Our Blog

There are a lot of salon models out there to choose from. And there's a perfect home for everyone. Maybe you feel more comfortable in a traditional salon environment as a commission based employee. Or maybe you are ready to carve your own path as an independent salon owner and take your future into your own hands. Over 11,000 stylists have discovered the Sola difference and have taken the next step towards creating a business they can call their own. But why Sola?! Discover the difference...  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

Getting inspired is like falling in love. It often happens when you least expect it and can disappear when you crave it most. As creative artists, whether your canvas is hair, a face or a blank sheet of paper, a lack of creative energy can leave you feeling frustrated, desperate, and lost. So when the ideas stop flowing and you feel lost in the dark, here are 5 things to do that will reignite your spark.  Read More

The dynamic and beautifully diverse Sola community is made up of more than 10,000 independent salon owners. Our expertise ranges across all facets of the professional beauty industry. From young and fresh to experienced and seasoned. Male and female. East coast to west coast (and Canada, too!). Learn more about our awesome #SolaFam...  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

As Chief Awesomness Empowerer at Passion Squared, Nina Kovner is the educator to turn to when it comes to building a purposeful brand, empowering entrepreneurs, and educating on all things social media. Nina recently hosted a social media webinar for Sola professionals (if you missed it, you can find a recording inside Sola Pro!). See the below for 10 webinar takeaways and learn how to Create Awesome with Social Media.  Read More

Ashley Lewis, @the_blondologist, from Nest Hair Studio in Richmond, Virginia, donned her creative color cap and stepped away from her passion for balayage to create a look would make the owners of Pulp Riot proud. Below she shares her Pulp Riot formulas and colormelt process, and then explains how she achieved a smooth, silky finish using Eufora styling products.  Read More

This textured bob is ideal for that client who comes in with a handful of damaged ends, desperate for a solution and a new style. Jennifer LaVigne gave her first-time client, Liz Lin, this angled bob with a lot of natural-looking texture. It was a cut that was well needed (check out Liz’s before photo showing her faded and damaged ends). Here, Jennifer shares her cutting and styling how-to and shares why she took Liz’s hair from long to short.  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

In honor of Father’s Day, we’d like you to take a few minutes and read what Faces of Sola, 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

If your schedule is falling by the wayside when June hits, don’t take it personally. With the exception of tourism, every single industry takes a hit during the summer months. It’s NOT you! While there’s no one right way to cure the summertime blues, opportunities abound with a quick read of Sola’s strategic solutions for maximizing your time.  Read More

The Chicago Sola Sessions is shaping up to be the biggest Sessions ever! With an education lineup that rivals the biggest shows in the industry, breakout classes from our vendor partners, a gorgeous venue in the heart of Chicago, a Leading Ladies panel, and so much more, we hope you get your ticket to the Sessions ASAP before it sells out. Check out the below for 10 reasons why you should mark your calendar for Monday, September 24th and join us in Chicago.  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

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

For many beauty professionals, making the transition to salon ownership is a true leap of faith. When you run your own business, you wear many hats – you're a hairdresser (nail tech, esthetician, etc), marketer, bookkeeper, receptionist...among others!  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

Here at Sola, we are a community of like-minded individuals—beauty professionals who thrive in the “suite life,” running our own business and building successful brands. Within this beautiful community of ours, we have many working parents and many women to celebrate this Mother’s Day. We recently chatted with Amanda and Mahogany and asked them both, “How do you balance salon ownership and motherhood?” Here's what these two working mothers had to say...  Read More

Mother’s Day is right around the corner! What better chance to offer some truly decadent and pampering services than Mother’s Day? Now is the perfect time to put together some Mother’s Day packages and promotions for your salon! 7 Mother’s Day Promo Ideas...  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

“I’m stronger than I thought I was, both mentally and physically,” says stylist Traci Claycomb, salon owner at Sola Vero Beach. Traci was featured in the March issue of Woman's Day magazine, and appeared as a guest on The Today Show, after losing 60 pounds in eight months. She lost the weight – and transformed her health – while participating in the Live Longer & Stronger Challenge, an annual challenge hosted by Woman's Day, to help a small group of selected candidates lose weight while lowering their risk of heart disease.  Read More