Freelance Journeys

One connection can change everything.
Meeting Nisa was that turning point for me. What began as my senior options project quickly turned into my first real experience that led me into my freelance journey. Working alongside Nisa, and later being introduced to her network and taking on clients who trusted me with their branding, social content, and digital presence marked the beginning of a path I hadn’t even realized I’d started to follow. These freelance opportunities showed me what it feels like to build creative work in the real world, outside of the classroom, and how much I love helping small businesses tell their stories.

Nisa Lee Events

At the end of senior year, I began interning for Nisa Lee, founder of Nisa Lee Events, to support her branding and marketing efforts. I redesigned her SquareSpace website to modernize the brand, created social content that boosted engagement and consistency, produced seasonal newsletters, and helped capture visuals during full wedding installations.

When my internship ended, Nisa offered me a part-time role throughout college, where I managed her social campaigns, refreshed her brand identity, helped streamline her digital presence, and gained new clients through her referrals. My work strengthened her brand’s visibility, elevated its elegant aesthetic, and expanded her online reach, laying the groundwork for my freelance career.

I helped bring events to life from start to finish. I assisted in setting up this wedding in Fairfield County, CT, and captured the transformation from a work-in-progress setup to the fully styled space.

RR Events

Through my work with Nisa, I was introduced to her partner, Rob, the founder of RR Events NY – a company specializing in custom-built wedding décor, mobile bars, lighting fixtures, and event installations. Their collaboration gave me a behind-the-scenes view of how small businesses work together to create high-end event experiences.

Rob became one of my clients as well, and I designed his first website, developed social media ads for Instagram and Facebook, and helped establish a digital presence that showcased Rob’s craftsmanship and creativity behind his projects.

A webpage showcasing three mobile bars: a red Piaggio Ape with umbrella, a cream-colored Summer Bar with bicycle accessories, and a vintage ice cream/gelato cart decorated with balloons and artwork.

Rental request form with fields for name, email, phone, event type, date, location, country, and address.

A collage of wedding and event photos featuring vintage mobile bar trucks, a wedding couple, a decorated tent with string lights, a dining table setup, flowers, and a wooden backdrop with a message.

Screenshot of a personal webpage titled 'My Story' by Roberto Ripari, with a navigation menu at the top containing links to Home, Lighting, Bar, Design Collection, My Story, and Reserve. The page features a section describing Roberto's dedication, craftsmanship, creativity, and personalized product offerings, with a contact link at the bottom.

A collage showing the transformation of a wood bar setup. The 'before' photo depicts an unfinished warehouse with a person working among wood and construction materials. The top right 'after' photo shows a decorated daytime wooden bar with string lights, flowers, and bottles, ready for an event. The bottom right 'after' photo displays the same wooden bar illuminated at night with hanging Edison bulbs, flowers, and bottles, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.

RR Events Website

Zabb Thai Kitchen

In the summer of 2023, Nisa connected me with the owner of Zabb Thai Kitchen, a beloved Thai restaurant in West Nyack, NY that relied almost entirely on repeat customers and word of mouth. She wanted to grow but didn’t yet have the digital presence to support that growth.

I led a full brand refresh, redesigning the restaurant’s logo, website, and menu, and launching a consistent social media presence through Meta Business Suite. I also introduced a catering menu to help expand her business into private events. Within a few months, she saw increased social media engagement and a noticeable uptick in customer visits due to her stronger, cohesive online identity.

Thai kitchen menu featuring appetizers, salads, and soups with prices, including vegetable spring rolls, crab Rangoon, chicken satay, shrimp rolls, Thai hot wings, dumplings, Zabb house salad, papaya salad, grilled shrimp salad, Chinese lettuce wraps, and various soups.

Menu featuring Thai cuisine with sections for curry dishes, sautéd dishes, lunch specials, sides and extras, desserts, and drinks. The menu is decorated with images of Thai food and tropical fruits.

Menu featuring Asian rice and noodle dishes, including Zabb Yum Yum, Over Rice, Noodle Soup, Fried Rice, and Stir Fried Noodle, with descriptions of ingredients and prices.

Website homepage for Zabb Thai Kitchen featuring a woman with crossed arms over a river view of a Thai temple, with navigation menu, social media icons, and the text "My Story".

Zabb Thai Kitchen Website

Text that reads, 'Serving authentic Thai cuisine since 2021. Zabb Thai Kitchen was founded in 2021 by the owner, Treechada, Dia Sribuddha. Growing up in Khonkaen in Northeast Thailand, she was immersed into the restaurant industry at a young age, seeing her grandmother and her mother both owning their own restaurants. She has been a professional in the restaurant business for over ten years. She is ambitious, driven, creative, and outgoing. Her attention to detail and craftsmanship allow her to be creative in the kitchen while still maintaining authentic Thai flavors in her cooking. Her culinary creations are nothing short of decadent and flavorful.'

Three Thai dishes on wooden tables: yellow curry with vegetables and basil, pad thai with bean sprouts, lime, and peanuts, and papaya salad with vegetables, lime, and peanuts, accompanied by rice in a bowl and a flower in a vase in the background.

Collection of six customer reviews praising a Thai restaurant for food quality, service, and atmosphere.