I recently went one-on-one with Jason Olsen, founder and CEO of IMAGE Studios.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Jason: I’ve always been at the intersection of design and entrepreneurship. My journey wasn’t a straight line; it was fueled by seeing a gap in what was being provided to beauty professionals in the salon suite industry, with most options being “less-than” and leaving a lot to be desired, especially when it comes to functional, amenity-rich space, along with our smartphone app and business education programming. The biggest “setback” early on was figuring out how to build locations at scale while still providing excellent service to our franchisees and beauty professionals, and this is something we’ve gotten really good at. Those early challenges taught me that resilience is a founder’s greatest asset.
Adam: How did you come up with your business idea? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with great ideas?
Jason: IMAGE Studios was born from observing the “chair rental” model and realizing it was broken. It lacked soul, branding, and true support for the artist. I saw an opportunity to democratize salon ownership. My advice: Don’t look for a “new” idea; look for a “frustrating” one. Great businesses solve a friction point that people have simply learned to live with. If you find something that feels outdated or clunky, there is a business waiting to be built there.
Adam: How did you know your business idea was worth pursuing? What advice do you have on how to best test a business idea?
Jason: I knew it was worth pursuing when I saw the look on a stylist’s face when they realized they could keep 100% of their earnings and have their own four walls. That emotional resonance is the ultimate “green light.” To test an idea: Go to your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) as fast as possible. Don’t build a 50-unit empire in your head; build one unit, see if people will pay for it, and more importantly, see if it is viable and if your customers tell their friends about it. From here, you can then work on how you scale your idea further once you’ve proven out the initial concept. And it takes many iterations to scale; the first attempt isn’t always ideal and requires inputs and adjustments along the way to build a scalable model over time.
Adam: What are the key steps you have taken to grow your business? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level?
Jason: The jump from a few locations to a national franchise required shifting from “doing” to “architecting.” I had to build systems that worked without me and would function being managed by my team. My advice: To get to the next level, you have to be willing to fire yourself from the day-to-day tasks. If you are the bottleneck for every decision, your business will never outgrow your own bandwidth. Surround yourself with people who are better than you in their specific niche.
Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips?
Jason: In our world, we aren’t selling real estate; we are selling freedom and identity.
Tip 1: Sell the “After” picture. Don’t talk about the square footage; talk about the life the professional will have once they own their own studio.
Tip 2: Branding is everything. In the beauty industry, if your marketing doesn’t look as good as the service they provide, you’ve already lost.
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Jason: A leader is a Chief Clarity Officer. Your job is to paint a picture of the future so clearly that people can see themselves in it. To level up: Practice radical empathy. You have to understand what motivates your team and your franchisees on a human level. Leadership isn’t about power; it’s about stewardship.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Jason: Hire for values, train for skill. You can teach someone the “IMAGE way” of doing things, but you can’t teach them to care about people or to have an entrepreneurial heart. I focus on building a culture where people feel safe to fail, because that’s the only environment where innovation actually happens.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Jason:
- Protect your vision: Everyone will try to pull you toward the “average.” Stay obsessed with excellence.
- Focus on the “Who,” not the “How”: When you hit a wall, don’t ask “How do I fix this?” ask “Who is the best person to solve this?”
- Consistency beats intensity: It’s not about one big PR win; it’s about showing up for your franchisees and your team every single day.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Jason: “The quality of your life is determined by the quality of the questions you ask yourself.” Instead of asking “Why is this happening?” ask “What does this make possible?” That shift changes your entire trajectory.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Jason: We are currently in a “Creator Economy” boom, and beauty professionals were the original creators. At IMAGE, we’re just getting started in providing the platform for thousands of more entrepreneurs to claim their independence. It’s an honor to be part of their story.
