In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, Nina breaks down one of the most iconic personal brands in the world, Taylor Swift.

This isn’t a fangirl episode (though Nina is a Swiftie, duh). This is about a personal brand and consistent leadership, grounded in brand clarity, emotional connection, and healthy boundaries.

From how Taylor speaks the language of her audience to how she uses storytelling to build trust and community, this episode explores the exact strategy behind her global impact.

You’ll learn how to apply Taylor’s brand genius to your salon, business, or beauty brand, including real-world takeaways for hairstylists, salon owners, and beauty marketers.

Nina also shares how Taylor’s music and the Eras Concert Tour helped her heal through deep grief. This one’s personal, and yes, there were a fear tears shed.

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.

In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, Nina breaks down Target’s trust crisis, not as a political conversation, but as a brand case study.

Why did loyal shoppers like Nina, who went to Target every week, walk away? What lessons can salon owners, hairstylists, creative entrepreneurs, and beauty brands learn about lifetime customer (and client) value, consistency, and the cost of making decisions that are totally off-brand?

Nina contrasts Target’s missteps with Costco’s long-game brand clarity, sharing real-life examples of how knee-jerk decisions can break trust and shrink long-term loyalty, and lifetime client, team, and tenant (booth renter) value.

If you are ready to find more clarity of your salon brand story, which is the foundation for every decision you make, click here to learn more and get started with Creating Your Awesome Brand, A Complete Course for Beauty Pros.

Thank you so much for listening!

In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we’re diving deep into the legendary story of Aveda: how it rose to beloved icon status, what fueled its global success, and how it lost its way.

Nina Kovner, former beauty brand VP, educator, and lifelong observer of Aveda’s rise and evolution, breaks down the brand’s rise under Horst Rechelbacher’s visionary leadership, its pioneering of nature-powered beauty, wellness, and the groundbreaking experience design that set it apart.

We dive into how Aveda’s sale to Estée Lauder shifted its trajectory, the disconnect that followed, and the hard lessons every salon owner, hairstylist, and beauty brand must learn to protect their own brand trust. From brand clarity and experience rituals to salon partnerships and loyalty, this is a powerful lesson in what it takes to build a sustainable brand and what happens when you drift from your core brand story.

Whether you’re a salon owner, stylist, or pro beauty brand exec, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways on brand story, staying focused, and rebuilding trust when things go off course.

In This Episode:

• What made Aveda the blueprint for nature-powered beauty brands
• The role of aromatherapy & sensory experience in lifetime client value (the amount of happiness, joy, referrals, and revenue a client brings you over the lifetime of your relationship with them)
• How clear brand stories, including brand promises, fueled growth, and where clarity faltered
• Lessons on brand erosion: leadership shifts, inconsistency, lost connections and broken promises
• What salons & pro beauty brands can learn (and apply right now)
• Why clarity, consistency, and care are everything

For salon owners & hairstylists: Get inspired to infuse meaning into every part of the client, team, or tenant experience, strengthen relationships, and keep your brand story at the heart of everything you do.

For beauty brands: A real-world reminder of how brand trust is earned and how to rebuild when it breaks.

If you want to learn more about how to build your salon brand with a solid foundation, click here to learn more about Creating Your Awesome Brand, A Complete Course for Beauty Pros.

Thank you so much for listening!