Ruth Larbi shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Ruth, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
What’s often misunderstood about my business is that people think creativity has a finish line. They assume that once God gives you one gift or one assignment, that’s the end of the story. But in reality, God never stops unfolding purpose. He uses one gift as an entry point to introduce you to the next level of who you’re becoming.
For me, hairstyling was never “just hairstyling.” It was the first door God opened to usher me into the bridal world so He could cultivate discipline, creativity, understanding, character, consistency, and vision inside of me. And after I mastered that level, He handed me my next assignment UNICA which demanded another side of my creativity and leadership.
So the misunderstanding is thinking my business is one-dimensional. It’s not. It’s a journey of obedience and evolution. Every gift God gives you is a seed that leads to another season. You won’t just stand before kings because you’re talented; God will prepare you creatively, spiritually, and mentally through each assignment.
My message is simple:
Whatever God has placed in your hands, don’t assume that’s the only thing you’ll ever do. There’s more in you. There’s always another assignment. Ask God, “What’s next?” and be ready to grow into it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ruth Larbi, the creative force behind Ruthie’s Hair Café and the founder of UNICA The Bridal Showcase. I am a bridal hairstylist, educator, visionary, and purpose-driven creative who believes that God places gifts in us not just to use them but to evolve through them.
What started as hairstyling became the doorway God used to introduce me to the bridal world, refine my discipline, expand my creativity, and teach me excellence. From there, He stretched me into something bigger: curating UNICA, a bridal showcase that brings vendors, designers, creatives, and brides together in a way that celebrates innovation, community, and purpose.
My brand is unique because it’s not built on trends it’s built on assignment. Everything I do is rooted in faith, creativity, and the desire to elevate every woman who sits in my chair or attends my events. I don’t just style hair; I create experiences. I don’t just host events; I build platforms that amplify other creatives.
Right now, I’m expanding UNICA, developing educational opportunities for hairstylists and beauty professionals, and continuing to shape the bridal industry through excellence and intentionality.
At the core of everything I do is one mission:
to show that when you allow God to stretch your gift, He’ll turn it into something far greater than you imagined.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Two groups of people saw me long before I ever saw myself:
my high school classmates and my big sister.
In high school, my class voted me Prom Queen, and to this day it still amazes me. At that time in my life, I was battling insecurities, silent struggles, and things no one knew I was carrying. Yet somehow, they saw something in me confidence, light, potential y even when I couldn’t see any of it in myself. That moment planted a seed in me. It reminded me that maybe, just maybe, I was meant to become someone impactful, someone with purpose… if I was willing to push through and grow into it.
And then there’s my big sister, the very first person whose hair I ever styled. She never doubted me, not for a second. Before I understood my gift, she recognized it. Before I believed in my creativity, she trusted it. Her confidence in me was the quiet push I needed to step into my calling.
These two experiences taught me something powerful: Sometimes God allows others to recognize your potential before you’re ready to acknowledge it yourself. Their belief becomes the bridge that carries you into who you’re becoming.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me lessons that success never had the capacity to teach. Success is loud and celebratory, but suffering is quiet and revealing. It forces you to confront who you are, what you believe, and what you’re made of.
Suffering teaches discipline, patience, resilience, and humility—qualities success often assumes you already have. It stretches your capacity, deepens your emotional intelligence, and strengthens your character. It teaches you to create from a deeper place, to lead with compassion, and to understand people beyond the surface.
Most importantly, suffering teaches you dependence on God. When everything familiar is shaken, that’s when you discover clarity, purpose, and vision that success alone could never produce. It shows you that pressure can become preparation, and discomfort can become direction.
Success can celebrate you, but it can’t shape you. Only suffering has the ability to refine you into the kind of person who can carry success without losing yourself.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
A cultural value I protect at all costs is the commitment to stand in my truth without dimming my light to make others comfortable. In every environment whether business, creative spaces, or community settings I refuse to compromise my core values just to fit in.
For me, that means showing up with integrity, practicing what I believe, and carrying myself in a way that reflects my faith and character. If a space requires me to silence what I stand for or participate in behavior that contradicts my values, then it’s simply not a space meant for me.
I believe people deserve to experience the most authentic version of who I am, and for me, that authenticity includes my relationship with God. I don’t force it on anyone, but I won’t hide it either. Protecting that conviction has kept me grounded, guided my decisions, and shaped the way I lead in both life and business.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I knew I had 10 years left, I would stop working a 9–5 immediately.
Not because it’s a bad path, but because it’s not my path. I don’t have forever to keep waiting for the “perfect moment” for things to align. I would fully commit to the work that pulls on my spirit building my business, expanding my creativity, and pursuing the destiny I know I’m called to.
Time has a way of revealing what truly matters, and if my years were numbered, I would spend every day becoming the fullest version of myself, not delaying the purpose I was created to walk in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.unicabridalhairshow.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRleAOf8V5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAachR_rS7XxNc4UD9RNvNOnTce4sn7B0Dq8qm0i-t4UwjzQWOSgW7Fh6FnhQrA_aem_kZN6eYVBlqi9esi_25HVfQ
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthieshaircafe?igsh=aWRrbW45NzV1dXRq&utm_source=qr
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