Meet Chelsea Leon | Owner & Executive Recruiter

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

Hi Chelsea, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started Aspire Hire out of both passion and necessity. After years of recruiting in the Consumer Goods industry with a niche focus in the beauty and personal care space, I saw an opportunity to do things differently. I wanted to bring more heart, strategy, and partnership into hiring.

I had spent years helping companies grow from a few scrappy early hires to scaling their entire corporate teams, but I also saw how transactional recruiting could feel at times. There are many agencies that companies can go to for “filling seats,” but I see things differently. For me, it’s not just “filling seats,” it’s “building legacies.” Aspire Hire was born from the belief that recruiting should be rooted in understanding. Understanding the story behind a brand, the mission behind a role, and the potential behind each person.

It was also personal. I had just become a mother, and that shift made me see legacy and impact differently. I wanted to build something for my family. A business that celebrates people’s potential and uplifts growing brands with integrity.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Aspire Hire was born from a simple but powerful belief: hiring is about people, not placements.

I had a moment of clarity, realizing that the way I approached recruiting didn’t just feel different to me; it felt different to everyone around me.

After years of recruiting in the beauty and personal care industry, I kept hearing the same feedback from both sides of the hiring equation. Candidates would tell me, “I’ve never worked with a recruiter like you. You actually CARE and you see me.” And hiring managers would say, “You made this so easy and so hard at the same time. Easy because every candidate you sent was qualified, and hard because we wanted to hire them all.”

That’s when it clicked: this was more than a job. It was a craft.

Aspire Hire exists to bring that same level of care and discernment to every search. We partner with emerging consumer brands in beauty & personal care, food & beverage, and apparel & lifestyle to hire the right people to scale their mission. We specialize in recruiting for roles that truly drive growth: Sales, Product Development, Supply Chain, and Operations. But what sets us apart isn’t just what we do… it’s how we do it.

We use a Performance-Based Hiring™ approach, a proven framework designed to define success before a search even begins. Instead of chasing resumes, we identify what the role needs to achieve in its first year. From there, we curate a shortlist of top-tier, values-aligned talent (often from direct competitors) who can deliver that impact. It’s a high-touch, low-volume process built on relationships, precision, and trust.

Getting here wasn’t simple. I left a company where I had learned a tremendous amount but felt ready to grow in a new way, ready to build something that reflected my own voice and leadership style. Launching Aspire Hire meant starting from scratch (no website, no funding, and no safety net) while balancing new motherhood with entrepreneurship and learning every aspect of running a business, from branding and business development to building systems that scale.

It’s been the most challenging and rewarding chapter of my life. There were many moments of doubt, but each challenge became a lesson in resilience. I learned that success doesn’t come from doing more, but from doing what matters most with integrity and consistency.

What I’m most proud of today is the ripple effect: the companies that have grown because we helped them find the right people, and the candidates whose lives have changed because someone saw their potential beyond a resume.

If there’s one thing I want the world to know about Aspire Hire, it’s that we’re not just recruiters, we’re partners in growth. We exist to help brands build dream teams and help people find work that makes them feel alive. Because when the right person meets the right opportunity, everything else (culture, creativity, and success) falls into place.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As a mom of two littles, my “best week ever” looks a little different these days. But it’s full of magic, laughter, and a whole lot of treats (churros, soft serve, cookies).

If my best friend were visiting Orange County, we’d kick things off with the happiest place on earth: Disneyland. Between the parades, the steam train, and every ride possible, it’s pure joy. And yes, churros are non-negotiable.

Next day, we’d head to Knott’s Berry Farm because no trip is complete without their famous fried chicken and boysenberry desserts.

We’d make a day of it at the Santa Ana Zoo. Another day would be spent at Irvine Regional Park. We’d refuel with lunch and boba at the Irvine Spectrum.

That’s the season of life I’m in right now. Where adventure looks like discovering the world through my kids’ eyes. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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?
There are so many people who’ve shaped my journey, but if I had to give a heartfelt shoutout, it would go to the mentors and communities who helped me believe in myself before the results showed up.

First, my husband for being my constant source of encouragement and grounding, especially during the early days of Aspire Hire when “building a business” often looked like working after bedtime with a laptop and a baby monitor. His steady support allowed me to take bold risks with confidence.

I’m also deeply grateful to my professional community: the founders, hiring managers, and candidates who’ve trusted me with their stories. Every conversation has sharpened my perspective and reminded me why I do this work: to connect good people with great purpose.

And most of all, my children (Parker and Forest) who remind me daily that joy, curiosity, and compassion are the real measures of success.

Website: aspirehire.net

Instagram: @AspireHireRecruiting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsealeon/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AspireHire/playlists