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After more than two decades as an infantry officer, Warren Simmons is now charting a new path as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.solafranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=sola-salons-woodbridge-va-warren-simmons-2730203" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sola Salons</a> franchisee. This September, he opened his first location in Woodbridge, Virginia, bringing his leadership skills and entrepreneurial spirit to the Northern Virginia community. His decision to join&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/sola-salons/info">Sola Salons</a> came after seeing how the brand helps beauty professionals run their own businesses successfully.For Simmons, franchising is about more than business ownership; it’s about supporting others. He was inspired by how Sola Salons gives beauty entrepreneurs the tools and environment they need to thrive. That opportunity to help others build their dreams is what convinced him to invest and keeps him motivated as he grows.Simmons also sees his new venture as a family endeavor. His mother will help run daily operations, while his father will support future growth. With plans to expand steadily in the years ahead, Simmons hopes to open multiple salons and continue creating opportunities for others in his community.1851 Franchise spoke with Simmons about his franchising journey with Sola Salons and his passion for helping others achieve their dreams. Here’s what he had to say:1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?Warren Simmons:&nbsp;It’s pretty simple. Twenty-plus years, retired military, and now I’m moving into Sola Salons. I was an infantry officer for 22 years.1851: How did you decide franchising made sense for you?Simmons:&nbsp;I’ve been in the military since college. Franchising became the way for me because I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I wanted a way to open a business. I’m a customer at Sola. My barber owned his own shop for 20-plus years. After the pandemic, the lease went up and he moved into a Sola. The first day I went there for an appointment, I was impressed. I asked how it worked and whether they franchised. I left that day and called the number on the website. “Semi-absent ownership” sounded like you don’t have to be there all the time. As I dove in, I understood it better. It’s not necessarily the case at the start. Once everything is set up and in place, it kind of runs on its own.1851: What was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?Simmons: In college, I wanted to open either a Hooters or a Dunkin’ Donuts. What’s awesome is the Dunkin’ Donuts model I came up with — there is a Dunkin’ Donuts at that location to this very day. It showed up about five years after I graduated from college, around 2007, and it’s been running strong ever since. I didn’t know a lot about how franchising worked, but now that I’m in it, I definitely recommend it to anybody looking to start a business. The biggest reason is the help. The Sola team has been above reproach. It’s a family-oriented feel and there’s help in places I would have never figured out by myself or I would have wasted tons of money trying to get there. Having that hand to hold mine through this process has been extremely helpful.1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Simmons: It’s helping other people see their dreams through. I’m a big believer in helping other people. Being able to help several entrepreneurs achieve their dreams is one of the things I saw instantly with Sola, especially when talking to my barber. He has been in his location for about two years, and he has made more money in those two years than he did annually when he owned his own shop. There’s a serious money component, but especially from a local level, being able to support and help the community is what drew me in. What I saw was that Sola was a premium brand and that was the space I wanted to be in. It came with a very good reputation. When I visited some of the competitors, I could easily see the difference and decided to go forward.1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?Simmons: I’m a pathfinder for my family. I accepted the initial risk and it’s working out. My mother is coming on board to run day-to-day operations, so it’s turning into a family business. My father is looking to support growth and be a part of that growth. Over the next three to five years, I’d like to open another location every three to five years. Over the next 20 years, I’d like a total of five locations.1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?Simmons: No, that’s it. Even this, as an example — something that the franchise has already figured out — makes it so much easier to do every aspect of opening and building a business.1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?Simmons:&nbsp;Don’t be afraid. Just do it. Ask lots of questions. I started out trying to figure out a lot on my own, only to find the franchise had already figured it out. I just didn’t ask. When I asked, I got an easy response: “We’re already doing that.”ABOUT SOLA SALONS:In 2004, Sola Salons was established with the opening of its first location in Denver, Colorado. Now with more than 750+ locations open in the U.S. and Canada, Sola is proud to offer 22,000+ independent beauty professionals the freedom and benefits of salon ownership without the risk and overhead of opening a traditional salon. Its innovative salon model empowers hairdressers, estheticians, nail techs, massage therapists and other like-minded professionals to take control of their lives and their careers. Sola provides beauty professionals with beautiful, fully-equipped salon studios alongside the support and tools they need to launch their salon business in no time. For more information about Sola Salons, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.solasalonstudios.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=sola-salons-woodbridge-va-warren-simmons-2730203" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.solasalonstudios.com/.</a>&nbsp;

image of warren simmons of sola salons for 1851 Franchise franchisee spotlight

Military Veteran Opens Sola Salons in Woodbridge, VA

1851 Franchise

After two decades as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, Simmons has opened his first Sola Salons in Woodbridge, Virginia, creating opportunities for local beauty professionals to thrive.

After 22 Years of Military Service, Warren Simmons Opens Sola Salons in Northern Virginia To Support Others’ Dreams

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After 22 Years of Military Service, Warren Simmons Opens Sola Salons in Northern Virginia To Support Others’ Dreams

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