Building Ads with Barry

Struggling to create high-converting ads that scale? Ad account begging for fresh creative, but don’t know where to start? Confused and misguided by tons of info on making good ads? People hate ads. In my live course, I’ll share the exact system I use to create ads people don’t hate. Join me and 100+ marketers to learn how.

Founder & Chief Ad Nerd

Hott Growth

Helping launch new businesses and grow established brands through modern advertising practices, relevant creative, and frictionless landing pages and CRO.

I'm available for projects, consulting, advising, or on a monthly retainer as a fractional CMO/VP, Growth.

Growth & Performance Marketing Consultant

Adcrate

Advisor

Rotten

Head of Growth

Harry's, Inc.

Performance Creative Strategy and Ad Consultant

The Perfect Jean

Growth Marketing Consultant

BeeRoll

Lone River Beverage Company

Consultant - Paid Social

Acquired by Diageo March 2021

Launched Lone River Ranch Water Hard Seltzer ads on Facebook, applying a DTC approach to CPG advertising.

Jump 450 Media

Clients: EA Sports, Nuts.com, MoneyLion, Spartan Race, Freedom Grooming

Growth Lead & Acquisition Manager

Thesis

Clients: Lumin, Hubble, Cerebral, Athletic Greens, Mirror, Mockingbird, Nuts.com, Urbanstems, Keeps, Feather, Olive & June, Wandering Bear, Glamsquad
● Guided high-level strategy for clients and executional excellence for the Growth team, representing over $6 million per month in paid social and search
● Led cross-functional creation and iteration of ad creative and landing page design to increase conversions by aligning internal CRO, media, and creative teams with external creators, client leadership, and platform partners.
● Forecasted team revenue and minimized expenses to maintain profitability and increase EBITDA
● Initiated and standardized processes for client and employee onboarding, retention, and ongoing improvement

VP, Growth

Clients: Lumin, Misen, Hawthorne, Baboon To The Moon, Glamsquad, Skylar, Clorox
● Strategize, implement, and optimize aggressive conversion-focused ad campaigns and creative for DTC startup clients
● Pioneer cross-functional policies, processes, and best practices across client services, CRO, and creative teams
● Establish high-trust, transparent partnerships with new clients to facilitate long term successful growth

Director of Growth

I've been buying and overseeing ads on Facebook since 2008. I have personally implemented, optimized, and managed monthly spends in the range of $1-5 million and cumulatively I have managed and overseen more than $600 million on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn for brands like AT&T, Toyota, Microsoft, Kraft, LG, Spotify, Hyatt, and many more. I'm comfortable with all objectives and buying types on these platforms, with expertise in branding as well as direct response.

In the last few years, I've been focused on helping grow DTC/startup brands like Hubble, Keeps, Nuts.com, Urbanstems, MoneyLion, Lumin, Cerebral, Wandering Bear Coffee, Flock Chicken Chips, Mirror, Athletic Greens, Spartan, and more.

In early 2020, I helped launch Lone River Ranch Water, and we were acquired by Diageo in 2021.

All three companies I worked for in 2021 were acquired: Lone River, Thesis, and Jump450.

Barry Hott

Do not trust screenshots anymore!

Nano Banana Pro can edit them with ease can be used to deceive.

Growing businesses with ugly ads, streamlined execution, and deep consumer empathy.

There's never been a worse time to say “that’s not my job” or “we’ve always done things this way.”

There's never been a better time to be a scrappy problem solver.

AI is multiplying the impact of people who take ownership, experiment quickly, build systems, and stay curious.

The people rising are the ones who run toward problems, learn without ego, and use AI to amplify their output and their team’s.

The people falling are the ones clinging to job descriptions, perfectionism, old hierarchy, memorized expertise, or protecting their ego.

The winners are scrappy problem solvers.

The losers are anyone still waiting to be told what to do.

Ashley Wright

Want to scale your brand to $100k+/mo with TikTok Shop?👋

Are you struggling to see the results you want on TikTok Shop?

Over the past two years, I've generated over $80,000,000 on TikTok for some of your favorite brands.

