Entertainment
How To Be A Creator On TikTok – with Lil Cully
Published
4 years agoon
Everyone and their mother is scrambling to find out how to be a creator on TikTok. Since its launch in 2016, TikTok has exploded to become the hottest social media platform. Five years later, there were 800 million active users on the platform.
One of those users is a rising TikTok celebrity in his own right. Cullan Andrews, aka Lil Cully, jumped on TikTok in January 2020 to see what was up. Since then, he has blown up in his native South Africa as a TikTok comedian and has eyes on America.
If you want to learn how to be a creator on TikTok, you may want to hear his advice.
Consistently Post High-Quality Content
Just like any social media platform, posting high-quality content consistently is critical to building a follower base. Ideally, you’d want to post at least once a day every day. This continuity will catch more eyes and thus more followers.
But you can’t just post for giggles. It needs to be quality content otherwise you’re going to be dismissed. You have to develop a creative process. Whatever that may be is up to you. Lil Cully has his own creative process. Yes, there are wardrobe changes and props involved.
Lil Cully isn’t kidding around. Professionally speaking.
“I think of the script in my head. Example, POV – driving in South Africa, pick up a pamphlet on the side of the road.
“The script comes to me as I’m recording. As I’m going, ‘oof-that sounds better,’ or ‘oof-I’ll say it this way.’ I usually nail it on the first or second try.
“Because I don’t have a script, I like to record off TikTok.”
“The thing is that people who are watching a TikTok – their attention spans are short. You have to catch their attention in three seconds or they scroll. They’re gone.”
Find Your Niche
Beyond regularly creating content, you need to identify and embrace your niche. Your niche could be fashion, dance, comedy, cooking, or any number of things. People scrolling through TikTok want to find things they identify with or that entertain them.
Like many have said in the past about entertaining: give ‘em what they want.
Lil Cully found his niche fairly quickly:
“There was a lot of trial and error. I had three choices – dance, transitions, and comedy. Eventually, I just did comedy and it blew me up. Because I had the following, my other choices got more views.”
“When I started going out – after blowing up – going out was different. People started approaching me. More and more people- shopping centers, petrol stations, random places. They were always between the ages 16-24. Okay, that’s my audience.”
Embrace Who You Are
Nobody likes a phony. People gravitate towards people who are unapologetically themselves and stand out from the crowd. Take a piece of you that you like and show it off proudly. If you’re funny, tell jokes. Can you cook a world-class meal? Show the world. If you know how to dress well, get into fashion.
The more you stand out, the better.
“I do think being gay gives me an advantage on TikTok. Straight TikTok is all the trends, basic dances, eating stuff. Gay TikTok is more fun, funny people, people who use humor to cope with problems. Being gay, especially in South Africa, is niche.”
Spot the Trends and Join In
Now, to directly contradict the above advice, it’s important that you keep your ear to the ground about what’s trending. This is an opportunity to join in on the fun and expand your audience. People scrolling TikTok typically find trends on the Discover page. The more likelihood you can join that page, the better for your brand.
Lil Cully, however, has his own method:
“I do not pay attention [the Discover page] hashtags. I use my own hashtags, my own unique hashtags. When I scroll through, and I hear a sound a lot, I’ll check when it started and how many views it has, ‘oh this has potential, it’s actually a thing.’ That’s the trend I’ll do.”
“[Discover] is where all the 12-year-olds do it. That’s where the basic stuff is.”
“Trends, for me, I’ll follow if they’re on my For You page, not from Discover.”
Lil Cully essentially takes a current trend, flips it on its head, and makes it his own. That is a clever way to stay current with the masses by staying true to yourself and your brand.
Accept That You Won’t Always Have a Hit
Sometimes you’re going to produce a dud. That’s okay. Everyone in the creative field does it once in a while. As long as you accept that reality, you’ll be okay.
“As a creator and an artist, I need constructive criticism because that’s how you listen to the people.
“The more effort I put, the better it will be.”
Network and Collaborate with TikTokers
As with any industry, you need to make friends. Follow and engage with other TikTokers, develop a relationship and find a way to collaborate. Teamwork makes the dream work, amirite?
“Because I’ve made it to the South African For You page, a lot of verified creators follow me. I’ve done campaigns with them, video shoots, stuff like that. If you’re in touch with verified people then you collab with them and people see you like them.
