Our Blog

After the challenges 2020 brought us, we are desperate to reconnect with our community and have our community reconnect with each other - and that's exactly what The Sola Sessions Reconnected is all about. Sola’s first virtual education event will be co-hosted by Kim Bennett (@kimi_kisses) and Steven Wren (@mrwrencuts), and our dynamic co-hosting duo has teamed up on this episode to share what they are most looking forward to.  Read More

The Sessions are all about connection, and after a rollercoaster of a year, we are ready to reconnect with all of you! On Monday, May 17th, we are bringing the Sola Sessions to you for a virtual event. Here are 10 reasons why you'll want to join us.  Read More

Andrew Carruthers has been a friend to the Sola family for a long time and has had a career that’s truly been a journey. Tune in to hear what initially drew him into the beauty industry, how he became Director of Education for Sam Villa, and how he’s successfully pivoted his career so many times.   Read More

As a salon owner, you wear so many hats. Systems help you create more efficiency in your business so you can spend more time doing the things you love most. On this episode, Faces of Sola Ashley White and Steven Wren share how they lean into the tools created by Sola to set themselves up for success and, if you're not already leaning into any of these tools, how you can get started.   Read More

Let’s talk retail! We brought Ashley Lantz, 2018 Faces of Sola and the queen of paying her rent in retail, back on the Sola Stories podcast to talk about how she uses retail to positively impact her bottom line. Listen as Ashley discusses how leaning into the tools provided by Sola have helped her retail business grow.  Read More

As an independent salon owner, selling retail is a major opportunity for increasing your bottom line. Not only do you get to choose the products that line your shelves, but you also get to keep 100% of the profits from the retail you sell. Check out the second edition of our "Sola's Best Of Series,"  featuring 7 Solapreneurs who are total retail rockstars.  Read More

Are you trying to set new goals to help your business grow? Knowing and understanding your numbers are the fastest way to make positive changes that impact your bottom line. To see significant growth in your business, you need to understand the parts of your business that show whether you are meeting or exceeding your guests' expectations, improving guests' loyalty, and increasing your overall revenue. Tune in as we read ‘Understanding Your Sola Business' from the Sola blog.  Read More

To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, nothing is certain except death and taxes, and with April 15 creeping up on us, we asked Ashley Lantz to help navigate the murky waters of filing your taxes as an independent salon owner. Ashley is a SolaGenius Ambassador and owner of TressPassing in Avondale, Arizona, just outside of Phoenix.  Read More

Our guest on this episode is a master at setting up systems to run an efficient business, and when it comes to using the tools and resources Sola has put forth, she leans in 100%. Listen as Tahesa Nelson, owner of Studio 406 talks about the key systems that allow her to balance her salon and personal life to feel fulfilled behind the chair and at home with her son.  Read More

A new $900 billion Coronavirus relief bill has been signed into law by the President. The bill includes updates to the Paycheck Protection Program, which most people simply call “PPP”.  The PPP is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.  Read more about these loans and how they can offset your 2020 losses.  Read More

As a single black mother, being a successful business owner has not been easy. However, I am confident that I am demonstrating to my son and others that being successful is rewarding.  Read More

When salons first shut down at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we immediately turned to our friends at Barbicide to educate our community on how to safely return to their salon as soon as governments allowed. We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with Barbicide and are thrilled to welcome Leslie back to the Sola community on the Sola Stories Podcast!   Read More

We are totally swooning over these stunning studios! Check out the first edition of our new "Sola's Best Of Series," featuring the top 10 studios we're crushin' on right now.  Read More

Listen up, Sola newbies! On this audio blog, we’re reading So you signed your lease, now what?  Since becoming a #SolaBoss comes with both triumphs and challenges, it's not uncommon to take a step back from being on cloud nine and ask, “What next?” Tune in for a list of to-dos and priorities you should focus on in the first few weeks of your new life as a Sola salon owner.   Read More

When COVID-19 forced everyone to rethink how to incorporate health and safety practices in business and personal lives, BARBICIDE® lived up to the title of the global leader of disinfection in the professional beauty industry. Read on for a deep dive into what resources are available to you from BARBICIDE and information on how they can help you confidently navigate 2021  Read More

Financial guru Michael Cole and 2020 Faces of Sola Steven Wren teamed up to teach us four steps to embody the "Millionaire Mindset" and create a thriving, long-lasting business. Steven, owner of Steven Brandon Hair Studio in Chicago, IL, shares his journey to becoming an independent salon owner and how he makes it work in this COVID whirlwind we call. He also talks about his dreams and goal of opening his own barber school to give back and inspire the next generation of barbers.  Read More

We are buzzing with excitement over our partnership with BeautyHive, an online salon distributor. We’ve heard that stocking your salon’s backbar can be complex, inefficient, and impersonal. And because we always have your back at Sola, we’ve teamed up with BeautyHive to change that. Read more to find out what all the buzz is truly about!  Read More

Over the past 16 years, Sola Salon Studios has led the path and solidified our place as the largest and fastest-growing salon studios concept. At Sola, we’re driven by our desire to use real estate to help aspiring business owners achieve their dreams, and we’re fortunate to have a growing group of franchisees who feel the same way.  Read More

We often talk about how Sola is home to over 16,000 independent salon owners. In addition to our incredible group of beauty professionals, as a franchise brand, Sola is also made up of 160+ franchise groups who own and operate our 550+ locations across the United States, Canada and Brazil. On this episode, we dive into Sola's business model and give you a behind-the-scenes look into what makes our group of franchisees and managers so integral to the success of our community.  Read More

It’s one thing to dream about all the goals you want to accomplish, and it’s another to actually get there. On this Quick Tip, we are reading How to Be a Goal-Getter This Year from the Sola Blog. Tune in to hear Sola’s 5 steps to not only be a goal-setter but a goal-getter this year.  Read More

Has owning your salon been on your vision board for a little too long? Maybe it’s never crossed your mind before, but because of the pandemic, you’re on the hunt for a new salon home. Regardless of where 2020 left you, Sola is here with endless tools, resources and community to keep you dreaming in 2021.  Discover how Sola can help you dream again...  Read More

At Sola, we want to provide a fresh start for those searching for a new salon home. Our guest on this episode, Annie Hayes from Jacksonville, Florida, opened her own Sola studio in May 2020 after being furloughed by her previous salon. Since then, Sola has helped her get back on her feet and turn her career dreams into her career reality.  Read More

At Sola, education and support are at the heart of our brand promise. With the start of the new year, we want to shine a light on some of the amazing education available for independent beauty professionals through Sola education.  Our guest on this episode, Melissa Bennett, truly puts the “Pro” in Sola Pro. Tune in to hear Melissa and Jennie discuss the importance of education in our industry, how Sola education has evolved over the years, and what the future looks like for education for the Sola community and beyond.   Read More

At Sola, it’s our mission to help you grow, both personally and professionally, so you can live the life you love. So we couldn’t leave you without a round-up (and a round of applause) for all the collective learning we did this year. Read on for our list of the top 20 things we learned in 2020!  Read More

It’s been a year of unexpected challenges, but also a year of tremendous opportunity for those who have taken the time to learn and grow through it all. For our last episode of 2020, the team behind the Sola Stories Podcast wanted to connect to reflect on the lessons this monumental, transformative year has taught us.   Read More