A few of our current and past clients include:
- Loop Earplugs
- Divi
- Petlab
- Mylee
- SNOW
- Stars + Honey
- Surreal
- Style Edit
- Thread Beauty
- Little words project

This success isn't just luck it's about understanding the platform, pushing boundaries, and being unafraid to test what works.

Brands used to doubt TikTok's ROI potential, but that's never been the case. With TikTok Shop, the ROI is clearer than ever.

If you're ready to create a whole new revenue channel with TikTok, here's how I can help:

1. Follow me on LinkedIn for daily TikTok Shop insights (scroll up and hit the bell to get notified).

2. Download my FREE TikTok Shop Workbook (DM me "Workbook").

3. Want my agency to manage your TikTok Shop? (DM me "Support" and I'll share the details).

Glad you dropped by. 
To your success!

Mentor

1:1 video mentoring sessions with the world’s most in-demand startup mentors.

Most brands are going to get destroyed on TikTok Shop in 2026. And it's not because the platform changed.

But because they're still playing the 2024 game.

I just spent the last month analysing what's actually working.

There are 6 specific shifts happening in 2026.

The brands that understand them will scale.

The ones that don't will get left behind.

I recorded a quick video breaking down those shifts, trends and predictions 
for 2026.

Comment "2026", and I'll send it over.

Helping 8+ Figure Brands Win on TikTok Shop | CEO of Social Tale | Speaker | Social Commerce Growth Expert | DM for growth, audits, or collabs

"Charge low until you prove yourself."

Worst advice I've ever heard in the agency space.

When you charge too low for pitching to bigger brands, they don't see the full value.

Then it's nearly impossible to raise your prices later.

You've locked yourself into low margins for years.

Maybe that's fine as a solo freelancer.

But when you want to grow, you're stuck.

Instead, charge what you believe you're worth.

Break down the components.

Show them exactly what they're getting for the cost.

Then let your delivery prove you were right.

This approach does something else, too.

It allows you to hire A-players from day one, instead of scrambling to find those who can "just get the job done."

Your pricing dictates your quality.
Your quality dictates your clients.
Your clients dictate your business.

Don't trap yourself at the bottom.

$165K in 7 days.

That's what one of our clients did in the first week of BFCM.

Everyone thinks BFCM is won in November.

It's not.

It's won in September.

BFCM on TikTok Shop isn't a sprint.

It's the finish line of a 90-day marathon.

The brands crushing it right now didn't start prepping last week.

They started in September when everyone else was sleeping.

Momentum takes time to build.

But when it hits, it compounds fast.

If you want your brand ready for Q1 (yes, Q1), DM me "2026" and I'll walk you through what to start doing today.

25 video hooks that drive TikTok Shop sales:

(Your next 7-figure month starts with the right hook)

1. POV: you just discovered a product that solves [daily problem]
2. Unboxing my [product category] haul from TikTok Shop
3. 5 must-haves under $50 that actually work
4. De-influencing [expensive product] (and what to buy instead)
5. POV: you're a [target customer persona] and this changed everything
6. My everyday essentials that are worth the hype
7. POV: this product just made your life 10x easier
8. You saw the [trending product] and now your cart is full
9. Things I didn't know I needed until TikTok showed me
10. This solves a problem you didn't know you had
11. [Product name] vs [cheaper alternative] - honest comparison
12. Watch me use this for a week straight (results)
13. POV: you finally bought the thing everyone's talking about
14. I tested viral products so you don't have to
15. This one thing replaced 5 products I used to buy
16. Before and after using [product] for 30 days
17. The [product] your FYP has been hiding from you
18. I was skeptical until I tried it myself
19. This is what [price point] gets you on TikTok Shop
20. POV: you stopped scrolling because this actually works
21. Showing my [partner/friend/mom] this viral product
22. I bought the dupe and here's what happened
23. The only [product category] you'll ever need
24. This did what [expensive brand] couldn't
25. POV: you're about to save this and forget to buy it

Bookmark this 🔖

Just wrapped up Affiliate World Bangkok 2025 last week.

