Sola Salon Studios Makes Owning Your Own Boutique Salon Easy

It’s a new year and that means new resolutions. Perhaps you have always dreamed of opening your own salon, but aren’t sure exactly where to start. No worries, there are lots of ways to experience the freedom and benefits of salon ownership—one of which is to open a salon studio. If you think you have outgrown your current situation and are ready to be your own boss, take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to celebrate the successes of your own. So ask yourself the following questions: Am I ready to be my own boss? Do I have a loyal clientele that will follow me wherever I go? Am I ready to take the next step in my career? If this sounds like you, pay close attention.

Sola Salon Studios takes pride in being the largest, fastest-growing salon studio concept in the country. Established in 2004, Sola provides over 3,500 salon professionals with premium, fully equipped salon space to own and operate their individual boutique salons. What’s more, Sola offers the freedom and benefits of salon ownership without many of the risks and costs associated with owning a traditional salon. The key to “surviving and thriving” in this environment is to set goals, invest and stay motivated.

The concept behind Sola is to empower hairdressers, skincare professionals and other like-minded salon professionals to quickly and easily elevate their careers. Here are some of the benefits to owning your own studio at Sola.
1. Each studio comes equipped with the highest-quality fixtures and the ideal amount of cabinets specifically designed to accommodate salon professionals.
2. The ability to manage your own schedule and create the ideal atmosphere for you and your clients.
3. Become a true business owner of your own boutique salon. You set the prices for your services and choose the retail products you want to sell, and you keep 100-percent of the profits. You’ll have a key to your studio and can work when you want, with sole access to your supplies and equipment.
4. The freedom to live the life you love.

One successful stylist who took the plunge and made her salon ownership dreams a reality is Kim Bennett Horvarth, who has owned and operated her Sola Salon Studio business, Kim Bennett Studios at Sola Salon Studios Centennial successfully for 10 years. “In any business if you do not have a system in place to create your own culture, you will not succeed,” notes Kim. Based off her own experiences, Kim shares her tips to succeed in owning your own studio.

1. Partner with successful brands. When you’re on your own, you want to choose a professional brand that can offer education, business building guidance and global recognition, even if you’re a 1 to 2 chair salon. “That’s why I partnered with Sola and John Paul Mitchell Systems,” shares Kim. “I knew I would be in good hands—these partners were able to give me guidance on setting up my own systems.”

2. Retail Sales. Retail is a great way to jump-start your business. It’s important to create an intimate setting for customers to talk about products, and for you, the stylist, to teach them how to use them at home. Be sure to take advantage of Sola’s $400 move-in bonus to kick-start your retail business. “I set up my retail sales as my business partner,” notes Kim. “I track its growth and what it does for my business.” The idea is to treat retail as a additional entity to your overall business model.

3. Common sense is not common knowledge. Ask your clients for referrals and to buy products. If you don’t ask and tell, your clients will never know what else goes into your business. Clients often don’t understand that retail, referrals, etc., help to keep your business growing, so let them know! “Your clients want you to be successful. When you’re small, you can take advantage of that relationship because they are very willing to help you succeed,” says Kim.

4. Consultation. At Sola, take advantage of the intimate setting to build a relationship with your clients—ask lots of questions! People are more open to talk about the wants and needs of their hair and also about their lives when they are in an intimate setting, with no interruptions. Also, it is important to be a good listener and always be professional.

5. Freedom. Freedom attracts people to Sola, but be careful not to end up a slave to your customers and your books. Create a system so your customers know what your hours are, etc. Set a schedule and stick to it!

6. Pre-booking is key. You want to make sure your clients are pre-booked because you don’t have a receptionist to help take appointments while you are with other customers. At the end of an appointment, clients can book their next appointment…and of course, buy your products!

Sound good? Get all the information you need to set forth on your own Sola Salon Studios journey!