Today we’d like to introduce you to Hala Maria.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always loved henna for as long as I can remember. I would go to holiday festivals and gatherings, and the one person who always made holidays special was the henna artist. I’d watch them in awe as they flawlessly adorned one person after the other, and I was always fascinated by how they came up with different designs for each person. I never imagined that I’d be on the other end of that scenario!
In May 2005, I went to a family friend’s wedding where they were giving out little favors of henna powder. I was so excited to mix some up and finally start adorning myself, and didn’t know it was the beginning of something amazing.
I did it as a hobby for years, and in 2017, I finally overcame my fears and opened up Hala Maria LLC. I did my first festival that year, and enjoyed every second of it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There definitely have been struggles along the way. The main struggle I had was transitioning my craft from a hobby to a business, particularly being lenient with payments.
Let me give you a quick example of this: In the first year of my business, I had a bridal booking which usually lasts 1-2 days. The bride pays the first half of the fee in the beginning and the rest is due at the time of service. I got paid the remaining balance 3 days after the event! I know you’re thinking, that’s crazy, right?!
This is when I realized that my biggest struggle was the difference between being an artist and a business owner, and learning to merge the two together. Being an entrepreneur has helped me learn skills beyond my craft such as: better verbal communication, writing better contracts, marketing, and creating systems to make the process smoother.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What I do goes way beyond drawing on skin. I help people create memorable moments with the healing and therapeutic properties of henna. I help brides tell their love stories through cultural traditions and personalized henna designs.
I bless mothers-to-be with belly designs for health, wellness and help them celebrate the miracle of life. I help women feel beautiful in their skin when they want to cover up scars.
What sets me apart from others, is my patience and ability to give my clients their dream designs, when they’re unsure of how to express their wishes. And they are always in awe when they see the final results.
I am proud of how far I’ve come in my artistic talents, and I’m so grateful for all the people and friends I’ve made because of this magical plant.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I was born left-handed, but was forced to write with my right hand. I still write with my right hand, but nature won that battle and I do most things with my left hand. The first time I picked up a henna cone, it was with my left hand.
Even though I disliked being forced to use my right hand, it ended up being a blessing because now, at least when it comes to henna, I am ambidextrous and I can create designs with both hands flawlessly.
Contact Info:
- Website: halamaria.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/HalaMariaHenna
- Facebook: facebook.com/HalaMariaHenna
