May 1, 2017

Meet Yui Okamoto of Beauty Artist Yui in Orange County

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yui Okamoto.

Yui, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I decided to come to the United States when I was 20 years old. I wasn’t sure what I wanted for living back then, just enrolled in a community college in Santa Monica and took the cosmetology program for fun. Since I attended the University of Science in Japan, the chemistry and anatomy classes were familiar and fun. working with other classmates in hands on classes were exciting.

My first hair work was about 20 years ago…when I fell asleep chewing a gum. I woke up with a mess that nobody could fix. I just chopped my hair with my stationary scissors to almost its half-length before my mother caught me. Since then, I’ve played with the scissors quite a lot.

After I got the State Board cosmetology license, I worked at the hair salon in Korea Town, LA for about 5 years. The hairstylist who hired me as her personal assistant decided to open a salon after several months, and took me with her. I learned a lot there, not just skills but how to manage business by being a chief assistant, a hair stylist and a manager after. I think her perfectionism developed mine as well. I want to work on my client from the beginning through the end.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Language barrier was always there. When I first started working in Korea Town was the hardest. Most of people there barely spoke English. I couldn’t communicate with customers and even many of my coworkers as well. But that kind of environment is probably the best to learn other languages. I picked up Korean good enough to work there in 6 months, good enough for daily conversation in about a year.

I moved to Fullerton in 2012. It was a challenge to rent a booth in non-familiar city from zero clientele, but I was supported by my friends, the owner of the new salon and her family, and new clients I met there. Many of them are now good friends of mine. With all those support, I now own a little room at Sola Salon Studios. I am not really working with people there, but seeing other owners at Sola inspires me and make me think what I can improve all the time.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with BEAUTY ARTIST YUI – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Sola salon Studios are now in 350 locations nationwide, provide us freedom and benefits of salon ownership.

I now do all hair service, waxing, eyelash/eyebrow extensions, and permanent makeup including 6D micro blading to improve the beauty they already have. Hair straightening, eyelash extension and permanent makeup services are now hot!

This little room provides a private time just for us. We can laugh, cry, watch movie during the procedure. I can only think about the client in front of me when I work. And that help us developing better relationship and bond each other. No worries to over process too!

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
It took me 5 years to get here since I started on my own. I still have a lot more to improve on my business here. Not sure when it will be, but in the future or maybe if I win lottery, I would like to build total service beauty homes that you can get services of hair, skincare, nails, tanning, etc. from my selection of specialists that you could spend whole day for beauty. lol

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