“Like when Billie Eilish met Justin Bieber.”
When you reach a certain point, brands will start to reach out to you.
“You can’t say yes to every brand. Some of them want to give you free stuff to promote. Some of them actually want to pay you for your video. Those are who you want to go for. Because they will pay your rent.”
Final Words of Advice
Lil Cully may be new to taking content creation seriously, but he’s learned a lot of valuable lessons in the short time he’s risen to TikTok stardom.
“Have thick skin. Be authentic. Have patience.
“You will get hate. Even if it’s your first video. People will say whatever they want from behind a keyboard.”
“Always be yourself. People like the energy you give off when you’re being yourself.”
“There are thousands of us that want to be content creators. [We want] to make it so we don’t have a boss and make money doing what we love. You’re not going to be there with the millions yet. It takes time.
“Just chill, enjoy where you’re at.”
It’ll take time for you to learn how to be a creator on TikTok. Anything worth pursuing takes time. You’ll never know if you don’t try.
Be sure to check out Lil Cully on TikTok. He’s also on Instagram but he believes that his insta-game is “weak.” His words.
Chris Blondell is a Philadelphia-based writer and social media strategist with a current focus on tech industry news. He has written about startups and entrepreneurs based in Denver, Seattle, Chicago, New Haven, and more. He has also written content for a true-crime blog, Sword and Scale, and developed social media content for a local spice shop. An occasional comedian, Chris Blondell also spends his time writing humorous content and performing stand-up for local audiences.

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Entertainment
History of the NBA: The Success Behind the Big League
Published
1 week agoon
July 10, 2025A household name known across the globe, the NBA (National Basketball Association) needs no introduction. Everyone is familiar with the logo, the commercials, the players, and the teams. This is all thanks to its establishment in 1946, which has grown into a lucrative and prosperous business, loved by many basketball fanatics. But how exactly did the NBA achieve this global success? Find out here.
History of the NBA: How it Started
Deemed the most significant professional sports league in the U.S. and Canada, the NBA is a favorite basketball league among most men worldwide. It’s a professional basketball league in North America, with 29 teams in the United States and one team in Canada. Overall, the NBA has 30 of the best basketball teams with the best talent in the world.
The NBA was founded on June 6, 1946, in New York City, with Maurice Podoloff as its first president and commissioner. Its original name was the BAA, which stands for Basketball Association of America. It then merged with its competitor, which is another basketball league called the National Basketball League (NBL). And this is when the league changed its name to the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The NBA’s basketball season runs from October to April, with the playoffs extending into June. Each of the 30 teams plays 82 regular-season games, and the league now includes a midseason tournament called the NBA Cup, held in November and December, which adds competitive flair to the early calendar.
As of 2025, NBA players remain among the highest-paid athletes in the world based on average annual salary. For example, Stephen Curry leads the league with a salary of $59.6 million, followed closely by stars such as Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokić, and Kevin Durant, all of whom earn over $50 million per season. The league’s growing media deals and global reach continue to drive player earnings upward.
These are the NBA teams of the 2024–25 Season:
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- Brooklyn Nets
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Detroit Pistons
- Golden State Warriors
- Houston Rockets
- Indiana Pacers
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Miami Heat
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Pelicans
- New York Knicks
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Phoenix Suns
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Toronto Raptors
- Utah Jazz
- Washington Wizards
The Reason for the NBA’s Success
The NBA is the most successful sports league globally, amassing billions in revenue. And this is due to how innovative this professional basketball league is. For decades, it had to catch up to its competing sports leagues, such as football and baseball.
Moreover, the NBA is also the first league to transform its all-star game into a three-day weekend packed with fun events with impressive turnouts. The NBA is also responsible for turning NBA players into global stars due to worldwide broadcasting. The NBA dominated the other top sports league in America, Major League Baseball.
Since it’s not a public company, the league doesn’t disclose detailed public financial reports. But one Forbes report that shows valuations of all 30 NBA teams, the league’s revenue in the 2018 to 2019 season reached around $8.6 billion.
Each one of the teams is valued at $1 billion, and one team, on average, is worth $2.2 billion. This is about 14 percent higher than the 2017 to 2018 season.
