27-Year-Old Woman Made $130K in 12 Hours on TikTok: Her Side Hustle Now Generates $7.8M a Year

What started as a platform for creators to connect with their audiences has grown into one of the fastest-growing trends in e-commerce. TikTok Live Shopping is revolutionising how Britons discover and buy products, with some entrepreneurs reporting six-figure sales in just one day.

One of them is Daisy Kelly, a 27-year-old entrepreneur who made $130,000 (£100,000) in a 12-hour livestream for her beauty brand. Her company now generates approximately $7.8M (around £6M) in annual revenue, underscoring how livestream commerce is emerging as one of the UK's fastest-growing retail trends.

From Side Hustle to a $7.8M Beauty Empire

Daisy Kelly never thought that her personal struggle would lead to her building a multi-million-dollar business. She spent years pulling out her eyelashes. Unable to visit beauty salons during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kelly decided to make her own eyelash growth serum instead.

She launched Glow For It on her mother's kitchen table while still a university student and has since grown it into a business generating approximately $7.8M (around £6M) in annual revenue. TikTok Shop UK accounts for more than 40% of her sales.

How a 12-Hour TikTok Live Generated $130,000

Livestreaming has since become central to Glow For It's growth strategy. The brand now hosts at least six hours of livestreams each day to showcase products, answer customer questions, and connect with shoppers in real time. Kelly credits livestreaming as a key factor in that growth. 'We actually generated over $130,000 (£100,000) revenue in one 12-hour TikTok live,' she said.

The experience, she said, was 'like having 500 people in your shop.' Her success has also earned her industry recognition, including a place on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list and the CEW Young Achiever of the Year award.

Why Live Shopping Is Taking Off

TikTok isn't alone in investing in livestream commerce. Instagram Live, YouTube Shopping, Amazon Live, and eBay Live have all expanded their live-selling offerings. More and more retailers are looking to combine entertainment with online shopping.

The shift is driven by strong customer demand. Research by retail agency Savvy Marketing found that 30% of shoppers surveyed bought something during a live event. According to Savvy Marketing CEO Catherine Shuttleworth, big retailers are grabbing hold of the opportunity. 'It's grown from nothing to a huge thing really quickly. If you haven't got a strategy for live selling, you're going to miss out,' she said.

TikTok Shop said UK sales rose by more than 30% year-on-year in June. The company said this was primarily driven by livestream shopping, which has become the platform's fastest-growing sales format. It also said that it hosts more than 6,000 livestreams every day.

Small Businesses Reap Big Rewards

The rise of livestream shopping is also helping businesses beyond the beauty sector. Halal butcher Manny Malik generated roughly $10,700 (£8,000) in just three hours on a livestream, revenue that usually takes three to four days to generate at his family-run shop, Malik Butchers. Malik said the growth has put the family business in a position to open a second shop.

Jewellery founder Buket Sevik has also seen explosive growth. After launching her brand, Adorina, earlier this year, her orders jumped from 50 a month to 500 a week once she started livestreaming. 'It's crazy,' she said, sharing that she's hiring staff. Her flexible schedule also allows her to balance work with motherhood.

The Hidden Risk of One-Tap Shopping

Livestream shopping is booming, but experts say the fear of missing out (FOMO) during live sales prompts shoppers to make snap purchases. Savvy Marketing found that 66% of Gen Y and Gen Z shoppers are highly likely to buy when they see products sell out or go viral.

Rebecca Lamb of Money Wellness said that the mix of urgency and one-tap checkout encourages overspending. 'Every time you snap up a bargain before it sells out, your brain gets a dopamine hit—the same rush you get from gambling. And because a lot offer one-tap payment, there's no card, no basket, and no total. Often you've spent money before your brain has caught up,' she said.

As the trend accelerates, livestream shopping is transforming retail, offering huge opportunities while underscoring the need for mindful spending.