Passion Squared blog- The Wizard of Social Media (1)

The Wizard Behind The Selfie

August 1, 2016Nina KovnerENGAGE, MY TRUTH

“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”  L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

In today’s world of online everything, there is so much light and love, but there also can be so much darkness and deception. You see, online we have the ability to present and promote just about anything. And many actually believe what is being presented to them. In so many ways, that can be awesome, but in other ways, it can be debilitating and impact people’s esteem.

What am I talking about? Perspective.

There are millions of images being shown to us each day. Some are real, and some not so much. And my question is… Is that a good thing or a bad thing? And my answer? Both.

The Magical “But I’m Sick” Selfie
Recently, I was asked to provide a head shot for an event. Which normally I would simply email my go-to black and white head shot most of you have seen on my website and social media, taken by my awesome friend Anne Slattery, and one that I did not have much makeup on and for sure no filters. It’s real. Wrinkles and all. And I love it. But this request was for a color head shot, which I did not have, and they needed it within 24 hours. OMG, what the hell was I gonna do?

On that particular day, I was battling a nasty cold, and the last thing I wanted to do is take a damn picture of my snot nose face. But as any awesomeness creator does, we step up and show up. So I put my big girl panties on, scrubbed my face, put on a shit ton of makeup (which I hardly ever do), called in #teamawesome, and said “lets do this”!

Makeup + Ringlights + Filters Oh My!
With packed on makeup, a fake smile (remember, I was sick!), a ring light and a Snapchat filter (the one that removes all trace of any flaws on our faces, which I call the good self esteem filter), we began shooting. About 25 pictures which were mostly selfies. And then I was done. What little energy I had was zapped from my body.

We took those pics and began to filter them even more, using whatever editing apps were going to create the most magic, and like magic, we had our final pic.

I don’t think I have ever received more feedback about the pic we took that day. I mean, it was like I had just finished a shoot for the cover of Vogue. “Nina, you look beautiful. Nina, those lashes. Nina, the light in your eyes, Nina….

And while I was so grateful for those beautiful words, it made me immediately think about the insane pressure we put on ourselves to look “perfect” on social media. To present “perfect”, to edit to “perfect” and to compare to “perfect”. And the fact it, most of what we see is just smoke and mirrors. Like the Wizard. Like my new head shot.

Yes, it’s me. Yes, I know I am beautiful, inside and out. But don’t get it twisted; it is not what I look like everyday. Not even close. I am two months from 50. I have wrinkles. My skin tone is not even. My lashes are extensions. And with a cold, I look even worse. And that is what is real.

Comparison Is The Thief of Joy
Now let me be clear, there is NOTHING wrong with using the awesome tools and technology available to us to present our best self and our best work. It’s awesome, and I love it. BUT, where it becomes dark and destructive is when we believe it’s actually real. Like 100%. And we begin comparing ourselves and our work to what we see on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.

In addition to that, please remember that most of the time, people only present what they want you to see. And we make things up in our heads as to what we believe to be true. Follower counts do not equal paying the bills. Pretty head shots do not equal being successful. And beautiful work does not mean you have a full clientele.

My promise as a human and a brand is to always be honest and authentic. Why? Because I am in the empowerment business. And empowerment comes from within. Empowerment comes when we own our awesomeness, wrinkles and all.

So by all means use the lights, the filters, the lashes, the makeup, the apps, all of it. But please, be honest with yourself and others. And stop comparing your behind the scenes to others highlight reels (or selfies, or head shots or work, or claims, or follower counts, or…).

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina xo

PS: Wanna share Snap stories? I’m passionsquared, I would love to connect with you!

#QandAwesome Dealing With Toxic People

July 7, 2016Nina Kovner#QandAwesome

In this episode of #QandAwesome I address an issue that was brought to me about dealing with toxic people in a salon business. My answer may not be what anyone wants to hear, but we must remember, we teach people how to treat us, in biz and in life. Thanks so much for watching!

Passion Squared Blog- Independence

Are We Really Independent?

July 3, 2016Nina KovnerGROW, MY TRUTH

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”  Coco Chanel

As I sit here on the day before Independence Day, I have been reflecting on my journey and what freedom looks like and feels like for me. You see, we all have different ways we define independence and freedom. And for me, it comes back to empowerment.

Now, lets first begin with the textbook definition of independence: according to Merriam Webster it means… “freedom from outside control or support : the state of being independent”

Here’s the thing. If we are in business, we thrive on “outside control or support” so are we really independent? I say kinda, but not really.

I say we are more interdependent. As we need each other. As opposed to dependent, like, I cannot exist without you.

OK, so I’m getting a little deep into semantics, so lets go back to empowerment.

