Something new: Jess Deppe at the helm of Sage + Strands Extension Studio and Beck | The Collective in Dubuque

It’s a weekday morning as Jess Deppe begins readying for the day — flipping on lights, cueing up music, scrolling through her calendar and steadying a swivel chair facing an oversized mirror in her intimate salon.

For Deppe, who has spent her entire career immersed in the beauty industry, it could be routine. But it’s never a once-size-fits-all approach, she said. Every client is different.

“It feels nice being a part of something that makes people feel beautiful, energized and confident,” the 39-year-old said. “Having great hair is never just about having great hair. It’s how you feel about yourself. Our goal is to help people leave their appointment standing a little taller.”

Deppe is the owner and lead stylist of Sage + Strands, a hair extension studio nestled within Beck | The Collective, of which Deppe also assumed ownership.

Opened in 2025 by Alex and Alicia Ellerbeck (also a cosmetologist with more than 20 years of experience) as Beck Lifestyle Salon at 2613 University Ave., the space houses an assortment of independent cosmetologists and beauty service providers, from hair and makeup to spray tanning.

The couple purchased the building in late 2023 and spent a year renovating the approximately 100-year-old, two-story structure.

While the Ellerbecks had the vision for the boho-meets-modern space, Deppe had the vision for the business, and the couple approached her with a partnership opportunity shortly after opening. Deppe took over the operation in October 2025.

“I didn’t necessarily have to go through the stress of the build-out or picking out wallpaper,” Deppe said, with a laugh. “I was able to just step in, so it was the perfect opportunity. And having been behind the chair my entire career, I had some ideas about how to run the business well.”

Deppe found an early calling into hairstyling. Originally from Lanark, Ill., she began attending beauty school while still in high school.

“Being a hairstylist wasn’t always a very respected career,” Deppe said. “There was a little bit of a stigma surrounding it. My mother didn’t want me to do it, and honestly, it’s not something I thought I would do forever initially. But it’s what I know and have always loved.”

Deppe relocated to Dubuque in 2012, working for a variety of independent salons and learning the ropes not only as a stylist, but also in how to manage a successful business that simultaneously cultivates talent.

Deppe — also Mom to her 6-year-old son, with husband Ben Deppe — is an IBE-certified (Invisible Bead Extension) hair technician, with several of her stylists at Beck | The Collective also getting certified in the technique that involves using small beads hidden under hair wefts to secure hair without visible tracks, bonds or adhesives.

“We’ve seen increased popularity in hair extensions,” Deppe said. “As women age, our hair often thins. When you think about it generationally, our parents and grandparents cut their hair to manage it as they got older, but women today have more options to keep their hair longer. Our hair is so much of our identity.”

In addition to Deppe’s Sage + Strands — which also offers customized haircuts and lived-in coloring for all ages and genders, blowouts and stylings, deep conditioning treatments and more — the space also is occupied by Isabella Garcia, of Babes by Bella; and Jessi Recker, of Gotta Glo Spray Tanning.

A coffee shop is an additional perk to the establishment, where those getting pampered also can order something to sip from their chair.

But Deppe said the space — soaked in natural light, black trim and brass embellishments — serves as more than just a salon.

“We wanted it to feel elevated and luxurious, but not inhibiting,” she said. “It’s still warm and welcoming. It’s a place that feels upscale, but at the same time, it’s comfortable. It’s a place you can just come in and relax.”

It’s also a space for creativity among Deppe’s 14-member female staff.

“Everything is intentional and rooted in technical experience,” Deppe said. “But it’s also a place for artistry. There is an art to this craft, and these stylists are artists. We want the experience here to feel as good as the hair people leave with. I don’t sit still, and I’m always thinking about what is next. It’s exciting to be at the forefront of bringing something new to the community.”

Megan Gloss writes for the Telegraph Herald.