Our Blog

Being grateful makes us feel happier. It really is that simple! Find ways to focus on the everyday things that fill you with joy, and you can turn what you already have into everything you could possibly want. No need to wait until Thanksgiving Day: Start unlocking the fullness of life right now with these practical tips from Sola stylists.  Read More

While many refer to the upcoming holiday season as " the most wonderful time of the year," in the salon world, it can be, by far, the craziest and most stressful time of the year. Suddenly, those clients who've been ignoring your text messages for months are practically banging down your door trying to squeeze in so they can feel fab before heading to their holiday celebrations. You can find yourself working earlier days and later nights all while wondering when you are going to have time to pick up those stocking stuffers or prep the Thanksgiving turkey.  Read More

Oh, Yelp! The risky, helpful, intimidating, complex and effective world of Yelp. The goal of Yelp is to connect people with great local businesses. The platform enables customers to review business with ratings and written commentary, in order to showcase real-life experiences with the business in question. At Sola, you are running your own small local business, so Yelp is a great way to get discovered by customers searching for what you have to offer.  Read More

Instagram is a powerful tool for any beauty professional to connect with their clients, showcase their work, attract new clients and promote new services and products online. As the algorithms for Instagram are constantly evolving, new tricks arise for how to gain traction, engagement and followers. However, one thing never changes - the more followers you have, the greater reach and impact your account will have on the wide world of Instagram.  Read More

Each season is an opportunity to freshen up your studio look and feel. Even the smallest seasonal touches can go a long way in making your salon feel festive and bright as the days get shorter. Fall is a great time to pump up the ambiance to bring in the buzz of the holiday season. Who doesn’t love pumpkins, gourds and candy for October? Or maybe the more subtle and chic fall toned flower bouquets and cinnamon essential oils are more up your alley.   Read More

You’ve been dreaming about owning your own salon, about the flexibility and autonomy of being your own boss, in a place where YOU get to make all the decisions, including setting your own schedule, picking what products to carry, and decorating the space to fit your personal style. Sounds pretty good, right? Follow these six simple steps to turn your dream of salon ownership into a reality.  Read More

The 11th Sola Sessions took place in Nashville on September 16th, where 300 Sola professionals gathered for a day of inspiration and education from top educators in the beauty industry and their Sola community.Kim Bennett, our event emcee and the first Sola stylist, kicked off the day with a beautiful message of what Sola means to her, which extended throughout the rest of the event. It was all about cultivating a community that focused on "Support, Opportunity, Love, Aspire.” We took that message to heart, and wanted to help support you with opportunities to spread love and aspire for more - whether you were with us at the Sola Sessions or not! Here are some of our top takeaways and favorite moments from the Nashville Sola Sessions!   Read More

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

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

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

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 already 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

“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

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

The beautiful thing about being at Sola is you get to pick and choose what kind of services you want to provide. Many of our Sola professionals offer a range of services and some provide a very specific type of service that speaks to a very precise type of client. Read these tips from niche stylist Elom Thompson if you're thinking about developing a niche in your salon.  Read More

With Sola Pro you have unlimited access to inspiration and education in the palm of your hands. Pretty awesome, right?! But did you know Sola Pro offers so much more than just that? Discover how our exclusive (and free) app to the Sola community is a resource you can’t afford to pass up!  Read More