If you’ve ever sat behind the chair doing someone else’s hair, skin, or nails and thought “I could be making so much more than this,” you’re probably right. But knowing that in your gut and seeing it on paper are two different things. So let’s actually break it down.
The commission model, broken down
On a typical commission split, say you’re keeping somewhere around half of what you bring in. The salon keeps the rest to cover rent, product, utilities, and overhead, and often has a say in your hours, your pricing, your retail, and your schedule.
That split might feel steady. But it has a ceiling. The better you get, the busier your book gets, the more clients you bring in, the more you sell in retail, and your percentage stays the same. You’re capped by a split that never grows with your talent.
The studio model, broken down
Now picture that same revenue, but you’re renting your own studio instead of splitting commission. Your rent is a flat, predictable weekly cost, no matter how good your month is. Once that flat number is covered, everything else you bring in is yours to keep.
That’s the core shift: commission takes a percentage of your success forever. A flat studio rent is a fixed cost you cover early in the month, and after that, every dollar you earn stays in your pocket. The busier you get, the wider that gap grows between what you’d keep on commission and what you actually take home.
What “flat rent” actually protects
The real power of the studio model isn’t just the higher take-home; it’s the predictability. Your rent doesn’t change based on a slow week or a rockstar month. You know your number going in, no matter what your revenue looks like, which makes it so much easier to budget, price your services with confidence, and actually plan for growth instead of reacting to whatever percentage lands in your account.
It also means every decision in your business, your hours, your pricing, your product line, your client experience, is yours to make. No salon owner approval required.
When the math tips in your favor
Studio ownership isn’t automatically the better deal for everyone. If you’re brand new to the industry and still building a client base, a commission structure with built-in walk-ins and mentorship might make more sense while you get established.
But if you already have a steady book of clients, or you’re confident you can build one, the math almost always favors owning your chair. The more you make, the more commission costs you, and the more a flat studio rent saves you.
Do your own math
Grab your last three months of service revenue and run it both ways. Calculate what you’d keep at your current commission split, then calculate what you’d keep after a flat studio rent and basic supply costs, using the actual rent for a studio in your market. For most beauty, wellness, and medical professionals, the difference comes when it clicks.
Curious what studio ownership could look like for you? Sola Salons has private studios available in markets across the country and allows you to take total control over your business. Find your location today: https://www.solasalonstudios.com/locations
Sola Professional Insights 