How a Pandemic Pivot Turned Custom Neon Into a Global Powerhouse Lighting Up the World’s Biggest Brands

They started with a lightbulb moment, well, more LED neon than lightbulb, but it was a moment that would change their lives forever. 

7 years later, Jake and Jess Munday sit at the helm of a $60m business, Custom Neon®,  lighting up the world.

From crafting bespoke LED pieces for Paris Hilton’s parties and TikTok’s offices to creating statement signage for Cartier, Coach, and even Elon Musk, the Australian-born brand has evolved from a small “experiment” into an eight-figure global business operating across the US, UK, and Australia

The business wasn’t an overnight success story, though. Sure, they hit the market at the right time, and their intentions of a wedding sign rental business were a hit right away. Aspirational imagery of couples bathed in an exceptionally flattering neon glow had couples clambering to order, and their hire calendar was soon filled up for the following 12 months. 

Soon, they were gaining custom orders rather than rentals, and they realized this would be way more than a maternity leave side hustle.

From Start-Up to Standout

Before Custom Neon, Jake Munday was already running a successful e-commerce business, and Jess was thriving in HR and People management for a global fashion retailer. Their idea for a sign company was born not in a boardroom but at home, sparked by the simple frustration of struggling to find a quality LED neon sign online for the baby’s room.

“We weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel,” Jake says. “We just realized there was a massive gap in the market for something that should’ve been easy to buy, personalised LED neon that looked good, worked well, and could be delivered anywhere.”

Within months of testing the idea, the couple were selling thousands of dollars’ worth of signs each week. But the real transformation came when the world stopped turning.

The Pandemic Pivot That Changed Everything

When the pandemic hit, Custom Neon’s main customer base, weddings and events, vanished overnight. What might have been a disaster became a defining moment.

“Instead of scaling back, we doubled down,” Jake recalls. “We knew people were at home, businesses were fighting to stay visible, and brands were trying to stand out online. That’s when we saw the opportunity to move from B2C to B2B.”

That pivot turned Custom Neon into a lifeline for businesses looking to make an impression when face-to-face marketing wasn’t possible. From local cafés and global retailers, to home office backdrop signs for Zoom. Demand for bespoke signage surged, and Custom Neon was ready to deliver.

Between April 2020 and May 2021, the company’s revenue jumped 163 per cent, propelling it from a seven-figure business to an eight-figure global brand.

A Brand Built on Brilliance

Key to that growth was the company’s digital transformation. Jake brought in SEO and digital marketing veterans Matt and Teresha Aird as partners, a move that helped take Custom Neon from a growing start-up to a category leader.

The first step was a complete rebrand. Originally called Neon Collective, the team made the switch to Custom Neon®, a bold, literal, and instantly searchable name that would soon dominate Google’s front page across multiple continents.

“It was simple but strategic,” Jake explains. “The name told people exactly what we did, and from an SEO standpoint, it gave us global visibility almost overnight.”

Today, Custom Neon’s digital presence is unmatched. The brand sits at the top of search results for LED signage worldwide, driving millions in organic traffic and commanding the kind of credibility most companies pay heavily to achieve.

Lighting Up the World’s Most Recognisable Names

As Custom Neon’s reputation grew, so did its client list. What began with homeowners and small retailers soon caught the eye of international brands looking for something different.

From Cartier’s window displays to Coach’s flagship events, and from Facebook’s offices to TikTok’s studios, Custom Neon has become the go-to name for brands wanting to blend creativity, craftsmanship, and cutting-edge LED technology.

Even celebrities have joined the glow-up. Paris Hilton, Elon Musk, and major influencers have commissioned pieces that blend statement art with light.

“It’s surreal seeing our work behind the world’s biggest names,” Jake says. “But what really excites me is how far LED signage has come. It’s now a central part of modern brand identity.”

More Than Neon: The Future of Illumination

As customer demand grew, so did the scope of Custom Neon’s offering. What started as a single product line has evolved into a comprehensive illuminated signage range, including backlit and front-lit lettering, channel letters, halo-lit designs, and fully illuminated 3D logos.

“Our clients wanted more,” Jake says. “They loved the look and quality of our LED neon signs but needed different solutions for offices, retail spaces, and large-scale fit-outs. So we expanded, not just to meet demand but to set new standards.”

The company’s new range bridges the gap between branding and architecture, combining design and engineering to create signage that works as both art and identity.

Controlled Growth and Consistent Quality

Custom Neon’s rise wasn’t just about innovation; it was about discipline. Jake had learned from experience that fast growth can be a double-edged sword.

“In an earlier business, I scaled too quickly and it hurt our quality. I wasn’t going to make that mistake again,” he says.

This time, every decision was strategic. The team built solid supply chains, invested in quality control, and expanded its workforce gradually, starting with freelancers before making full-time hires when systems were ready.

The result was a business that scaled without compromise, maintaining high customer satisfaction even as global demand surged.

The Glow Continues

In 2025, Custom Neon isn’t just a signage company. It’s a design and technology brand leading the illuminated revolution.

With operations spanning three continents, a roster of iconic clients, and a rapidly growing catalogue of high-end signage products, the company’s future looks as bright as the lights it creates.

But for Jake, success isn’t about celebrity clients or revenue milestones. It’s about resilience and reinvention.

“The pandemic could’ve ended us,” he says. “Instead, it forced us to evolve. Every challenge pushed us to grow, to listen, and to lead. That’s how you build a brand that lasts.”

From a spark of inspiration to a global glow, Custom Neon has proven that the brightest ideas are often born in the darkest times, and that true innovation doesn’t fade. It shines.

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