It didn’t mention this Louise woman in the article, so I can’t comment on that.Nope. You don't have to have been living there an another visa or have a degree to apply for the O1 visa.
Louise Cooney moved there last year to be an "influencer" on that "Extraordinary Ability" visa which is laughable. Yes, she had worked there previously years ago in a job, so it may have strengthened her application but she got her visa on the basis of being a self employed influencer who had the financial means to support herself over there and work for herself. She also didn't have work lined up out there with brands before she went, in fact she found it very hard to establish herself over there. Erika hired her sister too on her visa. Emily could have applied to the visa just like them. Plenty of people work over there on J1s and can't find a way to extend it. It's all a bit of a gamble and not cut and dry. But Emily definitely had options at looking for a visa, there's a reason she didn't and she never even spoke about it. Which makes me think that either her or James is not serious about a move.
Tara had a graduate visa, then applied for the O-1 visa after living and working in the USA.
Stephane had a J-1 visa and worked in a PR firm through this she was able to apply for a O-1
Erika studied in the USA then was sponsored by a fashion brand for a H1 visa then was able to get an O-1 on the back of that.
Also have no clue who these people are but it’s not exactly hard to read an article about how they got their visas