Serial Entrepreneur (2 exits) & Growth Advisor • Founded AllPaws (Sold to PetSmart) • Co-Founded Saturday App & Snap Interactive (100m users & $100m revenue)

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟬𝟬𝗠 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 & $𝟭𝟬𝟬𝗠 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 • 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝘄/ 𝟮 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘀 • 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Serial tech entrepreneur, business operator, and strategic advisor with deep experience starting and growing consumer-digital businesses. 

As a growth and product-driven startup founder, I have a proven track record of building and growing innovative products used by millions. I have achieved successful exits while overseeing multiple C-Level executive roles for publicly traded, growth stage, and venture-backed startups. I have a bias for action and a passion for solving big problems. Proven ability to innovate and deliver rapid revenue and user growth. 

At the intersection of my passion for pets and online dating expertise, I co-founded AllPaws. This innovative, online dating-style pet adoption platform quickly gained millions of users and was acquired by the pet industry leader, PetSmart. 

Before that, as co-founder I helped build and lead publicly traded SNAP Interactive from inception to rank as the 36th fastest growing technology company in North America with 4,400% revenue growth over 5 years, $20 million+ in annual revenue, and over 100 million users of our online dating apps and social products. 

Today, I advise businesses and startups on optimizing their digital and product growth strategies. Additionally, I coach entrepreneurs and business leaders on building high-income personal brands, and advise top influencers, models, and creators on growing and monetizing their audiences.

I continue to work on new projects, explore new opportunities, and advise. 

Been featured in ABC News, Bloomberg, Good Morning America, TechCrunch, Fox 5 News,  Huffington Post, Mashable, Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, and many other top tier publications. 

SPECIALTIES: Growth, Optimization, Digital Strategy, Product Strategy, Personal Branding 

Start-ups | Digital Strategy | General Management | Product Strategy and Development |  Rapid Revenue Growth | Strategic Vision | User Growth & User Acquisition | Marketplaces | Business Strategy | Business Operator | Problem-Solving | Business Operations (CEO, COO, GM) | Product Management | Conversion Optimization | A/B Testing | Web and Mobile Analytics | Mobile Applications | Mobile Growth | iTunes App Store Optimization | e-Commerce | Social Media Marketing & Strategy | M&A Process | Pet Industry | Online Dating Apps

Darrell Lerner

The key to growing a startup in 3 steps.

Test → Learn → Iterate

Then double down on what’s working.

Tight feedback cycles let you gather data and make progress as quickly as possible.

(Quick clip from a podcast I did with Adam Metwally on growth + why virality is harder than people think.)

But here’s the part nobody really wants to admit:

You can’t really “engineer” virality.

Everyone thinks they know what will go viral…

until they post something they’re sure will rip, and it flops.

Then they post something random…

and it takes off...

That’s why “going viral” isn’t a strategy.

The right systems are.

You can’t force outcomes.

But you can run enough reps to find them.

That’s how you win in growth when there’s no formula.

The winners don’t predict virality. They build systems that find it.

What’s the most surprising post you’ve ever had take off?

--

If you found this post helpful:

♻️ Repost to share it with your audience

🔔 Follow me Darrell Lerner for more on entrepreneurship, startups, personal branding, and mindset.

2x Exited Founder & Growth Advisor • Built AllPaws (Acquired by PetSmart) • Co-Founded SNAP Interactive (100m users & $100m revenue)

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. Watch my FREE TikTok Shop Playbook (DM me "Playbook").

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.

One page TikTok Shop strategy for 2026.

We've used these exact steps to help brands scale from $0 to millions in GMV on TikTok Shop:

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

I'm 35.

I run one of the best TikTok Shop agencies out there.

We've generated $80,000,000 in sales for our clients.

Ask me anything about TikTok Shop strategy and eCommerce for the next 24 hours:

I'm excited to announce that I'll be taking the stage at Affiliate World Conferences in Dubai, UAE.

Dates: March 4-5, 2026

My session:

 - How to build a TikTok Shop channel that can realistically reach $1M per month
- ⁠The exact growth phases from first sale to scale, and what changes at each stage
- ⁠How to structure unit economics so growth compounds instead of burning cash
- ⁠How to build a creator engine that produces predictable content and GMV

Why Affiliate World Global is a MUST-ATTEND:

- The #1 Performance Marketing Conference
- 7,000+ attendees from 110+ countries
- 35+ expert speakers (I'll be one of them)
- 300+ exhibitors with the latest tools and tech
- Endless networking, learning, and connecting with top marketers in the game

If you're serious about scaling on TikTok Shop and want to stay ahead of where the platform's headed…

You should be in the room.

