Her Small Business Made $1 Million in 6 Months Thanks to TikTok. Here's What Worked

Kelly Bozigian founded Club Coastal in 2024 while working full-time at TJX Companies. She began posting TikTok videos making charm necklaces for influencers, starting with a necklace for Alix Earle. The video gained major traction, and Earle messaged to confirm she could receive the necklace, then posted a video wearing it. Sales accelerated quickly, reaching over $100,000 by week three and over $1 million by month six. TikTok reports that 89% of small and medium-sized businesses see sales increases after promoting on the platform, and 73% of users feel a deeper connection to brands they engage with. Rashad Jones of Big Lee's BBQ used TikTok traction to find new collaboration opportunities after sales declined.

"Kelly Bozigian founded her Boston-based jewelry brand Club Coastal in 2024. She was working full-time for TJX Companies, owner of TJ Maxx, and "thought it'd be a side hustle where I make jewelry for friends and family," she said during a panel at TikTok's Small Business Showcase last week. "But TikTok had other plans.""

"To launch her business, Bozigian started a series on TikTok called "make a charm necklace with me for [insert influencer's name]." The first video she posted featured her putting a necklace together for Alix Earle, who has more than 14 million followers across social media platforms. It blew up, getting nearly 800,000 views and reaching Earle-who messaged Bozigian to ask if she really could have the necklace. The entrepreneur, of course, acquiesced, and Earle posted a video of herself wearing it a few days later."

""By week three, we had done over $100,000 in sales, and by month six, we had done over a million," Bozigian said. "My life completely turned upside down." She's not the only small business owner with a story like this. According to TikTok, 89 percent of small and medium-sized businesses report that their sales increased after promoting their products or services on the platform. Plus, nearly three-fourths of users-73 percent-say they feel a deeper connection to brands they engage with there."

"When Rashad Jones, owner of Big Lee's BBQ, started gaining traction on TikTok in 2025, his Ocala, Florida-based business' sales were plummeting. "That's a scary place to be, where you can't see hope and you can't see a way forward," he said during the panel. Then, one of his customers introduced himself as a videographer and asked if they could work together. Jones agreed, knowing he needed to do something differently. The pair came up with a plan: "Instea"

Read at Inc