How This Enterprise Rent-A-Car Employee Built a 21-Unit Sola Salons Franchise Empire

Austin Campbell’s journey into franchising with Sola Salons is rooted in family ties and entrepreneurial ambition. Right out of college, Campbell was working at Enterprise Rent-A-Car in West Los Angeles but soon realized that this was not his long-term path. His uncle, Stratton Smith, who co-founded Sola Salons, became a pivotal influence. Campbell, intrigued by the unique blend of real estate and the creative industry that Sola Salons offered, approached his uncle about getting involved. At the time, Sola had only a handful of locations and Campbell saw an opportunity to help grow the brand.

With the help of his father and the support of his friends and family, Campbell secured funding to open his first franchise in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego. Despite the significant financial barrier to entry, including high construction costs, Campbell and his team persevered, even navigating challenges like the 2008 financial crisis and rising inflation.

Over the years, Campbell’s operation has expanded significantly, with 21 locations under his management. While he credits the solid foundation laid by his uncle, Campbell also attributes his success to the community and culture built within the franchise. He has learned the importance of treating beauty professionals as clients rather than tenants, fostering long-term relationships through his Sola Salons network.

Though other franchising opportunities have arisen, Campbell remains committed to Sola Salons, recognizing the value and potential within the brand. His passion for the brand even inspired him to invite some of his closest college friends to get involved with the franchise as well. Looking ahead, Campbell has no plans of selling, with ambitions to keep growing the business.

Campbell recently sat down with 1851 Franchise Publisher and Founder Nick Powills to talk about his journey into franchising with Sola Salons. A transcript of the interview has been provided below. It has been edited for clarity, brevity and style.

Nick Powills: How did you get started in franchising?

Austin Campbell: I got involved in franchising right out of college. My uncle, who is the founder of Sola Salons, 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. At the time, there were only a few locations open, and I was interested in the cross between real estate and the creative industry that the business offered. My uncle and his partner had initially planned to keep the concept local to the Denver-Boulder area but decided to start franchising. That’s how I got started.

Powills: Did you recognize the potential of Sola Salons early on?

Campbell: To a certain extent, yes. I knew it had potential, but I didn’t foresee it becoming the nationwide brand it is today. I thought it might grow to a couple hundred locations across the country. I’ve always been a fan of disruptive businesses, and I realized that Sola was solving a problem people didn’t even know they had. Especially in the western half of the country, most beauty professionals prefer to operate independently rather than as W2 employees, which is more common in the East and Midwest. Sola addressed this need perfectly.

Powills: How did you finance your first location?

Campbell: We had to scrape together the funds. I partnered with my father, who put in some money, and then we reached out to friends and family for additional investment. Building out a Sola location is expensive, so we needed significant funds. My father’s involvement added credibility when asking others for money. Initially, we also got a small SBA [Small Business Administration] loan, though later on, Sola and similar concepts were removed from the SBA’s approved list because they saw us more as landlords than job creators.

Powills: What was it like taking such a financial risk at a young age?

Campbell: At the time, I didn’t fully grasp the risk involved. I didn’t own anything, so I had little to lose. My father’s oversight helped, but I was also committed to making this my full-time job to give it the attention it needed. Looking back, I realize how much risk was involved, but at the time, it was just about doing whatever it took to get the business off the ground.

Powills: Did your experience at Enterprise Rent-A-Car help you in your business journey?

Campbell: Absolutely. Working at Enterprise taught me a lot about running a business, particularly the importance of systems, accounting and customer service. While the sales aspect at Enterprise was different, the focus on customer service was crucial. In our business, we treat our beauty professionals like clients, not tenants, and that mindset has been key to our success.

Powills: How do you feel about the growth of your Sola Salons portfolio?

Campbell: It’s incredible. We’re about to sign the lease on our 21st location, and sometimes it does hit me how big this has grown. We’ve pioneered larger locations in Southern California, which has been successful for us. We now have around 800 beauty professionals across our locations, which can be a bit overwhelming when you stop and think about it. But on an average day, I’m just focused on keeping things running smoothly.

Powills: Do you think about exiting the business?

Campbell: Not really. I love what I do and we have more salons to build. While I’ve been involved in the IFA [International Franchise Association] and the multi-unit franchising world, I’ve realized that I’m a Sola person first and a franchisee second. There’s still so much potential in this business, and I’m focused on growing it rather than looking for an exit.

Powills: Have you considered expanding into other franchise brands?

Campbell: It’s crossed my mind, especially at conferences where other brands try to entice you. But we still have room to grow with Sola, and I’m not eager to start from scratch with a new concept. We’re good at what we do, and I’d rather focus on that. Maybe in the future, but for now, we’re sticking with Sola.

Powills: What do you attribute your success to?

Campbell: A big part of our success is our team. We have a small but mighty team, and we make sure to take care of them. Whether it’s taking them to a Padres game or bringing them to our annual conference in Cancun, we make sure to have fun together. Taking care of your people is key. I’m also grateful to have been able to bring in some of my college friends into the business, which has been a lot of fun.

Powills: Any final thoughts on your journey in franchising?

Campbell: It’s been a wild ride, but I love it. I fell into franchising young, did it with my family, and continue to scale the business. I’m proud of what we’ve built, and I’m excited about what’s ahead. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my story.

Watch the original interview here.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/sola-salons/info.