Our Blog

In our 5 Business Tips from an Attorney blog, attorney Christopher Matthew, and owner of Dillinger’s Hair Company touched on the importance on why you should form a separate business entity, either a corporation or an LLC. We asked him to explain those reasons in more detail because, let’s face it, not everyone has the opportunity to get free, helpful advice from an attorney!  Read More

There are a lot of perks to owning your salon, but with freedom and flexibility also comes pressure to constantly have clients in your chair. As a Sola salon owner for the past 7 years, I've learned that one thing that makes salon ownership less stressful is having my books filled at least six to eight weeks out. But to have them filled requires a healthy clientele. Here are the do's and don'ts I’ve learned for building and nurturing a clientele.    Read More

One of the greatest parts of an event like the Sola Sessions is the knowledge and wisdom our community is able to share with each other. We wanted to capture some of that wisdom we collected on our Wisdom Wall where we had attendees offer their best Sola advice.  Read More

To be a successful salon owner today, you must know how to grab the attention of your customers. Creating a cohesive and engaging digital brand identity isn’t as easy as some may think. So in case you aren’t a social media savant, it helps to have accessible resources to give your social media posts an edge. Here are 5 user-friendly apps and websites you can explore to take your social media channels to the next level.  Read More

There are infinite ways life can throw curveballs your way, but the only thing you can ever be sure of is a change is gonna come (cue Sam Cooke). Change can be great. It can  open us up to new opportunities and new people we never would have met. But change can also bring uncertainty and fear.  Read More

Queer Eye’s breakout star Jonathan Van Ness has been a busy bee since joining the Sola family five years ago. Between creating and producing an absolutely hilarious web-based series, recording a podcast, filming two seasons of Queer Eye (with a third on the way!) and owning and managing his own salon, it’s amazing to follow along his Instagram stories to see that he still has ample time for self-care and raising his two gorgeous cats. He chatted with us about the joy of owning his own salon, being nominated for an Emmy and that day he gave his mother’s vintage Barbie a makeover.  Read More

Stepping into the unknown is always intimidating, but knowing others before you have walked the same path and made it safely to the other side can make those first steps a little less scary. As we prepare to welcome the 2019 Faces of Sola to our dynamic group of inspirational Sola leaders, we wanted to hear some advice from our 2018 Faces to pass on to the rest of our Sola fam.  Read More

In today’s digital world, people are looking for a way to connect with brands on a deeper level, far beyond a traditional website. As an independent salon owner, social media can be utilized to create a secondary face of your salon. Instagram especially is a platform on which you have the opportunity to create a visual story of your brand and provide valuable messaging to your clients and followers.  Read More

Who can believe that 2018 is more than halfway done? Doesn’t it seem every year, time passes faster and faster? Right now’s a great time to revisit your New Year’s goals for achieving your dreams, both in and outside your Sola studio.  Read More

Our Sola community is a culture of beauty professionals who are continuously motivating each other in and out of the salon. We come from all walks of life, share like experiences and strive to be successful business owners. What’s beautiful about this community of ours is that we have all either given or received some great career advice at some point that we can pay forward. We asked our 2018 Faces of Sola to share what their best career advice would be. Here's what they had to say...  Read More

We are pretty lucky to have an attorney in the Sola community who just so happens to be not only a well-established barber but also one of our 2018 Faces of Sola. You may remember Chris Matthew from Dillinger’s Hair Company and his astute business advice he provided our community with a couple months back. Well, he’s back and he is going to give us a lesson in understanding trademarks.  Read More

In today’s world of non-stop information, it is often difficult for clients to tell the difference between the skin care myths and the skin care facts. But don’t worry! We’re here to help you identify truth from fiction. We’ve asked a panel of licensed estheticians and skin care experts what sun care myths they hear most often – and what the truth is behind these myths. Here are the top SPF myths you should warn your clients about.  Read More

 This Father’s Day, before you fire up the grill and crack open a cold one, we’d like you to take a few minutes and read what our resident Faces of Sola Single Dad, Alex Sylvester, had to say about time management, priorities, and working behind the chair as a single dad when we recently caught up with him this Father’s Day weekend.  Read More

Our resident salon pro/lawyer/branding and business expert Christopher Matthew, owner of Dillinger’s Hair Company, is back with another lesson in building your brand. This time, he is going to explain why it is important to create a brand that is…offensive. It sounds risky, but when you read his reasons why, it makes absolute sense.  Read More

Ashley Lewis, a.k.a. @the_blondologist, from Nest Hair Studio in Richmond, Virginia has us in complete swoon-mode over this absolutely striking icy blonde bob that is just perfect now that “winter is coming.” This end result is one that does NOT happen overnight; it has required time and proper execution to achieve.  Read More

Say goodbye to the chaotic juggling and hello to Sola tech guru Olivia Morales's how-to steps for maximizing SolaGenius's calendar setting.  Read More

Ever thought about giving back to the industry that has given you so much? Rona Bunch’s salon mentorship program provides a practical model for experienced stylists who are ready to take on an apprentice.  Read More

What if we said you could pay your monthly Sola rent by retailing products properly? That shampoo, conditioner, hairspray and everything in between can pay your monthly rent and everything you make from cutting, coloring, and styling services can be used to order supplies and…profit. For some of you, this concept sounds easy, but for many of you, it sounds unachievable. Au contraire, mon frère! Ashley Lantz, owner of TressPassing Salon in Avondale, Arizona, and one of our 2018 Faces of Sola does just this—she pays her rent in retail.  Read More

No matter your Sola specialty, Spring and Summer present tons of options for profitably growing your business during the height of wedding season. From the couple and wedding party to mother-of-the-bride, flower girl and every invited guest, opportunities abound for growing your salon’s client roster.  Read More

On Monday, April 9, 2018, 200 Sola pros gathered at the Wyndham Grand Jupiter for a day of inspiration, education and community! With eight Sola Sessions under our belt, we are continually amazed by the ambitious small business owners who come from far and wide, eager to take their salon businesses to the next level. From launching the Sola 10,000 celebration to learning from the industry's best to inspiring one another, it was a day we'll not soon forget.  Read More

As an independent salon owner at Sola, you want to save money and get the most out of deductions and credits. That’s why SolaGenius has your back.  Read More

Everyone endures stress - whether it's from financial troubles, relationships, health problems — you name it, there's pretty much an endless list of things that can rile you up, leaving you feeling frazzled — or worse — ill. Faces of Sola stylist Ashley Lantz shared, “Going into owning my salon was literally based off reducing stress." Since April 7th marks World Health Day, we’re sharing terrific tips from our family of Sola pros across the country for banishing bad juju, because as the proprietor of your studio, taking sick days will stress you out more on so many levels - from rescheduling your clients and affecting your bottom line to enjoying free time.  Read More

April 17 is fast approaching, and while filling out all those forms can be a head-spinning slog, there is no reason why, even when down to the wire – no judgment, we’ve been there – you or your hired tax pro can’t make tax time work in your favor.  Read More

Want to learn more about SolaGenius, geting started and how it will help support and grow your business?  Read More

It’s not every day you can get sage advice from an attorney without spending a dime! Fortunately for our Sola community, one of our 2018 Faces of Sola is not only a barber working in the salon 3-4 days a week, but he’s also an attorney, practicing law 3 days a week. When Christopher Matthew isn’t servicing clients at Dillinger’s Hair Company, he is helping businesses protect their brands. We asked him to give us five must-remember business tips. Here’s what he suggests:  Read More