Our Blog

Our Sola community is a culture of beauty professionals who are continuously motivating each other in and out of the salon. We come from all walks of life, share like experiences and strive to be successful business owners. What’s beautiful about this community of ours is that we have all either given or received some great career advice at some point that we can pay forward. We asked our 2018 Faces of Sola to share what their best career advice would be. Here's what they had to say...  Read More

As Chief Awesomness Empowerer at Passion Squared, Nina Kovner is the educator to turn to when it comes to building a purposeful brand, empowering entrepreneurs, and educating on all things social media. Nina recently hosted a social media webinar for Sola professionals (if you missed it, you can find a recording inside Sola Pro!). See the below for 10 webinar takeaways and learn how to Create Awesome with Social Media.  Read More

Ashley Lewis, @the_blondologist, from Nest Hair Studio in Richmond, Virginia, donned her creative color cap and stepped away from her passion for balayage to create a look would make the owners of Pulp Riot proud. Below she shares her Pulp Riot formulas and colormelt process, and then explains how she achieved a smooth, silky finish using Eufora styling products.  Read More

We are pretty lucky to have an attorney in the Sola community who just so happens to be not only a well-established barber but also one of our 2018 Faces of Sola. You may remember Chris Matthew from Dillinger’s Hair Company and his astute business advice he provided our community with a couple months back. Well, he’s back and he is going to give us a lesson in understanding trademarks.  Read More

Here’s an idea for making every minute matter this summer: tap into SolaGenius - the time and money saving app exclusively designed to benefit YOU.  Read More

This textured bob is ideal for that client who comes in with a handful of damaged ends, desperate for a solution and a new style. Jennifer LaVigne gave her first-time client, Liz Lin, this angled bob with a lot of natural-looking texture. It was a cut that was well needed (check out Liz’s before photo showing her faded and damaged ends). Here, Jennifer shares her cutting and styling how-to and shares why she took Liz’s hair from long to short.  Read More

When Ashley Lantz isn’t running her Sola business (and selling tons of retail!), she’s traveling the country as an educator for Matrix. Her passion for education is one of the many reasons Ashley was selected as one of our 2018 Faces of Sola. For many, becoming an educator for a major manufacturer is a dream, but what many don’t take into consideration is how much time one needs to make available and devote to the commitment.  Read More

In today’s world of non-stop information, it is often difficult for clients to tell the difference between the skin care myths and the skin care facts. But don’t worry! We’re here to help you identify truth from fiction. We’ve asked a panel of licensed estheticians and skin care experts what sun care myths they hear most often – and what the truth is behind these myths. Here are the top SPF myths you should warn your clients about.  Read More

 This Father’s Day, before you fire up the grill and crack open a cold one, we’d like you to take a few minutes and read what our resident Faces of Sola Single Dad, Alex Sylvester, had to say about time management, priorities, and working behind the chair as a single dad when we recently caught up with him this Father’s Day weekend.  Read More

If your schedule is falling by the wayside when June hits, don’t take it personally. With the exception of tourism, every single industry takes a hit during the summer months. It’s NOT you! While there’s no one right way to cure the summertime blues, opportunities abound with a quick read of Sola’s strategic solutions for maximizing your time.  Read More

The Chicago Sola Sessions is shaping up to be the biggest Sessions ever! With an education lineup that rivals the biggest shows in the industry, breakout classes from our vendor partners, a gorgeous venue in the heart of Chicago, a Leading Ladies panel, and so much more, we hope you get your ticket to the Sessions ASAP before it sells out. Check out the below for 10 reasons why you should mark your calendar for Monday, September 24th and join us in Chicago.  Read More

Our resident salon pro/lawyer/branding and business expert Christopher Matthew, owner of Dillinger’s Hair Company, is back with another lesson in building your brand. This time, he is going to explain why it is important to create a brand that is…offensive. It sounds risky, but when you read his reasons why, it makes absolute sense.  Read More

