April 2025, We're excited to introduce our first ever SME Council for TikTok-focused small businesses, which aims to amplify SME voices to policymakers and help them shape policies that boost growth.

User-generated content and LIVE Shopping are changing how people shop, and these SMEs are at the forefront of this retail revolution.

Made up of 20 businesses, SME Council members use our platform to engage with customers in new and authentic ways. Beyond straightforward transactions, they connect with people through LIVE Shopping on TikTok Shop, selling via shoppable ads, and telling their brand's story through organic content, blending the convenience of online shopping with joyful, real-life experiences at scale.

Members represent diverse communities across the UK and cover a range of industries, including an affordable wig brand located in the heart of Birmingham (@hairanatomyuk), a Manchester-based sleep company (@levitex) that offers practical tips on sleep posture, and an artisan candle and wax melt seller (@bearburners), founded in Sunderland.

Our SME Council held its first meeting on 4th April in Stoke-on-Trent, where members shared their experiences of running businesses in the UK and using TikTok to support their growth.

The Council will also provide valuable insights and learnings to help shape our first ever TikTok SME Manifesto. This will make a set of practical, proactive policy requests to government with the aim of turbocharging SME growth, developing skills and encouraging entrepreneurship.

Since 2018, TikTok has emerged as an important platform for SMEs to connect with customers and grow their businesses. With our scale and popularity among the UK's SME community, TikTok is uniquely positioned to engage with these businesses and support their success. Our platform is now home to more than 1.5 million UK firms, from family ventures and emerging side-hustles, to promising scale-ups that leverage TikTok to reach new audiences and promote their products and services.

The SME Council launch comes as new Neilson IQ research found that TikTok Shop was the fastest growing online retailer in 2024*, with a 131% annual increase in the number of shoppers on TikTok Shop, and a 180% year-on-year rise in revenue at the end of last year. Over 6,000 TikTok Shop LIVEs are hosted in the UK every single day.

Ali Law, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs at TikTok UK, said: "TikTok gives small businesses the opportunity to be discovered by new communities, the creative tools to engage authentically and, ultimately, the chance to put their products in the hands of an ever-growing number of UK consumers. It's why SMEs across the country come to TikTok every day to share their passions, reach new customers and grow their businesses. By launching our new SME Council, we're taking our support of these businesses beyond the TikTok app, giving them a platform to call for policies that will unlock the next phase of their growth."

Dominique Bogle Khan, founder of Hair Anatomy said: "TikTok has truly transformed our business. It’s given small brands like ours the chance to not only showcase our products but also build genuine connections with our community. Being part of the SME Council is such an incredible opportunity — we’re all at different stages in our journey, and it’s inspiring to learn from one another, share insights, and support fellow entrepreneurs. I’m excited to see how the council evolves and continues to shape the future of small business growth."

James Leinhardt, founder and sleep posture expert at Levitex, said: “With over 500m views of our content on TikTok, Levitex is quickly becoming a leading voice in educating the world on the significance of sleep, and demonstrating in real-time how our innovation can improve it. As a brand that offers a fairly high ticket, considered purchase, we have a unique strategy that focuses on educating the consumer first. TikTok has allowed us to do that, and as an early adopter of TikTok Shop, we’re proud to share our experiences and be a part of the future growth of the platform, while continuing to build our channel.”

*Source: NIQ Digital Purchases, Total eCommerce, Value Share, 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024)

