Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Elliott.
Hi Kelsey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been in the beauty industry for about 18 years, and what started as a love for doing hair has grown into a career I never could have completely mapped out when I began. Over the years, I’ve built a clientele, become a salon owner, and grown into an educator and mentor for other stylists.
I currently own Infinite Designs Hair Studio, a Paul Mitchell Focus Salon in Jackson, Michigan, and I’m also a National Educator with John Paul Mitchell Systems. Education has become one of the most meaningful parts of my career. I love being able to take what I’ve learned behind the chair and help other stylists feel more confident, creative, and successful in their own careers.
I’m also a wife and mom of three boys, so my life is a constant balance of owning a business, working behind the chair, traveling and teaching, and showing up for my family. There have definitely been seasons where building a career and a business while raising a family has been messy and challenging, but I think that has shaped the professional and person I am today.
At this point in my career, I’m really focused on continuing to grow—not just as a stylist, but as an educator, business owner, and leader in the industry. I want to use the experience I’ve gained over the last 18 years to create opportunities for myself while also helping elevate the people around me.
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 my biggest challenges has been learning how to grow professionally without feeling like I have to sacrifice being present for my family in order to do it.
I’m a wife and mom of three boys with very busy lives of their own, while also being a salon owner, working behind the chair and traveling as an educator. For a long time, I thought being successful meant figuring out how to do all of those things perfectly at the same time. I’ve learned that sometimes it actually means recognizing what season you’re in, adjusting, setting boundaries and being willing to redefine what success looks like.
Salon ownership has also taught me some incredibly hard lessons. Being a great stylist doesn’t automatically make you a great business owner. I’ve had to learn the financial side, leadership, pricing, boundaries, managing people and how to make decisions that are best for the longevity of the business—even when those decisions are uncomfortable.
There have been seasons of financial stress, burnout and questioning whether I was doing any of it right. But those seasons have also forced me to grow. I’ve become much more intentional about valuing my time, charging appropriately for my experience, creating boundaries and building a career that can support both my family and the life I want outside of work.
I’m still figuring things out as I go, and I actually think that’s an important part of my story. I’m proud that the difficult seasons haven’t made me stop—they’ve made me evolve.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a master stylist, salon owner and National Educator with John Paul Mitchell Systems. After 18 years in the industry, I still genuinely love the artistry of doing hair, but my career has grown into so much more than working behind the chair.
I specialize heavily in color—particularly blonding, dimensional color, formulation, corrective work and creating customized results for each guest. I’m also passionate about the technical “why” behind what we do. That naturally led me into education, where I teach other professionals color theory, formulation, blonding, toning, product knowledge and techniques they can immediately take back behind the chair.
I think what sets me apart is that I exist in several different parts of this industry at the same time. I’m still actively behind the chair with real clients and real challenges. I own and operate Infinite Designs Hair Studio, a Paul Mitchell Focus Salon. And as a National Educator, I travel and work with other professionals to help elevate their craft. I’m not teaching from theory alone—I’m teaching from what I actually experience every week behind the chair and as a business owner.
What I’m most proud of, though, is the reputation I’ve built through education and connection. I never want another stylist to feel intimidated by what they don’t know. I want to be the person who can take something that feels complicated—whether that’s color formulation, blonding or even the business side of our industry—and make it make sense.
I’m creative, but I’m also extremely technical. I love understanding the chemistry, the formulation and the reasoning behind a result just as much as I love creating something beautiful. I think that combination of artist, educator and working salon owner is really what defines my work.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories actually goes hand-in-hand with the beauty industry. My younger sister and I were always playing with makeup, hair tools and whatever beauty supplies we could get our hands on. At some point, we discovered we could use makeup to create incredibly convincing fake bruises on each other—which we then used to try to get our older sister in trouble. Apparently my creativity started early, although my intentions were slightly questionable.
Looking back now, it makes me laugh that something I was naturally drawn to as a kid—hair, makeup, creativity and transforming how something looks—eventually became the career I’ve spent my entire adult life building.
Pricing:
- Haircuts — $50–$85+
- Color Services — $170+
- Dimensional Blonding & Highlights — $225+
- Transformative/Corrective Color — $350+
- Bridal Services — Bridal Hair $150 | Bridal Makeup $150
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.infinitedesignshairstudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/infinitedesignsbykelsey
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GeEnPD6zV/
