Sophia Hilton has announced the closure of her salon, Not Another Salon. Here, she explains how she came to this decision…
“I guess it all started in December, when I realised I’m on the run-up to 40. In typical Sophia style, I pulled together a vision board for the next chapter of my life: global keynote speaking, finishing my book, doubling my property portfolio, expanding my members’ club to support even more salons and travelling the world with my family before my boy hits high school. But... my salon wasn’t on it. Normally I plan backwards from the future I want. But this time, I thought — why wait until I’m 40? Why not now?”
It Was Never Just About the Salon
“People often think of me as Not Another Salon — and that makes sense. We were a huge influence in the industry which changed the way so many salons operate. But what many don’t see is that the salon has only ever been a fraction of what I do. The truth is, I spend most of my life in my other companies — coaching hundreds of salon owners and stylists around the world. Not Another is my brand. Not Another Salon was just the beginning.”
This Isn’t About Struggle – It’s About Strategy
“Yes, salon ownership is tough right now- really tough! But let me be clear: this isn’t a sad story. We’re closing the salon account with £400,000 in the bank — and that’s just from the salon business, not my other companies like online education. We’ve got no debt, paid full redundancies, and had we chosen to stay open, we would have had strong reserves for hard times if needed.
“I’ve helped nearly all of my team find jobs, helped negotiated their commissions and given them mini classes on VAT and running their own set up. We might even be fitting out a salon for one of my long-term team members!
“But the truth is, running a salon alongside so many other businesses and projects means I’ve been constantly turning down incredible opportunities. If I say no, I miss out. If I say yes, I burn out. And then I’m a snappy wife, a rubbish mum, and not much use to anyone. Something has to go. Because I can’t keep saying yes to everything and still stay a good version of me. A version I'm proud of.”
‘Why Don’t You Sell It?’
“Because you can’t sell me. We all know the team would walk if I sold it. I’d be robbing them. It would last a year tops. I’m not willing to watch my brand die. No thanks. I don't care about the money – I care about my reputation. I’ve worked too hard to build a brand that changed the game to crush it for a bit of exit cash. I’m taking ‘NOT ANOTHER’ with me.”
The Truth Is… I’ve Outgrown My Dream
“One day, I looked around the salon and realised I was standing inside the dream of 26-year-old Sophia. And while I love her — I’ve grown. Not Another Salon was exactly what the industry needed a decade ago. But here are hundreds of little Not Another Salons now. I'm proud that we are copied. I literally spent a decade teaching people my techniques, concepts and strategies. I gave it all away. I kept nothing close to my chest. I shared all of my glory with my industry. But now... we’re not leading anymore. We’re part of something. And while that’s beautiful, it’s not enough for me.”
What’s Next: Not Another Club
“For the last year, I’ve been quietly building a new business called the Not Another club. Something I believe the industry needs now more than ever. Set to launch in June 2025. I believe the industry doesn’t need another salon on the high street right now — it needs a new concept to lead us through strange times. It’s time for a new chapter and a new business to help what's needed now, in 2025.
“They called my crazy the first time. Then they copied me. But this time, it’s not about proving myself, I did that. It’s about launching a business to protect and industry I love.”
