Independent salon owners at Sola have many things in common—each individual is running a business, marketing themselves, manageing a clientele and creating a unique and personal brand experience. Most importantly, they have chosen to create a home for their business in a salon studio environement at Sola. For many of you, and for most of our Faces of Sola, it was a no-brainer. You knew right away the Sola life was the one you wanted to live. But it isn’t uncommon to be unsure and sit on the fence wondering if taking the leap of faith is the right thing to do. We asked our 2018 and 2019 Faces of Sola a simple question: What would you say to a room full of beauty professionals who were on the fence about joining Sola? Here’s what each one had to say: Chissel Espinal, Chissel Beauty Studio // 2019 Faces of Sola “Don't think about it. Just do it. Everything is in black and white. What you see is what you're going to get. You get an amazing team, behind the scene, in front of the scene, the other studios, everybody's there for you. You think you're going into business for yourself, but you're definitely not by yourself. You have an amazing Sola Pro app that helps you with education and business tips. When you go out on your own, the sky is the limit.” LaShonda Banks, Tress Elite Salon // 2018 Faces of Sola “The business model that has been created by Sola for beauty pros is true. You’re in business for yourself, but you’re not by yourself. Not to take away from those people who are business savvy and have successful salons on their own, but it really is so helpful to have someone you can go back to help you and answer questions. It’s great to have Sola as a resource. They have been consistent since the day I signed my lease and that was 11 years ago. They have high standards and if there is a problem, it is taken care of right away. I also know that if I want to turn my key and go on vacation for a month, when I get back and turn my key, the condition of my Sola is going to be the same way the day I left it. I don’t have to worry about those kinds of things that a traditional salon owner would have to. It truly is one less thing that I have to worry about because Sola is a support system.” Elom Thompson, Elom's Hair Studio // 2019 Faces of Sola “Don't be scared. It can be nerve wracking like the first time doing something, but Sola is there for you. They always support you. Just be determined. Determination can do anything. Just say, ‘This is what I'm gonna do,’ and know that you have great support.” Ashley Lantz, TressPassing Salon // 2018 Faces of Sola “It’s not as scary as you think it and it benefits your clients as well as your own well-being. It gives your clients an environment that is more personal and 100% your own creative space.” JayR Mallari, Legacy Barber Studio // 2019 Faces of Sola “Find the courage within yourself to be the best version of yourself, to really take leaps of faith because that's what's going to take it to the next level.” Alex Sylvester, Edge by Alex Sylvester // 2018 Faces of Sola “I would first ask them why they are scared and then I would tell them to just go and do it!” Kayla Valerio, Studio V // 2019 Faces of Sola “One hundred percent to do it. It's not going to be an easy road and it's going to be tough at times and you're probably going to wonder, ‘Why did I do this?’ But at the end of the day, it is so rewarding. You can be whoever you want to be. No one is ever judging you on the sidelines. It's just you and your space and your energy and your clients. And it’s really just completely transformed my life as a stylist. If you're wondering whether or not to join, so I would say 100% do it.” Mahogany Plautz, Carve Salon // 2018 Faces of Sola “I think everyone would have a different reason why they would be on the fence. I would say do it better than anybody else. Commission salons are great for those people who need structure. Booth rentals are great for someone who doesn’t really need someone to tell them how to run their business, but they are people who need to be around others. If you are very focused and you have reached a point where you are unhireable by other salons, and if you have a dream of really being in charge of your own self and your own success and your own failure and everything, then do it.” Joey Figuierdo, Daicy Figuierdo // 2019 Faces of Sola “It's exciting and scary at the same time. But you have to know that you have a lot of support, even if you don't think you do. There's a lot of people around you that really want to see you succeed. Even though we're individual stylists, we can ask questions and we all bring something new to the table.” Polly Sanders-Peterson, Polly & Company // 2018 Faces of Sola “Oh my God, it’s the best thing you could ever do! If you have some clientele, it’s a great place for you because you can have the freedom of running your own business without the overhead. There are people who can help you grow and bui