The TikTok SME Council

  • Barbara-Anne McMullan and Ruth Armstrong are the founders of Ooh and Aah Cookies (@oohandaahtiktok), a Northern Irish business which specialises in handmade, personalised giant cookies and cookie sharing boxes. The brand offers a variety of fun and quirky designs for gifting on special occasions, with its TikTok content often featuring the cookie creation process. TikTok Shop is now a seven figure sales channel for the business.
  • Matt Slack is the owner of E.V. Slack & Sons (@slackys1), a fifth generation family butcher in Doncaster, known for its commitment to high quality meat and traditional butchery techniques. Through engaging TikTok content that offers a behind-the-scenes look at life as a butcher, Matt is helping to keep this traditional industry alive for a new generation. Matt's success on TikTok Shop has also allowed him to sponsor his local cricket club, further connecting with his community and supporting local initiatives.
  • Dominique Bogle Khan, founder of Hair Anatomy (@hairanatomyuk), set up her own affordable luxury wig brand after experiencing hair loss triggered by alopecia. 70% of Hair Anatomy’s revenue now comes directly from TikTok Shop, enabling Dominique to move into dedicated new office space, grow her team and give up her previous job to focus on scaling the business full-time.
  • Rachel Spence is the founder of Bear Burners (@bearburners), an artisan candle and wax melts company founded in Jarrow, and now based in East Bolden. After months of struggling, Rachel's business was on the verge of liquidation, but joining TikTok enabled her to showcase products on the platform's LIVE feature and sell directly to customers on TikTok Shop. Now Rachel has built a supportive community online, re-opened her physical shop, grown her team and returned her business to sustainable growth.
  • Sumayah Saadi (@by.sumayah) runs a modest clothing line that has amassed a community of hundreds of thousands on TikTok. As a proud Muslim creator and business owner, Sumayah shares everything from Hijab tutorials and insights into her Abaya business, to the beauty of Ramadan. After leaving her parliamentary assistant role during the pandemic to pursue her passion, Sumayah's brand has gone from strength to strength on TikTok, with LIVE events that draw thousands of viewers and real life drops that attract winding queues of shoppers. She recently announced that she achieved £4M in sales since joining the platform.
  • Laura Schmidt is the founder of Lovendu (@lovendu), a Stafford-based business which specialises in journals and planners for mental health and self-empowerment. Her videos capitalise on a range of different TikTok trends and video styles, including journaling tips, sneak peaks inside her products and behind-the-scenes videos showcasing how she runs her business.
  • James Leinhardt is the founder of Levitex (@levitex) who offers practical tips on sleep posture. James, an honorary lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire, credits TikTok with enabling him to make a positive difference to the lives of millions of people in the UK. Levitex has achieved £12K in sales in just one month, with its average self-LIVE sessions, lasting 2 hours, consistently generating an impressive £3K in revenue per session. James's main source of success is driven by his self-LIVE content, followed by his engaging shoppable video content.
  • Jacob and Harley Nelson also known as the Spud Bros (@thespudbrothers), have become viral sensations for their famous baked potatoes in Preston, Lancashire, leading to customers travelling from as far as the US and Australia. Their unique, POV-style video, and viral deals, like 'first customer gets one free' and 'bring your own bag', has led to them racking up millions of followers. This translated into material success with the opening of the Spud Bros pop-up store in London.
  • Rusty's Collectables (@rustyscollectables) is a Redditch-based business which offers a wide range of trading cards, including Pokémon, Marvel, Magic: The Gathering, and Yu-Gi-Oh. Its TikTok content includes LIVE unboxings, product reviews, and tips for collectors. The business has built a dedicated community that actively engages with its videos, enjoying the excitement of discovering rare cards and the informative content.
  • Gemma Stocks is the founder of The Herbal Dog Co (@herbaldogco), which provides an animal-centric range of lotions and potions for any size or breed of dog. After seeing other SMEs successfully use TikTok, Gemma began creating engaging video content to showcase her hand-crafted products. Just one year on, the business is thriving and operating out of three locations.
  • Big Boss Toys (@bigbosstoysale) is an Essex toy store specialising in action figures, statues, and collectibles from popular franchises like Marvel, DC Comics, Transformers, and Star Wars. Its TikTok videos often feature unboxings, reviews, and detailed looks at new and rare items. Every Friday, the business hosts a #tiktoktoysale, utilising the LIVE function on TikTok Shop to boost sales.
  • The Chuckling Cheese Company (@chucklingcheese) offers a variety of artisan cheeses, cheese hampers, and other gourmet food products. Its TikTok content includes cheese tastings, pairing suggestions, and behind-the-scenes looks at the production process. The company also sell products on TikTok LIVE.
  • George Robinson's success on TikTok has allowed him to grow his Devon-based confectionery business SoSweet (@sosweetshopuk), opening nine physical shops and creating jobs for 70 local employees. SoSweet's products include viral treats like the famous Dubai Chocolate, as well as 1kg bags of sweets sold at discount prices on TikTok Shop.
  • Paul Sherratt's goalkeeper glove care brand GloveGlu (@gloveglu) has been viewed hundreds of millions of times by football fans around the world. Paul's POV videos demonstrating his products resilience have boosted brand awareness, with three quarters of GloveGlu’s seven figure revenue now generated through exports to 44 markets.
  • Nicola Swann is the founder of Made with Mud (@madewithmudpottery), a pottery and ceramics business based in a charming home studio in Lincolnshire. Nicola began using TikTok to showcase her handmade creations and share behind the scenes of the creative process. In 2023, her DigniTEA mugs—designed with accessibility in mind for those with additional needs—went viral on the platform, leading to a surge in demand from across the UK.
  • Luxe Collective (@luxecollective) is a resale platform that brings coveted pre-owned luxury pieces straight to your wardrobe. They offer a wide range of authentic designer clothing, accessories and footwear from top brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, and more. The business' TikTok content often features new arrivals, styling tips, and behind-the-scenes looks at the authentication process. Since launching on TikTok Shop, it has seen a 20% increase in revenue, and has built a strong community base, thanks in part to its LIVE shopping sessions. These LIVEs have contributed to 36% of Luxe Collective’s gross sales.
  • Virgo Boutique (@virgoboutiques) is a London-based online fashion retailer offering trendy clothing, footwear, and accessories. Vigo Boutique's TikTok videos showcase new arrivals, styling tips, and customer reviews. Some of the most popular content on the account includes 'One Dress, Two Sizes' videos.
  • Eva Malley, founder of Eva Malley Art (@evamalleyart), sells an eclectic array of art prints and accessories, despite having no previous experience in business. Her art is punchy, vibrant and colourful, and she also publishes narrative zines that have wracked up hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok.
  • Kerri Buckwell (@kbhairextensions), and her collaborators at Holloway Wright Hair Salon, have used their videos on Kerri's account to build a hairdressing business. Kerri's content focuses on the lifestyle of a hairdresser, and the success of the videos has allowed Kerri to leave her 9 to 5, and pursue her passion for hair full time.
  • Naz Bashir founded her dermatologically-approved natural skincare business Solo Skin London (@soloskinlondon) after years of searching for products that would help her with her sensitive skin. Her TikTok content includes personal anecdotes, product demonstrations and skincare guidance, allowing her to become a respected name in the natural beauty industry. Her fragrance-free night face oil earned the prestigious European Free From Skincare Award.

New to TikTok and want to learn more? Getting involved couldn’t be easier, simply download the app for free via the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon.