Our Blog

At Sola, you simply get more. Since 2004, when the first Sola location opened in Denver, Colorado, Sola has been changing the game for independent salon owners. It’s our mission to focus on what’s best for you, so you can focus on what’s best for your business. In other words, we want you to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself. But what does that actually mean for you as a business owner? We broke it down for you...  Read More

A business plan is like a blueprint for the success of your business. It states the goals and operations of your business, tallies the financial inputs and outputs, and outlines what steps you’ll take to turn services into revenue into profits. While it takes a bit of forethought and work upfront, a good business plan will save you time, effort and stress moving forward while boosting your productivity through improved oversight and direction.  Read More

It is important to regularly assess your business for a few reasons. As a Sola Professional, you are in total control of your own opportunity and earning potential. So whether you’re trying to set new goals to help your business grow or know how successful you were last quarter, it is up to you to know your numbers so that you can make positive changes that impact your business.  Read More

Balancing work and life while running your own studio can at times get chaotic. With freedom comes responsibility - and nothing helps more to stay organized and efficient than tidying up. Keeping a clean and organized space truly improves productivity, efficiency, workflow and state of being. The summer is over - what better time to ready your studio for a productive fall? Just by cleaning shop, you’ll set the stage for a happier day at work.   Read More

In today's digital age, one of the most important places you can show off your work is social media, and even more specifically Instagram. We know mastering the art of Instagram can be overwhelming, so we broke it down for you with 10 Instagram tips for beauty professionals so we can help you shine just like you do for your clients.  Read More

At Sola, we are a community of dreamers. The concept of Sola sprouted from a dream to create a better opportunity for independent beauty professionals to thrive on their own terms. Growing a community of over 14,000 Solapreneurs is more than a dream come true for us. And every time a new salon is opened and another beauty professional has the chance to live the life they love, another dream takes flight.   Read More

We are gearing up for our first-ever SOLD OUT Sola Sessions in Nashville on Monday, September 16th. As excited as we are? Check out these 10 reasons you should be pumped!  Read More

There are many paths to take as a beauty professional and sometimes it’s hard to know what’s best for you. We connected with three Sola pros, all with different paths and different reasons they chose to go Sola —Tammy Muniz (Chattanooga, TN), Kim Bennett (Denver, CO) and Roxanne Muir (Toronto, CA) —to find out why they made the switch from salon booth rental to being independent and how it’s benefited their careers and overall lives.  Read More

Being an independent contractor is nothing new for hairdressers. It’s how Kim had been making a living for years, but she’d been paying someone to rent a chair in their salon. What Matt and Stratton were offering her was the opportunity to become a salon owner, not just rent space from one. Better yet, it was a turnkey approach with Sola providing a high-end, fully-equipped salon with the support and tools Kim needed so she was free to focus on her art and “dream my business into reality.”  Read More

Thinking of going solo? When you’re in total control of your career, every day has the fireworks potential of Independence Day! With July 4th coming up, it’s the perfect time to dream about achieving freedom in your career. At Sola, we strive for every salon owner to experience the “Freedom to Live the Life You Love,” our mantra and the reason why more than 10,000 beauty professionals have chosen to go Sola. So sit back, relax and ask yourself: are you read to experience WAY MORE FREEDOM?!  Read More

Are you ready for the sounds of summer? Whether you prefer old school favorites or new age vibes, we’ve got you covered to get your guests feeling as good as you’re making them look!  Read More

Can you believe it’s almost the summer solstice? In celebration of the longest day of the year, we want to share some inspiration for making the most of your extra long, extra sunny summer days.   Read More

Maybe summer is a slow season in your salon. Or maybe you’re simply looking to boost your bottom line. Whatever your motive, we’ve got you covered with 5 effective strategies for raising revenue. By unearthing new ways to service and attract clients, you can increase everything from your average ticket to your salon’s foot traffic.  Read More

Summer is just around the corner and with the summer vacations for both you and your clients also comes the possibility of more time away from the salon. In the interest of working smarter not harder, we compiled 10 summertime promotions to help you keep your business just as hot as the weather all summer long.  Read More

