Meet Aleigha Hans | Salon owner, special event stylist, extension specialist &educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aleigha Hans and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aleigha, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I recently had a student in one of my extension certification classes ask me how I stay humble while being successful. The question really stuck with me because my answer ties directly to why I started my business in the first place. I wanted to help more people and never turn away guests. After hearing horror stories about negative salon experiences, I made it my mission to offer something better. Even when I reached full capacity, I still wanted to do more—so I began training apprentices and stylists to approach their work the way I do. It’s been a beautiful journey, finding success while empowering others.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am a second-generation hairstylist. My dad owned a barbershop, and as a little girl, I swept floors and folded towels. Once I was old enough, I became a receptionist. Unsure of my career path, my dad suggested cosmetology school—and at a young age, I began my journey in hair. For the first six years, I was a typical stylist, doing cuts and color. Then, friends started getting married and asked me to do their wedding hair. I loved breaking up the salon routine, traveling to beautiful venues, and bringing calm confidence to brides on their big day. That calm confidence became my superpower, and I knew it was time to take a leap.

I left corporate salons to launch Captivate Beauty, my on-location wedding business. Over the past 13 years, it has grown to serve 300 weddings a year with a beauty squad of 35 across five states. As the business expanded, my husband and I found the perfect physical space in Castle Rock, Colorado—a 100-year-old building downtown. Now, we’re proud to be both real estate and business owners.

Captivate Salon has developed its own unique identity. We hired barbers, stylists, and apprentices, creating a hybrid model of booth rentals and commission stylists. As a local, family-friendly salon, our goal is to make everyone feel comfortable the moment they walk in. With a team of stylists who bring different talents to the table, we cater to a diverse range of clients. Through our growth, we’ve embraced a “quality over quantity” philosophy to ensure every client receives the best service possible.

Through my bridal business, I often used clip-in extensions to enhance styles. Six years ago, I expanded into offering semi-permanent extension methods, and it quickly became my passion. Today, I’m a well-known extension specialist and fortunate to educate for an extension company, helping other stylists achieve their own success.

Now, my focus is on maintaining a healthy work-life balance, being a good mama, and developing my team so they can thrive both inside and outside the salon. I love helping clients feel confident through beauty, and I take pride in being a true success story. Of course, it hasn’t always been easy. Managing teams, navigating unrealistic client expectations, calming stressed brides, or handling everyday issues like plumbing problems in the salon can be challenging. But we’re resourceful, have great communication, and are self-starters. We’re always learning, growing, and evolving. The past 20 years have been a beautiful journey, to say the least.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a Colorado native it depends if it’s summer or winter.

If summer I would plan a hike in the mountains probably Rocky Mountain National Park, go to Red Rocks and see a concert, get some tacos at a local spot and sit on a patio for happy hour. I love searching for foodie spots that have good quality, deal and vibey atmosphere.

In the winter I would do snow tubing at Colorado Adventure Park. Later warm up after at a local coffee shop. I’m an Italian food lover in the colder months too. I’d probably hit blue pan pizza. Kidding I’m a lover of Italian food all the time.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My entire career has led me to where I am today. I’ve faced plenty of growing pains over the years, but I’ve also been lifted by incredible support along the way. My loyal clients have stood by me, my family has supported my dedication, and mentors have shaped me. My apprentices and employees have helped me build a talented team that creates a fun, vibrant salon culture—bringing my dreams to life. Without all of this, I wouldn’t be here today. I thrive because of consistency, day in and day out.

Website: https://www.captivatesalon.com/

Instagram: https://www.captivatesalon.com/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/captisalon/

Other: https://www.fresha.com/a/captivate-salon-castle-rock-11-wilcox-street-dztc18es/booking?menu=true&pId=662714

Image Credits
https://www.jaimelynnbphotography.com/