It’s no surprise that NBA players are the best-paid athletes in the world. Plus, it certainly also doesn’t shock everyone why the NBA’s revenue could reach up to billions. And that’s because the league amasses its revenue from several streams.
Revenue from TV
While many would like to see the action live on a court, many people also prefer to watch games on TV. And this is why the NBA’s television revenue is a major part of its success. The league has garnered several television contracts that continue to increase over the years.
During the 2016 to 2017 season, ESPN and TNT had to re-up their contracts to approximately $24 billion. It was a nine-year deal that earned the NBA around $2.6 billion per year.
The NBA also had to ramp up TV advertisements, which is also one of the reasons why the league gained popularity over time.
Revenue from merch
Another significant contributor to NBA’s revenue is merchandise, which accounts for around $1 billion annually. During the 2017 to 2018 season, the teams wore advertisements on their jerseys for the first time in the history of NBA. This is called the Jersey Patch revenue, which lets teams take home $9.3 million annually.
Another revenue from merch is sponsorships. The NBA also gets sponsorship from major brands like Nike and Adidas, with contracts amounting to billions.
Revenue from tickets
The ticket sales aren’t the NBA’s primary source of revenue. However, it still stacks up to incredible sales every season. For instance, tickets are sold at around $70 each. Multiply that by 15,000 to 20,000 attendees. You do the math.
Worst draft in the history of NBA
According to experts, the worst draft in the history of the NBA was the 2000 NBA draft on June 28, 2000. It was the only draft in which a college senior was considered the top overall selection.
The only top pic was Kenyon Martin, first-rounder Jamaal Magloire, and second-rounder Michael Redd.
Most high-performing teams
The top NBA players have been gaining stardom globally, with fanatics giving their full support in every game. These NBA legends list continues to grow, with names in each new generation.
Some of the greatest NBA players of all time (2025 edition)
- Michael Jordan
- LeBron James
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Bill Russell
- Magic Johnson
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Larry Bird
- Kobe Bryant
- Tim Duncan
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Oscar Robertson
- Kevin Durant
- Stephen Curry
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Charles Barkley
- Karl Malone
- John Stockton
- David Robinson
- Julius Erving
- Elgin Baylor
- Steve Nash
- Allen Iverson
- Kevin Garnett
- Rick Barry
- John Havlicek
Modern legends rising into historical greatness
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Nikola Jokic
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Jayson Tatum
- Luka Doncic
- Victor Wembanyama
It’s still tricky to crown a single “best” team in NBA history—success can be measured by championships, consistency, or win-loss records. But here’s how things stand now:
- Boston Celtics remain the winningest franchise in NBA history, with 3,574 total wins.
- San Antonio Spurs still hold the highest all-time win percentage over the past 25 years, winning 62.5% of their games.
- Minnesota Timberwolves continue to rank among the lowest in win percentage, with a historical record of 1,088 wins to 1,581 losses, translating to a 40.8% win rate.
For current standings and team performance, you can visit the NBA’s official standings page.
Conclusion
The sports league juggernaut isn’t slowing down anytime soon. As long as basketball fans are still raving about their favorite teams and players, it’s no surprise this basketball league will enjoy revenue increases in the coming years.
For other stories, read more here at Owner’s Mag!
Entertainment
Taylor Swift’s Fortune: The Billionaire Behind The Eras Tour
Published
1 month agoon
June 17, 2025Taylor Swift’s journey in music has been nothing but extraordinary, phenomenal, even. From a young country music singer-songwriter to a global pop culture icon, she has consistently pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a successful artist. With a $1.6 billion real-time net worth as of this writing, her fortune is built not only on her musical talent but also from her savvy business acumen and deep connection with her fans.
Taylor Swift’s Rise to Stardom
First making a name in the world of country music, Taylor Swift began her musical journey as a teenage prodigy. She signed with Big Machine Records at the age of 14, and by 2006, she had released her self-titled album.
This gained her much-needed attention, thanks to the incredible mix of catchy melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and a distinct country-pop sound. A few tracks (Tim McGraw and Teardrops on My Guitar) became instant hits and anthems for her young listeners. Swift’s amazing ability to capture the complexities of adolescence resonated loudly with fans and, with much authenticity, built her a loyal following.
