Our Blog

Our 2019 Faces of Sola are like a perfectly completed jigsaw puzzle. We have fit together a range of beauty pros—a master barber, a spray tan expert, a natural hair guru, a vivids color specialist, to name a few—who have interesting backstories and hobbies—a photographer, a law enforcement graduate, an aerialist, an immigrant, a cancer survivor. They each bring something unique and authentic and are so excited to finally introduce you to them! As you embark on a year-long journey with us and the 2019 Faces of Sola, you’ll quickly see why this group of 10 beauty professionals found their way to the top of our list for 2019.  Read More

Success doesn’t necessary require a surplus of years— and Emily Buckley’s proving that from her Tucson-based salon, where she attracts clients with a stellar marketing program.  Read More

Running your own salon isn’t easy, but the tools in SolaGenius were designed to do the heavy lifting for you, saving you hours each day. During this hectic holiday season, give yourself the ultimate gift - time. Check out these 5 ways SolaGenius helps you take control of your time in and out of the salon and run your business like a #Boss.  Read More

Meet the revolutionary online booking search engine exclusive to SolaGenius. The SolaGenius app was built to fuel the success of the most ambitious Sola beauty pros, with salon management tools to run your Sola like a boss. Find out how this game-changing technology is taking online booking to a whole new level.  Read More

How’s that retail in your Sola selling? If you have products flying off the shelves and you’re making enough of a profit to pay your rent (yes, it can be done!), then congrats and keep on sellin’. But if it’s not making a profit and you have nothing but dust bunnies, then it’s time to rethink this space, no matter how big or small it may be.    Read More

If someone were to ask if you were living your life with intention, would you be able to answer honestly? Would you even know what it means to live your life with intention? We sat down with Amanda to find out just exactly what it means for her and how you can find intention in your everyday life.  Read More

It’s easy to get bogged down with the day in and day out of being an entrepreneur, especially during the holidays, but Thanksgiving is the perfect time to slow down and reflect on the people who make owning a Sola salon so meaningful - your clients! Here are a few ways you can show your clients your appreciation.  Read More

Whether you’re cross-promoting and collaborating within your Sola or you’re partnering with local businesses, getting more exposure for your brand will keep your business thriving. We spoke with one of our 2018 Faces of Sola Morgan Cameron who shared some creative cross-promoting tips.  Read More

One of the best parts of owning your own salon is the ability to create your ideal clientele. If you desire to work with textured hair, curl patterns and specialized needs but don’t already have clients with those hair types, it will require a bit of strategic planning to start attracting a new type of client. So we turned to our 2018 Faces of Sola, Mahogany Plautz, owner of Carve Salon in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a little advice.  Read More

For many salon owners, the holidays are one of the busiest times of the whole year. Small business owners everywhere are gearing up to capitalize on holiday merriment, so don’t let the holiday bustle get the best of you. Invite your guests and loved ones to sell-a-brate the holidays with you in your salon studio! Check out these holiday marketing tips that will keep your guests coming back for more in 2019….  Read More

For estheticians, building an Instagram brand can be challenging because there are only so many eyebrows and after shots of facials you can post! One esthetician that is killing it with content is Morgan Cameron, owner of Enlightened Beauty and one of our 2018 Faces of Sola. We asked Morgan to share 10 tips for using Instagram to grow your brand and increase your clientele.  Read More

In our 5 Business Tips from an Attorney blog, attorney Christopher Matthew, and owner of Dillinger’s Hair Company touched on the importance on why you should form a separate business entity, either a corporation or an LLC. We asked him to explain those reasons in more detail because, let’s face it, not everyone has the opportunity to get free, helpful advice from an attorney!  Read More

There are a lot of perks to owning your salon, but with freedom and flexibility also comes pressure to constantly have clients in your chair. As a Sola salon owner for the past 7 years, I've learned that one thing that makes salon ownership less stressful is having my books filled at least six to eight weeks out. But to have them filled requires a healthy clientele. Here are the do's and don'ts I’ve learned for building and nurturing a clientele.    Read More

Two days, 10 vendors, 16 presenters, 400 beauty professionals, and over 1000 balloons, the Chicago Sola Sessions provided endless opportunities for our attendees to discover inspiration, education, and community - yielding the biggest and most successful Sola Sessions to date! Check these 10 reasons why this was a Sola Sessions for the books!  Read More

One of the greatest parts of an event like the Sola Sessions is the knowledge and wisdom our community is able to share with each other. We wanted to capture some of that wisdom we collected on our Wisdom Wall where we had attendees offer their best Sola advice.  Read More

Don’t we all want a happier and healthier work-life balance? Discover how SolaGenius can not only help you achieve success in your business but in your personal life as well.  Read More

To be a successful salon owner today, you must know how to grab the attention of your customers. Creating a cohesive and engaging digital brand identity isn’t as easy as some may think. So in case you aren’t a social media savant, it helps to have accessible resources to give your social media posts an edge. Here are 5 user-friendly apps and websites you can explore to take your social media channels to the next level.  Read More

SolaGenius now has another business-building feature to help you grow your business. This feature helps you turn more followers into customers, get booked faster and elevate your client's experience further!  Read More

There are infinite ways life can throw curveballs your way, but the only thing you can ever be sure of is a change is gonna come (cue Sam Cooke). Change can be great. It can  open us up to new opportunities and new people we never would have met. But change can also bring uncertainty and fear.  Read More

Queer Eye’s breakout star Jonathan Van Ness has been a busy bee since joining the Sola family five years ago. Between creating and producing an absolutely hilarious web-based series, recording a podcast, filming two seasons of Queer Eye (with a third on the way!) and owning and managing his own salon, it’s amazing to follow along his Instagram stories to see that he still has ample time for self-care and raising his two gorgeous cats. He chatted with us about the joy of owning his own salon, being nominated for an Emmy and that day he gave his mother’s vintage Barbie a makeover.  Read More

Stepping into the unknown is always intimidating, but knowing others before you have walked the same path and made it safely to the other side can make those first steps a little less scary. As we prepare to welcome the 2019 Faces of Sola to our dynamic group of inspirational Sola leaders, we wanted to hear some advice from our 2018 Faces to pass on to the rest of our Sola fam.  Read More

In today’s digital world, people are looking for a way to connect with brands on a deeper level, far beyond a traditional website. As an independent salon owner, social media can be utilized to create a secondary face of your salon. Instagram especially is a platform on which you have the opportunity to create a visual story of your brand and provide valuable messaging to your clients and followers.  Read More

Getting inspired is like falling in love. It often happens when you least expect it and can disappear when you crave it most. As creative artists, whether your canvas is hair, a face or a blank sheet of paper, a lack of creative energy can leave you feeling frustrated, desperate, and lost. So when the ideas stop flowing and you feel lost in the dark, here are 5 things to do that will reignite your spark.  Read More

The dynamic and beautifully diverse Sola community is made up of more than 10,000 independent salon owners. Our expertise ranges across all facets of the professional beauty industry. From young and fresh to experienced and seasoned. Male and female. East coast to west coast (and Canada, too!). Learn more about our awesome #SolaFam...  Read More

Who can believe that 2018 is more than halfway done? Doesn’t it seem every year, time passes faster and faster? Right now’s a great time to revisit your New Year’s goals for achieving your dreams, both in and outside your Sola studio.  Read More