Everybody has heard of Charli D’Amelio, the 16-year-old who made millions of dollars from the digital platform, TikTok. She has dominated this platform and makes millions off of her 60-second TikTok videos. Though many people look at D’Amelio as a high school student who just got lucky, there is more substance to her approach than pure luck. She makes her dancing videos look effortless with a blend of facial expressions and precision. All of her videos achieved virality and one dance even gained over 190 million views. D’Amelio teaches others to be their own leader and go against the trends. She has capitalized on her fame and has built a multimillion business empire. She is making and selling her own jewelry, has a clothing line with Hollister, and even has a Hulu documentary. (Ghaznawi 2021). This social media platform has given her so many great opportunities.
However, TikTok isn’t just an app for dancing and silly videos. It has evolved and is an opportunity for small businesses to get recognized. Jen Ruiz started using TikTok when the pandemic began in March 2020. She is a solo traveler, writer, blogger, and lawyer. WIth over 10 million video views and 2 million likes in under a year, Ruiz uses TikTok as an educational platform. This digital technology was a game changer for her business and gave her the space and time she needed to work remotely.
Though social media platforms are a great way to spread awareness of your company, you can also use digital technologies to create your own business. People have started to create mobile applications that have a wide range of functionalities that are easily accessible through your phone.
In 2020, I became a digital entrepreneur by creating The Alan App, an all-in-one pocket guide for those with food allergies. It has a messaging system, emergency section, and interactive features that include an allergy translator, list of restaurants and allergy-friendly brands, recipes, and more! Currently, I have over a thousand users, and I continue to grow my app by providing continuous updates. Though I didn’t find success through digital platforms like Jen Ruiz and Charlie D’Amelio, I created my own. However, I do use social media to promote my business, and that is where I get 80% of my users.
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