TikTok is the social media platform that has taken the world by storm. Its growth is seriously impressive when compared to other social giants such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In 2021, TikTok was the most popular app in the world, with 656 million people downloading the music, dance, and video platform on their devices.

While some people love sharing new dances and stories from their lives, others are sharing their unique talents, gaining a considerable following for their hobbies and skills.

Some have even demonstrated the huge potential of what they would normally consider a past-time. Fans and followers have enabled some TikTok users to pursue a full-time career in demonstrating or selling their talents.

By profiling some of these TikTok talents, you may even get inspired to take your hobby to the next level.

The rug life

Tufting is the latest creative trend to create a storm on TikTok. The art of creating rugs on canvases with unique and fun designs has quickly become popular thanks to the many varied approaches to creating the art.

The trend has certainly inspired many to take up the hobby. Google searches in the UK for ‘tufting’ spiked in 2020 and continues to rise even today. In fact, searches have increased by 663 per cent in the last five years, no doubt thanks to the influence of TikTok.

One such ‘tufter’ who took up the hobby during lockdown is Jamie. Jamie runs Wang Studio in Norwich, a place to create and learn this modern take on the traditional craft of rug-making.

Jamie explained how she began tufting as a hobby and it transformed into a career. Jamie said: “I have always been creative and I saw tufting at the beginning of lockdown on TikTok and thought it looked really interesting.

“I tried punch needling at first, which is the manual way to make rugs, and then I bought the gun and watched lots of YouTube videos.”

Following the success of videos on TikTok, Jamie set up Wang Studio. The studio provides commissioned rug designs and classes to the public on how to get into this exciting up-and-coming hobby.

The hoodie is my canvas

Throughout history, we’ve seen paintings on cave walls, chapel ceilings, and large, framed canvases that line the walls of the Louvre. Today, we have hoodies.

Hoodies can take on a huge variety of designs, but one artist from Worcester is breathing a different kind of life into this essential garment. 21-year-old Cam Pickstock shares his talents on TikTok to over 570,000 followers, demonstrating his artistic skill by using clothing as his canvas. Shoes, hoodies, and jackets; no item of clothing is left untouched.

Cam’s following has enabled him to work with brands and music artists around the world. He says: “I am mainly reaching towards the music industry and the fashion in this industry, I hope to work with music artists and get to see them wear my art around.”

TikTok has surely contributed towards this aspirational goal, but Cam insists that the mission is to spread positivity. Cam continues: “I want the public to have something special to wear that makes them feel good. My custom shoes and clothing will make people's look stand out to others to help express themselves more through what they like on their clothing.”

From TikTok to Eurovision

The music industry works in mysterious ways, and the power of TikTok can lift any name from obscurity to centre stage. This is certainly true for Sam Ryder, whose career as a musician has exploded since he starts posting small covers of songs on the social media platform.

Quickly gaining attention from the likes of Justin Bieber and Alicia Keys, Sam was named as the platform's most-viewed UK artist in 2020.

Now, with over 12 million fans, Sam is set for the next big challenge and step on his ladder to the top of the music industry. In March 2022, it was announced that Sam would represent the UK at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Italy.

While Sam already had his foot in the door, it’s clear that TikTok has helped blow that entrance wide open for him to showcase his talent and make a career from what he loves.

There’s no shortage of talent on TikTok, and with growing audiences, showing off your skills could be a great route to achieving your dream of doing what you love full time. It may even take something as simple as a 10-second video to get you there