Too Brave, Too Young, and Exactly Right

“I think I was too brave… maybe too young and stupid to think it wouldn’t work, so I just did it.”

When Satomi looks back on opening her own nail salon in Auckland, she laughs. She had moved from Japan only a year earlier and barely knew anyone in the city. Yet in 2012 she signed a lease inside the Metropolis Hotel on High Street, ordered her first set of Japanese gels, and began what would become Satomi Nails — Auckland CBD’s calm, boutique salon.

At the time, she didn’t think of it as brave. She just wanted to create a space that felt kind, professional, and beautifully detailed — the sort of experience she herself would want after a long week.

Satomi admits she made mistakes early on. Pricing, scheduling, product sourcing — all of it was trial and error. But she refused to compromise on one thing: craftsmanship.

Every appointment was personal. She spent hours perfecting technique, often re-doing a single nail until it looked right. Clients noticed. Word spread quietly through Auckland’s professional community — lawyers, designers, and managers — people who appreciated care that didn’t need to shout.

“When someone sits in my chair, I want them to feel I’m giving my full attention. That’s my promise,” she says.

Inside her High Street studio, Satomi’s world feels calm and intentional. Appointments are one-on-one, tools are sterilised to medical standards, and every detail — from colour selection to cuticle care — is done with patience.

Some clients have been with her for more than a decade. They often book months in advance, planning around her schedule.

“Sometimes I feel like I know my clients better than their husbands,” she jokes softly.

That bond has turned her small salon into a trusted space — a mix of artistry, therapy, and routine that grounds people in the middle of the city.

Auckland’s beauty scene moves fast: new techniques, cheaper pricing, viral trends. Satomi has watched it all — and stayed steady.

While others race to offer the latest quick-fix service, she still works with premium Japanese gels and the Russian manicure technique because they last longer and protect natural nails. For her, that’s not old-fashioned; it’s respect for craft.

“Trends come and go. Detail stays,” she says.

The courage that pushed Satomi to start her business all those years ago has evolved into something quieter: consistency. Her clients don’t come for glamour; they come for reliability, calm, and trust.

That same fearlessness that once helped her open the door now shows up every day in the discipline to do things properly, even when no one is watching.

Inside the Metropolis Hotel at 42 High Street, you can feel that difference — the sense that every brushstroke, every movement, is deliberate. It’s not loud success; it’s quiet mastery.

What professionals in Auckland CBD can learn from Satomi’s story

Start before you’re ready. Courage rarely feels comfortable.Keep standards, even when no one notices. That’s where trust begins.Let your calm speak louder than your marketing. People remember how you make them feel.

Satomi’s journey reminds every professional that bravery isn’t always about risk; sometimes it’s about patience, humility, and doing one thing well — again and again.

Where to find Satomi Nails Level 2, Metropolis Hotel, 42 High Street, Auckland CBDTwo-minute walk from Victoria Street car park

Book online today and experience the calm confidence that began with one brave decision.