The energy was unreal.

It is always a privilege to get on stage and break down what we are seeing inside TikTok Shop right now, especially in a room full of sharp operators who actually get it.

Huge thanks to the Affiliate World Conferences team for having me.

The event keeps leveling up, and the conversations this year were some of the best yet.

Great to reconnect with familiar faces and meet so many new people who are building real businesses.

$1.4M in 4 months.

328% growth and 35,507 orders for one of our clients.

Here's how we did it on TikTok Shop:

1) Started creator outreach in August

Locked in 5-10 top creators on retainer before the competition heated up. Sent 200-500 samples to build a pipeline of content ready to post.

2) Posted content 30+ days before peak sales periods

Gave the algorithm time to learn what converts. Content from August/September trained TikTok on their best-performing formats before the November spike.

3) Ran small tests in September to validate what works

That early spike wasn't luck - it was a controlled test. Identified winning creators, hooks, and products before scaling hard in November.

4) Built infrastructure to handle volume spikes

Synced shop inventory, created urgency overlays and bundles, set up creator communication channels (Discord/WhatsApp) so they could handle 2,000+ orders a day without breaking.

Don't wait until Q1 to start planning.

The brands that win in March are building right now.

If you want help getting your TikTok Shop strategy dialed in, send me a DM.

Your first 3 seconds on TikTok Shop can break or make your product.

A high-converting video shows:

- The frustration (make them feel it)
- The product solving it (demo in action)
- A real person using it (not scripted)
- The transformation (satisfying result)

Brands that nail this formula are doing 6-7 figures on TikTok Shop.

Most people think TikTok Shop is for cheap impulse buys.

One of our clients just did £6,676 in 7 days selling TVs.

High-ticket works on TikTok Shop.

You just can't use the same playbook as $15 skincare.

The strategy changes when AOV goes up.

You don't need viral moments for high-ticket.

You need the right audience to see the right message.

29 sales might not sound impressive.

But at this price point, it's more revenue than brands doing 500 orders on low-ticket products.

TikTok Shop isn't one-size-fits-all.

The brands that understand this are the ones scaling.

If you're in the high-ticket space and want to crack TikTok Shop, DM me "Strategy."

I almost didn't post my first piece of content on LinkedIn.

I was worried about what people would think.

Friends from school. 
People I used to work with. 
Anyone who knew me before I started the agency.

I kept thinking:

“What are they going to think about this?”

In those first few posts, I was genuinely worried.

Rewrote it, then didn’t post it.

I was scared of the judgment.

But then I just said screw it and hit post.

And you know what happened?

I got over it really quickly.

Because I realized something important:

It doesn't really matter what they think.

The people who matter don't mind.

And the people who mind don't matter.

Once I understood that, everything changed.

I stopped worrying about old school friends scrolling past my posts.

I stopped caring if someone thought I was "too much" or "showing off."

I just focused on sharing what I know about TikTok Shop and helping brands 
scale.

And that's when things actually started moving.

If you're holding back from posting because you're worried about what people 
will think:

Just start.

You'll get over it faster than you think.

And the people who actually matter will support you.

From award-winner to the top-selling body-care brand on TikTok Shop in 2024.

In late 2023, Maëlys, a premium body-care brand, entered a platform many assumed was built for cheap impulse buys.

By the end of 2024, they became the top-selling body-care brand on TikTok Shop, took home the 2025 Glossy Pop Award for Best Use of TikTok Shop, and ranked as a top-five earning Shop in the personal care category in Q1 2025.

During one campaign, they drove an 800 percent increase in total orders, with 87 percent of customers being first-time buyers.

Here’s how they pulled it off:

1. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Most brands pay influencers for polished reviews.

Maëlys built a system around real women sharing their journeys.

They spotlighted creators documenting visible changes in stretch marks, loose skin, and other body-targeting concerns.

This wasn’t about curated aesthetics.

It was about proof, and proof converts.

2. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆

Instead of relying on standard affiliate commissions, they rolled out an incentive program with prizes valued at up to $275,000.

