Meet Jolanda Gooden | Owner, Loft 94

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jolanda Gooden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jolanda, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I became a Stay at Home Mom I started to feel stagnant and wanted to contribute more. That kind of lit a fire behind actually starting my business. I bought my website domain and all the legal things in 2018, which was a whole two years before I launched. It was my first year in Atlanta and I was working two jobs at the time. I was saving up money to start correctly. Life got in the way and I kept pushing the launch date back. It was my boyfriend who supported and pushed me to start. Now I’m here, taking entrepreneurship one day at a time.

What should our readers know about your business?
I own a lifestyle clothing brand for women named Loft 94. It’s for women who love simple, timeless neutrals and earth tones. It’s a mix of modern, and elegant. I am most proud of the fact that I’ve done everything myself. I have a background in photography, modeling & website design. Those skills made the front end of my business look great and I didn’t have to outsource those jobs. This also is the challenging part, I wear all of these hats and it can be a little much on most days. This includes making my own content, marketing, and everything on the back end. I will get to a point where I will gladly hire out some of those roles. Owning a business is not easy, especially a women’s boutique brand. It looks glamorous on the outside looking in but it takes consistency, dedication & time. The money isn’t just going to come to you like a 9-5 job. If you don’t work extra hard and plan, the customers won’t come. Everything will be inconsistent. I thought if I just took cute pictures on Instagram in my clothing the sales would flow in. This was not true and was also the hardest lesson I had to learn. I want the world to know that Loft 94 and I didn’t just happen overnight. I know this is truly what I was meant to do. I want women to see my face and my brand now and in the future, and know that they can do it too.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love to show everyone that visits me, Piedmont Park. The Atlanta skyline is what enticed me to move here and the park has a perfect view. Then I would take them to eat at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken in Sandy Springs. It’s the best chicken I’ve ever had, hands down! Everywhere I go has to be family-friendly because of my babies so the Georgia Aquarium is always a must-go. The Battery is also a place I would take friends to hang out. They have bars and great food. Cafe Circa on Edgewood (any bar on Edgewood is a vibe), was a cool place to go before I had kids.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shoutout to my boyfriend, Javier Zayas. Without him, I wouldn’t be the person, mother, or entrepreneur that I am today. He’s also an entrepreneur and he mentors, supports, and encourages me to be a better person every day. I’ve learned and have grown so much in the past two years and a big part is because of him. He saw my potential and capabilities when my vision was cloudy.

Website: https://loft94.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imperfectmamajo/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shoploft94

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoploft94/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4XiSvmRb_ehHadD0WO2g6A