TikTok’s clock is ticking in the US, leaving millions of users including small business owners in a state of panic. Brandon Hurst, owner of a plant delivery business, has seen firsthand how TikTok has transformed his life. He explains that the platform allows him to go live, share his personality and makes it easy for people to purchase his products. Hurst, also known as “Brandon the Plant Guy,” has tripled his business since he started selling plants on TikTok last year.
In just one year, Hurst’s company has sold 57,000 plants and he is one of seven million small businesses on TikTok. TikTok claims to support over 224,000 American jobs including Hurst’s team of eight other employees who would lose their jobs if the platform is banned. President Biden signed a law giving ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese-based owner, nine to 12 months to sell the platform to an American owner. If not, TikTok could face a ban in the US.
Small businesses have thrived on TikTok due to its ability to drive sales rapidly. Analysts believe that Meta, which owns Instagram, could greatly benefit from a TikTok ban as Instagram Reels may not replicate the same culture as TikTok. However, Hurst acknowledges that it may be challenging for him and other small business owners like him to find an alternative platform with the same success rate as TikTok.
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