Meet Erika Kullberg (@erikakullberg), an attorney, personal finance expert, graduate of Georgetown Law, and now one of the most followed lawyers on social media. She discovered her passion for educating others about personal finance after paying off over $225,000 in student loans in under two years, and she creates content on TikTok to empower others with financial knowledge. After spending years as a corporate lawyer, she founded Plug and Law, an online legal company making legal more accessible for online business owners and entrepreneurs.

What does it mean to you to be part of the API community?

It’s an honor to be part of the API community. I was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and an American father. When I moved to the US, the API community truly welcomed me, and I always felt at home, despite moving around every three years with my dad serving in the US military.


How has the TikTok community inspired you?

TikTok is a community where everyone can be themselves. I love that I get to come as I am to TikTok and not have to worry about presenting myself a certain way. Everyday I’m inspired by new creators on TikTok.


What is your favorite TikTok video that you've created and why?

I’m proud of the airlines’ tip TikTok video because it shows how powerful a single TikTok can be in empowering millions of people. Many people aren’t aware of their rights (in this case, when it comes to airline travel), and I love that I can use TikTok as a platform to educate others.


What are some of your passions on and off of TikTok?

I’m really passionate about financial literacy. I didn’t grow up learning much about money. In my household (and more generally in the Japanese culture), money isn’t something that we are supposed to talk about. When I graduated from law school with over $200,000 of student loans, I realized just how little I knew about finance and that if I wanted to get out of debt I would need to teach myself. Once I got out of debt, I wanted to share everything I learned about personal finance (investing, paying off debt, saving, etc.) with others, which is why I started creating content on social media. I’m a proponent of transparency around money and think financial literacy is essential to improving your financial situation.

Some of my other passions include law and the creator economy. My company, Plug and Law, is dedicated to making legal accessible to small business owners and entrepreneurs who may not necessarily be able to afford expensive lawyers.


What has been your favorite financial hack you've shared so far?

My favorite financial hack is the airlines tip. Most people can relate to having a frustrating travel experience and not knowing what to do and their rights. I like to take these regulations and fine prints and break them into 30-second, easily digestible TikToks.


What advice would you have for someone trying to start a finance advice account on TikTok?

The most relatable content is stuff that you have personal experience with. For me, a recurring theme is how I got out of debt. It's really important to remain authentic on TikTok and talk about what is relevant to you because that will be what people resonate with.