If you're going, let me know so we can connect.

See you in Dubai! 🇦🇪

TikTok Shop isn't rocket science.

Most brands just skip the fundamentals.

If you're not selling → test more creators.
If creators are converting → scale what works.
If you're scaling → maintain velocity.

The brands winning on TikTok Shop are just executing the basics consistently.

One page TikTok Shop content strategy for 2026.

The exact content framework we use to generate $80M+ in sales:

Our new client launched 30 days ago on TikTok Shop.

224 samples shipped.
309 videos created.
$93.42 GMV per video.

That's 1.3 pieces of content per sample.

Most brands are lucky to hit 0.3.

The brands winning right now understand TikTok Shop isn't one-size-fits-all.

I speak to 20 brands per week about TikTok Shop.

Maybe 2 are actually ready.

Most brands think TikTok Shop is their lifeline, but the truth is, it’s not.

TikTok Shop in 2026 is a performance channel. 

Not an experiment or a shortcut.

If you're launching because your competitor is, you're already set up to fail.

If TikTok Shop needs to work for you in order for you to survive, it won't work.

I recorded a short video on the exact decision framework we use before launching any brand.

Comment “framework” and I’ll send it over.

I speak to 15–20 brands every week about TikTok Shop.

And almost every call sounds the same:

“How much do we actually need to invest?”
“When does this become profitable?”
“Can we show this to finance or the board?”
“What happens if we need to break even by month 6?”

Most brands are flying blind.

They either:

- Send samples with no model
- Spend on ads with no end point
- Or kill the channel too early because it “didn’t work”

So I built the tool I wish every brand had before they launched.

A TikTok Shop Forecast that shows, in black and white:

- Your true cost to run the channel
- When you hit break-even
- How long does profitability realistically takes
- What “conservative vs aggressive” actually means
- What TikTok Shop looks like as a business unit, not a gamble

You plug in:

-COGS
- AOV
- Samples (Recommended)
- Commission for creators

And it outputs:

- 3 and 6-month forecasts
- Weekly and monthly P&L
- GMV growth curves
- Contribution
- Break-even timelines
- Total cash required
- Even halo impact on DTC and Amazon

It’s the same logic we use on every audit and strategy call.

The difference is now you can:

- Run this before you launch
- Share it with your CFO
- Pressure test assumptions
- Decide if TikTok Shop actually makes sense for your business

Some brands need profitability early.
Some are happy to break even.
Some will invest knowing the halo effect is worth it.

This lets you make that call with data, not vibes.

I’m giving it away for free.

If you want access, comment "Forecast" and I’ll send it over.

People ask me what a typical day looks like managing 8-figure TikTok Shop brands.

There is no typical day.

You wake up expecting one thing.

TikTok throws something else at you.

Most people think this job is about posting content, but it's mainly about making sure creators, ads, shop ops, and the client are all rowing in the same direction.

I spend my days making decisions that affect GMV, like:

- Should we pause this creator?
- Do we double down on this product?
- Is this trend worth testing?

Every decision compounds.

And on TikTok Shop, good or bad decisions compound faster than on any other platform.

I said it before. I'll say it again.

1 creator posting 10 times > 10 creators posting once.

- Builds momentum
- Gives the algorithm data
- Drives actual GMV

Not to mention all the secondary impacts

- Creator gets comfortable with your product
- They refine their messaging with each post
- You only manage one relationship instead of ten

And the cheeky fact that most brands burn through samples, hoping something sticks instead of betting on proven performers.

“Can I actually be profitable with TikTok Shop?”

I get this asked all the time by brands.

Most brands think TikTok Shop is plug-and-play.

Just find creators, send samples, watch the sales roll in.

That's not how this works.

I walked a brand through this  P&L scenario last week.

$36 AOV.
26% commission.
20% discount on top.
Unoptimized fulfillment.

Profit per order was $2.80.

At 500 orders, it’s OK

So I showed them what happens at 5,000 orders.

The math breaks.

If your economics work at a small scale, it might not work at a real scale.

