Taylor Swift: How Storytelling, Emotional Connection, and Healthy Boundaries Built A Personal Brand
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
Release Date: 05/22/2025
ENCORE Madison Reed: Filling the Gap Between Box Color and Balayage with Clarity of Brand Story and Market Position
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
I'm sharing this episode again because the salon industry continues to be confused about brand story, market position, and how that drives every decision you make for your salon business, including how you price your services. There is a market for everyone! In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we take a closer look at how Madison Reed filled the gap between drugstore box color and major salon transformations by knowing exactly who they serve, what those clients value, and how to deliver consistency at scale. Madison Reed isn’t stealing your clients. They’re speaking directly...
info_outline
The Walmart Hairstylist: A Personal Brand Story of Care, Trust, and Value
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
On this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, I talk about a TikTok that showed up on my FYP and stopped me in my tracks: a hairstylist working inside a Walmart salon known as @walmarthairstylist At first glance, I thought it had to be AI. Not because I was judging her. But because I rarely see content that shows this level of care, communication, and client experience coming from a value-based salon on TikTok. So I watched more. And then I read the comments. Hairdressers, from every business model and market position, from luxury salons to independents, were cheering her on. Katie is a...
info_outline
The Brand Lesson Beauty Pros Need To Understand from Costco, Trader Joe's & In-N-Out Burger
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
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....
info_outline
Sundance Film Festival: How A Place Built A Brand and Why Leaving Changes Everything
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we’re talking why the nostalgia macro trend has become one of the most powerful trust-building forces in business and why so many brands are leaning into the familiar, the simple, and the human. Through the story of Sundance Film Festival and its decision to leave Park City, Utah, we take a closer look at what happens when a brand abandons the very home that built its experience and value, and why nostalgia isn’t about the past; it’s about trust. From film to beauty, the message is the same: your experience is your brand. Nostalgia might look...
info_outline
Apple: How Brand Clarity and Experience Design Built Trust and Reinvented An Industry
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
Apple didn’t just design products; they designed and consistently delivered an experience. In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we look at how Apple used brand story clarity and experience design to build trust, reinvent retail, capture a significant share of the computer market, and reshape an entire industry, and what happens when that trust starts to erode. In This Episode How Apple’s brand story clarity and simplicity became its greatest competitive advantage Why experience design, not advertising, built Apple’s success The moment the rebel brand started to drift and...
info_outline
Why I Resisted Creating My Personal Brand (And Why I Can’t Anymore)
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we are doing something a little different. Instead of unpacking another company’s brand story, I’m sharing my own brand evolution, moving from Passion Squared (a business brand) to Nina L. Kovner (my personal brand), and why I created MENTORED. with Nina L. Kovner. This isn’t just a rebrand. It’s me stepping into what I’ve resisted the most: my personal brand, and the gift I’ve been given as a mentor. In This Episode · Why I resisted building a personal brand for so long · How content consumption has shifted since I...
info_outline
GAP: A Legacy Brand Finds Its Relevance Again by Reclaiming Its Soul
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
In the 90s and early 2000s, GAP wasn’t just a store; it was a cultural force. Then came overexpansion, distraction, and one of the most infamous logo fails in branding history. For years, GAP drifted in a sea of sameness, losing clarity and connection. But today, under the leadership of CEO Richard Dickson, GAP is staging a reclamation, not by chasing trends, but by staying true to its original brand promises and reclaiming who they are. Their latest campaign proves that legacy brands don’t need to reinvent, per se, to stay relevant; they need to evolve while protecting the soul of what...
info_outline
e.l.f. Cosmetics Revisited: The Broken Brand Promise We Didn’t Expect
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
In this short follow-up episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we’re revisiting e.l.f. Cosmetics, a brand we recently celebrated for its clarity, consistency, and connection with its audience. But something shifted. After releasing their most recent ad campaign that contradicted their values-forward brand and staying silent when their audience called it out, e.l.f. showed us just how fragile brand trust can be. In this episode Why your brand promises aren't misson statements or marketing, they're a commitment What happens when brands veer from the values they’re known for Why silence can...
info_outline
Red Lobster: Losing and Rebuilding Brand Trust, One Decision at a Time
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, I’m diving into the story of Red Lobster’s recent comeback and what it teaches us about brand clarity, decision-making, leadership, and trust. From the chaos of the Endless Shrimp promotion to the arrival of new CEO Damola Adamolekun, this isn’t a story about flashy reinvention or performative PR. It’s about showing up, listening, simplifying, and making decisions that align with your brand promise. In This Episode: · How Red Lobster lost alignment with its brand promise and how it showed up to fix it ...
info_outline
Rihanna & Fenty: The Power of a Personal Brand in Business, Leadership, and Building Trust
BUILDING & BREAKING with Nina L. Kovner
In this episode of BUILDING & BREAKING, we take a closer look at Rihanna, not just as an artist, but as a personal brand that has redefined what it means to lead, serve, and build businesses that matter. We explore how Rihanna’s brand began with a purpose, to challenge the lack of representation in beauty and culture, and how that clarity shaped everything from Fenty Beauty to Savage X Fenty. This isn’t about celebrity. It’s about service, trust, and an emotional, human connection. You’ll also hear why I’ve decided to transition Passion Squared to a personal brand after 13 years...
info_outlineIn 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.