challenged many are working with the younger generation. How they are afraid of hard work and want everything yesterday. I disagree. I work with young people everyday, and have successfully led these kids and helped them do big things. I love the youth. I love their passion, their hope and their courage to take the road less traveled.

Here are some things we can do to help lift up the next generation.
1. Be honest with them.

2. Share our wisdom.

3. Listen to them.

4. Create a vision of possibilities for them.

5. Love them.

It’s really quite simple, but not at all easy to take the time to understand the people we lead. But that is what leadership is about. It’s about perspective, understanding, vision, lifting others up and creating an environment for our teams to shine.

Of course, there is an alternative, you could just stay angry. Have fun with that.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

The Business Down The Street

The Business Down The Street

October 27, 2014Nina KovnerGROW

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Theodore Roosevelt

The Business Down The Street

 (image via @jacksonk10 on Instagram)

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

As Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” It can be a thief in business too.

On Saturday, I posted the above image to Instagram with the following message…
“Often when working with small businesses I hear something like this… Well the business down the street is charging this or promoting this or… should I do that? Awesome businesses are created when you define your own purpose, promise, target market, set clear objectives, create a bad ass strategy and execute like a mother … Focus on creating your own kind of awesome.”

It was one of my more liked posts. But this topic requires more time and explanation than an Instagram post. So here goes…

Yes, studying success and awesomeness is important. Learning from the greats, the ones who have consistently shown growth and profitability, the ability to create a strong culture, etc. Having an in-depth knowledge of those who have successfully gone before you, yes, all of that is awesome and important.

However, when we are comparing our business to the one “down the street”, this is where I have issues…

  1. Do you know their business model?

  2. Do you know their strategy & target market?

  3. Do you know their plan?

  4. Do you know their sales?

  5. Do you know their profitability?

  6. Do you know their cost of sales?

  7. Do you know how they are funded?

  8. Do you know how long they will be in business?

  9. Do you know if their clients are happy?

  10. Do you know if their team is happy?

My guess is NO. You do not know. Therefore, how can we even begin to compare our business to theirs? What if we decided to follow a pricing strategy of a competitor that was headed down a road of putting them out of business? Or a promotional program that depleted all cash flow and pissed off clients and team members? OMG, can you imagine?

Before you look around one more time to see what others are doing, take that time to look within. Your own objectives, your plan, your strategy, your P & L, your business model. Start there.

Focus on creating your own kind of awesome. And connect with and learn from people who not only own businesses but grow businesses, for reals.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

Follow Your HEART

Why I Wrote Follow Your HEART

July 7, 2014Nina KovnerGROW, MY TRUTH

“Follow your heart but take your brain with you.”

Alfred Adler

 

Follow Your HEART

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

After recording the Masters Series interview with Winn Claybaugh, a question he asked has been heavy on my mind. The question was “Who did I write my book for?” In between all the laughs, and tears of that interview, it really made me think.

Winn and Nina

While that would seem like such a simple question, it made me think about why I felt compelled to write the book in the first place, and what I was hoping the book would be in the hearts and minds of those who read it.

The message I was trying to communication was that the world wants us to live our purpose. And to me, that means following our heart. By writing down my journey and sharing it, it helped me get more honest  and clear about what it takes to live an authentic life.

But the simplicity of that is what many times gets people confused. It is not an easy path to take; it’s actually the most difficult. Because in following our heart, we live on the edges of the society, we seek meaningful relationships and projects, we care deeply, and almost so much it hurts at times. We are seen many times as crazy, which you know, we are. We get comfortable with being uncomfortable. We embrace uncertainly. We are driven by our passions.

However, that does not mean that we are not thinking. We are thinking, actually more in many cases than those who choose to walk through life following someone else’s heart. We are strategic. We crystal clear in what feels awesome and what does not.

So why did I write my book? To challenge the seekers like myself, to open up a dialogue about living our purpose, to push those on the edge, and to share the experience and tools of my journey, in hopes of helping others live an awesomely authentic life.

Following our hearts is simple, but it requires we bring our brains with us, and that my friends, is the most awesome combination of all.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

PS: A big shout out of thanks to my friend Winn for the opportunity to share my story. And to all who have invested in my book and are on the path to authentic awesomeness, thank you, I am so grateful for you.

