Walter has already hit millionaire-status at 21 years old, just two years after he started selling lifestyle products on TikTok Shop, and six years after he posted his first video on the platform. What started out as a creative outlet for a 15-year-old later transformed into a lucrative success story; the massively popular short-form video app, used by 150 million Americans, is as much a hotbed for economic opportunity as it is an entertainment platform. And with just a camera phone and decent internet connection, it’s easier than ever to get in on the creator boom.

“The second the pandemic hit, I downloaded TikTok, because I needed something to do to feel creative,” Walter tells Fortune. “I began posting videos trying to bring some light to the world. Honestly, I tried doing comedy dances. It was really for fun. I never realized what I started building at just 15 years old.”

Walter’s passion project snowballed into a full-blown career in February 2024, when he recognized the opportunity of selling on TikTok Shop: the app’s e-commerce marketplace, where users can buy products featured in videos. Now, he’s outpacing his peers’ salaries by selling beauty products on the platform. The Gen Z influencer takes home tens of thousands monthly by selling products from Medicube and Neutrogena to his 250,000 followers and counting. And he’s raked in well over a million dollars over the last two years through product reviews, advertisements, and brand partnerships. 

Quitting college and tapping into the million-dollar potential of TikTok shop selling

It didn’t take long into posting for Walter to realize that making TikTok Shop content was a fast track to pursuing his true passion: entrepreneurship.

The Washington-D.C.-based creator already had around 100,000 TikTok followers when he first started selling on the platform’s shopping feature. He was a freshman in college at the time, less than a year into pursuing his bachelor’s degree in-person, when he began selling beauty and lifestyle products. And the Gen Zer quickly rose to social media fame for his skin-care content—his videos selling Dr. Melaxin products racked up tens of millions of views, and he became one of the brand’s top sellers. Finding his niche as one of TikTok Shop’s top male beauty and self-care affiliates in a female-dominated space paved his path to success in the crowded influencer economy.

“I went on this whole acne journey for years…So I had always been trying skincare products,” the 21-year-old says. “A lot of people say I almost brought YouTube vibes to TikTok. I put [in] background music and sound effects—but I kept it authentic. A lot of people sound salesy, but what I realized was you have to be authentic and communicate something that maybe you’re struggling with, and tie it into a product.”

During his first month selling on TikTok Shop in 2024, Walter made $3,000; by the time summer rolled around, a video of him advertising a tank top went viral, attracting million of views. It didn’t take long before the entrepreneur started to rake in more than $20,000 a month, all while juggling life as a full-time college student. 

“I was barely getting any sleep,” Walter recalls. “I would wake up, do my classes for the day and try to get the work done, and then shift to the businessy side of the day…And I was like, ‘Why am I doing this? I should keep building my business.’”

In February 2024, he dropped out of his in-person college track and switched to online classes at a local university to free up more time, building his business from his childhood bedroom. But the pull to entrepreneurship—alongside his eye-watering income—was more than compelling enough for him to jump ship. Walter ultimately quit his virtual studies in May 2025 after completing his sophomore year, right as his business was booming. The TikTok creator was landing retainer deals, working with big brands, and signing onto monthly video packages. His commission nearly tripled.

The Gen Zer has since amassed an impressive client portfolio, including major brands like Pacsun, Gap, Under Armor, Steve Madden, and Cerave. He boasts a five-figure monthly income from the app’s shopping feature and partnerships with American and Korean companies, running his entire business by himself. And at this year’s first Goli Gala, a black-tie TikTok Shop Awards event hosted by the platform Goli Nutrition, he was nominated for the best skit creator. 

Walter’s advice for other aspiring influencers 

Despite eyebrow-raising from older generations, young digital natives have proved that social media can be a ticket to financial success. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok kick-started the careers of million-dollar successes Jimmy Donaldson (“MrBeast”), Addison Rae, Charli D’Amelio, and Alex Warren. 

And the next generation of workers is watching their successes with eager enthusiasm. More than 30% of Gen Alpha kids aged 12 to 15 said they want a YouTube career, and 21% reported they aspired to become TikTok creators, according to a 2025 report from Whop. Lucky for them and all other aspiring influencers, Walter says the industry’s barrier to entry is quite low: all one needs is a camera phone and an “authentic personality.” Creators can step up their game with a ring light or tripod, but no equipment is needed to get a personal brand off the ground. However, the self-care influencer warns prospective creators to mitigate their expectations of swift success. 

“It’s tricky, because I think a lot of people don’t necessarily see these results that a lot of people have shared,” the creator says, explaining that people might get easily discouraged by low views, and fall behind on posting. “But you just have to keep showing up…It’s a 24/7 type of gig, but not everyone’s always running on 100% every day. Even on those more difficult days, you still have to show up for yourself.”

Walter recommends that budding creators parse through their analytics when a video blows up—and warns not to pop the champagne too fast. If viewers click off the video quickly, maybe their strategy needs to change; Walter recommends opening with a triple hook to create a “curiosity loop” and reel people in. But most of all, he advises others aspiring for his success to keep it real. The Gen Z influencer believes the next big shift in social media will be away from the “flashy influencer era” as people crave authenticity—and it could give them a leg up. 

“People have to find [their] competitive edge,” Walter says. “People have certain things that they’re passionate about or interested in, and it’s easier to share these products or things that you find that fulfill you.”