Episode 8: Leading Heart First: Guiding Sola Through COVID-19

In this episode of Sola Stories, listen as Jennie chats with the woman in charge and the ultimate #SolaBoss, Christina Russell, CEO of Sola Salon Studios. Christina joined the Sola family in June 2019, and she oversees leadership, strategy and execution for all of Sola. We are lucky to have her as our beacon of light always, but especially through this challenging time.

Christina shares her journey from a small business owner to eventually taking her seat in executive leadership, what she loves most about working with the Sola team, and how she’s pivoted the company’s focus once the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Listen, as Christina discusses how she’s focused her own efforts on lobbying on behalf of all independent beauty professionals to legislators and why that is so crucial to Sola’s long-term growth and success.

While we hope for the successful reopen of all salons, Christina has worked to equip Sola’s franchisees and managers on a local level to make the case for the safe reopening of salon suites before other traditional-style salons may get the green light. This is due to the unique position we have at Sola with our private, one-on-one environments. 

Christina and Jennie discuss the resources they have made available to all beauty professionals on Sola’s COVID-19 Resource Center, how Sola will weather this storm and growth potential one we get to the other side. The pent-up demand for salon services will surge once salons open, and Christina feels that the studio model will allow beauty professionals the opportunity to reopen with less risk in this new normal. 

Listen To Episode 8 🎧

In This Episode

[00:56] Welcome to the show, Christina!

[01:26] Christina shares a little of her journey from a small business owner to training and executive leadership.

[05:05] What has been the most exciting thing you’ve experienced since joining the Sola team?

[07:45] Jennie chats about how driven Sola is to help their stylists to succeed.

[09:50] Christina discusses how she has pivoted her focus from exciting things happening for the year to just getting the business, franchisees, and stylists through this crisis.

[13:34] What do you feel are the best options for independent beauty professionals regarding financial support during this time?

[16:44] Jennie speaks about resources beauty professionals can use to help them apply for financial assistance, located on Sola’s COVID-19 resource center.

[18:03] Christina speaks about talking to legislators and others on behalf of Sola to help them understand the suites model.

[19:16] Why do you feel it is important to lobby for the independent beauty professionals that work in the salon studio environment?

[21:24] Sola is present in 44 states in the U.S. it’s been hard to get clarity on when everyone will open up.

[23:31] Christina believes that inconsistency has created confusion for small businesses and the salon industry.

[26:12] Christina shares how Sola is using its influence as the leading brand in the suites sector to get behind this issue and help get everyone back to work, safely.

[27:38] Even if you are part of phase three and don’t know when you will reopen, you should be prepared to educate yourself now.

[29:30] There is a time to be competitive and there is a time to make sure we all have a playing field to compete on.

[31:31] Jennie shares some great ideas she heard from the Faces of Sola panel.

[33:15] They speak about face masks available in the Sola Store.

[35:35] How has this crisis changed your perspective on things?

[37:43] Christina chats about how they can make a case for suites and what they offer as a safer alternative to the traditional salon environment.

[43:55] Christina gives a few words of encouragement to all the beauty professionals out in the field.

[44:32] Christina speaks about the Barbicide Certification that allows your clients to see that you have learned to manage sanitation safely.

[46:02] Sola has made all of their resources available to all beauty professionals here.

[47:01] What do you think the other side of this looks like for Sola?

[50:15] Christina believes that as the economy recovers and jobs get back to normal, there will be a demand for salon studios.

[51:30] What has been your most significant source of hope and positivity during this time?

[55:10] Jennie shares how Christina’s positivity has helped her through challenging moments.

[56:27] Thank you, Christina, for guiding us through this!

[56:43] Christina says to look in a mirror every day and tell yourself you are very good at what you do.

[58:15] Thank you for listening to the Sola Stories podcast.

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