Serendipitous Soar: Handmade Pet Accessories Business Surges After TikTok Shoutout

February 19, 2024

Today's good news story comes from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Virginia Beach small business owner, Bella Schwartz, experienced a whirlwind of success after a surprise shoutout on social media catapulted her handmade pet accessories shop, Ash & Bell Designs.

@ash.bell.designs | @_jen_hamilton_

Schwartz, who crafts unique pet tags and scrunchie bandanas, was hosting a TikTok Live video last Thursday, showcasing her latest merchandise.

In a moment of serendipity, Jenn Hamilton, a popular TikToker with over 3 million followers, stumbled upon Schwartz's live video. After purchasing a few bandanas for her pet chickens, Hamilton gave Schwartz an unexpected shoutout to her massive audience, urging them to explore Schwartz's Etsy shop.

@_jen_hamilton_ @🐾✨Ash & Bell Designs✨🐾 ♬ Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono - moshimo sound design

The impact was instantaneous. Schwartz witnessed a surge in orders that left her astonished.

"I checked my follower count on TikTok, and as I'm refreshing, my count was going up by the thousands in every passing second," she told 13 News Now. Within an hour of Hamilton's endorsement, the influx of orders prompted Schwartz to temporarily close her online store due to overwhelming demand. Her entire inventory, including 200 bandanas and tags, sold out in record time.

Expressing her gratitude on Instagram, Schwartz thanked everyone for the overwhelming support and acknowledged the profound impact of Hamilton's shoutout. With an additional 50,000 followers, she marveled at the unexpected turn her creative passion had taken.

Schwartz, who took a leap of faith by quitting her job to pursue her passion full-time in 2022, now plans to reopen her online orders by the end of February. Additionally, she is gearing up to launch a dedicated website for Ash & Bell Designs.