This article originally appeared on modernsalon.com <iframe width="924" height="520" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wgnl57Wunw8" title="The 2023 Sola Sessions: Breaking Through - Austin, Texas" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> Sola hosted its annual Sola Sessions education event, exclusive to its community of Sola suite professionals, on June 18-20th in the heart of downtown Austin, TX. This year’s edition of Sessions took place at the beautiful Hotel Van Zandt and included the ceremony of the first-ever Sola Pro Awards, a new competition for Sola’s network of artists. Award-winning beauty and barbering industry speakers, as well as professional brands and educators from around the U.S., joined the Sola family in Austin for three days of top-notch education, inspiration, and celebration. We at MODERN were honored to be invited to experience the event, as well as the strong sense of community between the Sola artists from all over the country. Here are some of our takeaways from our time at Sola Sessions. DAY ONE The first day of Sola Sessions featured activities exclusive to VIP attendees, featuring motivational talks and exercises with stylist coaches Nina Tulio (@ninatulio) and Dawn Bradley (@dawnbradleyhair), and the VIP party around the pool that evening. The live band, delicious drinks, and upscale appetizers provided by Hotel Van Zandt set the vibe for the excitement in the days to come. The party also featured a specialty virgin cocktail called the “CAUSE-mopolitan,” the proceeds from which were donated to Beauty Changes Lives. DAY TWO The main stage was the setting for the second day, where Dawn Bradley played the role of energetic emcee, helping to keep everyone energized and loose throughout the day with stretches and dancing. Tabatha Coffey's keynote address. World-renowned hairstylist, life coach, and Sessions’ keynote speaker Tabatha Coffey (@tabathacoffey) was warmly received and spoke about courage versus confidence, and how one affects the other. “Courage asks you to take action,” said Coffey. “You need courage to start, then the confidence will come.” Barber, community activist, and Andis ambassador John Mosley (@popular_nobody) took the stage to speak about branding and marketing, using his own brand, Popular Nobody, as an example. One major piece of advice from Mosley was to keep logos simple for easy brand recognition and versatility. Nina Tulio was up next with a talk about reclaiming your value—your personal, internal self-worth. She encouraged the room to scream out loud as a group in the name of healing, letting any insecurities, traumas, and hesitations out of the body. She advised the audience on how to put their needs and desires first, change the way they talk to themselves, and to set standards and non-negotiables for their businesses. Global Creative Director of Living Proof, Michael Shaun Corby (@michaelshauncorby), had legendary photographer Babak and Hollywood hairstylist Frida Aradottir call in virtually for a panel discussion on photoshoots and on-set styling, in addition to having educator Francesca Rivetti join the conversation in person. Next was dynamic duo Michael and Ramona Woods (@theramonawoods), the founders of haircare brand Ashtae. The pair dove deep into the importance of “MINE-ing your business,” which means knowing your numbers and effectively managing your finances, but this was no ordinary finance lecture. Michael had the audience in stitches with his humorous antics, interspersed between his and Ramona’s incredibly valuable money and tax tips. “When there is no GOAL, there is no GOLD,” the couple expressed repeatedly. Jack Winn, founder of Jack Winn Pro, took the stage to talk about how to make more money in the salon through the power of high-quality retail. Closing out the education for the day was stylist coach Sarai Speer (@theplatinumgiraffe) with a talk on pricing your services and leveling up your business by enhancing your client experience. SOLA PRO AWARDS On the evening of day two, attendees dressed in their best and gathered around the main stage, which now had the addition of a fashion show runway. This was the inaugural Sola Pro Awards ceremony, The Best of 20K celebration, where eight Sola professionals who entered the contest would be announced as winners in their respective categories. We’d like to extend a huge congratulations to the following eight, first-ever Sola Pro Awards winners for their amazing entries: TEXTURE: Eric Kelley @hairbyerickelley BLONDES: Jessica Gentle @the.blonde.dimension EXTENSIONS: Meg Silver @megsilverhair BARBER CUT: Johnathon Gilyard @theocdbarber STUDIO DESIGN: Valeria Pasillas @lashvault_co SKIN: Angie Barraza @angieblushbeauty NAIL DESIGN: Sara Clark @freaky_fresh_phalanges TRANSFORMATION: Kimberly Marina @kimberlymarina.hair Throughout the award ceremony, some fascinating and high-energy h