Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexa Jones.
Hi Alexa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started in the beauty industry pretty young. I went to cosmetology school while I was still in high school, and at the time I don’t think I had any idea what it would eventually turn into. My original plan was to gain an education in a trade that could help me pay for college, with no intention of doing it long term. And if it did become long term, I liked the idea of being part of the beauty industry because I could be my own boss and make my own schedule. At the time, that sounded like the perfect “mom job,” which was really my main goal.
Over time, though, I realized I was naturally good at doing hair and connecting with my clients. I fell in love with it, became passionate about the industry, and loved being able to make people feel good about themselves.
Over the years, I’ve worked in a lot of different areas of the beauty industry and continued adding to my education and licenses. I’m a licensed cosmetologist, barber, esthetician and lash artist, and I’ve been behind the chair for over 14 years now.
As the years passed, my “why” started to change. I had originally chosen this career because I thought it would give me the flexibility to be a mom someday. When that chapter of my life didn’t happen on the timeline I had always imagined, I found myself with an incredible amount of time and energy that I could pour into my career instead. In a lot of ways, I decided to make my business my baby for that season of my life.
At the same time, after years of working behind the chair in different salon environments, I started paying attention to the experience of the artists just as much as the experience of the clients. I had seen how much the culture and environment created within a salon could affect the people working there, both positively and negatively. I knew that if I ever created a space of my own, I wanted to do things differently.
I wanted to create a salon that was curated around the artist experience somewhere that felt elevated and beautiful for clients, but also comfortable, supportive and inspiring for the artists who came to work there every day. I wanted independent artists to have a space where they could build something of their own while still feeling like they were part of something bigger. That’s really where The Elite Collective came from.
I opened my first salon about five years ago, and since then it has grown and changed more than I ever could have imagined. In 2025, I took a huge leap and expanded The Elite Collective into a much larger location where we could bring multiple parts of the beauty industry together under one roof. We now have independent artists offering hair, lashes, skincare, waxing, nails, tattoos, piercings and more.
Looking back, I feel really fortunate that I was able to pour so much of myself into building The Elite Collective during that season of my life. Being a single, childless thirty-something wasn’t necessarily the hand I thought I would be dealt, but it gave me the freedom to invest an enormous amount of time and energy into creating something I’m incredibly proud of.
Today, what means the most to me is that it’s become so much more than just my salon. It’s a space where other artists are able to run and grow their own businesses too, and getting to watch them succeed alongside me has probably been one of the most rewarding parts of the whole thing.
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?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that owning a business is a constant cycle of figuring things out as you go. I didn’t have a business degree or come from a family of business owners. I knew the beauty industry, I knew how to take care of clients, and I knew the kind of environment I wanted to create, but the actual business side of things I had to learn along the way sometimes the hard way.
Health has also been a major factor throughout my career. I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2018, and at the time there were a lot of unknowns about what my future would look like and how long I would physically be able to work behind the chair. Our industry can be incredibly hard on your body, and when your income depends on physically being there and taking clients, health issues can be scary. That was actually another reason building something bigger than myself became so important to me. I wanted to know that even if there came a day when I couldn’t stand behind the chair full time, I could still have a place in the industry and make a positive impact on it.
Then, of course, I decided to open my first salon in the middle of a global pandemic, which in hindsight was probably a little crazy. There was so much uncertainty during that time, especially in an industry that relies completely on people being able to come in and receive services in person. But somehow we made it through, and the business continued to grow.
I think one of the harder parts of ownership that people don’t always see is how personal it can feel. You can put everything you have into creating a space, supporting people and trying to make the right decisions, and you’re still going to make mistakes. People will come and go, things won’t always work out the way you hoped, unexpected expenses happen, and sometimes you have to make really difficult decisions knowing that not everyone is going to understand them. I’ve had to learn how to separate myself personally from the business while still caring deeply about the people in it, and I’m honestly still learning that balance.
The expansion into our current location in 2025 was probably one of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken. It allowed me to create so much more of what I had envisioned for The Elite Collective, but with growth comes a completely different level of responsibility, financially and personally. There have been plenty of moments where I’ve wondered what I got myself into.
But I also think the difficult parts are what have made me a better business owner. Every mistake has taught me something, every hard season has forced me to grow, and every time I’ve had to pivot I’ve gotten a little clearer on what I want this business to be. I’m still figuring things out, and I don’t think that ever really stops when you own a business. But I’m incredibly proud that through all of the challenges, I’ve continued choosing to move forward.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Elite Collective is Logan, Utah’s first luxury beauty collective, bringing a variety of independent beauty professionals together under one roof. We offer hair, lashes, skincare, waxing, nails, tattoos, piercings and other beauty services, with each artist independently running their own business and specializing in their own area of the industry.
