Julien Nagarajan, public policy manager at TikTok (left to right), Meredith K. Lorrilliere, executive vice president of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ), Skip Chapman, owner and founder of KAFX Body, Lance Wyllie, marketing director of Grungo Law, and content creator Lilliana Kuball at the CCSNJ and TikTok panel discussion.
The Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ) and TikTok hosted a panel discussion with 80 small business owners and content creators from South Jersey on Sept. 9.
The event highlighted TikTok’s economic impact in the state and featured a panel of local small businesses and creators discussing how they use TikTok to expand their business and reach new customers. New Jersey State Assemblywoman Carol Murphy (Majority Whip and District 7 Representative) opened the event with remarks on the importance of supporting small businesses in the region. Assemblywoman Shanique Speight (Deputy Speaker and District 29 Representative) and Assemblyman Balvir Singh (District 7) were also in attendance.
“TikTok is much more than an app,” Murphy said. “It allows businesses to succeed online and bring in new customers. For small business owners, it’s a platform worth exploring to advertise and grow.”
TikTok has become a powerful economic engine across New Jersey – driving growth, creating wealth-building opportunities and strengthening community connections for the 183,000 businesses actively using TikTok in the state. According to a report from Oxford Economics, small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) in New Jersey that use TikTok contributed $810 million to the state’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product); generated approximately $200 million in federal, state and local tax revenue; and supported 140,000 jobs in the state.
For small businesses in New Jersey, the platform’s impact is particularly substantial – 88% of SMBs in New Jersey say their sales increased after promoting their products and services on TikTok, and 70% say that the app has allowed them to scale their operations, including hiring more employees, increasing sales and expanding to new locations, the report stated.
“We were so thrilled to partner with TikTok on today’s event to share the success stories of small businesses using the platform to grow their businesses exponentially and connect with customers, clients and followers,” said Meredith K. Lorrilliere, executive vice president of the CCSNJ. “We had more than 80 of our small business members in attendance who were eager to learn how fellow small business owners and entrepreneurs are navigating the social media platform that has taken the world by storm.
“TikTok presents a unique and cost-effective way for any business to instantly increase their visibility, but especially small businesses that have limited time and resources.”
The panel included three small business owners who shared their experience on the platform and success stories. Skip Chapman is the owner and founder of KAFX Body, a coffee-infused natural deodorant business based in Manasquan, Monmouth County. Chapman, a father of three triplet teenage boys, was shocked to see the amount of chemicals on the label of his son’s deodorant. That inspired him to create a recipe for a natural deodorant that includes coffee infused oil, and the rest is history. KAFX Body went viral on TikTok after posting one video and has now built a family business that has generated over $500,000 in lifetime sales.
Opening remarks from New Jersey State Assemblywoman Carol Murphy.
“This all happening was gratuitous; it was something I always wanted to happen, but I didn’t make this happen, it was really an accident by just trying to solve a problem,” Chapman acknowledged. “I think so many people go into – maybe a platform like this or they’re just trying to develop their businesses – and they go, ‘Well, how do I get traction?’ And the biggest thing I found is all I did was try and solve a problem. I was passionate about what I made, I was passionate about the solution, and I believed in what I did.
“Be authentic, be real, have passion, know what you’re talking about and then just talk about it … None of this works if you don’t just get in front of the camera and start doing it. You have to start there. Once you do that, you start to develop that as a skill set.”
Lilliana Kuball is a content creator who spotlights South Jersey’s vibrant restaurant scene – from hidden gems to hometown favorites – helping local businesses gain visibility and grow. Passionate about supporting her community, Kuball has collaborated with and brought in businesses like hers to share their stories and showcase the best places to eat in the region.
“My TikTok videos started gaining traction after about six months of consistent posting,” Kuball said. “People go to restaurants after watching my videos and order the same dishes I’ve tried – that brings real business to small restaurant owners in South New Jersey.”
Lance Wyllie, marketing director of Grungo Law, rounded out the event’s panelists. TikTok gives businesses a valuable platform to meet people where they are, he said. The law firm’s engaging video content has gained significant traction among South Jersey businesses, earning tens of thousands of views and establishing a fresh, relatable presence in the legal space.
“The world is a beautiful place and the community that we live in … What a better way to connect with people,” Wyllie said of using TikTok. “It’s mind-blowing sometimes. Engagement is high, our brand recognition has grown and we’re able to quickly get in front of people who are genuinely interested.
“It’s exciting to see our content consistently reach hundreds of thousands of viewers. TikTok allows us to showcase expertise, connect authentically, and grow in ways that wouldn’t be possible elsewhere.”
