Meet Jessie, one of Singapore’s top TikTok sellers, dominating the platform with her expertise in beauty product sales and dynamic live-streaming skills. With a deep understanding of TikTok’s eCommerce landscape, she has successfully built a thriving business, turning viral trends into profitable opportunities.
Beyond selling, she is passionate about helping others succeed, offering courses that teach aspiring entrepreneurs how to make money through TikTok selling. Through her mentorship and proven strategies, she empowers individuals to tap into the fast-growing world of social commerce and achieve financial success.
How do you start selling on TikTok Live and what inspired you to choose this platform?
I started doing TikTok Live about two years ago. What inspired me to use this platform was my belief that it would become the trending and most-used platform for at least the next five years.
Having run a traditional retail business for many years—being in the beauty industry for almost 20 years—I could see the downtrend in physical retail stores. Many shops are becoming emptier, rental costs are increasing, labour costs are rising, and hiring staff is becoming more difficult.
Looking at China, which is far ahead of Singapore in e-commerce trends, it was clear that TikTok (or Douyin in China) was dominating and even overtaking platforms like Taobao, which used to be the main shopping platform.
Observing this trend, I realised that TikTok Live selling is the platform every business owner needs to be on.
You mentioned that TikTok is taking over platforms like Taobao and other e-commerce sites. What do you think is TikTok’s biggest advantage over traditional e-commerce websites?
‘Live’ selling allows you to engage directly with your audience, creating an entirely new level of retail. Since TikTok is also a social media platform, it helps merchants connect with affiliates, including content creators who can either make promotional videos or host live streams to sell products for them.
Compared to running a physical retail store, setting up a TikTok account is completely free. Meanwhile, opening a store involves high rental costs, renovations, staffing, and many other overhead expenses.
The risk of selling online is much lower than a traditional shop. While TikTok does take a fee for selling products (currently around 6.8%), I believe that’s very reasonable compared to the high costs of running a physical store.
What are the key factors in creating a successful ‘live’ selling session?
The key to a successful ‘live’ selling session is building a connection with your audience. A seller must invest time and effort in interacting with viewers and building relationships.
When your audience gets to know you, they will start to like you. When they like you, they will start to trust you. Once you gain their trust, they will believe in the products you sell. However, trust isn’t built overnight.
You have to be consistent, be present, and be honest. It’s also important to do proper research on your products to ensure that you are selling good quality items.
At one point, I lost over $1 million, and I almost went bankrupt twice. If it weren’t for the support of friends and the power of social media, I wouldn’t have been able to recover.
What challenges have you faced when selling through ‘live’ streams, and how do you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges when starting ‘live’ streaming is the awkwardness of talking to a camera. Many Singaporeans are camera-shy and uncomfortable being on screen. When I first started, I felt the same way.
However, I told myself, “If I want to be successful, I have to do what other people are afraid to do.” That mindset helped me push through the discomfort, and over time, I became more confident in front of the camera.
How do you keep your audience engaged and encourage them to make a purchase?
Engagement comes down to being genuine. Your audience can tell if you’re being fake. Since you’re ‘live’ streaming day in and day out, you have to be yourself. If you try to portray someone you’re not, it will become exhausting, and your audience will eventually see through it.
People are naturally drawn to authenticity. It also helps to add humour and entertainment to your ‘live’ streams. Give your audience what they want—value, fun, and realness. When you consistently add value to their lives, they will follow and support you, making them more likely to buy from you.
What motivated you to start teaching courses on TikTok selling, and what are some important lessons you share with your students?
I started my entrepreneurship journey at 27 years old, and it was a tough road. I never had a mentor or coach, which meant I had to learn through trial and error. Along the way, I made many costly mistakes.
At one point, I lost over $1 million, and I almost went bankrupt twice. If it weren’t for the support of friends and the power of social media, I wouldn’t have been able to recover.
Eventually, TikTok transformed my life—I was able to repay my debts and retire within two years. Seeing how much it helped me, I knew it could help others too. That’s what motivated me to start teaching TikTok selling. If my knowledge can help others change their lives, then I want to share it.
What advice would you give to beginners who want to start selling on TikTok Live?
Don’t be afraid. Just step up and start. It may seem impossible at first, but if you don’t know how to start, come and learn from us.
Learning is important, but taking action is just as crucial. If you apply what we teach and start selling, I am very confident that you will see fast results, just like many of our students.
Where do you see yourself, and what’s your vision for Singapore in the next five years?
We are launching several government-backed projects, where we will not only provide training but also government-funded coaching for individuals and SMEs to succeed on TikTok. We will also be collaborating with government bodies and TikTok itself to help more businesses expand into TikTok selling.
Over the next five years, my goal is to scale these value-added services and help the government grow Singapore’s GDP by empowering businesses through TikTok Live selling.
Connect with Jessie: TikTok.
