Our Admissions team can be reached via text at 402.881.0033 or by phone at 712.328.2613. If you are ready to apply for school, click here.
Every Great StoryStarts with a Bold First Step
Schedule a TourVisit SOHO and Enroll
We can’t wait to meet and hear all about why you are choosing a future in cosmetology. Tour our campuses, pick your start date and enroll to make it official!
Step1Let’s GO - Day One
Dive right into the human experience! Day One teaches you the dynamics of human energy, guest consultation and how to create a safe space. Learn the SOHO magical technique for an amazing shampoo and head massage!
Step2Foundations
Your adventure starts in Foundations! You'll spend 6 weeks working with your new besties, practicing all the foundational techniques for your new career. Success begins here!
Step3Senior Practicals
Time flies when you are having fun! You'll have the opportunity to demonstrate your skills in practical assessments that center around mastering timing, precision, and sanitation as your graduation approaches.
Step4State Board Prep
SOHO is here to help you get ready for your State Board tests! We offer a wide range of study materials, practice exams, and expert guidance to make sure you're all set for success.
Step5Graduation
This graduation isn't just a milestone; it's the exciting beginning of your amazing journey in the world of beauty! Imagine the possibilities ahead.
Step6Extraordinary Career
You did it and are making amazing strides towards becoming a leader in the industry! Your innovative skills and unique vision are shaping the future of beauty and inspiring everyone around you. Do Something Beautiful!
Step7
Iowa Campus
Nebraska Campus
Growing Beauty Professionals intoFuture Industry Leaders
SOHO Hair Academy Start Dates
Iowa
Nebraska
Enrollment Information
The Women Behind SOHO
Driven by a desire to revolutionize the beauty industry, Somer and Ryan have introduced SOHO Hair Academy, a visionary cosmetology program that goes beyond traditional education. By infusing business acumen and leadership skills into the curriculum, they are nurturing a new generation of beauty professionals who are not just stylists but visionary leaders and entrepreneurs.
At the heart of SOHO Hair Academy is love
Omaha Fashion Week Beauty Alliance
Growing Beauty Professionals into Future Industry Leaders
The Omaha Fashion Week Beauty Alliance brings students and professionals together from across the midwest each season to create the runway looks for emerging, featured and famous national headlining fashion designers. Students and Alumni from SOHO Academy will have the premier opportunity each season to produce hair and makeup for the runway.
Michael Pysh Photographer
(Her)Story
Amid these challenges, Somer found her passion and support in the beauty community. Educators, administrators, salon owners and peers guided her personally and professionally to improve her skills in leadership, conflict resolution and communication. Once she could put her talents to work on guests behind the chair, Somer found a way out of the financial mess she had created through hard work. She saw a path to abundance and shared everything she learned with those around her. It was in this transformation that Somer discovered her passion for education and mentoring others.
Somer grew her personal business behind the chair and began mentoring new graduates as they entered the industry. The fulfillment of helping others achieve their dreams motivated Somer and her husband to begin Trios Salon in 2005. With their young daughters and toddler son watching, Somer took a leap of faith to establish a salon where aspiring stylists could grow alongside her.
Launching an employee-based cosmetology salon with no startup money, only two employees and three small children with another due any day was a tremendous risk for Somer and her family. Slowly training one employee at a time, Somer was able to build a team of stylists for Trios. There was a great deal of trial and error because there wasn’t a business book on how to be a successful salon owner. Every dollar earned was reinvested in the business to support wages and expenses resulting in financial strain for the family.
Somer and her husband now have six children who have witnessed every moment of this journey. They know the rewards and struggles of being small business owners, mentors and leaders. They have celebrated milestones and witnessed the flowing tears. While homeschooling, they have involved their children in dreaming and innovating, as well as in serving, cleaning and making repairs, to provide them with an education beyond textbooks.
Ryan, who witnessed her mother's unwavering commitment to success from a young age, learned invaluable lessons in resilience and entrepreneurship. Since 2015, the mother-daughter duo have worked side by side, transforming their struggles into success by growing Trios Salon once again to a 52-chair luxury salon brand that is recognized as the Best in Omaha. Ryan’s exceptional communication skills and attentiveness greatly enhance the guest experience and support the salon team. She has a special ability for recognizing the beauty in others and inspiring them to reach their full potential. Together, Somer and Ryan have a shared vision of empowering others in the beauty industry.
