Susan Haise: A Passion for People
— Gina Rich, ABCD Board Member
March 22, 2023
Susan Haise knows the value of a customized experience. As Founder of Edgeless Beauty Group, a Milwaukee-based company that oversees several beauty brands, Haise focuses on ensuring each person has what they need. That means prioritizing communication and a quick response, whether she’s interacting with a client at one of five Neroli Salon & Spa locations or SKN BARRx, working with students at The Institutes of Beauty and Wellness in Milwaukee and Madison, or supporting a team member through a family emergency.
Haise is equally passionate about serving her community. Since establishing Neroli Salon & Spa in 1993, Haise has raised money and awareness for a number of causes, from clean water initiatives to support for people facing breast cancer. Over the past decade, her businesses have donated close to $130,000 to ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, enabling more people to access free, personalized peer support when they need it most. In recognition of her generosity and partnership, Haise will receive the Power of One-to-One award at A Night Out with ABCD on April 19, 2023.
A Focus on Community
Caring for the community is a natural extension of Haise’s inclination to serve others. Throughout her career, she’s been committed to local causes. “We’ve always wanted to make sure that our money stays in the community,” she says.
Haise learned about ABCD through its founder, Melodie Wilson Oldenburg, and says the organization has been a valuable resource over the years. Because Haise’s businesses cater primarily to female clients, she or her team members often learn of someone needing support after a breast cancer diagnosis. In those moments, the ability to pass along information about ABCD helps tremendously.
“If I was affected by breast cancer, the first thing I’d want to do is call someone who has also had breast cancer,” says Haise, who also raises visibility for ABCD through a fashion show each October. “I would need to talk it out with someone.”
A mother of two, Haise says that discussing an illness with your partner, parents, kids, or friends can sometimes add more stress to an already difficult situation because so much emotion is involved. An ABCD Mentor is more like a neutral party – one who understands the feelings, questions, and worries that go along with a diagnosis.
Balancing It All
How does Haise manage her many roles as a CEO, teacher, philanthropic leader, and mother? It’s hard, she acknowledges, but her priorities are clear: family, team, and community. She credits the partners in her life – her children’s father and her team members – for their support and commitment.
Even as she juggles multiple philanthropic projects, Haise envisions doing more. As a strong advocate for women and children, Haise is concerned about the rise in human trafficking locally and throughout the world. She wants to work with parents and kids to raise awareness and promote safety.
When she’s not working, Haise finds time for self-care, often by walking her two energetic English golden retrievers. She enjoys skiing and hot yoga, and hopes to take up tennis someday. And above all, she’s a proud soccer mom who loves spending time with her kids.
Haise emphasizes that her philanthropic contributions wouldn’t be possible without the participation of hundreds of people all year long. From the team members who engage in fundraising efforts to the individuals and corporations who are inspired to donate to the cause, all of that support adds up. ABCD is deeply grateful to Haise and Edgeless Beauty Group for investing their passion, time, and resources into helping people find support on their breast cancer journeys.