Ashley Lewis, a.k.a. @the_blondologist, from Nest Hair Studio in Richmond, Virginia has us in complete swoon-mode over this absolutely striking icy blonde bob that is just perfect now that “winter is coming.” This end result is one that does NOT happen overnight; it has required time and proper execution to achieve.  Read More

Say goodbye to the chaotic juggling and hello to Sola tech guru Olivia Morales's how-to steps for maximizing SolaGenius's calendar setting.  Read More

Ever thought about giving back to the industry that has given you so much? Rona Bunch’s salon mentorship program provides a practical model for experienced stylists who are ready to take on an apprentice.  Read More

What if we said you could pay your monthly Sola rent by retailing products properly? That shampoo, conditioner, hairspray and everything in between can pay your monthly rent and everything you make from cutting, coloring, and styling services can be used to order supplies and…profit. For some of you, this concept sounds easy, but for many of you, it sounds unachievable. Au contraire, mon frère! Ashley Lantz, owner of TressPassing Salon in Avondale, Arizona, and one of our 2018 Faces of Sola does just this—she pays her rent in retail.  Read More

Here at Sola, we are a community of like-minded individuals—beauty professionals who thrive in the “suite life,” running our own business and building successful brands. Within this beautiful community of ours, we have many working parents and many women to celebrate this Mother’s Day. We recently chatted with Amanda and Mahogany and asked them both, “How do you balance salon ownership and motherhood?” Here's what these two working mothers had to say...  Read More

Mother’s Day is right around the corner! What better chance to offer some truly decadent and pampering services than Mother’s Day? Now is the perfect time to put together some Mother’s Day packages and promotions for your salon! 7 Mother’s Day Promo Ideas...  Read More

No matter your Sola specialty, Spring and Summer present tons of options for profitably growing your business during the height of wedding season. From the couple and wedding party to mother-of-the-bride, flower girl and every invited guest, opportunities abound for growing your salon’s client roster.  Read More

“I’m stronger than I thought I was, both mentally and physically,” says stylist Traci Claycomb, salon owner at Sola Vero Beach. Traci was featured in the March issue of Woman's Day magazine, and appeared as a guest on The Today Show, after losing 60 pounds in eight months. She lost the weight – and transformed her health – while participating in the Live Longer & Stronger Challenge, an annual challenge hosted by Woman's Day, to help a small group of selected candidates lose weight while lowering their risk of heart disease.  Read More

On Monday, April 9, 2018, 200 Sola pros gathered at the Wyndham Grand Jupiter for a day of inspiration, education and community! With eight Sola Sessions under our belt, we are continually amazed by the ambitious small business owners who come from far and wide, eager to take their salon businesses to the next level. From launching the Sola 10,000 celebration to learning from the industry's best to inspiring one another, it was a day we'll not soon forget.  Read More

As an independent salon owner at Sola, you want to save money and get the most out of deductions and credits. That’s why SolaGenius has your back.  Read More

From cleansers to concentrates, there seems to be a new skin care ‘must-have’ launched every week. Clients can feel overwhelmed and end up with bathroom drawers full of fad products they don’t really need. Discerning which skin products are actually beneficial can be confusing, but read this quick guide of skin care swaps your clients should make to declutter their routine and actually see results.  Read More

Everyone endures stress - whether it's from financial troubles, relationships, health problems — you name it, there's pretty much an endless list of things that can rile you up, leaving you feeling frazzled — or worse — ill. Faces of Sola stylist Ashley Lantz shared, “Going into owning my salon was literally based off reducing stress." Since April 7th marks World Health Day, we’re sharing terrific tips from our family of Sola pros across the country for banishing bad juju, because as the proprietor of your studio, taking sick days will stress you out more on so many levels - from rescheduling your clients and affecting your bottom line to enjoying free time.  Read More

This rooty blonde is perfect for that client who wants to transition out of her buttery, summer blonde and into something that pairs well with cooler temps and cozy sweaters. Jennifer LaVinge posted this before/after on her Instagram and was so generous to share her color formulas, cutting how-to, and styling steps so that you can recreate this in your own Sola studio.  Read More