A recruitment coordinator by profession, Jess Munday embarked on her entrepreneurial journey when she saw a gap in the market for customised neon signs that can be used on any occasion.
Together with her husband Jake, Jess swooped in to fill the gap with a new venture: Custom Neon. The business was originally a side hustle, but has grown into a $15 million behemoth that has not only lit up the Australian market but overseas markets as well.
We talk to Jess to learn more about her business journey and the insights she has gained along the way. This story is made possible through collaboration with International Cargo Express.
ISB: How did your maternity leave fuel your interest in starting what was originally a side hustle?
JM: I founded Custom Neon quite opportunistically. My fiancé (now husband) Jake and I were looking for an LED neon sign for our son Jagger’s nursery when we noticed a gap in the market. That led me to purchase signs for our wedding, thinking I could hire them out afterward as a maternity leave side hustle. If there wasn’t much interest, I’d simply sell them – no harm done.
But things took off faster than I ever expected. I set up an Instagram page on a whim, and within three months, our hire calendar was booked out for the next year. We were also selling more than $5,000 worth of signage a week! It quickly became clear this was more than just a small maternity project, so I expanded the team, and Jake came on board as CEO. At the start, we were working out of our garage, then moved into a dusty co-working space. By 2019, we signed the lease on our first real office. That was a pinch-me moment – I knew then that something special was happening.
ISB: Given you could only afford a small amount to spend on start-up costs, how did you minimise potential risks?
JM: We started with just $500, purchasing generic signs with the mindset that if the rental side didn’t take off, we could still sell them and recover our costs. It was a low-risk way to test the market before committing to a bigger investment.
ISB: What role did market research play in the growth of the business?
Market research was instrumental. We analysed monthly search volumes for keywords related to LED neon signage and built our website around them. The demand was clearly there – LED neon was trending in weddings and events, but from our own experience, it wasn’t easily accessible. We saw an opportunity to change that. We also listed products on platforms like Gumtree and eBay to gauge demand and pricing. The positive inquiries we received gave us confidence that we were onto something.
ISB: How were you able to expand the business internationally, particularly in the US and the UK?
JM: While we had nailed our local market, expanding internationally was a challenge. That’s when we brought in partners Matt and Teresha Aird – SEO and digital marketing veterans with over 40 years of combined experience. They overhauled our website and recommended a rebrand.
Our original name, Neon Collective, had a lot of ambiguity, so we rebranded to Custom Neon – a simple, no-nonsense name that clearly described what we did. This, combined with a comprehensive SEO strategy, helped us dominate search engine rankings in an incredibly competitive space. That visibility was a game-changer, taking us from a seven-figure business to eight figures.
ISB: How does a mumpreneur like yourself balance being a business owner and a mother?
JM: Juggling a fast-growing business with three young kids is no easy feat, and after suffering burnout, I knew I had to make changes. Before Custom Neon, I was fairly carefree and unstructured, but I’ve had to become more organised and disciplined to manage both work and home life effectively. It sounds simple, but I find that planning and sticking to a routine is the best way to create balance and carve out time for myself and the things I enjoy. Structure has been key to maintaining my well-being while navigating both roles.
ISB: What is your vision for Custom Neon’s growth in the next couple of years?
JM: Custom Neon is set to continue leading in this space. The industry is getting more competitive, but that just drives innovation. We’re leaning more into our B2B audience, enhancing our product range to appeal to major businesses and retailers. Diversification and continued innovation will be our focus as we scale even further.
