1851

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanyounge/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-hotel-valuation-expert-accidentally-found-success-with-the-sola-salons-franchise-2727829" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Bryan Younge</a>, who has a background in hotel valuations, never anticipated jumping into the world of franchising. While researching a new hotel brand, Younge connected with a franchise expert who introduced him to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.solafranchising.ca/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-hotel-valuation-expert-accidentally-found-success-with-the-sola-salons-franchise-2727829" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sola Salons</a> opportunity. Intrigued, Younge explored the franchise further.“I was incredibly impressed with the organization, the format, and the support they offer newcomers,” Younge said. “It felt like a language I could speak well, and now we’re all the way in.”What began as a side conversation about real estate turned into a full-fledged business venture that Younge now runs alongside his wife. With two locations so far, Younge’s goal is to build an empire of&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/sola-salons/info">Sola Salons</a> locations in the Chicagoland area, leveraging synergies across multiple locations and creating a supportive culture for their tenants.He shared his journey into franchising and his vision for the future with 1851 Franchise. Here’s what he had to say:1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us.&nbsp;What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Bryan Younge:&nbsp;Right now, my full-time job is running a group of hotel appraisers. My wife is the one running the stores now — she’s the president and CEO of our entity. My background is in hotel valuations, and I stumbled into this opportunity somewhat accidentally. I was researching a new soft brand franchise coming to the hotel world and, in the process, connected with a franchise expert who didn’t have a hotel background. We started discussing real estate in general, and he introduced me to the Sola opportunity, framing it as a real estate-based business model. After some conversations with Sola at the corporate level, I was incredibly impressed with the organization, the format and the support they offer newcomers. It felt like a language I could speak well, and now we’re all the way in.1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?Younge: I thought franchising was a very regimented experience, potentially profitable but with good and bad aspects. We had neighbors who owned several quick-service restaurant franchises, like Popeyes. They enjoyed the experience but noted there was zero flexibility — it was strictly "here’s the model, just carry it out." Now, being part of Sola, I see that this franchise is different. It’s built around successfully extracting the positives and strengths of ownership to implement a business plan. There’s a lot of flexibility, but not so much that you’re left in the dark. It’s a well-guided process, with plenty of resources to draw on, but also the liberty to be creative and build the business in your own way.1851:&nbsp;What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Younge:&nbsp;I didn’t necessarily pick the brand — it’s more that I fell into it and was impressed by the system and the people involved. I really enjoyed the initial training session and meeting the corporate team in Colorado. The plan they have in place for new operators to achieve success was very clear and impressive. Although external factors like high interest rates have made ramping up slow, especially since we opened during the summer, corporate has moved mountains to help us maximize our exposure. Now that we’re entering the busy season, I’m impressed with how corporate has guided us through building our business and ensuring we’re on the right path.1851:&nbsp;What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?&nbsp;Younge:&nbsp;The idea is to build an empire of these stores, ideally in the Chicagoland area or nearby. We’ve learned that some operators struggle to run their businesses in a state of solvency. If there are operators in trouble, we’re interested in considering opportunities where they might need help, whether due to personal reasons or a lack of understanding of the business model. For example, our Janesville acquisition involved helping a store quickly regain its positive perception in the market through strong local presence. Our goal is to leverage synergies from operating multiple stores and build a network of good relationships both within the Sola system and within each community. We’re essentially landlords, but our mission is to create a culture that supports our tenants’ businesses and livelihoods, helping them succeed.1851:&nbsp;What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?Younge: Our style is that we are a family. This is an entrepreneurial venture, but it’s also the culmination of dozens of other business ventures under one roof. We want everyone to know that we’re a family ourselves and we welcome new operators into our family. We spend a lot of time on culture — warming up the space during the holidays, hosting fun events and fostering a community within our stores. We have four kids, so we’re a big family and we like to check in on everyone, even the kids. The longer our tenants stay, the happier they are, which reflects the culture we’ve built.1851:&nbsp;What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?Younge:&nbsp;For Sola specifically, passion is what drives success. Other franchises might have a cookie-cutter approach to business where you just follow the recipe. With Sola, there’s more freedom to make decisions that will attract tenants. But if we don’t have solutions on our own, there’s a well-developed playbook from Sola that we can draw from to find success.For more information about franchise opportunities with Sola Salon Studios, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.solafranchising.ca/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-hotel-valuation-expert-accidentally-found-success-with-the-sola-salons-franchise-2727829" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.solafranchising.ca/</a>.

