It started with a video script, an early morning work schedule, and a dog.
Back in 2018, I was a visual merchandiser with mostly free afternoons and a lifelong love of writing. I never really thought I could make a career of it. Then I had a lightbulb moment after a few conversations with friends that were starting side hustles and businesses. They told me they loved what they were creating, but they struggled with the writing side of it. The captions, the scripts, the website texts. My mind was blown as I realized I could find a way to combine two of my biggest passions in life: fashion and writing.
I started learning about freelance content writing and decided to give it a go. At least after my visual merchandising shifts were done in the early afternoon. It was an enjoyable side hustle until the pandemic hit. Then, like many others, I had to seriously reconsider my career after being furloughed. Writing started to look like less of a side gig and more of a viable career path.
So I started taking it more seriously. I honed my craft by studying copywriting, learning more about SEO, and digging deeper into my own background. I realized that my previous fashion sales roles gave me a special advantage:
– As a B2B sales rep, I developed relationships with fashion buyers/boutique owners and learned to see things from their perspective. I got to travel to markets I probably wouldn’t have visited otherwise, which gave me a greater sense of adaptability.
– As a visual merchandiser, I learned how to quickly grab customers’ attention, how to interpret analytics, and how to balance commerciality with desirability. Despite being a form of silent selling, it taught me a lot about how to craft words that captivate.
I also spent a lot of time with real life fashion customers right on the sales floor, which is experience I now consider invaluable. I met people of all shapes, sizes, and ages, from so many different walks of life. I got to hear about their desires, their struggles, and everything in between. Now I don’t just come up with imaginary customer avatars when I create customer profiles. I think of the real people that I’ve spoken to.
Who’s the Lady?
My freelance journey began at a very pivotal point in my life. It started just before I met my future husband, which led to a series of moves between the UK and Canada. At the same time, my beloved chiweenie Lady was officially entering her senior years.
The more I freelanced, the more I appreciated the life I was creating for my little family. Lady was one of the big reasons I decided to pursue freelancing more seriously. I wanted more time with her, especially as I knew it was becoming more limited (one of the greatest injustices of life). I loved that I could work with her curled up next to me, and that I could be there for her whenever she needed.
I was only 21 when I adopted Lady, so she was the one that was always by my side through career changes, relationships, moves, and pre-frontal cortex development. She shaped me into the person I am today, and helped me realize what kind of life I want to live. One full of creativity and possibility.
We were inseparable until her passing in May 2025. It shattered my heart, but I knew Lady’s spirit would live on.
As I learned to live with my grief and started figuring out my next steps, I realized I wanted to do more with my freelancing career. I’d been wanting to create a real brand for a while, but I didn’t know what direction to take.
Then I thought of the little dog that made such a big impact on my life. The one who was always with me in the beginning, and who I was essentially working for. So I made my business official while honouring all the love she gave me, and the inspiration she continues to provide.
Why Neon Lady?
I couldn’t just build my brand around sentimentality. Lady encouraged me to stick to copywriting, but my experience shaped my values.
I want to help fashion & lifestyle brands create copy that stands out like a neon light in a market with so much sameness. I strive to develop language that’s engaging, distinctive, and relatable. Whether it’s website copy, an email campaign, or a blog post, I want the words to complement the brand aesthetic, draw people in, and make them want to stick around.
A little more about me
So you know I’m a fashion, writing, and animal-loving softie who prefers doing things differently. But I’m also …
– A third culture adult/travel enthusiast. I was born in Moscow to a Russian mom and Nepali dad, raised in Australia and Canada, and have also lived in the UK. Aside from that, I’ve visited 14 countries across 3 continents and want to explore so many more.
– A multilingual linguistics nerd. I speak English, Russian, French, basic Spanish, and am starting to learn Nepali. I find language structures fascinating. PS: I love working with international clients that want to break into English-speaking markets!
– A beach bum. I’ve lived in coastal areas for most of my life because I just love being near the water. It doesn’t matter if it’s a white sand beach with azure waters in the Philippines or a rocky beach in my current town of Victoria, Canada. I’d rather be by the sea.
– A wellness enthusiast. I don’t feel right if without my daily yoga session and I genuinely love matcha. I’m a strong believer that health is wealth!
– A comedy lover. The more offbeat, the better.
If you think we’d be a good fit, I’d love to hear from you! Drop me a line to see how we can work together.