Stepping into salon ownership is about shaping a culture, fostering creativity, and building a place where both stylists and clients feel at home. For Alisa Lemmon, owner of Signature Salon in Decatur, Illinois, the journey began with a powerful vision: to create a salon that inspires collaboration, growth, and genuine joy in the craft.
As a seasoned professional in the beauty industry, Alisa shares what fueled that decision, the rewards that continue to make it worthwhile, and the wisdom gained along the way.
Signature Salon
3747 E. Route 36, Decatur, IL 62521
www.signaturesalon.us
On Instagram @salon.signature
What inspired you to open your own salon and school?
I wanted to create a space where stylists feel energized, supported, and genuinely enjoy their craft. In many salons I had worked before, that spirit of collaboration and shared growth was missing. Too often, stylists worked side by side but never really with each other. I knew there could be more—more encouragement, more creativity, more opportunity to thrive.
Opening my own salon gave me the chance to change that. It was about building a culture where professionals could come together, learn from one another, and celebrate each other’s wins. A place where stylists felt proud of their environment and motivated to grow, as individuals and also as a team. My vision was about creating a hub of creativity, mentorship, and joy that would ripple outward to clients, giving them great hair as well as an uplifting experience.
What is the most rewarding experience you have as a salon owner?
Watching my team evolve and thrive. Seeing stylists grow in their careers and in their personal lives is incredibly rewarding. There’s a unique satisfaction in mentoring new talent—guiding them through the challenges, sharing my knowledge, and then watching them flourish into confident, successful professionals. Every milestone a stylist achieves feels like a shared victory. Whether it’s someone mastering a new technique, building a loyal clientele, or finding their own artistic voice, those are the moments that remind me why I do this. Beyond technical growth, seeing stylists gain confidence in themselves fills me with pride.
The salon becomes more than a workplace; it’s a community where people discover their potential and realize they are capable of so much more than they imagined.
What would you like our readers to know about you?
With over 43 years in the beauty industry, I’ve learned to embrace its constant evolution. That’s part of the magic. This profession is always changing, always inspiring, and it never feels like “work.” Trends shift, techniques advance, and new products emerge, but what never changes is the joy of helping someone feel their best.
Every day brings something new, fun, and exciting, and I’m grateful to share that journey with a passionate team who loves this industry as much as I do. After decades, I’m still driven by the same excitement I felt when I first picked up a pair of shears. To me, this career has been more than a job—it’s a source of endless inspiration.
What I hope readers take away is that beauty is about style, and about people. It’s about relationships built over time, the laughter shared in a chair, and the trust clients give us to help them express themselves. That’s what keeps me motivated, and that’s what makes me proud to continue shaping hairstyles as well as lives, one appointment at a time.