How a Hotel Valuation Expert Accidentally Found Success with the Sola Salons Franchise

How This Franchisee Found Success with the Sola Salons Franchise

1851 Franchise

Bryan Younge discovered Sola Salons while working in hotel appraisals and is now building a successful Sola empire with his family.

how-a-hotel-valuation-expert-accidentally-found-success-with-the-sola-salons-franchise

Wild Bill's Craft Beverage Company

Wild Bill's Franchise - Top 10 Reasons To Invest - 1851 Franchise

The Top 10 Reasons To Invest in Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co.

wild-bills-franchise-10-reasons-to-invest

KidStrong Franchising, LLC

KidStrong Franchising - Why Michael Reyes Walked Away from a High-Powered Sales Career - 1851

Why Michael Reyes Walked Away from a High-Powered Sales Career to Build KidStrong Centers

kidstrong-franchise-michael-reyes

Keke's Breakfast Cafe

Keke's Breakfast Cafe Franchise - Target Market Raleigh/Durham - 1851 Franchise

Opportunity Is Served: Keke’s Breakfast Cafe Seeks to Expand Into Raleigh-Durham with Local Franchise Partners

kekes-breakfast-cafe-franchise-expansion-raleigh-durham

Mosquito Squad Plus

Buzz-Free Growth: How Mosquito Squad Helps Franchisees Scale Faster with a Royalty-Free First Year

buzz-free-growth-how-mosquito-squad-helps-franchisees-scale-faster-with-a-royalty-free-first-year

United Water Restoration Group

How United Water Restoration Group Creates Lasting Client Relationships by Prioritizing Trust and Quality Service in Restoration

how-united-water-restoration-group-creates-lasting-client-relationships-by-prioritizing-trust-and-quality-service-in-restoration

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Thursday 1851 Franchise Agg - NASAA’s Noncompete Push

NASAA’s Noncompete Push Puts Franchise Growth on Uncertain Ground

franchise-noncompete-nasaa-advisory-reasonableness-standard

How a Steady Economy Could Help Franchisors Plan Their Next Move

how-a-steady-economy-could-help-franchisors-plan-their-next-move

Bed Bath & Beyond - Franchise Expansion - Retail Strategy - 1851 Franchise

Bed Bath & Beyond Launches Franchise Model as Part of Comeback Strategy

bed-bath-beyond-franchise-expansion-retail-strategy

Senior Entrepreneurship - Franchising - 1851 Franchise

Senior Entrepreneurship Is Rising — And Franchising Is a Key Outlet

senior-entrepreneurship-franchising-silver-startups

U.S. Government Shutdown - Impact on Franchises - 1851 Franchise

Government Shutdown Stalls SBA Loans: How the Shutdown Could Impact Franchises

government-shutdown-impacts-sba-loans-tourism-franchises

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Barb Volk and KidStrong logo

Why This Orangetheory Fitness Franchise Owner Is Developing KidStrong Franchises

kidstrong-franchise-owner-barb-volk-2025

1851 Franchisee Spotlight with photo of Mike Rippey and Sola Salons logo

How This Former Franchisor Is Using His Industry Experience To Help Beauty Pros Thrive With Sola Salons Franchise

mike-rippey-sola-salons-franchisee

photo-of-laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

23-Year-Old Entrepreneur Brings Soon to Be Famous Chicken™ to Southern Oregon With 3-Unit Layne’s Chicken Fingers Franchise Signing

laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

image of bryan horton from laynes West Texas - Abilene, Wichita Falls, Stephenville 

Former Real Estate and Beverage Entrepreneur Signs to Develop 8 Layne’s Chicken Fingers Locations in West Texas, Securing One of the Final Major Markets Available in the State

laynes-chicken-west-texas-expansion

NJCAR v. Ford - New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

new-jersey-franchise-practices-act-njcar-v-ford

image of franchise deep dive from 1851 franchise on doody calls franchise authority brands

DoodyCalls Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

doodycalls-franchise-deep-dive

Top Early Childhood Education and Child Care Franchises for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top Early Childhood Education and Child Care Franchises for 2025

early-childhood-education-child-care-franchises

Top Education Franchises To Consider for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top Education Franchises To Consider Investing In for 2025

top-education-franchises-investment-opportunities

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

How a Hotel Valuation Expert Accidentally Found Success with the Sola Salons Franchise

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS