Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Sohn.
Hi Sarah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I originally wanted to get lash extensions for my 21st birthday and instantly fell in love. There was a brief time I didn’t have a job and was like, “let me drive an hour to West Hollywood to get a fill.” I realized how hot this service was going to be and noticed there wasn’t anyone in my area really doing them so I decided to bring it to Ventura County, Oxnard to be exact. I worked two jobs at the time to be able to afford my lash training/start-up costs and started my business in a little corner out of my parent’s home in 2015.
I got busy enough to quit both of my jobs and took myself to beauty school to take this seriously. I didn’t have a day off for a solid 5-6 months. I was doing school full time with a 2-hour daily commute to Northridge, coming back home and working on clients during the night time and weekends to pay my way through beauty school.
I knew I always wanted to move to LA so once I got my license I moved my business to Westlake Village because that was a halfway point from Oxnard to LA. I did that commute for about 2 years to accumulate some more clients in LA to have a smooth transition, and I eventually landed here, in the heart of Sherman Oaks. Along the years I added more services to my menu including lash lifts, brow laminations, and microblading. I now have another lash artist working under me, I just trained her to do brow laminations. I also provide booth rentals in my salon and am working on my 8th year.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The path of entrepreneurship has its ups, its downs, and sometimes stagnancy. A struggle I think all of us self-employed/business owners had to endure was the closures in LA during covid. I had just moved into the biggest location I leased in December 2019 and we shut down three months later. That had to be the most frightening struggle as we did not know what was going on and for how long but we just did what needed to be done and thankfully for my clients and new ones, my next year after that was my best year in revenue thus far, so just know that there are seasons.
We’ve been impressed with Studio Sohn, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Studio Sohn specializes in the realistic styling of lash and brow services. We offer oil and waterproof lash extensions so our clients can avoid waiting 24 hours to get their lashes wet and don’t have to avoid any oily products. We do a detailed consultation and actually provide a visual guide sheet to tailor the set specifically to the client’s wants and needs. I noticed before I started my business no one gave me a consultation, I just laid down and said which set. My clients have an option to choose the amount (set), curl, and style, while the artist chooses with her trained eye, the length and width depending on the client’s natural lashes to avoid any damage.
Over the last seven years, one thing that has remained consistent is my approach for natural intention. The eyes really set the tone for the face so I really wanted to specialize my knowledge in those areas. Taking over 14 courses throughout the years, my clients know their eyes are safe with me, that they will leave happy and more knowledgeable about the service that they just received.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
The backbone of my whole business is my clientele! My lash clients who come every 2-3 weeks on the dot are the real MVPS. I would also like to thank every single person who has referred someone or has spoken any kind words into my business. Also, shout out to my mom for picking up the phone every time I need to talk about an inconvenience and letting me vent.
Pricing:
- Volume Set $245
- Blend Set $215
- Lash Lift $155
- Brow Lamination + Shaping $150
- Microblading $500
Contact Info:
- Website: www.studiosohn.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studiosohn
- Facebook: @studiosohn
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/studio-sohn-sherman-oaks
- Other: Spotify: Studio Sohn Playlist