Top creators weren’t just earning revenue.

They were competing for a Ritz-Carlton yacht experience and luxury handbags.

This turned creators into true partners and unlocked high-quality content at scale.

3. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲

Maëlys built a three-part system documented in TikTok’s official case study:

• Organic content for trust
• Paid media to scale winning creatives
• Creator partnerships for social proof

Organic content de-risked ad spend.

Ad spend amplified creator performance.

Together, they created a growth flywheel.

4. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺

Even while dominating TikTok, Maëlys expanded the moment offline.

They went live with a digital billboard in Times Square and ran a TikTok Shop-exclusive 30 percent discount to create urgency.

This wasn’t just a Shop strategy.

It was a full-funnel brand play.

---

Maëlys proved that premium, considered-purchase brands can win on TikTok Shop.

They understood that TikTok isn’t only a sales channel. It’s a community.

They didn’t sell body cream. They sold confidence.

And they built the system to scale it.

One of our US beauty clients just cracked $100K in a single month.

$107K in GMV to be exact.

Up 15% from September.

1,828 orders.
2,515 items sold.
1,768 customers.

Most beauty brands think you need to go viral to hit six figures on TikTok Shop.

You don't.

You need consistent creator output and offers that convert.

This brand didn't have a single mega-viral moment in October.

Just steady volume.
Multiple creators posting daily.
Products that actually solve problems.

The algorithm rewards consistency.

If you're a brand stuck under $50K/month and want to break through to six figures, DM me "Scale" and I'll show you the exact framework we used here.

Most brands think creating content that sells is a straight line.

Set a goal, create content, and make sales.

But here's what actually happens when you're building TikTok Shop content:

You set a goal to hit $100K on TikTok Shop.

1) You start reaching out to creators.

Half don't respond. The ones that do want samples.

2) You're learning what hooks actually work.

What you thought would convert doesn't.

3) You start doubting if TikTok Shop is even worth it.

Your first 20 videos get decent views but zero sales.

4) You're failing to get traction.

Competitors are posting similar products and crushing it.

5) You're practicing what works.

Different angles, Flash Sales.

6) You feel lost because nothing's consistent yet.

One video does $5K, the next 10 do nothing.

7) You're getting it.

You find 3 creators who actually move product.

They are not the easiest to work with, but when you find that 1% it’s all worth it.

8) Then you're struggling with a new problem.

Fulfillment can't keep up.

You're out of stock on your best SKU.

9) Finally, you achieve it.

Consistent daily sales.

A creator network that posts weekly.

Momentum that compounds.

The brands that win aren't the ones who avoid the mess.

They're the ones who push through it while everyone else quits.

And set the assigned budget for TikTok Shop for 12 months, not 3.

----

♻️ Repost, bookmark, or share with your network if you found this post helpful.

Follow me, Ashley Wright, for practical insights on TikTok Shop and eCom growth.

How to dominate Q5 on TikTok Shop in 2 words:

Start now.

...

That's it.

All this gift guide content, holiday bundles, New Year messaging... are simply tactics on top of these 2 words.

Start now.

Then add on from there.

Here are the content angles that crush Q5:

Last-minute gift solutions
New Year transformation hooks
Post-holiday self-care positioning
"Treat yourself" messaging
Bundle deals with urgency
Resolution-focused product benefits

Focus on these 6 angles, and you're going to win.

What content to create on TikTok Shop at each stage (to maximize sales):

TOFU (scrolling, not buying yet):

- product demos solving a specific problem
- “day in the life" content showing real use
- zero sales pitch in first 3 seconds
- hook focuses on the problem, not your brand
- soft CTAs like "wait for it" or "watch till the end"

These people aren't ready to buy today. 

Stop forcing the sale.

MOFU (considering it):

- comparison content (you vs alternatives)
- creator testimonials showing real results
- before/after transformations
- address objections directly (price, shipping, does it actually work)
- CTAs focus on "see it in action" or "check the reviews"

BOFU (ready to convert):

- product page tours showing exactly how to buy
- bundle breakdowns with clear pricing
- scarcity hooks ("only X left" or "sale ends tonight")
- creator codes and exclusive discounts
- Lives showing checkout process in real-time

Run cold traffic TOFU content. Retarget scrollers with MOFU. Convert warm audience with BOFU Lives and urgency posts.

