Our Blog

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

Customer loyalty is arguably the most important factor in business today. According to Forbes, loyal customers visit more often, spend more during those visits, and provide free, word-of-mouth promotion. New business is great, but don’t neglect those clients you’ve already snagged! Try these tips for increasing the kind of loyalty that’ll have customers coming back for years to come.  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

It's that time to Jingle Bell rock out to some holiday hits, and we've got you covered with a playlist that will keep you jingling to the New Year. Everything from the classics to pop cover faves, you'll be rocking around the Christmas tree the rest of the holiday season.   Read More

Terri Cowan, inspirational speaker and owner of Professional Salon Concepts, believes success starts with excellent customer service. In this episode of Sola Stories, Terri and Kim chat about the systems you need to set up to create an A+ customer experience that will bring your salon and customer retention to the next level.   Read More

As many professionals are currently under varying COVID-19 restrictions and a disruption of normal business, we’re sharing some successful retail strategies for these uncertain times. From virtual esthetician appointments to gift card offers, learn all the ways to adjust your business to our current reality – and prepare for business-as-usual in the future.  Read More

Winding down from a stressful season (and year) doesn’t happen overnight, so It’s important to give yourself a few days of rest and relaxation to gain back control of your life and find your much-needed zen. Here are a few tips to help you recharge for the holiday season and to take with you into the new year!  Read More

Our guest on this episode, Alexa Rose Carlin, is an entrepreneur extraordinaire and has not only built her own personal brand with an online following of over 200K but through her company, Women Empower X, has also helped thousands of women across the world reach their own entrepreneurial success. Inspired by the lessons she’s learned through her own entrepreneurial endeavors, Alexa founded WEX with the mission to help more women pursue their passions and get to the next level in their career and life.  Read More

Our guest on this episode of Sola Stories, Joey Figueiredo, comes to us from Prairie Village, Kansas. Before he was a hairdresser, he was a professional photographer, and while growing his career behind the camera, he fell in love with the world of hairdressing. After obtaining his license through an apprenticeship in Kansas City, he continued to explore his passions outside the salon, landing gigs and working behind the scenes at Fashion Week, and so much more. Joey is a successful salon owner of a double-sized studio, an educator,one of our 2019 Faces of Sola.  Read More

Going out on your own as a salon owner takes a ton of courage and strength. We’re here to provide hope through an inspiring story of one #SolaStrong stylist, Annie Hayes, who 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

On this marketing Quick Tip, Angela and Jennie team up to chat all about hashtags and how this powerful, and often under-utilized tool can take your social media marketing to a whole new level. When used correctly, it allows people who are interested in that topic to find you and your content. Using hashtags should be done in relevant and specific ways, so listen as Angela and Jennie share tips and tricks that will help you gain a following, and potentially new clients, solely by getting a better handle on hashtags.  Read More