Potential TikTok ban raises concerns for survival of small businesses

The clock is ticking on TikTok in the U.S., and millions of users, including small business owners, are scrambling to figure out what to do. Brandon Hurst, who runs a plant delivery business, says TikTok has been instrumental in changing his life. He explains that TikTok allows him to go live, share his personality, and makes it easy for people to make purchases. Hurst, also known as “Brandon the Plant Guy,” has tripled his business since starting to sell plants on TikTok last year.

In the last year, his company has sold 57,000 plants, and he is one of seven million small businesses on TikTok. TikTok claims to support more than 224,000 American jobs, including Hurst’s team of eight other people who would lose their jobs if the platform is banned. President Biden signed a law giving TikTok’s Chinese-based owner, ByteDance, nine to 12 months to sell the platform to an American owner. If not, TikTok could face a ban in the U.S.

Small businesses like Hurst’s have thrived on TikTok due to its ability to drive sales rapidly. Analysts believe that Meta, which owns Instagram, could benefit greatly from a TikTok ban. While Instagram Reels is an alternative, it may not replicate the same culture as TikTok. Hurst is already present on Instagram and other platforms, but he has yet to figure out a plan in the event of a TikTok ban. He acknowledges that TikTok’s live selling feature is unique and may be challenging to replicate elsewhere.