The 3 Biggest Mistakes TikTok Beginners Make.
This year, another wave of newcomers has joined TikTok Shop, many of them individual players.
From my own TikTok experience, I’ve seen countless people just like them, coming in full of enthusiasm—only to end up failing.
Their failure isn’t because of a lack of funds, nor because they didn’t persist.
It’s because—they started off in the wrong direction.
They looked like they were working hard, but every step was actually taking them further away from success.
In this article, I’ll break down the three most common ways TikTok individual players “die” right at the starting line:
01 – Over-Researching Basic Operations
They spend tons of time figuring out account registration, store setup, payment collection, and other basics. The truth is, these things aren’t worth pouring so much energy into. You can just ask AI or spend a few bucks on a course and get it done.
For individual players, energy is already limited. If you try to do everything, you’ll end up doing nothing well.
That’s why you must stay focused on the core.
And if TikTok has only one true core, it’s this: learning how to create short video content.
02 – Learning “Outdated” Methods
How do many newcomers enter the TikTok game?
They get hooked by friends doing batch account setups, or by some blogger sharing a money-making trick…
All their information comes from others. They never scroll TikTok themselves or study real cases. They never verify whether what others say is even true or not.
But TikTok strategies are always time-sensitive:
—What worked two months ago may already be obsolete today.
That’s why you need to research on your own and see what strategies are actually working on the front lines right now.
03 – Building a Team Without Understanding the Business
One of the deadliest traps for many TikTok “bosses” is this:
They don’t even understand the TikTok business yet, but as soon as they have some money, they rush to hire people and build a team.
The harsh truth is—Real TikTok talent is extremely scarce. Finding someone who can immediately step in and help you make money is nearly impossible.
What’s worse?
Because TikTok business units are small, one person alone can succeed. Some so-called “talent” might use your funds to test and validate a model, then leave to do it on their own. In the end, you’re left with this: the money’s gone, the people are gone, and the business has collapsed.
So don’t blindly rely on so-called “talent.” Otherwise, failure + losing money is inevitable.
For TikTok individual players, the key to success isn’t capital. It isn’t a team.
It’s—having a clear sense of direction.
Start by focusing, running through the smallest possible business loop yourself, and building a solid foundation. Only then should you think about scaling up or building a team. That’s the safe path forward.
I hope today’s content helps those of you still finding your way on TikTok. Let’s grow together.
