DONEISHA “Loud Boss” Johnson has been in the fashion industry for years, thanks to the success of her namesake business Loud Fashion which has been supplying customers from near and far with an assortment of trendy outfits for almost 14 years.
However, about a year ago Johnson decided to embark on a new journey that would take her into unfamiliar territory – hospitality, restaurant and lounge management.
“As we all know, there are three fundamental human needs – food, shelter, and clothing and so I’ve always wanted to have businesses that operate at that level, satisfying the fundamental needs of my customers. Thanks to all our hard work done with Loud Fashion over the years I can happily say we have the clothing aspect on lock,” Johnson told the Jamaica Observer.
While a great step in the right direction, the young entrepreneur was still missing out on satisfying two of the three needs until one faithful day when she got a call about an open space which, conveniently, sat just above her Loud Fashion and Loud Deluxe Beauty stores in Ocho Rios.
Omnia Sky Lounge
“I was really captivated by the space when I went to check it out. It was big and open and filled with a lot of potential. I could really see myself in the space as I thought about it more and more, and from that came Omnia Sky Lounge,” Johnson said.
“It’s been a very challenging journey for me. I didn’t know much about hospitality or restaurant and lounge management before opening Omnia. All I’ve known for a long time is clothing so it has been a huge learning curve. But, it’s also been exciting too,” she added with a smile.
In the space of just a year Omnia Sky Lounge has managed to turn a few heads in the entertainment and hospitality space with its premium, open-air feel and wide selection of top-tier dishes.
Johnson and her team have been using the business’ momentum to help create a more entertainment-rich environment for Ocho Rios and its surrounding environs. Her tactics seem to have derived some success as earlier this year she signed a deal with Moët Hennessy.
“So, we have recently partnered with Moët Hennessy; Moët is our lead brand and you know Select Brands is behind both. That partnership came about after months of discussion, and planning, and hard work,” Johnson said.
“We have really crafted Omnia to be a premium experience for the Ocho Rios space, and being the premium brand that is Moët, it really makes me feel good to know they would have wanted to work with me to help elevate the area.”
It’s been a year of lessons and hurdles, wins and failures for the Loud Boss, but as she celebrates reaching the milestone she’s encouraging other young entrepreneurs to put themselves out there.
“Trust me, it is a lot of hard work! But I think when you have a passion and a dream you want to achieve, you will push through anything. I encourage anyone looking to start a business to dream big, cause your dream will take you far,” Johnson said.
The Loud Boss will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Omnia Sky Lounge as well as her birthday this Saturday, May 3 at the lounge’s location on Dacosta Driver in the heart of Ocho Rios.
“My birthday party is going to be nothing but pure vibes and celebration. Its gold and black-themed, and we really want to make it a moment to look back on the journey. We’ll be having a lot of good DJs, great food and nuff surprises,” Johnson told the Jamaica Observer.