The release of her 2014 album, 1989, showcased Swift’s exploration of a broader musical territory. Her transition from country to pop was met with critical and commercial success, paving the way for a larger global audience and expanding her reach beyond country music. This album cemented her position as a mainstream pop icon.
Since then, Swift has garnered recognition, including 12 Grammy Awards, while solidifying her status as a cultural icon.
The Business of Taylor Swift
Another significant component of Taylor Swift’s success comes from her keen business acumen. Early in her career, she made one of her most strategic moves: securing the ownership of her songwriting rights. Her deal with Big Machine Records resulted in the label owning the rights to her first six albums.
To gain control over her creative work, Swift rerecorded and rereleased her music, calling them Taylor’s Versions. This was met with immense commercial success while raising awareness about the challenges artists face in the music industry. This positioned her as a voice for change and a powerful advocate for fellow musicians.
The business savvy didn’t end with Taylor Swift’s music. Endorsements, investments, and partnerships also added to her wealth. Then there’s the merchandising empire, which is a huge part of Taylor Swift’s financial success. Swifties, as her fans call themselves, are fiercely loyal and would buy exclusive merch tied to Swift’s albums, tours, and personal branding.
The Financial Impact of “The Eras Tour”
And the buck doesn’t stop there. The Eras Tour has been a game-changer for Taylor Swift. It set new records and reshaped the live music industry. It became one of the highest-grossing in history, with some estimates at over a billion dollars in revenue. While it showcases her universal appeal, it also boosted economies in cities around the world.
Each of Swift’s performances became a celebration of her musical journey. They were replete with stunning stage designs, elaborate setlists, and personal storytelling, creating an immersive experience that gave the show a once-in-a-lifetime feel.
The influx of Swifties impacted host cities economically. Local businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and transportation benefited greatly from the tour.
Taylor Swift: The Savvy Businesswoman
Carefully managing her brand and image led Taylor Swift to success beyond her music. She evolved with her audience but remained true to her values. Controlling her narrative, she has crafted a relatable yet aspirational persona that resonates well with millions.
Additionally, Swift has aligned her brand with various social causes, reinforcing her image as a musician and entrepreneur who uses her success to make a positive impact. She does this by using her platform to speak out on issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, women’s empowerment, political activism, and overall encouraging change.
The Road to a Billion
Taylor Swift’s road to billionaire status is a result of her diverse income streams. We now know her wealth comes from music royalties, specifically The Eras Tour, merchandise sales, and smart investments. She further strengthened her financial portfolio by investing in real estate, tech companies, and her own production company.
When you compare her to other artists who have reached billionaire status, such as Rihanna and Jay-Z, you’ll see that her success is distinguished by her complete control over her music and brand. While others entered other industries like fashion and beauty, Swift focused on her music, tours, and merchandise, creating a self-sustaining financial empire.
The Cultural Phenomenon
There is no doubt, Taylor Swift is a cultural phenomenon, and this is thanks to her enduring connection with her fanbase, the Swifties. She has built a solid relationship with them through genuine interactions, storytelling, and a sense of community. She has shown an openness in social media that, alongside her relatable lyrics, connected her with fans on a deeper and more personal level.
Taylor Swift has indeed shaped pop culture and the entertainment industry by setting trends, challenging norms, and advocating for causes she believes in. From fashion trends to how artists navigate their careers, Swift has made her impact. Most importantly, her authenticity has set her apart.
She has displayed the ability to evolve musically while maintaining her values, earning her the loyalty of her diverse following. Her lyrics are deeply personal, touching on various subjects like love, heartbreak, and self-discovery, echoing the sentiments of her listeners on a universal level.
Final Thoughts
From a country music star to a global icon, Taylor Swift has to thank her unparalleled talent, strategic thinking, and deep connection to her fans. Her savvy business moves, groundbreaking tours, and authenticity have helped her amass a fortune while transforming her into a cultural phenomenon.
Entertainment
On The Count Of Three Review
A past-due calling card for actor-director Jerrod Carmichael
Published
1 month agoon
June 13, 2025WARNING: This review, and this film, contain discussions of suicide.
A Dark Premise, A Wobbly Execution
“On the Count of Three” opens with a bold premise: two childhood friends make a suicide pact and spend their last day on Earth tying up loose ends. It’s certainly fresh, but what makes “On the Count of Three” feel oddly stale despite its originality?
