Meet the Alchemist: Suki-Liyah

Hi Suki-Liyah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I came from a creative eccentric soul and a social butterfly. I grew up observing my dad playing in bands and my mom being the family function host! But I was always attracted to both ideas through a deeper space and understanding.

I grew up in dance and theatre. And went on tons of auditions for singing. I was given golden tickets on American Idol and passed through multiple rounds on X Factor. My biggest hit to my stability, however, was loosing my father at 17 to Colon Cancer. It took years for me to reconnect and feel comfortable getting back on the stage after so much fear to be led in the wrong direction. My father’s protection was always something I knew to hold sacred. And still until this day I try to channel it.

Scared to focus on the stage, I started to go on a study season! I went to school for Massage where I discovered Eastern Medicine and Reiki. Then right after entered in a school for Beauty & Special FX Makeup. Followed directly in the same week of graduation by Cosmetology school. With less than a month left of Cosmetology school, I was granted a spot on a reality TV show titled “Global Beauty Masters”, to be aired on TLC. I was a contestant on a top 3 Student Team joined by judges Sam Villa from Redken, John Paul Dejoria the co-founder of Paul Mitchell, Eden Sassoon (Daughter of legendary beautician Vidal Sassoon and RHOBH cast member), and more!

I moved from NJ to Philly in 2016. Through a dating app, I met a friend that brought me to a place called “Time” Whiskey Bar. It was there I found my voice again on stage. I performed mostly every Tuesday for artist night. During this same time I had a few years deeper into Astrology. And I began even doing Tarot for previous managers (jobs from the Cosmetic / Hair Industry) that I had prior to my move to Philly. I was trusted with a lot of intimate details that I thought I’d never be told through those experiences. Especially from those I once seen only in one way, as leaders, at work.

In 2017 I lost a job and had a lot of downloads as to what was really going on in my life. I had started a YouTube, had a friend give me my first laptop to pursue making more videos, and called out for a sign from God to tell me the greater message. I had a very vivid dream that same night I asked out, leaving me with two very important names once awake. Once I began to research these names, my answer was given and my life changed forever. I had gotten confirmation to start my own spiritual business.

For years in Philly I practiced all my crafts at once doing freelance readings, features, and collaborations. My goal was to go to LA but I absolutely couldn’t stand it once I visited. I was very confused at where I would go. I had never planned on staying in Philadelphia, but I didn’t know exactly where would sync best. And once I realized I didn’t want to go to LA, I felt even more lost. However, once Covid hit, I lost my older sister to alcohol , and one of my dearest best friends to what has still not been confirmed (but possibly depression). I knew I had to make a decision. It was time to go. I went onto YouTube and researched anywhere from Victoria Canada, Argentina, Texas, Florida, and other parts of California. But the one thing that I remembered is, I always had my Pinterest board. I created a life mood board with an ex to prove to both of us that we weren’t meant to be. It illustrated a sunny environment with palm trees, and cactuses. I’ve always admired the adobe style homes that I thought filled the valley of Arizona. So I booked a trip brought my mom with me, and within less than 24 hours, I knew I was home.

I have now been in Arizona for five years. I’m in love with the sun and can’t get enough of tanning in it. No more winters or shoveling snow. And to be completely honest, I just make the cut to stay when it comes to the actual winter time for 50° is even still too cold for me. I’ve discovered a different version of seasonal depression when so many decide to not come outside during the summer. But mostly, I miss being 45 minutes out from the beach.

It’s been a long ride, trying to figure out the dynamics of the difference between living in Arizona and being on the East Coast. However, one thing that I have definitely learned is ego death. I’ve learned that nobody in AZ cares if you’ve walked the streets of New York. I’ve learned that nobody cares how tall the buildings actually are out there. I’ve learned that they can care less how many people you’ve worked with or *who* you’ve worked with. But they care about you having a personality. They care about you holding a conversation and talking about topics in length. Topics that in a city environment, you may have only wanted to share with a few intimate people in your life. I wouldn’t say that intimacy becomes casual, but I would say intimacy that has no words and just a look becomes a question to Arizonians. And people want to know who you are. There have been many times that I’ve thought to go back towards EAST or to try another area but somehow on every vacation Arizona calls me back.

It was when I gave it a try of colliding my previous experience in Cosmetics that I scored a position working for First Aid Beauty as an Account Executive. With no degree , but definitely working my way up 10 years prior in a different part of the country, I was able to be the one that was in charge of 28 Sephoras and ULTAs in the valley. I was in charge of the sales, merchandising, education, and communications of a stubborn dying brand after being sold by its original creator.

Due to it being sold to a large well known umbrella company filled with top Brands in the beauty industry, I learned a lot about the actual power of a creator still being attached to their brand. I was blessed to understand the technicalities and administrative understandings behind the position, however, I hated that they were ripping the brand apart from trying to capitalize off of anything that could possibly be left behind after sold.

It was then that I realized my grandest problem. I’ve always worked for other people. With so much that I have been given as gifts to connect with other people, I chose to continuously hide those gifts underneath others’ authority. Too many times owners or managers would be excited with how much I could do, but always presented a limited showcase of those talents. Through a tarot reading I did back in October 2024 I confirmed a huge feeling that I had about possibly being laid off in the coming months. Fast forward into May 2025 and my reading came alive.

I was offered a severance. A girl who never had a college degree, and who never thought that she would ever work for a corporation. I was able to take that severance and put it right back into the very dream that I had before all of this was possible. June 2025 is a blessed month for me. It will forever be the month of me opening my first real Studio.

It was back in Philly that I had the worst experience at a salon when I mutually parted ways and went right into a bar. This very day was during a big eclipse, and I felt all of the energy in the palm of my hand as I pressed the pen into the paper and wrote out what my dream salon would look like. Very quickly came to mind a word I hadn’t even previously researched : Ponder. It was that moment back many years ago that the idea of PONDER was born. It is June 2025 of this year that I overwhelmingly yet extremely excitingly present the studio that I’ve always dreamed of. A seed planted in its season of Bloom.