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Date Submitted March 16, 2025
Jessica Simon
My American Dream was Made on TikTok. A Ban is Threatening It.
By: Jessica Simon, Founder of Mississippi Candle Company
As the owner of Mississippi Candle Company, I know how difficult it is for small business owners to succeed. I am lucky to be one of seven million business owners on TikTok, and I attribute much of my business’ growth to TikTok. When the app went shortly went offline in January, I saw an immediate drop in sales. From just those few short hours and the weeks after that TikTok remained off of app stores, my business has suffered.
When I launched my company in Mississippi, my husband and I made candles from our home. But it wasn’t until we went viral on TikTok that we could expand into our first warehouse and establish headquarters here in Alabama. TikTok grew our sales by over 600 percent, and 90 percent of sales were gained through TikTok. When TikTok went off the app stores in January, we saw an immediate decrease in our sales. Now that TikTok has been restored to the app stores, our sales have increased by 118% in just a few days. It’s just one example of the power of TikTok. Thanks to our supporters on TikTok, we are even opening our first storefront. This is why it is so troubling to hear about efforts to ban the app.
Senator Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, it is time that our policymakers and elected officials stand for the millions trying to pursue entrepreneurship. We need you to defend Alabama’s small businesses and stand against a ban on TikTok.
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