1. What’s the quick origin story of your brand, and what makes your product or positioning genuinely different from other options in your niche?

Clare Jones: Custom Neon started pretty organically.
Jess and I were decorating our son Jagger’s nursery and wanted an LED neon name sign. What should’ve been an easy purchase turned out to be frustrating. The options were limited, expensive, lacked safety certifications, or came with poor customer service.
Already running a successful teeth whitening e-commerce business, I straight away recognized a gap in the market.
We contacted a manufacturer directly and had a few signs made for our wedding. We though Jess could potentially hire them out as a maternity leave side hustle, or if there was no interest, we’d just sell them on, nothing lost.
At our wedding they were a huge hit, guests were asking where they could get one and once we posted photos on Instagram, of ours and other weddings we were surprised how much traction we got.
Within 12 weeks the hire calendar was full for the following 12 months and we were selling $10k worth of signage a week. That’s when we realised this would be more than a side hustle.

2. Since launch, what have been the 1–2 real turning points for your brand-specific decisions, pivots, or experiments that noticeably changed your growth or profitability-and what did you learn from them?

Clare Jones: Since our launch in 2018, there have been a couple of key turning points that really shaped Custom Neon’s growth, trajectory and profitability. The first was our rebrand. We took on SEO partners, who made us aware that our previous name, Neon Collective, whilst it was gaining traction on social media and through local projects, it could hurt our global expansion ambitions. It was too ambiguous and didn’t really communicate what we did. So we decided to rebrand as Custom Neon. Suddenly, people instantly understood what we offered, which made marketing so much simpler, and as its a key search term, gave us a big SEO advantage. From a revenue perspective, it was transformative, it helped us scale from a 7-figure to an 8-figure business over the following year.

The second turning point came during the pandemic. Overnight, 30% of our business was wiped our over night,because much of our work came from weddings and events, which were all canceled indefinitely. Some people suggested we just ride it out, but that felt like too big a gamble with no end in site, So we pivoted. We shifted our focus from B2C to B2B, helping local businesses with signage to attract customers back. We offered discounts, gathered content and testimonials, and used that to completely refresh our website and social media. It was a risk, especially increasing marketing spend while revenue was down, but it worked. Productivity surged, and from April 2020 to May 2021, our revenue jumped 163%.

In hindsight, having a brand that’s instantly understandable makes huge sense. When the business started as a maternity leave, hire company, I don’t think we considered it going global and lighting up the likes of the Grammy’s, or Paris Hilton’s wedding!

Also, always be on the look out for different market avenues and be willing to diversify, pivot and take calculated risks to grow customer base. You never want to put all your eggs in one basket.

3. Which 2-3 channels drive most of your revenue right now (for example SEO, paid social, email, marketplaces, influencers), and what have you learned about making those channels work in your category?

Clare Jones: The channel that drives the most revenue for us is definitely SEO. We’ve built a really strong presence by harvesting and leveraging user-generated content, which helps position Custom Neon as a brand people can trust. People see real-life examples of our signs in homes, celebrity endorsements, businesses, and events, which builds credibility and makes new customers more confident to buy.

We also make a point of learning more about signage perceptions and how it impacts consumer behaviour. We conduct surveys and studies that have been featured in many industry-specific publications, sharing insights and compelling signage stats, that guide us in designs, helping our customers make smarter, more profitable decisions that will drive ROI.
We have seen this depth of knowledge really beneficial when it comes to AI search.

We also capitalise on strategic affiliate partnerships. These help us reach new audiences and it’s a really efficient way to scale.

4. How are you thinking about search in 2025 – Google, AI assistants like ChatGPT, and other discovery platforms? What, if anything, have you changed in your content or site to stay visible as AI search grows?

Clare Jones: Looking ahead to 2025–26, we see search evolving far beyond traditional Google queries. AI assistants like ChatGPT and other discovery platforms have become real disruptors in how people find products and solutions, especially when they’re looking for advice rather than just a product to buy.

For Custom Neon, the fast adoption of AI search has actually been a huge opportunity. For years, we’ve been creating content that answers real customer questions, provides insights on signage trends, and highlights the impact of well-designed signs on businesses, all backed by real case studies. AI recognises that we’re a trusted voice and expert in the industry, so Custom Neon comes up not just in search results, but in AI-generated recommendations too. Anyone can populate a site with content in minutes using AI, but verified insights, client stories, and genuine expertise can’t be faked, and in a saturated space like ours, credibility really stands out.

We’ve also invested in structured data, FAQs, and educational content to help both search engines and AI better understand our products and offerings. Our focus is on being discoverable wherever potential customers may be looking, while staying helpful, human, and credible.

5. What do you do to turn first‑time buyers into repeat customers and advocates? Are there specific experiences, content, or community touches that work especially well for you?

Clare Jones: Turning first-time buyers into repeat customers is really about being consistent, managing expectations and providing a consultative experience, rather than a hard sell. If a budget isn’t realistic, we say so and offer alternatives. If a deadline can’t be met, we’re honest upfront, better to under-promise and over-deliver than chase a deal and risk disappointing a customer. Sometimes that even means referring them elsewhere rather than compromising their experience.

We take the time to understand what each customer is trying to achieve. If they’re unsure, we suggest solutions until they’re happy. Throughout the journey, we keep them updated on delivery timelines and follow up after their order arrives, offering guidance like installation advice if needed.

Customers feel valued and supported, and that shows. We encourage them to tag us in their photos, and we genuinely celebrate their excitement. That enthusiasm spreads, and before long, they become advocates for our brand and often we become advocates for theirs!

6. If you had to write a short playbook for an ecommerce founder one stage behind you, what would you double down on over the next 12 months – and what would you stop doing entirely?

Clare Jones: If I were writing advice for an e-commerce founder, the main focus would be on proving there was a demand and would be a continued demand, before scaling up.
Start small, validate your product, and really understand your customer. When business is booming, don’t rest on your laurels.
Look for other markets, cover other niches, (unless you are an extremely niche and hard to find product) you don’t want to be pigeon holed.
Leverage user-generated content and social proof early, build trust around your brand and create advocates from customers. Simple strategies like tagging their project on Linkedin is free, and often see them sharing and championing you to a whole new audience.
Invest in building authority and knowledge in your industry. Don’t just sell, educate. That positions your brand as trusted and credible, which pays off in loyalty and revenue over time.

One thing I’d stop doing, is pouring money into marketing agencies without measurable ROI. We have wasted thousands on agencies and strategies that sounded too good to be true. Bringing on SEO partners was a strategic move for us. We lacked the knowledge to question and track effectively. Having specialist inhouse, they are accountable and we can be more reactive to market changes. .

Finally, don’t be afraid to pivot. Things won’t always go to plan. Lean into opportunities that align with your strengths and market needs, even if it means veering from safety and familiarity. Growth often happens during times of discomfort.