Life & Work with Asma Ali of Hamtramck, MI

Today we’d like to introduce you to Asma Ali

Hi Asma, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, a city vibrant with murals and graffiti at every turn, I was surrounded by creativity. But for me, creativity came from within my own home. I was raised in a Bangladeshi family, the only daughter among seven children—four older brothers and two younger ones. Without sisters to chat with or someone to play Barbie dolls with, I often found myself turning to something that always felt like home: a pencil and paper.

From an early age, art wasn’t just a hobby for me; it was a language. I skipped the stick-figure phase and dove straight into coloring within the lines and creating characters using basic shapes. My brothers, as brothers do, would tease me about my creations. “Humans don’t have triangle bodies or straight rectangle arms and legs,” they’d laugh. Their jokes used to frustrate me, but little did I know, they had sparked a creative challenge within me.

I started with cartoon characters, and by the time I was 12, I ventured into realism. One memory stands out clearly: after school one day, I saw my mom drawing beautiful flower illustrations. She’d hang them on the wall for everyone to admire. I was captivated. Watching her, I realized that creativity ran deep in our family, and it was something I wanted to embrace as well. That’s when my passion for henna art began.

For years, art was my escape—my way of coping with life’s challenges. It wasn’t yet my career path; I never saw art as a viable way to achieve financial stability. But as time passed, I realized that art wasn’t something I could let go of. It was the one thing that always made me feel true to who I was. I spent countless hours experimenting with every art form I could find, pushing my skills and creativity to new heights. The more I created, the more I realized that this wasn’t just a passion—it was my calling. Art opened new career opportunities for me, allowing me to achieve financial stability through my own small business.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I focused much of my time on creating realistic and abstract art, handmade decorations, and henna, which were personal hobbies I enjoyed outside of school. I pursued an associate’s degree in graphic design, but my program began just as the COVID-19 pandemic started. Though I had been excited about college life, the shift to online classes due to the pandemic helped me manage my social anxiety, which had always been a struggle for me. I was able to slowly build my speech skills and confidence in presenting my artwork and projects through Zoom meetings from the comfort of my home. Those first two to three years of Zoom meetings helped me work through my anxiety, eventually allowing me to present in person with confidence.

Throughout the program, I learned how to use Adobe software and create digital art, but transitioning from traditional to digital art was difficult. Despite excelling academically with straight A’s, I started to lose interest in graphic design, feeling it lacked the creative fulfillment I sought.

As I entered my second year, I decided to turn my Instagram art account into a business, especially as I felt increasingly discouraged by my degree and struggled to find internships or jobs. Growing up in a culture where henna is a traditional form of body art, I had been fascinated by it since childhood. I taught myself to apply henna and began practicing on my friends. In high school, I started doing henna at school events and even created an Instagram account to showcase my work. Eventually, I began offering henna services at very low prices, but my anxiety often made me shaky and self-conscious when working with clients, leading me to stop offering henna services for a while.

However, I continued practicing henna on myself and sharing my progress online. I eventually began making my own henna paste after learning about the harmful ingredients in store-bought henna. I shared my process with my followers, and to my surprise, people started buying my handmade henna cones. This gave me the confidence to start my own business, using the design skills I’d learned in college to create branding materials. I invested my FAFSA funds into the business, selling locally with the help of my brothers. Over time, my small business grew, and I began receiving requests for bridal henna.

After graduation, despite applying for jobs and facing rejections, I decided to focus on freelancing, creating custom illustrations and handmade artwork. I still hesitated to take on henna clients due to my anxiety, but when I was invited to an event celebrating Bengali culture, I decided to return to doing henna for others. The positive feedback from attendees and my followers motivated me to accept clients again. I soon received my first bridal henna client, which further boosted my confidence. Over time, my social media presence grew, and more people began purchasing my henna cones, even starting their own henna pages. This journey has taught me a lot about overcoming self-doubt and finding the courage to pursue what I love, despite the challenges and setbacks along the way.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I began creating home decor pieces, including wall art and centerpieces and custom graduation caps. Much of my artwork features faceless illustrations, Islamic designs, abstract compositions, and intricate mandala patterns. In addition to my artwork, I offer henna services for all occasions, from holidays to special events. My passion for henna grew so deeply that I wanted to make a more meaningful impact. Through extensive research, I discovered the dangers of store-bought instant henna, which contains harmful chemicals. Knowing that some of my friends have sensitive skin, I started experimenting with different natural ingredients to create my own henna cones. Today, I offer handmade henna cones, aftercare products, and henna tattoos—bringing the beauty and joy of henna art to everyone.

How do you think about happiness?
Helping others turn their passion into a career is incredibly fulfilling, especially when I remind them that the opinions of others don’t define their path. Before the pandemic, small home-based businesses struggled with limited exposure and support. However, the pandemic created a shift, bringing both attention and community support to these ventures. Many businesses that began in the comfort of a home have since blossomed into larger companies, with many of them rooted in art. Whether it’s handmade canvases, home décor, candles, or cosmetics, these entrepreneurs have stepped outside conventional career paths—doctor, nurse, lawyer, engineer—and created livelihoods from their passions. Personally, what started as a hobby and a way to cope with life’s challenges has evolved into a business that not only supports me but also helps others. The journey from passion to business is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we dare to dream beyond the ordinary.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://asma-mehendi.myshopify.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asmamehendi/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asmamehendi
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Asma.Mehendi
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@asma.mehendi