Most brands push product links to cold traffic and wonder why their GMV is flat.

Everyone tells you to "take your time and don't rush."

Then you wonder why you're outperformed by your competitors and why they're taking your market share.

I've never agreed with this because I've always believed in the "just do it" approach like Nike.

You can fix things along the way.

But you can't fix momentum you never built.

When you're planning 3, 5, 10-year goals, ask yourself:

Why can't you condense that into one year?

The buffer you think you're creating is actually killing your business.

You want to be ahead of the herd.

Whether you're doing it right or wrong, you'll figure it out faster by moving.

Stop waiting for perfect.

Start building now.

What's working on TikTok Shop right now:

Discovery commerce beats interruption ads.

Here are 3 things winning brands are doing:

1) Creator retainers over random outreach

Brands still mass-DMing 100 creators, hoping something sticks. Meanwhile, smart brands locked in 5-10 creators on retainer back in September.

Those relationships are printing money right now.

The right handful beats the wrong hundreds.

2) 30-day algorithm prep

Content posted today performs better in December than content posted on December 1st.

The algorithm needs time to learn.

Brands posting now are building momentum.

Brands waiting are already behind.

3) Hook + demo = instant sales

The first 3 seconds grab attention.

The next 10 seconds show the product working.

That's it.

Stop overthinking it.

TikTok Shop rewards speed and relationships.

Not perfectionism.

One of our UK clients in the beauty niche affiliate sales did over £50K in GMV in October.

Up 29% from September.

We doubled down this month:

• 927 videos posted.
• 539 LIVE streams.

The brands winning right now are the ones that went all in on creator volume.

If you want to see this kind of MoM growth for your brand, DM me "TikTok Shop" and I'll walk you through the exact process we used here.

I just walked a room full of brand founders through our TikTok Shop 2026 playbook.

And I could see it click for them.

The ones crushing it aren't doing anything magical.

They're just not making the same mistakes.

Like thinking TikTok Shop works like Amazon.

Well, it doesn't.

Your customer didn't know your brand existed 10 seconds ago.

That changes everything.

The brands doing $100K+ per month figured this out:

- Presence before profit.
- Speed over perfection.
- 5-10 posts per day organically, not once a week.

I recorded the full session, breaking down the 2026 playbook.

Comment "recording" and I'll send it to you.

"I'm probably getting fired for this."

This hook works insanely well for Black Friday.

People love feeling like they're in on a secret.

When a creator posts your BFCM deal early with a "leaked codes" or "you didn't see this from me" angle, it doesn't feel like marketing.

It feels exclusive, like they're getting access to something they shouldn't have yet.

How to use this:

Give your top 3-5 creators early access to your BFCM bundles.

Tell them to post it with angles like:

• "I'm not supposed to show this yet, but..."
• "Black Friday deal leaked early."
• "Delete this before my brand partner sees it."
• "You didn't get this from me."

Try these and see your Black Friday sales explode.

I used to spend 70+ hours a month building decks and proposals.

Between client meetings, audits, and speaking gigs, I was drowning in slide design.

Then I started using Gamma's consultant prompts, and it's been a game-changer.

Now I'm delivering better work in a fraction of the time.

What makes it different from other tools?

Gamma studied 3.5 million presentations and built a library of 100+ optimized prompts specifically for consultants (plus sales, marketing, education, and more).

They follow a proven 30-word formula for clarity and visual storytelling, so every deck looks polished and professional without the manual work.

Now, I'm creating presentations in under an hour that used to take me a full day.

That's 85-90% time savings.

With 70 million users and 700K decks created daily, there's a reason Gamma works.

They've cracked the code on what makes presentations actually effective.

If you're still building slides from scratch, check this out: 

https://lnkd.in/emggCMRZ

#gammapartner

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The Battle

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