TL;DR
Sola Salons is a compelling choice for women entrepreneurs due to its strong support system, sense of community, and professional flexibility. The franchise offers a scalable business model with steady, recurring income through salon suite rentals.
The world of entrepreneurship is evolving, and women are stepping into business ownership at higher rates than ever before. Many are turning to franchising as a pathway to independence, security and career satisfaction. Among the diverse franchise options, Sola Salons stands out as a particularly compelling choice for women entrepreneurs thanks to its strong support system, sense of community and professional flexibility.
Sola Salons has revolutionized the salon industry by providing a business model focused on independence and flexibility. Since its inception, Sola has established itself as a leader in the salon suite rental space. Rather than running a traditional salon, franchisees at Sola Salons own a business offering fully equipped, customizable salon spaces to beauty professionals. This model allows franchise owners to focus on operational management and tenant relationships rather than managing day-to-day salon activities, meaning franchisees can manage their time and resources more efficiently .
Sola Salons’ franchise model offers women entrepreneurs a unique level of flexibility, which can be essential for balancing personal and professional responsibilities. Because Sola franchisees are focused on supporting their Sola Pros and growing their own businesses, they do not need to work the same hours as traditional beauty industry professionals.
Women entrepreneurs testimonies
“I grew up in an entrepreneurial family and have always worked for myself and owned my own business,” said Heather Safrit, who owns 12 locations between Georgia and Florida. “I really love being an entrepreneur and one of the things that drew me into this business was being able to share the freedom and pride that comes with successfully building a business with others, while working in an industry that I’m interested in.”
The ability to have time flexibility while working and scaling in an industry that’s personally interesting can be particularly attractive to women seeking work-life balance.
Owning a Sola Salons franchise means creating a supportive environment for beauty professionals — many of whom are women themselves. Sola’s business model empowers stylists, estheticians and other professionals by giving them the autonomy to run their own businesses without high overhead costs or traditional employment restrictions. This focus on helping others succeed resonates with many women who are motivated by the desire to support and uplift other entrepreneurs and brings a new level of fulfillment to business ownership.
“There has been an incredibly supportive corporate team at this franchisor, which has been essential for me being new to this business,” said Kristin Kranias, who owns 27 Sola Salons across five states. “I’ve also found a lot of community with the other franchisees. It’s a smart and collaborative group of people. You might think there would be competition or stepping on toes, but I always find people are happy to share their experience.”
Women entrepreneurs also often value community and relationship-building in their businesses. With the proper management style, Sola franchisees can go beyond simply supporting fellow women entrepreneurs to truly connect with and grow alongside them. For women who appreciate the sense of connection and the opportunity to make a difference in their community, franchising with Sola Salons can be an incredibly rewarding experience.
“When I initially toured salons in Raleigh, North Carolina, as part of my due diligence, Sola Pros were coming out of their studios and asking me if I was a Sola Pro. They were telling me things like, ‘This changed my life. I’m a single mother who can’t work until 9 p.m., and this has given me the freedom to be with my family,’” Safrit said. “I love that Sola was not only a good opportunity for me, from a financial perspective, but it would also allow me to help other women become entrepreneurs and experience that same freedom and pride.”
Scalable business model
With its scalable business model, a Sola Salons franchise can yield steady, recurring income through salon suite rentals. Unlike traditional salons where income may vary with the number of clients served, Sola franchisees generate revenue based on salon space occupancy rates. This setup offers stability and consistency, helping franchisees project their earnings and manage cash flow more effectively. Additionally, Sola’s low staffing requirements mean reduced operational costs, further increasing the opportunity for profitability.
For Sola franchisees who build teams, the business can grow to span across multiple states and dozens of units. By focusing on hiring the right leaders, owners can build structures that align with the scalability of salon suites business model, allowing them to maintain the connection and quality they expect as they grow.
**“**We are not planning to stop. We are taking a small pause so that we can get the infrastructure in place that we need,” Kranias said. “We have managers in all of the different states, but we didn’t have any sort of centralized corporate infrastructure. So I’ve focused on hiring there — an operations manager who sits across all locations, a controller and now marketing — so that we can streamline a lot of the processes that happen on the backside. Once we feel like the team is operating efficiently, we will have more time to focus on finding the next market or the next new build.”
The platform offers a powerful, scalable opportunity for women entrepreneurs who are driven to succeed. With an already favorable revenue model, women can focus intently on building relationships and developing the business as a whole to promote scale.
For women looking to embark on an entrepreneurial journey, Sola Salons presents an attractive franchise opportunity that combines flexibility, financial potential and empowerment. With a robust support system, a proven business model and a strong market reputation, Sola Salons allows women entrepreneurs to achieve professional independence while supporting a community of like-minded professionals.
In this story
This story was originally published in 1851 Franchise on December 2, 2024. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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