The Family Experiences That Inspired The Atelier

Long before Amelie opened her first salon, her family experiences taught her lessons that would stay with her for life.

Growing up with her brother, who has a disability, she saw how much time and care her parents gave to supporting him.

She also met the many doctors, therapists, carers and support workers who helped her family along the way.

What stayed with her wasn't just their professional knowledge. It was how they treated people.

Some focused mainly on doing their job. Others took the time to make her brother feel respected, understood and valued.

Amelie saw how even small acts of kindness could make a real difference to someone's day.

As she explains:

"From a young age, I witnessed how care and presence can make such a large impact on an individual's life.

I realised that genuine care has a ripple effect.

When someone leaves feeling recognised and cared for, they naturally carry that positivity into the rest of their day and the people around them."

Her parents also taught her to be strong during difficult times, show kindness and treat people with respect.

These lessons would later become an important part of the business she wanted to create.

Amelie understands that everyone has their own story.

Some clients visit a salon to prepare for a special occasion. Others may be going through a difficult time or simply need an hour to relax.

She wanted The Atelier to be a place where people could feel comfortable, welcome and cared for, whatever was happening in their lives.

Seeing an Opportunity to Create Something Different

Amelie has always loved nail artistry.

She enjoys the creativity, skill and attention to detail that go into creating beautiful nails.

But while working in the beauty industry, she noticed something missing from many salons.

Appointments were often rushed, with clients moving quickly from one booking to the next.

Although the finished nails might look beautiful, clients didn't always feel they had received the personal attention they deserved.

Amelie believed there was a better way.

She wanted to create a salon where people weren't treated as just another appointment.

A place where clients could take a break from their busy lives, relax and feel genuinely looked after.

Instead of asking herself how to create the best nail salon, she asked a different question:

How do I want people to feel when they leave?

That question helped shape The Atelier from the beginning.

Creating a Salon Where Every Detail Matters

When Amelie started planning The Atelier, she thought carefully about how she wanted clients to feel from the moment they arrived.

She wanted a welcoming space where people could relax and enjoy being looked after.

Everything mattered, from the furniture and lighting to the colours, towels and overall atmosphere.

But Amelie knew a beautiful salon alone wasn't enough. The way clients were treated mattered just as much.

Her team would welcome clients by name, listen to their preferences and take the time to make each visit feel personal.

Even after an appointment, The Atelier would check in with clients to make sure they were happy with their experience.

As Amelie explains:

"Our number one priority is to make them feel nurtured, valued and taken care of, and not confined to the walls of the salon.

It's in our correspondence with them over the phone, our check-ins to see how their visit was, and our willingness to cater to their requests, whatever they may be."

For Amelie, providing a good service means more than completing a treatment.

It's about making sure people leave feeling better than when they arrived.

Why the Small Things Matter

A manicure might seem like a small part of someone's week. But for Amelie, it can mean much more.

She knows clients come to the salon for different reasons.

Some are getting ready for weddings, birthdays or other special occasions.

Others simply want a little time for themselves.

For someone who spends most of their time looking after family, working or managing everyday responsibilities, a salon appointment might be one of the few moments when someone else takes care of them.

Amelie wants every client to enjoy that time.

She believes that when someone leaves feeling happier, more relaxed or more confident, those positive feelings can carry into the rest of their day.

And sometimes, it's the smallest things that make the biggest difference.

A warm welcome.

Remembering someone's name.

Taking the time to listen.

Or simply making sure a client never feels rushed.

These are the things Amelie hopes people remember about The Atelier.

Learning That You Can't Do Everything Yourself

Like many women who start their own businesses, Amelie initially tried to do almost everything herself.

As The Atelier grew, there was more and more to manage.

She looked after clients, managed staff, hired new team members, organised marketing, and made key business decisions.

For a long time, she felt that if she wanted something done properly, she needed to do it herself.

But as the business became busier, she realised she couldn't keep doing everything.

A mentor once shared a piece of advice that changed how she thought about running her business:

"You can't work on the business when you're working in the business."

Those words helped Amelie understand that she needed to make time to plan for the future, rather than spend every day managing individual tasks.

