Story & Lesson Highlights with Veronika of Cape Cod

We recently had the chance to connect with Veronika and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Veronika, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What immediate comes to mind is the foundation behind everything I do. On the outside, it probably just looks like I’m creating fun content, running SocialsByV, co-hosting Socially Unfiltered, making balloon arches, or spraying clients at SL Sprays. And yes, those are the fun, creative parts people notice. But what I’m actually proud of is all the behind-the-scenes work that makes it possible.

It’s staying up late editing reels until they feel right. It’s learning how to run a business by trial and error when no one was handing me a playbook. It’s squeezing in client calls between spray tan appointments, or recording podcast episodes after a full workday when I’d rather just crash. It’s keeping things organized enough so I can show up for multiple businesses without completely burning myself out. People see the polished posts and the highlights, but not the mornings I’m answering DMs before I’ve even had coffee, the weekends spent scheduling content, or the times I had to take a deep breath and say yes to something that scared me.

And it’s not just the work, it’s the personal side too. I’ve had to learn how to actually take care of myself, how to fill my own cup, and how to not let burnout steal the joy out of everything I once wished for. What I’ve really built is resilience and consistency. It’s not glamorous, nobody claps for it, but it’s the thing that lets me keep showing up, keep creating, and keep evolving, no matter how it looks.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Veronika, but most people call me V. I’m definitely multi-passionate (in the best way) I run SocialsByV, where I manage and create content for brands that actually want their social media to feel like them. I co-host the Socially Unfiltered podcast with my best friend Lex, where we talk about everything from business to pop culture to the unfiltered in-betweens of life. I’m also a spray artist at SL Sprays, and on the side I create balloon installations for events—because apparently I thrive in organized chaos.

My story is a little unique because I was raised by a single mom and we moved from Ukraine to the U.S. when I was seven. That shaped me in a big way. I’ve always had to work hard, and nothing was ever handed to me. Every client, every business, every opportunity has been built piece by piece. One spray tan, one balloon arch, one content shoot at a time.

What ties it all together for me is creativity and connection. At the end of the day, I love helping people feel confident, seen, celebrated, or inspired – whether that’s through a tan, a podcast episode, or a brand’s Instagram presence.

Right now my focus is on loving what I do, enjoying the people in my life, pivoting away from what doesn’t serve me, and soaking up my newlywed era.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was younger, especially as a migrant, I thought life had to follow this very straight line: do well in school, pick a career, stick with it forever, and try not to veer too far off the path. I remember feeling behind because I didn’t have it all figured out. Teachers made me feel like I wasn’t smart enough, I bounced between friend groups after switching schools, and while everyone else seemed so sure of their futures, I felt myself constantly questioning if I wanted any of that. I convinced myself that maybe the “right” thing to do was play it safe. Get a 9–5, blend in, and just keep moving forward.
But that never felt like me. Every time I tried to fit into that version of life, it felt like I was watching someone else live it.

The creative side of me, the part that loves creating, trying new things, and finding my own way was basically yelling at me. Eventually I realized I needed to stop living for the approval of everyone else and start living for me. Not knowing exactly what you want isn’t a bad thing because honestly, who really has it all figured out? (No one) I get to be multi-passionate, I get to pivot, and I get to make changes whenever I want -because it’s my life.

Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
Something I miss that not a lot of people know about is the simplicity of childhood before all the pressure. Before social media, careers, and constantly trying to figure out the “next thing.” I love the life I’ve built, but sometimes I miss that slower pace where the biggest decision of my day was what game I was playing after school.

And more than anything, I miss my family in Ukraine. Even after all these years, that piece of home still feels far away, especially now, and I carry that with me daily. I miss the little things, the nostalgia of making dinner with my grandma, of picking apricots with my great grandpa. Those are the moments that stick with me, even as life has gotten so much more serious.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
One truth I’ve learned is that “keeping the peace” usually just means avoiding the truth. People think silence or brushing things off makes things easier, but really it just builds resentment and keeps everyone stuck. I don’t believe in that.

I’ve always been the type, (maybe it’s the Slavic in me) that if something’s on my mind, I can’t sit on it. I’d rather be uncomfortable for five minutes having a real conversation. For me, that honesty is what creates trust, closeness, and actual progress in life, relationships, and business.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I hope people tell about me when I’m gone isn’t about titles or what I built, it’s about how I made them feel. I want people to say I made them feel celebrated, loved, and like they could do anything they set their mind to. That I encouraged them to go after anything they wanted, stand up for themselves, and not take life so seriously.

I hope they remember me as creative and fun, someone who turned ideas into moments that made people feel connected and inspired. That I never missed a chance to laugh, to create, to make an at-home latte, or even to create the perfect TikTok. But more than anything, I hope the story people tell is about love. The way I loved Marc, the way I was obsessed with Benny, and how important my family has always been to me.

At the end of the day, I want to be remembered as someone who lived fully and made life lighter and more fun for the people around me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialsbyv/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ADoAACk6di4Be9nfzgltKJyl41t8cRtZUTHuc_w/

Image Credits
allisonvaraophotography