Building a Family Legacy Through Sola Salons Franchises

For Austin Campbell, getting into franchising was a family affair. Right out of college, he was working at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, but he soon realized that this wasn’t the path he wanted to pursue. His uncle, Stratton Smith, had just co-founded Sola Salons, and Austin, intrigued by the business concept, reached out to him about getting involved. At the time, the brand only had a few locations, but it was already primed for growth.

“I got involved in franchising right after college,” Austin said. “My uncle was already successful in business, and I was close with him. After realizing that I didn’t want to continue working at Enterprise Rent-A-Car in West LA, I reached out to him about the Sola Salons concept.”

Having worked as an intern at another family company, Austin had already experienced what it meant to be a part of a family venture. But this time, he wanted to be involved at a higher level. After approaching his father, Nick Campbell, about collaborating, Austin was able to secure funding for his first franchise in La Jolla, San Diego — one of the first 10 in the entire system.

Now, almost 20 years later, the operation has expanded significantly and the group is preparing to execute a lease on their 21st Sola Salons location. Austin’s wife, Lisa, and his brother, Jeremy, are a part of the growth, too.

As a family venture, the business has become more than just a source of revenue. By working together and ensuring their values are maintained in the business, too, the Campbells are building a true legacy through Sola Salons in California.

“Success in a family business comes down to respect and trust,” Austin said. “We didn’t have a sit-down conversation to discuss whether we were sure we wanted to get into business together as a family. I had seen how family businesses operate before, so I didn’t know any different. And fortunately, we communicate well within our business.”

“You don’t have a family business without trust,” Nick added.

To ensure ongoing success, the Campbells emphasize the importance of approaching the business like a team, sharing in both the wins and tough times. Trusting each other to be equally invested in the future of the business creates an atmosphere of trust among owners. Treating employees well allows the Campbells to create a positive work environment that ultimately elevates their Sola Salons over just any other business.

“A big part of our success is our team,” Austin said. “We have a small but mighty team, and we make sure to take care of them. Taking care of your people is key.”

The Campbell family's Sola Salons business thrives on the diverse contributions of its members. Austin is heavily involved in the day-to-day operations and sales aspects of the business, while Jeremy plays a crucial role in the financial and administrative side, handling CFO-level responsibilities, development, and operations. Nick provides oversight and guidance, drawing from his extensive business experience.

While they are the primary leaders of the business, Austin and Nick recognize the contributions others have made, both directly and indirectly. For example, Lisa contributes her expertise as a professional interior designer, shaping the aesthetic and ambiance of the salons.

“We have design guidelines from Sola, but years ago, Lisa told us that we really needed to focus on how the salons looked,” Austin said. “We would hang a shelf up front and add a fake plant from Home Goods to it and call it a day. Lisa’s input transformed the salons into spaces that looked professionally designed rather than something that a few middle-aged men put together. That got the wheels turning for us in San Diego and ultimately permeated throughout the country.”

Other aspects of the legacy can be traced multiple generations back, showing just how impactful family values can be on the long-term success of a business and the impact businesses can make in their communities.

"One of our real successes is our hospitality, which is a primary factor in our San Diego locations' high occupancy rates," Nick said. "That vibe comes from 'Nana,' who was very gregarious and could make friends anywhere. Her personality influenced Stratton and then filtered down through Austin's mother into our entire way of operating Sola San Diego."

Creating great experiences for beauty professionals and their clients allows the Campbells to maintain an occupancy rate that’s about 10 percentage points higher than the system average in some of their spas.

For the Campbells, building a legacy through business ownership means creating a positive experience for everyone involved and ensuring that the business reflects their family's values.

“It’s the people you hire being an extension of yourself,” Austin said. “At the end of the day, our pros deal with a family business, and we treat our employees like it’s their own family business.”