Sola Spotlight: Ryan Sanger – How to Quadruple Your Income

Our Sola community is full of so many inspiring success stories... and we know that the best advice we can give to our community is actually from our community. Face of Sola Ryan Sanger joined us at Modern Salon's Independent Bootcamp to share his story of how he quadrupled his income as an independent beauty professional. The knowledge he dropped was just too good to keep to ourselves!

Ryan started his journey like most other hairstylists: working 60 hours a week, making 40K a year; even while working at the top salons in Boston and LA. But once he realized that his clients were paying to see him, that’s when the game changed. He opened his Hair Lingerie studio at Sola, curated the high–end environment to match his high–end services, and quickly became a six–figure stylist. 

But Ryan’s success story doesn’t stop there. In the last 4 years, Ryan has been able to grow his biz from $100k year working 6 days a week, to $400k year working 3 days a week. 

Want to learn more about how this 28-year-old from Northampton, Massachusetts was able to do it? Keep reading for Ryan's 8 tips on how to not double, not triple but quadruple your income as a beauty pro! 

1.) Be Patient & Stay Focused 

“This is a 4x formula. If you are making 50k, it will lead you to 200k. If you are making 150k, it will lead you to 600K. This took me multiple years, slowly increasing my revenue each year. There is no magic pill or shortcut... If there was, I’d be talking about that. It takes a purposeful mindset, focusing on your goal and being consistent in your habits.” 

2.) Specialize Your Services  

“After working in some of the top salons in Los Angles, I looked around, observing what specialties and services make the most money and profit. I made a clear business decision to specialize after observing. I decided to specialize in hair lingerie hair extensions — the highest payout activity and profit a hair professional can do.” 

3.) Create The Right Environment

“This is HUGE! Your environment and experience are pivotal to your potential to make money. I wanted to create an intimate and exclusive experience. The best way for me to do that was getting my own salon. I looked around at what company could provide that and for me; the answer was Sola Salons. They provided me with the space and support to execute this.”  

4.) Identify Your Ideal Clientele

“My next decision was how to design my Sola suite to attract the type of client I wanted. I got very clear and detailed on who my desired client is: from their age, where they live, cars they drive, how they spend their time, personality traits, where they shop, what fragrances they like, etc. I also took into consideration their income and their ability to afford my services and products. Think, ‘do they drive a ford focus, Lexus or a Ferrari?’ These are all cars but very different people driving them. Who is your business servicing? You get to choose.” 

5.) Your Service and Product is Your Superpower

“In my Sola suite, no one gets a discount which means I need a product/service that my desired client wants and needs. I personally found hair lingerie extensions. In a world where everyone can get easy access to everything, the product quality can sometimes dwindle. Hair lingerie is the highest quality of extensions on the market, and something not just anyone can get access to. That is the one factor that makes it so desirable to celebrities like Madonna, Cindy Crawford, Selena Gomez, Meghan Fox and many other millionaires and billionaires. By choosing the right product for my desired client, I have never had anyone object about price.” 

6.) Find a Mentor

“As a species throughout history, we have always lived in groups and communities, working together towards a desired result, and passing knowledge down to each generation. I still abide by that even in 2023, which is why I found a mentor, Kiara Bailey: someone who was where I once was, and is where I wish to be one day. You can hire a therapist for your mind, a gym trainer for your body — so why would you not have a mentor for your business? In a world where everyone is giving advice, especially online, make sure you listen to someone who has done and accomplished what you wish to accomplish.” 

7.) Overcome Your Fears

“Fear is real, especially when doing something different you have never done. We all start at zero. At one point, we were all scared, or had fear about things we do right now, with little to no thought. You were once fearful to touch a client, do that service, charge that price, talk to a stranger that could be a client. Maybe you still have fear about going independent. I’m a boy from Northampton MA, city of 30,000; and now I’m one of the top extension specialists in the world. How did I get over all those fears along the way? Every step there was fear and unknown... One thing I learned from my mentor years ago was A.R.C - Action + Results = Confidence. You need confidence to move forward from where you are now into something new, but you will never get it without taking physical actions. Remember, the moment you do something once, it's no longer new —and after that moment, it becomes less and less fearful.” 

8.) Make the Decision

“I still remember a seminar I was attending with Chirs McGarahan when I made the decision to change my business and go independent, opening up my Sola studio. This was a clear decision and a commitment to oneself, and if you have a family or children, it’s a commitment to a better life for them. I made the decision to take action to overcome the fear; and to do different and be different. I made the decision to say 'no' to other services and specialize. I made the decision to be the best at my service in my area. I made the decision to go independent and open my own Sola suite. I made the decision to seek out help and knowledge, and not to do it alone. I made the decision to change my life and income. Always remember, you make the decision, and the next step will reveal itself.” 

Thank you, Ryan, for sharing your Sola success story with us! Are you ready to take the leap of faith and write your own success story? It all starts with Sola. Get started on your journey today!