BILAL’S STORY
Born and raised in Beirut, Bilal Khafaja is the founder and owner of the esteemed Hair by Bilal salon. From childhood, Bilal knew that he was destined for making a mark on people’s lives, but he wasn’t quite sure how that would happen, what his talent would be, nor exactly where his future would lie. At 13 years old he found himself working weekends and afternoons after school as a delivery boy at his brother’s butcher shop. And it was here where Bilal caught sight of his true calling. No, it was not in the butcher shop, which he found boring and stifling. Instead, on a warm summer’s day, while out doing a delivery for a local salon, Bilal witnessed what was to become his true calling…
Meet the team
Nada
A makeup aficionado, Nada’s dream is to establish her own line of cosmetics. Passionate about teaching, Nada says, “When I’m doing makeup, I forget about the whole world and find myself in a world of my own. I would love to be able to pass the torch to the new generation and have them fall in love with this business.”
Ziad
Hair styling is something that simply comes naturally to Ziad. “I always found hair fascinating and the more I got involved in it, the more it brought me joy,” he says. Ziad says his aim is for stardom and believes that one day he will make a considerable mark on the international hairstyling industry.
Mike
It might sound unbelievable, but Mike knew at 11 years old where his future would lie. “I spent most of my childhood in the company of women, particularly while they were doing their hair. While the other kids were out playing, I found my happiness elsewhere -- in the salon!” he laughs. “It was like the salon was the place where I could breathe and be myself.”
Ashraf
Born and bred in Tunisia, for Ashraf, hair styling is something that comes naturally. He is direct and unwavering about his passion. “I feel comfortable in this domain,” he says, “this is what I was born to do.”
Hamoudi
In Hamoudi’s world, the client is key. Customer satisfaction is at the top of his game. “I love this business because of the joy I see on a client’s face after I’m done styling. It brings me joy knowing that my talent can bring happiness to their lives,” he says.
Zeina
Having started out at the age of 17, Zeina carries many years of invaluable experience with her. “I fell in love with the hair industry because it allows me to be creative,” she says. Zeina shares Bilal’s vision of growing the Hair by Bilal brand, and her dream is that one day she will manage one of Bilal’s salons when the brand goes international.
Patrick
“As a teenager we tend to experience many different things, and so did I, but the only thing that stuck with me was hair styling. I found my true self there. I enjoyed it and I knew it was where I belonged.” Patrick dreams to keep growing with Hair by Bilal as it’s the place where learning never stops, and where he can express himself and his talent.