Click here to hear my interview with Winn Claybaugh. To purchase my book, in either ebook, audio book or a printed and signed copy, click here.

Delays + Denials

March 3, 2014Nina KovnerGROW, MY TRUTH

All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.  – J.M Barrie, Creator of Peter Pan

 

Here is the audio version of this post. It’s my first time recording on a new computer in my new space, so its a bit wonky, it will get better. Thank you so much for understanding and listening. Enjoy.

For the last 7 months, I have been overwhelmed with the process of selling my house and deciding where I would be moving myself, my canine babies and Passion Squared. Talk about an experience in patience and trust. OMG, there were days and weeks I was not sure I would survive.

Being overwhelmed by all the stops and starts and mistakes. Not knowing when or if, or as my therapist says, being in a forever “hallway”. Ugh, hallways, seriously one of the worst places to be. So why am I sharing this in my blog?

For months I have been thinking about how I would share my experience once I came out the other side. So here I sit today, finally out of the hallway and into my new space, and new chapter.

So what did I learn?

A delay is not always a denial.
When I think back on my life, I am so grateful for the things that did not go my way, as much as I am for the things that did. And many times, the things I wanted so badly, were not actually the best things for me. I trust that the Universe or what ever you want to call it knows. The more I learn to trust and pay attention, the more I see this as truth.

Life is one series of lessons.
When I choose to look at it that way, things get a little bit easier and actually become funny in a way. Cause seriously, many times, all I could do was laugh, in between tears of course. What makes life so awesome is the lessons, if we can see them and learn from them. Isn’t that why we are here?

Wants and needs are very different.
What I wanted was my house to sell in 5 seconds so I could get on with my life, no interruptions, nothing. Realistic? Hell no! What I needed was to trust that the people I put in charge of selling my house knew what they were doing, and that the perfect buyer would come, eventually. Patience is still not my strong suit. And I made a huge mistake choosing my first realtor. So I own my decision, make better choices, and move forward. And trust that if I do my part, my needs will be met. Even when it’s not on my perfect timeline.

What is right for you is not necessarily right for me.
This is one of the biggest reminders for me during this process. You see, I had to sit for a long time in my decision to buy a house in the first place. Looking in the mirror is never easy. I purchased a home because that is what I thought I was supposed to do. So many people told me that was what I was supposed to do. You know, the American dream thing? Well, guess what? That is total BS.

In looking through years of decisions I have made, I realized many of them were based on what other people thought. What other people said. Not on what felt right for me. So here I sit, realizing again that so much of my life was built based on others thoughts and opinions. Not everyone is meant to be a homeowner, or a business owner for that matter. For reals. We all have a path. We all have skill sets. But to assume what is right for you is right for me is what gets so many of us in trouble. With life, leadership, and even home ownership.

So today, as I sit in my new loft space in downtown LA, with all the sights and sounds, the energy, the aliveness, I am finally at peace. Knowing that this was all just another awesome lesson, in this crazy journey called life. And today, I am grateful for the delays and denials. I am grateful for everything.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

 

Delivering Happiness

Delivering Happiness

October 26, 2012Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“I had decided to stop chasing the money, and start chasing the passion.”

Tony Hsieh, Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

When it comes to providing service (with their own unique brand twist), few companies can come close to Zappos in “delivering happiness”.

Both online and off, it’s so important to remember why we are in business in the first place, to deliver value, an exceptional experience, and more importantly, to ensure our team feels the love, cause when they feel the love, most likely your clients will too!

This is also true when it comes to how you are engaging your clients and team members on your social pages.  How cool is it to know that your job is to deliver happiness, doesn’t that make engaging online a bit more fun?

We heart this video, a fun glimpse behind the scenes of this incredible company, produced by the Zappos team.  Awesome!

Delivering Happiness, the book by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, is about the connection between passion, purpose and profits.  We LOVE.  Click here to purchase this awesome book, you will be so happy you did!

To learn more about the Delivering Happiness movement, click here.

(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Gordon + Nina)