Meet Jonaya Johnson | Salon Owner and Hairstylist

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

Hi Jonaya, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan by both my parents, along with my younger brother. I was raised in love and always taught that in order to get anywhere in life, I needed to work hard and remember that nothing comes easy. I saw my father work long hours, sometimes even overnight shifts just to provide for his family. He made sure to spend time with us and was present at every event, along with my mom, which was very important to have that support early on. Both my parents expressed to me when I was younger that they always had a dream to beauty professionals, but life just got in the way. They still made sure that we were always properly groomed as a family and I would often spend long hours with my mom in the beauty salon or in the barber shop with my dad, where i gained a strong interest in the beauty industry. I would ask questions and watch the stylists and their techniques, and it was very exciting to me. It motivated me to start Cosmetology school my senior year of high school. My parents were very supportive and went to all the hair trade shows with me and even were my models. I come from a close knot family and I’m not sure where I would be in my career if it weren’t for them. I feel that having that support is very important. I can’t forget to mention that friends and clients that I’ve gained over the years that have been supportive as well.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Recently I started my business Nay’Latrese Hair Loft. I am most proud of being able to get over the initial fear, anxiety and sleepless nights that come along with opening up a new business, and just proud of myself for going after my dreams. I am excited to be able to offer my clients with quality haircare services that will contribute to the growth and health of their hair while also providing them with a look that makes them feel good about themselves. Coming to the point of opening my business was not an easy decision as I had to literally get out of my head and get out of my own way. I literally pondered on this decision and made a vision board, and discovered that the only thing left to do was to execute! Throughout this process, I have learned that if you want to start a business, literally all you have to do is start and you will learn as you go, we can take all the advice from others that we can absorb, but ultimately we must execute that business in order to learn how to operate it.

I am still in the process of creating and putting my brand together, but the focus of my business is healthy hair. I make it a point to educate every client on how to maintain their hair without damaging it and encourage regular hair maintenance. I think what sets my business apart from others is that I am a stylist that stays current with the trends in the haircare industry and will always stay up to date so that I can also educate my clients with the latest haircare and styles. At the same time, I never compromise the health of the hair just for a temporary trend. I always put the health of my client’s hair first.

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.
If my best friend was visiting the city I would definitely take them to the Battery as there are alot of different restaurants and social spots all in one area as well as a Theatre and bowling alley. I would also recommend the beltline and Ponce City Market. I would say that these places are some of the most interesting that I have visited here in Atlanta. To eat, I would recommend a few spots such as Mary Mac’s Tea Room for good soul food, Snooze for brunch, and Harold’s Chicken and Waffles for drinks and a good chill vibe.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my success to my Mother and Father Rosemary Johnson, along with my mentors Malcus and Patricia Richards, cousins Karen and Sharon and many other family members and close friends that have supported me along the way. There are so many I can’t possibly mention them all in this interview, but I love and appreciate them all and could not have gotten this far without any of my support system and all of their love and support.

Website: naylatresehairloft.glossgenius.com

Instagram: hairbyjlatrese

Twitter: hairbyjlatrese

Yelp: Nay’Latrese Hair Loft

Other: tik tok-@hairbyjlatrese

Image Credits
Photo credits go to myself: Jonaya Johnson