The brands doing 8 figures built their P&L first.

They launch agressive commission at 20-30% for 60-90 days to find winners.

Then tiered down to 12-20% based on performance.

They optimized fulfillment before adding volume.

They tracked sample CAC like any paid channel.

They avoided discounts unless margins allowed it.

Because when you stack 30% commission + 20% discount, you're giving away half the pie.

That's not sustainable.

I just recorded a video on the full profitability framework we use before launching any brand.

Comment "profit" and I'll send it over.

Most brands on TikTok Shop are fighting for scraps on the FYP.

Meanwhile, TikTok Search is sitting there with 3x higher conversion rates.

And almost nobody is using it.

Most brands ignore it because they're too busy chasing viral moments while their competitors steal customers searching for their exact product.

Here's the framework we use to dominate search traffic for our clients:

---

Step 1: Find what people are actually searching for

- Open TikTok search.
- Type your product category (e.g., "collagen powder").
- Screenshot the top 5-7 auto-complete suggestions.
- These are real search queries with real intent.

---

Step 2: Create videos that match the search term

Most brands make one generic product video.

That approach limits their growth.

Instead, you need separate videos for each search variation.

Someone searching "collagen for skin" has a different intent than someone searching "best collagen powder."

Make content for both.

---

Step 3: Match everything to the search term

- Your hook must include the exact search phrase.
- Your text overlay must include the exact search phrase.
- Your file name should match the search phrase.
- TikTok's algorithm reads all of this.
- Treat it like SEO because that's exactly what it is.

---

We've seen brands go from random viral spikes to predictable daily sales just by owning 5-10 search terms in their category.

If you're still ignoring TikTok Search, you're leaving money on the table.

---

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

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

Most brands think TikTok Shop is a marketing channel.

It's not. It's a commerce ecosystem.

And the algorithm doesn't reward the biggest brands.

It rewards the best sellers.

I've watched brands with 50+ years in retail come to TikTok Shop expecting their name to mean something.

Well, unfortunately, it doesn't.

Your logo doesn't carry weight here.
Your brand heritage doesn't translate.
Your retailer relationships don't matter.

Product velocity means everything.

This is the shift most brands can't wrap their heads around.

They come in expecting their brand equity to carry them.

Then they watch a no-name product with strong creator content outsell them 10:1.

Because TikTok Shop doesn't care about your brand.

It cares about:

- How fast you're converting
- How much commission you're offering
- How well your product performs in content

The platform is built to move products.

Not build brand awareness.

Drink Nello did $28M on TikTok Shop since launching.

$13.55M of that came from affiliates alone.

Here's the exact playbook they've used:

---

1) The Problem-Solution Framework

Nello sells a "Super Calm" drink mix in the crowded wellness supplement space.

They stopped selling features and started solving a real problem. Every video follows the same pattern:

Problem: "I can't sleep because my mind won't shut off"

Solution: "I started using this and actually slept through the night"

---

2) The UGC Shift

Their polished studio ads completely flopped.

So they switched to raw iPhone footage:

- Real customers mixing powder in their kitchen.
- Talking about their actual stress levels.
- Showing genuine before and after results.

One creator posted about better sleep, and it went viral.

Instead of moving on, Nello amplified that exact video with GMV Max ads, extended its reach and turned one viral hit into sustained revenue.

In the 1st half of 2025, they ran only 5 ads, but generated over 787,000 orders.

---

3) The Affiliate Play

Nello generated $4.38M in TikTok Shop sales in March 2025 alone.

This is what they have done:

- Multiple product listings with tiered pricing (following proven TikTok Shop tactics).
- Higher-than-average pricing ($35+ per unit vs category norms).
- Heavy reliance on TikTok Shop affiliates with competitive commission rates.
- Focus on creator-led sales through product tags and authentic recommendations.

---

4) Live Commerce Execution

BOGO offers during TikTok Shop livestreams created instant urgency:

- "Buy 1, Get 1 Free" drove volume during live sessions.
- Acquired customers at break-even on first purchase.
- Real profit came from reorders (consumable product = high LTV).

---

Stop making ads that look like ads.

Show real people getting real results.

Offer affiliates a commission that actually motivates them to promote you.

Use live commerce to acquire customers at break-even, then win on lifetime value.

Nello proved you don't need the biggest budget.

You need the right system.

