My online business selling wellness products made $3.8 million last year. Here's how I did it using TikTok and how I'm prepping for a ban.

• Mason Kuhr, 25, launched an online business selling wellness products in 2021 after college.
• His business brought in $3.8 million in sales in 12 months, partly due to advertising on TikTok. 
• Kuhr predicts his sales could drop 50% if TikTok is banned in the US. He's preparing for the worst.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mason Kuhr, a 25-year-old business owner living in the US, about the potential TikTok ban. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm skeptical about a TikTok ban in the US. But if it were to happen, I estimate that my $3.8 million business would be cut by half. So, I choose to be prepared rather than caught off guard.

I launched my business, The Stampede Network, in 2021. I was 22, fresh out of college, and at the end of my athletics career. I moved into my parent's basement without knowing what I wanted to do, but I knew it wasn't working 9-to-5.

I lived with my parents with no income of my own. I had some savings. I used it all to experiment with dropshipping, but nothing took off.

My weight-loss journey was the beginning of my business

I started struggling with weight issues. After completing a self-transformation program and getting back in shape, I signed up for TikTok in March 2021 and started posting about my weight-loss journey.

Four months later, my TikTok account had 10,000 followers; by the end of 2021, I had 74,000 followers.

I unsuccessfully tried to monetize my following by selling ebooks, fitness programs, and merchandise.

Flipping through different wellness forums searching for new products to sell, I stumbled upon a discussion about a company making bee bread pastilles made of pollen. The company offered fulfillment services for third-party sellers, so I ordered a sample.

Bee bread is a natural superfood, and I loved the product. I added them to my Shopify store, connected with the manufacturer's order fulfillment service, and made a 60-second TikTok video about my new product. In a matter of minutes, people went crazy about it.

By the end of the day, the video had generated over 1.2 million views. And I had made over $25,000 in sales.

I've relied on the same sales tactic from day one

The pastilles sold well, but I realized one product wouldn't be enough for my business to grow. I've continually expanded my offering, introducing new wellness products to boost sales and brand recognition. I switched from third-party fulfillment services to ordering products in bulk and handling order fulfillment in-house. In the last 12 months, we made $3.8 million in sales.

I regularly create and post content on my TikTok promoting my product. I experiment with messages, hooks, and angles.

I hire other TikTokers using Creators Corner to replicate my best-performing videos. These creators produce their videos, sticking to my script but adding a personal touch.

Later, I gather all the creators' stats to see which posts have generated the most traction. This data shows me which pain points and messages resonate most with the audience.

Finally, I produce a new video that embodies all the best-performing elements and scale it up with targeted ad spending to maximize sales. I can spend as much as $150,000 a month on TikTok ads.

Last year, I made $3.8 million in sales, with a third from TikTok

My company's revenue is evenly split between TikTok Shop, Amazon, and Shopify store sales. If TikTok were taken down, I'd lose one-third of my sales overnight.

However, many customers discover my products on TikTok and then purchase them on Amazon or Shopify. So, TikTok's impact on my business is greater than the direct sales it generates. In total, my revenue might drop by up to 50%.

The Stampede Network would be one of many businesses in the US that would suffer if TikTok was banned.

I understand why US officials are suspicious of TikTok. If the Chinese government owns and controls the platform, I see how it risks national security. Conversely, TikTok brings a lot of money into the American economy, so the government is cautious about hasty decisions regarding its ban.

I feel that TikTok doesn't believe the ban will happen. They've made enormous investments to launch their shop feature in the US, including the Fulfilled by TikTok services and fulfillment centers nationwide. I'm skeptical the ban will ever go through.

I have an action plan in place if TikTok gets taken down

In such a case, YouTube would become my business' primary social media platform. I'm getting familiar with the platform since its audience differs from TikTok's.

For example, TikTok users are highly spontaneous buyers. Whereas YouTube users make more informed buying decisions. I'm learning how to talk to a YouTube audience to succeed on this platform.

If you're freaking out about the TikTok ban, I'd suggest you choose a back-up platform and start to make yourself familiar with its users. Experiment with content and ads to learn what works and what doesn't.

I also suggest growing your email list. I regularly remind my TikTok followers to subscribe, allowing us to stay in touch, whatever happens. Email is a powerful tool for both community building and generating sales.

And while TikTok is still here, I'm just going to milk it as much as possible — I'm planning to spend on ads like there is no tomorrow. Because there might not be.