Sola Salons names nine 2026 visionaries

Sola Salons said on May 13 that it had selected nine entrepreneurs for its 2026 Faces of Sola Visionaries program, an annual marketing and ambassador initiative tied to the company’s network of independent beauty and wellness professionals. The Denver-based salon-suite company said the group includes specialists in bridal hair, barbering, tattooing, esthetics and cranial prosthetics. The company described the program as being in its 11th year and said the nine honorees would represent Sola at events, photo shoots and editorial opportunities in 2026. ### Who did Sola Salons pick for the 2026 class? The May 13 announcement listed nine honorees by name, specialty and city. They are Abbey Jae, a bridal hairstylist in Wilmington, Delaware; Alex Sharkey, a barber in Cedar Knolls, New Jersey; Alex Quinn, a tattoo artist in Warwick, Rhode Island; Caroline Kim, a color specialist and hair stylist in Los Angeles, California; Emily Clark, an esthetician in Chicago, Illinois; Pich Seng, a hair stylist in Houston, Texas; Rashleigh Béaton, a barber in Euless, Texas; Rachel Swire, a hair stylist in Atlanta, Georgia; and Victor Scotti Jr., a hair stylist and cranial prosthesis specialist in Arlington, Virginia. (prnewswire.com) Sola said the group reflects a mix of disciplines across the beauty and wellness business. The company said the recipients collectively bring nearly 100 years of industry experience. ### What is the Faces of Sola program supposed to do? (prnewswire.com) Sola Salons said the program spotlights entrepreneurs from within its community of independent professionals and gives them a public-facing role for the brand. The company said the 2026 honorees will take part in events, photo shoots and editorial work while helping inspire other independent business owners. (prnewswire.com) The company’s own materials frame the program as an annual recognition effort for salon owners working inside the Sola system. A March 24, 2025 post introducing the prior class said the program has run since 2015 and celebrates independent owners who are also educators, entrepreneurs and mentors. (prnewswire.com) ### How big is Sola’s network? Sola Salons said in the May 13 release that the Faces of Sola program draws from a community of more than 21,000 beauty and wellness professionals. On its consumer-facing website, the company says it has more than 20,000 beauty entrepreneurs and more than 700 locations across the United States and Canada. (solaprofessional.com) The company describes itself in the release as “the largest salon studio concept in the country.” Its website says the model is built around private salon suites and support services including education, technology, marketing resources and benefits programs for independent operators. (prnewswire.com) ### What did Sola executives say about the group? Daryl Hurst, Sola Salons’ president and chief operating officer, said the annual program is meant to recognize professionals who “represent the heart of this community.” Hurst said the company’s professionals show “passion, creativity, leadership and a real drive to raise the bar for what it means to build a business independently.” (prnewswire.com) The release also pointed to several résumé markers for the 2026 class. Sola said one honoree founded the Sensory Chair Project, another has been with Sola for nearly two decades, and Victor Scotti Jr. is a former Google employee who founded a trauma-informed medical sanctuary that creates custom cranial prostheses designed to preserve clients’ cultural identity during treatment and recovery. (prnewswire.com) ### How does this year compare with the last class? The 2026 class includes nine honorees, while Sola’s March 2025 blog post introducing the previous class said there were 12 new Faces of Sola for 2025. The earlier post described the program in similar terms, as a showcase for independent owners from Sola’s network. (prnewswire.com) Sola’s website says its broader platform is aimed at professionals who want to run independent businesses inside private studio spaces rather than in a traditional commissioned salon setup. The 2026 visionaries are scheduled to serve as public representatives of that model through appearances and editorial projects over the coming year. (solasalonstudios.com) (solaprofessional.com)