For many small businesses, social media is the best way to grow an audience and reach new customers—and TikTok is quickly becoming a favorite! Savvy entrepreneurs will find a lot to love about the video-sharing platform, and for some, it’s been huge in taking their business to the next level.
TikTok success stories are now abundant on the app, and those success stories are excellent models to help growing businesses succeed on TikTok.
Why is TikTok so good for small businesses?
There are several reasons why TikTok is so great for small businesses. Firstly, the app’s unique discovery algorithm learns what you like over time—meaning that the more you engage with its content through the For You page (watch, like, share, comment), the more of that content you will see. This is fantastic for small businesses because the app will most likely share your content with people who are going to be interested in your brand and content. Regardless of how many followers you have or how new your business is, every video has the ability to go viral.
If you want to reach a younger demographic, TikTok should be made a priority in your social media strategy. While Boomers and Millennials historically lean towards Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, Gen Z are the original adopters and most prominent TikTok users. They value authenticity and creativity and are more likely to support small business accounts that foster community and speak their language.
Inspiring TikTok success stories
While many small brands and businesses use TikTok in their marketing, a handful of some TikTok case studies have really taken off, thanks to the app. These nine success stories are all examples of how TikTok can make all the difference to your social media strategy.
Dasha Derkach, Enchanted Scrunch
Founder Dasha Derkach began her business, Enchanted Scrunch, a year ago because she wanted to provide a bigger, better variety of scrunchie designs. After initially promoting through Instagram, she started posting on TikTok.
“It was two months later, [the video] got 15k views, and I got 10 orders that first day! From then on, I got more and more views over time, reaching even 3 million views on a video.”
@enchantedscrunch Except I did and I am… #teenager #haterswillhate #shopping #hair #scrunchies #fypシ ♬ original sound – michelle 🧸
Since then, TikTok has become Dasha’s main marketing tool, and around 90% of her overall sales are now made through the video-sharing platform, with a further 10% coming from Instagram and Pinterest.
“It has significantly boosted our sales. Before TikTok, we got around two orders a week, then once we started around 100 a week, now we also do TikTok Lives nearly every day and get almost 500 orders a week!”
In the year since launching Enchanted Scrunch on TikTok, Dasha’s oversized and unique scrunchie brand is now a six-figure company with over 170k followers.
Andrea Osstifin, Peachy BBs Slime
Slime shops are everywhere on TikTok, but few have blown up like Peachy BBs. With the main account boasting 4.7 million followers (and a side account with over a million), Andrea Osstifin and her small team have mastered the art of the TikTok slime account.
@peachyslime You guys always good questions! Ask me more in the comments 💕 Peachybbies.com next slime restock: Friday at 7pm EST 🎉 #foru #peachyslime #storytime #tutorial #howto #recipe #diy ♬ Spongebob Tomfoolery – Dante9k Remix – David Snell
Posting regular videos about the slime-making process, answering followers’ questions, playing with slime, and experimenting with new scents and textures, Peachy BBs is now so successful that their slime drops tend to sell out in minutes. One follower even commented that getting one of Peachy BB’s slimes was “like trying to get Jordans.”
This has been especially true ever since Kim and North Kardashian started sharing videos of Andrea’s slimes on her Instagram! That’s PR that most small businesses dream of.
Sana and Will Saleh, Lala Hijabs
Like many people, Sana and Will Saleh started Lala Hijabs after losing their jobs during the pandemic—and like everyone else in quarantine, decided to join TikTok. The couple began designing cute tie-dyed hijabs just for fun and sharing them on the app—and before they knew it, they were blowing up.
“When people began asking where we got [the hijabs] from, we decided to hype up the business before we even began forming it—and people loved it and anticipated the huge launch!”
Overnight and with one viral video, the Saleh’s gained over 50k followers and one million views, so the couple decided to use their life savings to launch Lala Hijabs – and use TikTok as their main source of marketing.
@lalahijabs The hustle is real and it’s all worth it 🙏 #smallbusiness#hustleisreal#hijab#muslimowned ♬ Deserve You – Justin Bieber
“Tiktok exploded with love for our designs, and we ended up starting the business with our life savings—and all of the traffic to our website was organic from TikTok. We had zero experience as ground-level entrepreneurs and built this business from the ground up!”