Empowerment to me means…
Thinking for ourselves
Finding our voice
Wisdom to make decisions that feel good
Courage to set healthy boundaries
Confidence in knowing what is good for us
Embracing our whole, imperfections and all
Owning our story and being proud of it
Self awareness and all that comes with it
Lighting the path for others
Being strong enough to ask for help
Standing up for what we believe in
Challenging the status quo
Not living by society’s standards
Taking the road less traveled
Owning our choices

And I could go on and on. So on this Independence Day, I sit in gratitude for the choices I have made, all the good ones, and all the not so good ones, knowing that I am the creator of my journey and because of all those decisions I have the honor of helping pave the way for the people I love. That is true independence to me.

What does independence mean to you? Create some space today and reflect.

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

 

 

 

Who Is Responsible for Building Business?

June 11, 2016Nina Kovner#QandAwesome

In this episode of #QandAwesome, I answer a question about who is responsible for building the business in the salon. It all comes down to a few things… vision, leadership, communication, confidence! And the answer is of course, we are ALL responsible, in any type of business, not just a salon. Thanks so much for watching!

Richelle Brigola Blog Header

A School Stories: Richelle Brigola

May 30, 2016Nina KovnerA School Stories, GROW

If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. My Mom

This A School Story begins with a little bit of history; I have known Richelle since high school. How? We both went to Dana Hills High School in Dana Point and graduated together in the Class of ’84. Richelle and I reconnected (yes, 30th!) at our 30th high school reunion last year, and that is when I learned she had created an awesome life in the world of hair. What a gift it is to work with such a cool human that I have so much history with. Love how the world works. I am beyond thrilled to share Richelle’s story with you…

N. What does passion look and feel like to you?
R. Passion to me looks and feels like that moment when you create an amazing piece of work on a salon guest and think to yourself “Damn!  I can’t believe I did THAT!”.  It’s going to bed at night thinking about what you will be creating the next day in the salon.  It’s waking up psyched to put plans into motion.  It’s realizing that you are looking at everyone’s hair, make up, clothing and in your head you’re giving them a make over.  It’s a constant buzz that doesn’t stop.

N. Why did you join A School?
R. I joined A School out of curiosity… I re-met Nina at our high school reunion.  She told me about Passion Squared, I checked it out, it sounded interesting and I signed up.  It’s probably the best business decision I have made!

N. What have you learned on your journey in A School?
R. My journey with A School has been more than just a learning experience…  A School has given me the confidence and tools to believe in myself and to trust the process. A School has made me feel part of a larger community of caring and supportive individuals.  I have learned not to compare myself, my salon, or work to others.  My journey is my own and it is okay to walk a different path.

N. Why did you become an owner?
R. I became an owner out of necessity… the salon that I was working at was falling apart.  The owner was dealing with some major personal issues which the affected the vibe and community of the salon.  It was never my goal, but I am happy how things have worked out.  I am fortunate to have found a small studio and I have three awesome stylists working with me as independent contractors.

N. What is your biggest lesson so far being an owner?
R. My biggest lesson so far as an owner is sometimes you have to put on the big girl panties and they’re not always comfortable!

N. How do you handle difficult situations with clients or team members?
R. In dealing with difficult clients or team members I try hard to take my ego out of the equation, take a step back and view the situation from the other person’s point of view.  It also helps me to let a little time pass so that I am not reacting. This way,  I can take the time to analyze the situation.  I will admit that I do not do well with conflict. If I am able to make it go away quickly and easily,  I will!  That is not always a good strategy and I am working on that.

N. What ONE tool would you say is the most effective in marketing your business and why?
R. The one tool that is most effective in marketing my business is still word of mouth.  I do post my work on Instagram and Facebook and my clients love seeing themselves or their friends on social media.  I think this helps drive the referrals.

N. Where does your inspiration come from?
R. My inspiration comes from my Mom.  She owned salons during most of my childhood and was a nail tech who developed her own acrylic line.  Interestingly enough, she was a salon owner and doing nails before California required nail techs to be licensed. Sadly, she is no longer able to work in the beauty industry due to health reasons.  I have learned from her the value of believing in one’s self and to take chances… you never know where it will lead you.

N. How do you practice self-care?
R. Practicing self care is just that, practicing… I try very hard to attend CrossFit three times a week, walk the family dog with my husband in the evenings and have regular massage appointments.  I also have started scheduling lunch breaks when I am working.  These things don’t always happen because some days or weeks it’s too crazy busy and that’s okay.

N. Coffee Bean or Starbucks?
R. Starbucks!

N. Favorite quote?
R.”If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” -My Mom

You can find Solo Capelli Salon and Studio Line on Instagram and Facebook!

A big shout out of love + gratitude to Richelle for sharing her story with us. I just love how the universe works and how we have been brought back together, so grateful to be on this journey with you!

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

If you are a creative small biz owner in the pro beauty world and looking for a ton of love, support and help with creating an awesome biz + life, A School may be a good fit for you.