---

♻️ Repost with your network if you found this helpful.

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

“Is the TikTok Shop halo effect actually real?”

For the longest time, “halo” has been a buzzword.

Everyone talks about it.
Very few can prove it.

More sales on Shopify.
Lift on Amazon.
Brand search going up.
But no clean way to see it.

That just changed.

TikTok Shop rolled out Off-Site Performance Analysis.

It now shows you:

GMV generated on Shopify
From users who viewed or clicked TikTok Shop content
Outside the app
Tied directly back to TikTok activity

In one account I looked at:

$12k TikTok Shop GMV
$1.4k off-site GMV
In the same 7-day window

That is an extra 11% revenue that never shows up in your TikTok P&L.

Over a month?
That is real money.

Over a quarter?
That is the difference between “this channel loses money” and “this channel compounds the business.”

This matters because:

Most brands judge TikTok Shop in isolation.

They see:

High commission
Discounts
Fulfilment drag
Tight per-order margin

And conclude:
“This doesn’t work for us.”

But TikTok Shop is not Meta.
It is not Google.
It is not a single-touch channel.

It is earned media at scale.

If you only measure in-app GMV, you are undercounting the return.

Now you can finally see:

What TikTok content does off-platform
How awareness turns into DTC revenue
Why the best operators treat TikTok Shop as a growth engine, not a margin line

This is the first real step toward making “halo” measurable.

And once finance can see it,
The whole conversation changes.

Comment HALO and I’ll send you the breakdown.

"I don't know how to create content that sells on TikTok Shop."

Here’s how to generate unlimited ideas:

---

1. Study what's converting (not what's viral)
   
- Pull your GMV per view data.
- Analyze which creator angles drove sales.
- Check FastMoss for trending products in your category.

The data tells you what works.

2. Pick your hook type

- "How I [result] using [product]"
- "What [expert] uses for [problem]"
- "This [product] changed how I [outcome]"
- "I tested [X products], here's the winner"

Hook in the first 3 seconds, or you've already lost.

3. Show the transformation
   
- Demonstrate it working in real time.
- Before/after when possible.

Focus on the outcome, not features.

4. Handle objections before they come up
   
- Price: "Cheaper than [alternative]"
- Quality: "I've used this for [X time]"
- Effectiveness: "Here's proof it works"

5. Test multiple creators on the same product
   
- Don't rely on one creator to hit.
- Test 5-10 creators per product.
- Different angles from different creators.

6. Optimize your shop before pushing content
   
- 15-30% commission to motivate affiliates.
- Product title optimized for search.
- Reviews are loaded before you push.

7. Clear CTA to TikTok Shop
   
- "Link in my bio to grab it on TikTok Shop"

Make it obvious where to buy.

8. Test fast, scale what works
   
- Give each angle 48-72 hours.
- Double down on what converts.
- Stop what doesn't.

9. Brief creators with data
   
- "This angle drove $15K last week"
- "Focus on [benefit], that's what converts"

Show them what's working, not what you want.

10. Track GMV per view, not total views
   
A 50K-view video that does $15K beats a 3M-view video that does $2K.

Focus on what makes sales, not what goes viral.

---

Most people are still creating content for likes.

The brands making money are creating content for conversions.

Check out the infographic below for the full breakdown.

Most brands treat TikTok Shop like a guessing game.

Send samples. Hope something goes viral. Repeat.

But there's a system to this.

And once you understand it, everything changes.

Here's the loop that's generated $80M+ for our clients:

---

1) SEND SAMPLES

Only to creators who actually engage their audience.

Top creators juggle 10, 20, 30 brands.

They're booked weeks out. If you're reaching out a couple weeks before a big sale, you're too late.

We start prepping creator pipelines 60-90 days ahead.

Send 200-500 samples.

Build relationships early and stop obsessing over whether creators match your brand aesthetic. Focus on those who actually move their audience to action.

2) CREATORS POST

One post from a creator rarely breaks through.

Instead, give them multiple attempts, and they're dialing in the message. Getting more comfortable. Figuring out what resonates.

The most successful affiliates post about the same product 5-10 times because they know it only takes one video to go viral.

This is exactly why paying one creator for 10 posts outperforms sending 10 samples to random people, hoping something sticks.

3) TRACK GMV

I've watched brands get 1M+ views and make nothing. And others pull serious revenue from 50K-view videos.