The family-owned business posts lots of behind-the-scenes content as well as hijab tutorials and product launches, and since launching has now over 144k followers and 4.2 million likes, with 60% of its sales coming through the app.
“Anytime we have a new launch or product to showcase, the first place we show it is on TikTok—and absolutely LOVE the response we get from our audience. It grows our following and awareness for our brand every day.”
Chioma Ngwudo, CeeCee’s Closet NYC
Self-made CEO, speaker, coach, headwrap connoisseur, and co-founder, NYC-based Chioma Ngwudo is on a mission to inspire and celebrate Black women and African culture through her fashion and beauty brand CeeCee’s Closet NYC.
Together with her sister and creative director Uchenna, the company designs all their unique, colorful African-inspired items in partnership with artisan creators in Nigeria. From head wraps to waist beads and body care products, CeeCee’s Closet NYC are making African fashion and beauty accessible—all while placing equity at the forefront of their business model.
@ceeceesclosetnyc Reply to @goodyearblimp changing lives one #africanexfoliatingnet at a time #skincareproductsmusthave #skincareproductsthatwork #clearskinroutine #dryskinroutine #africanexfoliatingnets #crustymustydusty #africanexfoliatingsponge #clearskintips #africannet #africansponge #dryskintips #exfoliateyourskin ♬ pass the dutchie sped up – vevonix
Chioma predominantly uses her TikTok account to educate and showcase—especially with products not as widely available in the United States, such as African exfoliating nets and skin care products created specifically for Black and Brown skin. As of writing, CeeCee’s Closet NYC has over 158k followers and almost 4 million likes.
“I believe with social media we’ve seen a real resurgence and interest in African cultures and things that are associated with the African experience and diaspora,” Chioma told Browned 2 Perfection Agency back in January. “Social media has been a huge tool for us. We’ve been expanding more on TikTok and Pinterest. Also, we use email marketing and text lists to keep our customers up to date.”
Kyle Hinds, Noble Leather Co.
With 1.5 million followers and counting, the self-proclaimed CEO of #LeatherTok, Kyle Hinds has created a successful brand creating handmade leather wallets and belts from his studio in Ontario, Canada.
@nobleleatherco Answer @cranky_crab The one and only legendary belt video#oddlysatisfying #asmr #smallbusinesscheck #MySmallBusiness #sosatisfying ♬ original sound – Noble Leather Co.
Kyle started Noble Leather Co. in 2018 after discovering the leather aisle of an art supply store and learning his craft through YouTube videos. Since then, he has crafted countless leather items and uses his TikTok account to showcase his workmanship, leaning into trends such as ASMR and #OddlySatisfying to help his TikTok go viral on the app.
His most successful TikTok—the one that started it all—has almost 30 million views and shows Kyle making one of his famous belts from scratch in his studio. His videos regularly get over a million views each.
Natalie Rogers, Klassy Network
Founder Natalie Rogers started Klassy Network in 2019 when she wanted a stylish top to wear without a bra. She was unable to find any she liked with built-in padding, so she decided to make her own. Like many innovative small businesses, Natalie noticed a gap in the market—which was confirmed after her idea took off in 2020 when a video of her “halter brami” went viral on both TikTok and Instagram.
In the years since, Klassy Network has been bringing stylish bra tops, bodysuits, and bramis (a cross between a bra and a camisole) to women worldwide—many of whom discover her designs through her TikTok, which has almost half a million followers. Her Instagram has also been hugely important in scaling her business. But, a true TikTok success story, it’s the app where she’s seen the fastest growth.
@itsnatalierogers This has been a dream come true! Thank you Tiktok 🥺❤️ #oneyearoftiktok #oneyearago #thenandnow #follwoyourdreams ♬ original sound – karebearsk8
Klassy Network is now a six-figure business. Natalie posts videos almost daily showcasing her “fun and functional” items through #GRWM (get ready with me) videos, behind-the-scenes insights into the company, and other inspirational content to inspire and empower women.
Matthew Crosthwaite, Ya Boy Chamoy
One of the many reasons why TikTok is becoming the go-to social channel for small businesses is that it’s great for introducing users to new foods and cultures. This is definitely the case for candy business Ya Boy Chamoy.