Personally, behind the chair I specialize in hair extensions and lived-in color. A huge part of my approach to hair has become helping my clients embrace and enhance their natural beauty rather than feeling like they constantly need to change or cover it.
Lived-in color is really an enhancement of a client’s natural color. I work with what they already have and create dimension that grows out softly and intentionally. That also includes grey blending rather than always feeling like grey has to be completely covered. I love being able to help women transition into different stages of their lives while still feeling beautiful and confident in their hair.
It also allows my clients to focus more on the health of their natural hair. Instead of feeling like they have to be back in my chair every few weeks to maintain their color, we can create something that is meant to evolve and grow with them. Especially with how expensive life has become, I think it’s important to be conscious of the financial commitment we’re asking clients to make. Beautiful hair shouldn’t have to mean an appointment every four to six weeks. I’d rather create something that works with their lifestyle, their budget and the health of their hair long term.
I think that same philosophy carries over into what I wanted The Elite Collective to be. Every artist is independent, but there is still a sense of community and a shared standard for the overall experience. I wanted to create a space where artists could have the freedom of owning their own businesses without feeling like they were doing it completely alone.
I’m also really intentional about the physical environment. I wanted Elite to feel elevated without feeling intimidating beautiful, clean and cohesive, but still somewhere you can walk in and immediately feel comfortable. I think there can sometimes be an assumption that “luxury” has to feel exclusive or unapproachable, and that has never been what I wanted for our brand. To me, luxury is much more about the experience, attention to detail and how someone feels while they’re in our space.
One of the things I’m most proud of brand-wise is the amount of talent we have under one roof. Rather than trying to have every artist be everything to everyone, our clients have access to professionals who have really found their niche and built their businesses around what they do best. You can come to Elite for your hair and also find someone you trust for your lashes, skin, nails, waxing, tattoos or piercings.
But what I’m probably most proud of is seeing the individual businesses within The Elite Collective grow. At the end of the day, Elite may be my brand and something I created, but it’s made up of a group of people who are building something of their own too. Watching artists grow their clientele, become more confident in their work and create careers that support the lives they want is a huge part of what makes me proud of what we’ve built.
What are your plans for the future?
For the first time in a long time, I think my future plans are less about “what can I build next?” and more about continuing to make what I’ve already built better.
The last few years have been very focused on growth. Moving The Elite Collective into our current space was a huge step for me, and reaching the point where all of our spaces are now full feels like a really exciting milestone. Instead of focusing on getting bigger, I’m excited to put more energy into the artists who are already here, continuing to strengthen our culture and helping the individual businesses within Elite grow.
One thing I would really love to expand on is education. There are so many talented beauty professionals in Cache Valley, and I’d love for The Elite Collective to become a place where we can bring in more educators, classes and opportunities locally. Continuing education is such a huge part of our industry, but traveling for classes can get expensive very quickly. If I can help bring more of those opportunities here, not only for our artists but for other beauty professionals in the valley, that would be really exciting to me.
I also want to continue growing the community side of Elite. Now that the space is full, I get to shift some of my focus from building the collective to really investing in the people who make it what it is. I want our artists to feel supported in growing their own businesses while still having the community and connection that can sometimes be missing when you’re self-employed.
Personally, I’m also entering a season where I’m learning that growth doesn’t always have to mean doing more. I’ve spent so many years pouring an enormous amount of my time and energy into my career and this business. I’m incredibly proud of that, but I also want the future to include creating more balance in my own life and actually allowing myself the space to enjoy what I’ve worked so hard to build.
I’m sure The Elite Collective will continue to evolve it always has but right now I’m less focused on how big I can make it and more focused on how good I can make it. I want Elite to continue becoming a place where clients love to come, artists are proud to work, and independent beauty professionals have the opportunity to build careers they genuinely love.
Pricing:
- All artists at The Elite Collective are independent business owners and set their own service pricing.
- Pricing varies by artist, service, experience level and individual client needs.
- Hair color and extension services may require a consultation for personalized pricing.
- We offer a wide range of beauty services at varying price points, allowing clients to find an artist who fits their needs and budget.
- For current pricing and availability, clients can visit The Elite Collective’s social media/website or contact their preferred artist directly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theelitecollective.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitecollective.logan/ and https://www.instagram.com/alexabriannejones/
