Our Story
Salon people building salon studios
We're not a franchise. We're not a real estate company. We're beauty industry veterans who've spent 40+ years behind the chair — and we built the studios we wish we'd had.
How It Started
From four salons to a new vision
Over three decades, we built and operated four full-service salons across Southern California. We hired stylists, managed teams, and learned — often the hard way — what makes a salon thrive and what holds talented professionals back.
The answer was always the same: the best beauty professionals don't need a boss. They need a great space, the right tools, and the freedom to run their own business.
That's why we created ASPIRE Salon Studios. Every detail — from the lighting angles to the shampoo bowl placement to the ventilation systems — comes from real salon experience, not a corporate playbook.
Our Journey
40 years of building beauty
1985
First Salon Opens
Our founders open their first full-service salon in Rancho Cucamonga, beginning a decades-long journey in the beauty industry.
1995
Expansion to 4 Salons
After a decade of growth, the team operates four thriving salons across San Bernardino County, learning what makes a salon work.
2015
The Idea Is Born
After 30 years behind the chair, a realization: the best beauty professionals don't need a boss — they need a great space.
2019
ASPIRE Salon Studios Launches
The first ASPIRE location opens in Rancho Cucamonga — designed from real salon experience, not a corporate playbook.
2023
6 Locations Strong
ASPIRE grows to 6 locations across the Inland Empire and Orange County, with 500+ beauty professionals calling it home.
2026
28+ Locations Planned
The vision expands: 28+ locations across Southern California, each built with the same attention to detail and salon-first philosophy.
What We Believe
Our values shape every studio
Salon People First
Every decision starts with one question: does this make our professionals' lives better? If not, we don't do it.
No Corporate Playbook
We're independently owned and operated. We move fast, listen to our community, and build what actually works.
Built From Experience
40+ years of hands-on beauty industry experience informs every studio we design and build.
Community Over Competition
When beauty professionals support each other, everyone grows. We build studios — and we build community.
Our Team
The people behind your studio
Shaan Mehta
Founder & President
Shaan Mehta is the founder and president of ASPIRE — a name he chose for the beauty professionals who aspire to be the best at their craft, and an elevated home worthy of that ambition. He leads site selection and new location development with a keen eye for prime markets and spaces where professionals can thrive, keeping each studio beauty-professional-focused first and foremost. Every ASPIRE location starts with his instinct for the right place at the right time.
Neeru Mehta
Leasing Director
Neeru Mehta has spent decades in the salon world, building the kind of hands-on expertise that only comes from running the floor herself. As ASPIRE's Leasing Director, she pairs that operator's insight with genuine compassion, making her the trusted first voice many professionals hear. She's the heart of the brand, turning every conversation into a relationship.
Lori Phillips
Leasing Manager
Lori Phillips brings more than two decades of salon management experience, built on a foundation of 17 years in corporate customer service and human resources. As Leasing Manager, she oversees tenant relations, leasing, and operations, keeping the day-to-day running smoothly for everyone in the studios. Above all, she's deeply committed to caring for ASPIRE's studio owners, making sure their needs are met promptly, professionally, and with genuine attention.
Mike Sullivan
Chief Executive Officer
Mike Sullivan is a builder at heart, with an entrepreneurial track record spanning e-commerce and manufacturing. He's launched and scaled ventures that turn bold ideas into real results. At ASPIRE, he's channeling that drive to spearhead the company's next chapter of growth.
Ready to write your own chapter?
Join the ASPIRE community of beauty professionals who've taken their careers into their own hands.