Learning to trust her team and give others more responsibility wasn't always easy. But it became one of her most important lessons.

As her team took on new responsibilities, they developed their skills and became more confident in their work.

Amelie also had more time to focus on growing The Atelier.

She discovered that being a good business owner didn't mean doing everything herself. 

It meant helping the people around her do their best.

When asked what success means to her, Amelie explains:

"Success has never been measured by financial milestones alone.

Instead, I measure it by seeing my team grow and knowing our clients leave happier than when they arrived."

Her experience reminds us that asking for help and trusting others can be an important part of growing a business.

Celebrating an Important Business Achievement

The Atelier's dedication to its clients has also received recognition.

In 2023, The Atelier by Amelie won the Champion Nail Artist award at the Australian Women's Small Business Champion Awards.

It was an important achievement for Amelie and her team.

The award recognised the business she had worked hard to build and the people who helped bring her ideas to life.

Growing The Atelier With the Right People

As The Atelier became more successful, Amelie began opening additional salons across Sydney.

Each new location was another opportunity to bring her ideas to life.

But she didn't want the business to grow so quickly that it lost the personal care clients had come to expect.

She wanted every salon to feel welcoming and comfortable. Amelie also knew she couldn't do it all alone.

Her interior designer, Renee, helped turn her ideas into beautiful salon spaces.

Salon Coordinator Yvonne played an important role in supporting the business as it grew.

The Nail Artisans, tradespeople, contractors and suppliers also helped bring each salon to life.

Amelie is grateful for everyone who has contributed to The Atelier's journey.

As she says:

"They say it takes a village, and I couldn't agree more."

Her story shows that building a successful business isn't just about having a good idea.

It's also about finding the right people, working together and recognising the contribution everyone makes.

Looking Ahead: Growing Without Losing What Matters

Over the next three to five years, Amelie hopes to continue growing The Atelier.

That may mean opening more salons, creating new opportunities for her staff and finding more ways to improve the service clients receive.

But she doesn't want to grow just to get bigger.

She wants to make sure every decision is right for the business, her team and her clients.

Her goal is for The Atelier to be known not only for beautiful manicures and pedicures but also for the genuine care people receive when they visit.

She wants clients to feel they've found a salon where they belong.

A place where they're welcomed, remembered and treated as individuals.

For Amelie, that's what makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Opportunities to Collaborate With The Atelier

As The Atelier continues to grow, Amelie welcomes opportunities to connect with businesses that share her passion for quality, genuine care and making customers feel special.

She is particularly interested in connecting with businesses in the beauty, bridal, fashion and lifestyle industries, as well as other businesses interested in working together.

Interested in collaborating with The Atelier?

We're preparing a dedicated collaboration page where you can learn more about the opportunity and register your interest.

Collaboration Enquiries Opening Soon

Discover The Atelier by Amelie

Behind every business is a person whose experiences, values, and decisions have shaped what it has become.

For Amelie, The Atelier has never been just about creating beautiful nails.

It's about making people feel welcome, appreciated and cared for.

Her family experiences taught her the importance of kindness.

Running her business taught her how to trust others and give her team opportunities to grow.

And through it all, she has stayed focused on one simple belief: how you treat people matters.

As Amelie shares:

"People may forget the service they received, but they'll always remember how you made them feel.

That's the experience we hope every client takes with them when they leave The Atelier."

— Amelie Nicholls, Founder & Director, The Atelier by Amelie

Business: The Atelier by Amelie

Founder: Amelie Nicholls

Location: Sydney, NSW

Website: https://www.theatelierbyamelie.com.au

Instagram: @theatelier.byamelie

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About This Feature

This article is part of the People & Profiles series by Local Women's Business, where we share the stories of women behind Australian businesses.

It also forms part of Behind Australian Founder Brands, a Dynamic Zenergy initiative that shares the journeys, experiences and lessons of Australian business owners.

Written by Melinda Stevenson, founder of Dynamic Zenergy and creator of Behind Australian Founder Brands.

This founder story is based on information provided and approved by Amelie Nicholls, founder of The Atelier by Amelie.

It shares her personal experiences, business journey and the values behind her business.