Good mental health is not just a state of mind; it is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle and career. Mental health determines how we handle stress, relate to loved ones, make decisions, and even how we think, feel and act. As a hardworking Sola-preneur in the modern world, we know keeping a positive attitude can be a balancing act. So we shared some simple reminders on how to maintain the healthy mindset that will enable a thriving career, fulfilling relationships, and a positive attitude all year long.  Read More

Contrary to popular belief and as Seth Godin famously says, “everyone is not your customer.” The winning strategy for boutique salons, and the most important step in marketing, is figuring out who your target audience is and determining why they would choose to visit your salon over anywhere else. Not only is it more efficient and cost-effective to target a niche crowd, but also you’ll be more equipped to talk the talk of your audience if you narrow your focus to a certain group of people.  Read More

The San Diego Sola Sessions was an event full of milestones. Our 10th Sola Sessions (that’s right, 10!) was held on May 6th in San Diego. And while the 425-attendee event sparked excitement for the future of Sola, it also encouraged us to look back on the past 15 years as Kim Bennett shared her journey as the first-ever Sola stylist. We also hosted the first Faces of Sola panel and had every single one of the 2019 Faces of Sola in attendance in the front row. With so much inspiration, education and community-building spanning the two-day event, we wanted to make sure you didn’t miss any of the magic. So here are our top 10 takeaways from the San Diego Sola Sessions.  Read More

“Being a mother is easy,” said no one ever. Add entrepreneur into the mix and it becomes quite the juggling act. Balancing life as a mother and salon owner can be as challenging as it is rewarding. To all the hard working mamas out there - we see you and are so inspired by your superwoman powers. We wanted to know, what’s your secret? How do you keep it all together? Check out what these #MomBoss entrepreneurs had a lot to say, just in time for Mother’s Day.  Read More

Instagram has taken the world by storm now has 1 billion monthly users and is now commonly the first people will go to when checking out a brand. Therefore, it's important to know how to make your Instagram work for you to help keep your books full. Whether you're new to the Gram or are an Insta veteran, we've got some easy tips to take your social presence to the next level.   Read More

For a community to continue to grow, it needs the support of those in the community. This can be done in various ways - supporting local nonprofit organizations and initiatives, volunteering your time and services, or through mentoring and education. Rona Bunch, a 2019 Faces of Sola and owner of Rona Bunch Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida, makes it a priority to give back and has shared with us some ways you can too.  Read More

Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who came out of the womb knowing exactly what you wanted to do for the rest of your life. Grew up with a brush in your hand, cutting the hair of your dolls or putting nail polish or makeup on your little sister (or your tortured brother). Or maybe you’re more like Nelly Weeks, esthetician and owner of Voyage de Splendeur in Brookfield, WI, who found herself on a path that ended up not being her true calling.  Read More

The Sola story is made up of 12,000 individual stories... This means that when we ask our community what having a salon studio at Sola means to them, we get thousands of different answers. For some, Sola represents freedom and control. For others, it's about opportunity and living that boss life. The reasons to own your salon, and the feeling you get inside your studio space, are different for everyone. And that’s the beauty of Sola!  Read More

JayR Mallari, owner of Legacy Barber Studio in Walnut Creek, California, started his career cutting hair in his parent's garage. Today, he has an all-star clientele with celebrity clients including Stephen Curry, Doc Rivers, Chuck Liddell, Carnage and Blake Griffin...to name a few. How did he take his business from garage to A-list entourage? It all starts with providing an excellent client experience. Check out his tips to help you elevate your barber business.  Read More

As big as you can dream you can do it at Sola. So after her first location was thriving, Tiffany Martincic, owner of The Tan Banana kept dreaming. “I knew I had built a really successful business and it had proven capable of running and being profitable without me physically being there while being away on long vacations.” With multiple successful locations under her belt, this Sola-preneur knows a thing or two about what it takes to expand your brand across multiple markets.  We sat down with Tiffany and asked her to give us some realistic advice for expanding your brand, business, and clientele.  Read More

Sola Salon Studios is excited to announce pet grooming services!  Read More