How a full-time TikTok Shop affiliate makes 6 figures from social media

Talon Krebs was sitting in an 8 a.m. college class when he realized one of his TikTok videos was taking off.

"I was blown away," the 23-year-old told Business Insider. "That was my biggest day already."

The video kept gaining traction. By the end of February, he'd earned more than $10,000 in commissions from the product.

The gig earned him six figures last year, according to a 1099 form reviewed by Business Insider.

TikTok offers affiliates more than one path into its shopping program. Krebs said its pilot program requires 1,000 followers but limits participants to a handful of posts each week. The main program offers more flexibility, he said, but requires at least 5,000 followers.

Krebs already had about 24,000 followers on a personal account he started in high school, a following he had built by posting about sports and other interests. His startup costs were minimal: about $100 to $200 for products to promote, including a three-pack of sweatshirts he bought because he needed hoodies anyway.

Filming his first few videos felt "uncomfortable," he said. He kept the hoodie video simple, dropping the still-packaged sweatshirts onto a table and talking about them on camera. It led to a sale — and about $3 in commission.

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"When I saw that, I was blown away," he said. "I was like, 'Wow, I just made money from my phone.'"

For him, the biggest barrier to entry wasn't financial. It was getting comfortable being visible online.

TikTok Shop commissions offer the biggest opportunity, he said, because a video's upside is not capped by a flat fee.

"One video can make you an unlimited amount of money," he said. Working directly with a brand, by contrast, typically means earning a set amount.