Today we’d like to introduce you to Kellie Johnson.
Hi Kellie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my career being the chair, working in a salon where I quickly realized I didn’t just love doing hair — I was passionate about the business itself. I eventually purchased the salon and after 3 years of building and refining my vision, I sold it and took a leap of faith and created something of my own. In 2005, Elan and from the beginning my focus was education, culture and developing people. Over the years I went on to become certified in coaching, hypnotherapy and took many leadership classes. I am now on my 3rd location and 4th in Spring Lake New Jersey. I attribute my success to growing people and people grow your business.
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?
No, it has not been a smooth road. Building a business comes with its challenges. From making tough decisions of letting people go to unexpected setbacks like a flood that puts you out of business for 9 weeks, Covid, and more. Constantly learning and evolving as a leader. There have been many moments over the past 24 years that tested me, but each one shaped how I run my business today. Growth doesn’t come from ease–it comes from navigating those difficult seasons and continuing to move forward with clarity and resilience.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
at this time I own two salons. I also coach salon owners/creatives.
At the core of what I do, I develop people. I truly believe when you grow people, the business naturally grows with them. Education has always been our foundation including personal grounding training since we are in the people business. What sets us apart is both skill and culture– were not just building stylists were building careers.
What Im most proud of is the relationships that have been built over the years and our reputation of excellence. To me that is the true success of the business. Its always nice to get recognized too — we’ve won Top 200 Salon in the United States 9+ times and other awards.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is seeing and being a part of people growing around me both personally and professionally. Watching someone start as an apprentice and evolve into a confident successful stylist is incredibly fulfilling. Creating an environment where people feel supported, inspired and taken care of – that’s what drives me and make me happy. At the end of the day, its not just about business–its about the impact we have on each other.
Contact Info:
- Website: elanhgirstudionj.com. canvasbyelan.com. kelliediana.com
- Instagram: elanhairstudio. canvasbyelan. kelliediana9
- Facebook: Elan hair studio. Canvas by elan