A video with 30K views that drives $15K in sales destroys a 3M-view video that only generates $2K.

Stop thinking like you're running a social media page.

Start thinking like you're running performance marketing that happens to use social content.

4) ALGORITHM REWARDS SALES

This is where it gets interesting.

More conversions = more reach = more sales.

The more you sell, the more the platform pushes your content to new audiences.

When you win on TikTok Shop, you'll see lifts across Amazon, retail, and your DTC site too. Plus, all that creator content you have, use it in your ads.

5) SCALE WINNERS

When you've found a format that's working, brief more creators to run with it.

Top affiliates aren't reinventing anything. They see what's going viral in their category and put their own spin on it.

Tools like FastMoss show you what's converting right now. Take that format, apply it to your product, and brief your creators to run with it.

---

The loop repeats, and it compounds.

This isn't about going viral.

It's about building momentum that the platform rewards.

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

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

The skill that changed everything for me had nothing to do with TikTok or business.

It was letting go.

I had to stop being the operator for every client.

And start being the operator for the business.

For the first year, I was in every account, call, and brief.

I thought that's what made us good.

Turns out, I was the bottleneck.

Every decision waited on me.
Every client needed my approval.
Every win required my direct involvement.

The minute I forced myself out of daily delivery, Social Tale scaled.

The thing is, people see my content and buy into me as the brand.

And then they expect me to run their account personally.

I get it.

But it's impossible to give 100% across 20+ brands while running the agency.

If I'm still the single point of value three years in, I haven't built a business.

I've built a job.

The hardest part of scaling was learning to trust people to deliver at my level.

As a business owner, have you experienced something similar?

Paid media experts used to be able to explain not just which ads won, but why they won.

And more importantly, how to repeat that success.

That used to be the job.

But the role has changed.

Today, we aren’t just thinking in ROAS anymore.

We’re thinking in attribution, cross-channel impact, and downstream effects.

We don’t mass-produce 10–20 hooks hoping one sticks.
We think in entities, angles, and patterns that compound.

We don’t look at creative KPIs in isolation.
We look at full-funnel performance.

In short, we were pushed to become performance marketers.

And that shift broke a lot of people.

Too many dashboards.
Too many signals.
Too little time to connect the dots.

That’s where most creative testing breaks.

And that’s exactly the gap GoMarble’s AI Agents are built to solve.

This isn’t another chatbot.

The Agents Lead Magnet gives access to 20+ specialized agents that compress hours of analysis into minutes, so you can focus on what actually matters: shaping ideas, guiding testing, and orchestrating the creative flywheel.

Some of the agents inside:

• Meta Ads Performance Audit Agent
• Ad Performance Drop Analysis Agent
• Daily Performance Report Agent
• Creative Performance Audit Agent
• Hook & Angle Testing Agent
• Creative Fatigue Detection Agent
• Client Reporting Agent
• Campaign Health Scorecard Agent
• Competitive Intelligence Agent

This is the missing layer between data and decision-making.

You still decide what to test.

The agents help you understand why something worked, what is breaking, and where to focus next.

Comment ‘'MARBLE’’ and I'll send the agents over!

Not getting enough TikTok Shop sales?

This content formula has worked 100% of the time for our 7 and 8-figure brands.

Here's the formula:

—

Hook + Benefit + Demo

Every single video that's driven serious GMV for our clients follows this exact structure.

Here's what it looks like:

Hook (first 3 seconds):
Stop the scroll. Make them curious.
"I tried this $30 product and threw away my $200 one"

Benefit (next 7 seconds):
What does it actually do for them?
"It removed years of buildup my expensive one couldn't touch"

Demo (remaining time):
Show it working. Prove the claim.
Film the before/after. Show the transformation.

—

The Psychology

Hook (Curiosity) - You've got 3 seconds to stop someone from scrolling. If you don't grab them immediately, nothing else matters.

Benefit (Desire) - People don't buy products. They buy outcomes. Tell them exactly what problem this solves.

Demo (Proof) - Saying something works means nothing. Showing it working means everything. The algorithm rewards videos that hold attention, and demos do that better than anything else.

This works because it's focused on conversion.

The brands crushing TikTok Shop aren't the ones with the best production value.

They're the ones who understand that social commerce isn't social media.

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The Battle

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