As I enter into 2022, I’ve decided it’s time to retire from TikTok. I’m already off of most other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and even LinkedIn!
When I joined Tiktok, I didn’t have some grand ambition to be famous. I was just curious. I wanted to understand the inner workings of the platform, what it really takes to create “viral” content, the management and coordination that goes on behind the scenes, and the ecosystem of creators that spans from small accounts to massive ones. Like anything I get into, I gave Tiktok content creation, education, and networking my all.
And the effort paid off. I grew to nearly 220,000 followers and almost 10 million likes. Along the way, I had the pleasure of meeting some of the biggest content creators in the game. I passed some large brand deals to smaller creators I had spoken to because objectively they are a better creator for what the brand needed. I learned how content circulates, and got a first-hand education on how communities are built, maintained, and amplified on the platform.
But now the world is shifting back to some degree of normalcy, and so are my priorities. The time I invested in TikTok was worth it, but I gotta move that energy elsewhere. My curiosity has been fulfilled. I don’t know what my next chapter is but in order for me to identify, I have to switch up my focus that align with my skills, my capabilities, and, importantly, avenues that can be monetized and scaled in a fashion that I know.
It’s been fun. More fun than I expected, honestly. And it’s one of those rare experiences where I can walk away satisfied t because what I got wasn’t something I expected.
This wasn’t an easy decision. I thought about it for a few months now. I gave myself until the end of the year to figure it out. Will I regret it? Am I leaving too soon before finding that footing where this space is for me and I make the money I would in my past roles? Am I letting up off the momentum too soon? Maybe. But right now, I gotta make some money.
Cultural ties can lead me to a business partner?
January 13, 2022