The beauty industry changes quickly. Somer had been tirelessly training new graduates at Trios who had been hired from local cosmetology schools after the pandemic. She realized that in order for the industry to evolve to keep up with the ever-changing trends and create safe spaces for people we needed to start by focusing on the education of students from day one. SOHO Hair Academy was a vision for the future where new leaders for the Beauty Industry would encounter masterclass educators who deliver education beyond the Historical State Board curriculum and bring an unprecedented level of modern business acumen to inspire a new generation of beauty professionals. Somer and Ryan are prioritizing creating a safe space for students.
Women like Somer, Ryan, Jasmyn, and their families exemplify the true essence of perseverance, resilience, and empowerment. Their journey from overcoming personal challenges to creating thriving businesses that not only excel in their industries but also make a positive impact on their communities is a true testament to the strength and vision of women everywhere. As they continue to inspire others with their stories and achievements, they pave the way for endless possibilities, empowering women to dream big, work hard, and create a lasting legacy of hope, growth, and empowerment.
The Omaha Salon Owners Alliance
The Beauty Industry is Being Led by Outsiders
The SOHO Vision
Welcome to this Magical Moment
- Supportive culture valuing growth, community, and personal integrity
- Personal, career, and business coaching
- Current digital curriculum with practical techniques
- Extensive recycling and zero-waste effort
- Inspiring students to be future beauty professional leaders
- Creating a safe space
- Standards for experienced Educators
- National network of opportunities
- Beyond State Board curriculum education
- Bringing business acumen to inspire new beauty professionals
- Advocating for sustainable wages in the beauty industry
- Emphasizing love as the core value uniting and healing the community
- Commitment to unity, advocacy, and becoming better allies
Meet Your SOHO Academy Team
Meet the Students of SOHO Academy
Our Frequently Asked Questions
Do you only offer a Cosmetology Program?
You got it! At SOHO Hair Academy, we’re all about mastering the art of Cosmetology.
Our Council Bluffs campus offers a Barbering and Cosmetology curriculum that prepares students for the new Iowa Barbering and Cosmetology Arts and Sciences license. In 2024, legislation merged the Barber and Cosmetology State Boards.
Our Omaha campus offers a Cosmetology curriculum that prepares students for the Nebraska Cosmetology License.
SOHO Hair Academy does not offer Esthetics, Nail, Massage or Instructor programs.
Is Financial Aid Available?
Yes! At our Council Bluffs Campus, we offer Federal Financial Aid options for eligible students. Apply using FAFSA, the Free Application at studentaid.gov. Our school code 007611.
At our Omaha Campus, we do not currently offer Federal financial aid. We offer payment plans, and provide guidance and resources to help students with financing options.
Our staff is ready to help you discover the different options available. Contact us for more details on how we can guide you through the financial aspects of your education.
Do I need to attend evening or weekend classes to complete my program ?
We’re shaking things up from the usual cosmetology school timetable! Our program runs during the day, from Monday to Friday, because we know your time is precious. You’re making big moves to chase your dreams, and we’re here to make it as smooth as possible. By keeping your evenings and weekends free, we help you balance school with everything else you’ve got going on, letting you zero in on your passion without missing out on life.
Can I attend school part-time?
No, however, we understand how important your time is, so we have structured our program to run from Monday thru Friday during the day. This means you’ll have your evenings and weekends free. And with your off-class time, you have the freedom to work or chill with friends.
How long does it take to finish the 1800-hour program?
Our 1800-hour program takes approximately 13 months to complete. But we get it—sometimes life throws curveballs like getting sick, family emergencies, or other personal stuff. If this happens, your program will take longer to finish.
Will you help me find employment after graduation?
Definitely! We’re all about making sure you hit the ground running after you graduate. We’ve got your back with loads of options, such as taking you on salon tours, hosting career fairs, providing business coaching, and lots more. Our primary goal? To help you kick off an awesome career in cosmetology.
Will you help me get licensed in other states?
Many states have reciprocity agreements in place, enabling the recognition of a cosmetology license* that is in good standing and meets the State’s Licensing requirements. Being in the Metro Area that spans Iowa and Nebraska, we’re committed to assisting you throughout the application process and helping you get licensed in both states.
*The new Iowa Barber and Cosmetology Arts and Sciences license will currently only reciprocate as a Cosmetology license in other States.
All it took was one sit down with Somer and the spark lit again. The hope that I would be someone great was there again. My past, my “old ways” were forgotten and I showed up and I made up the hours and I crossed the finish line.
SOHO Hair Academy thank you. Thank you for the confidence, the knowledge, the light at the end of the tunnel. Somer Krueger thank you for believing in me ❤️
I will always cherish my time in school but I am so glad to be done ❤️
Here is to the next Chapter 🥳🥳🥳
Schedule a Tour
Our Admissions team can be reached via text at 402.881.0033 or by phone at 712.328.2613. If you are ready to apply for school, click here.