Story & Lesson Highlights with Suhair Alhaidary of Grand Rapids

We recently had the chance to connect with Suhair Alhaidary and have shared our conversation below.

Suhair, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
The things that bring me the most joy lately are spending quality time with my kids and truly cherishing those moments that will never come back. I try my best to create meaningful memories with them — whether it’s cooking their favorite meals or taking them shopping for things they love.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Suhair. I’m a wife and a proud mother of two wonderful children. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Economics and have several years of experience in the business field. After taking five years off to focus on raising my kids, I decided to follow my true passion for beauty and makeup — something I had always enjoyed doing for family and friends on special occasions. What started as a hobby soon turned into a thriving business that continues to grow, especially through social media, where I’ve had the opportunity to connect with amazing clients and showcase my work.

Makeup, to me, is more than just a profession — it’s a form of art. I find immense joy in enhancing natural beauty, and the most rewarding part is seeing my clients’ faces light up when they look in the mirror.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is the power of truly listening to my clients. Every person has their own vision of beauty, and I make it my goal to understand that and bring it to life using my skills and techniques — while always staying open to learning and evolving. I believe that’s what helped me earn my clients’ trust and become a part of their most special and unforgettable moments.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There was a time when I almost gave up on my business. During COVID, I stopped working, and when I decided to return, it took a lot of time and effort to rebuild my client base. One day, I felt completely discouraged and thought about closing my business and ending this journey. But that same day, I received a Mother’s Day letter from my daughter. She wrote that when she looks at me, she sees the best makeup artist in town — and that if she ever wanted to buy me a gift, it would be makeup.

Reading her words touched my heart deeply and reignited my passion. I promised myself that day I would never give up on this dream. A month later, I was fully booked for the season — and everything changed.

My advice to anyone starting out in this field is to be patient, believe in yourself, and never give up. Success takes time, but when you love what you do, it always finds its way back to you.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is honestly the real me. I love meeting people, connecting, and building real friendships. I’m a very social person — I can talk for hours, laugh, and just enjoy being around good energy.

What’s funny is that on camera, I can look a little shy or reserved, especially when I’m making stories or recording videos. But in real life, I’m the complete opposite — I’m chatty, warm, and love to make people feel comfortable around me. I think that’s what helps me connect with my clients so easily and create those genuine moments that go beyond just makeup.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days. 
Honestly, I’ve had so many happy and exciting moments doing what I love. Every client brings a new memory, and I’ve been lucky enough to capture some of those moments along the way. One of the funniest experiences I’ve had was during a big photoshoot — I was helping one of my clients with a quick makeup touch-up, and she asked me to fix something right in the middle of the set. I tried to step behind the counter and suddenly realized there were wires and cameras everywhere! I had to carefully climb over things to reach her — thank God for my tiny size! Everyone was laughing, and the positive energy on set made the whole moment even more fun and unforgettable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://makeupbysuhair.com/
• Instagram: makeupbysuhair
• Facebook: makeup by Suhair

Image Credits
none