The California-based business started as a hobby but took off after their videos began to go viral on TikTok. Matthew Crostwaite and his partner run the company, which now has over a million followers on the app, making and selling candy soaked in their special secret Mexican chamoy sauce—a recipe passed down from Matthew’s grandmother.
@yaboy_chamoy Here is a soothing asmr for you guys!❤️ #asmr #peach #rings #candy #chamoy #yaboychamoy #yagirlchamoy ♬ original sound – Ya Boy Chamoy
The combination of candy and chamoy is popular in Mexico—known as dulces enchilados—and the video-sharing platform has allowed the idea to be introduced to thousands outside of the Latin community and helped Ya Boy Chamoy to grow from a hobby to a successful e-commerce store.
Pierce Woodward, Brand Pierre
One spoon changed Pierce Woodward’s entire life, and his creative up-cycling has helped him become a well-known TikTok success story. The teenager started his business making rings out of old metal spoons during quarantine and sharing his creations on TikTok for fun.
His content caught the attention of more prominent influencers, whose interest in his rings helped Pierce gain an even bigger following. After opening up a store, his first ring drop sold out in two days, and subsequent drops now sell out in minutes. This was all driven by the teen’s savvy use of the platform to create engaging ring-making content and leverage larger influencers to grow his business.
@pierce_woodward Never thought I’d ever make this video 🙃 Thank You all for the love & support, this is only the beginning❤️💍 #business #creativity #entrepreneur ♬ Pieces (Solo Piano Version) – Danilo Stankovic
The high school dropout has built Brand Pierre into a million-dollar business and uses TikTok as his main marketing source. The account has a cool 1.6 million followers, and now Pierre has moved on from spoon rings, scaling the business into something more sustainable and creating jewelry that he describes has “purpose, meaning, and intention.”
Jamal Hejazi, Candy Funhouse
Jamal Hejazi, the founder of Candy Funhouse, is a fantastic TikTok success story. Hejazi wanted to create the world’s best candy experience and took his brick-and-mortar store online in December 2020 to reach a more global customer base, using TikTok to get to them. Their first viral video showed a customer’s order being packed up for shipping and helped them gain 30k followers alone.
“The first time we went viral as a company was through a fan’s user-generated content doing a review on our company. We had a surge of visitors to the website and didn’t know where it was coming from.”
While TikTok is international and videos can be enjoyed by people worldwide, individual accounts can still foster community. This is undoubtedly true in the case of Candy Funhouse, who have themed candy around local baseball teams and pop culture phenomenons.
@candyfunhouse Did we get it right? #fyp #strangerthings #strangerthings4 #eleven #tv #tvshow #trend ♬ Stranger Things – Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein
“Listening to our audience has been the key to growing our social media accounts. We participate in active social listening from our audience and create content that we, as candy lovers, would enjoy watching ourselves. We consider ourselves to be media and technology experts, and we use our social channels to channel our creativity and goals in those fields.”
Candy Funhouse’s young and dynamic team has helped establish Candy Funhouse as the frontrunner for all things candy on social media. TikTok has significantly boosted its traffic, sales, and brand awareness—their most popular candies tend to be the ones that go viral on the app. The store’s account now boasts 2.7 million followers.
“The key to turning TikTok into a business is to create an environment that is based around the content and experience, rather than a product. TikTok is a great platform for building a brand if you can capture the spirit of TikTok and steer away from the traditional forms of advertisement.”
Turning your brand into a TikTok success story
Whether you’re a candy company, create up-cycled jewelry, or have just opened a slime store, TikTok is a great space for small businesses wanting to improve brand awareness, foster community, and generate sales. The best TikTok small businesses know just how to use the app’s endless sounds, trends, and content ideas for virtually unlimited marketing experimentation and aren’t afraid to take risks and see what works.
Furthermore, small businesses on TikTok tend to blow up when entrepreneurs simply share their hobbies and processes on the app, creating content that is both authentic and engaging. The best way to learn how to do that is to spend time using TikTok. Watch videos, engage with creators and small businesses you admire, and take insight from the viral masters—all this will help you use TikTok to scale your business and take it to the next level.
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