It’s not that we’ve seen too many comedies about suicide before. It does, I suppose, bear some resemblance to other race-against-the-clock (Good Time) or apocalyptic (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World) comedies. Maybe it doesn’t commit to darkness as much as these comedies; there’s certainly a humanist core deep down here.
But I think we all sort of know why this movie can’t fully work in 2022: it’s a movie Jerrod Carmichael made in 2020. The director and star has seen a long-overdue rise to stardom in these past months after a series of false starts. He’d already had a breakout role in a hit comedy, a sitcom starring vehicle, a special directed by Spike Lee, and a recurring feature on 2019’s biggest album.
Last month, the stars finally aligned. He came out as gay, dropped a smash-hit comedy special, and hosted SNL all in the span of a week. It’s no surprise that Annapurna Pictures quickly moved to release On the Count of Three, which they picked up at Sundance in January 2021.
Here’s the rub: On the Count of Three lacks the self-assuredness of Carmichael’s recent rise. It doesn’t feel like the film, or the version of this film, that he would’ve made today. His performance as both actor and director is good, but held to a certain restriction.
Two Leads, One Day, A Lot of Pain
Carmichael plays Val, a down-on-his-luck laborer who ventures to commit suicide with the help of his recently-hospitalized friend Kevin (Christopher Abbott).
While there’s a certain comical bleakness to Val’s life—he essentially shovels dirt for a living—there’s an interesting idea of suicidal ideation here. Val’s thoughts of killing himself don’t come from stagnation or trauma, but from dissatisfaction with achievement. He makes his first attempt right after getting a promotion, and we later learn that he had planned to propose to his now-pregnant partner, Natasha (Tiffany Haddish).
As director, Carmichael wisely avoids eating up the film and splits lead duties with Abbott. If anything, Abbott gets the real star showcase here, again proving his dynamic magnetism after a series of weirdo indie turns like Vox Lux, Possessor, and Black Bear.
The Black Comedy Balancing Act
Still, there’s a classic comedic duo chemistry here. Carmichael is the rock around which Abbott orbits. The setup also gives them plenty of opportunities to subvert that dynamic. When Val’s confrontation with his father (J.B. Smoove) gets heated, Kevin has to be the one to pull him back. But, when they come to blows, Kevin’s the one with the tire iron.
Black comedy is always a tricky balancing act. Penn and Teller Get Killed is notorious for going all-in on nihilism and failing to connect. I think this film mostly succeeds, but its uncertainty with its own dark philosophy is, again, reflective of a more self-conscious point in Carmichael’s career.
Bleak, But Also Soft Around the Edges
In Kevin’s first scene, he delivers a monologue about how doctors have been trying to fix him since he was eight years old, and if his life was worth saving, they’d have done it by now. Much of the film follows Kevin’s quest to kill a childhood doctor who molested him (played by Henry Winkler). Ultimately, it’s Val who pulls the trigger, but only after he decides to choose life. His decision to choose life only comes after a guilt trip from Natasha, who lays out how he’ll still be guilty in death if he abdicates his responsibility as a father.
All of which is to say, this is in many ways a philosophically bleak movie. But at the same time, the humanism of the direction kind of betrays that philosophy. There are a lot of monsters around the central players here, but the cashiers, receptionists, and other random side characters they meet along the way are given a stark innocence.
That Ending: On The Count of Three
I’m not sure how I feel about any of this. Is it too bleak? Not bleak enough? Or just not made with enough confidence to come out strongly in either direction? Whatever the case, I think this movie hums along perfectly fine. Until the last minute.
For the most part, On the Count of Three is very insular. We’re never not following Val and Kevin, and it takes place over the course of a day that they spend almost completely alone.
The final shot, which I won’t give away, finally pulls us out. We recognize that Val’s story is one of a million stories, all different, all wrestling with life and death, and all ending in the same rotten place. It’s certainly the most striking ending I’ve seen this year, and it made me think twice about the film overall.
Final Thoughts
When I’m reflecting on this year, I don’t think On the Count of Three will end up one of my favorites. Seeing how far Carmichael has come, this film’s steady, dry lob isn’t the catapult that Annapurna hoped it would be. Still, it’s a perfectly solid film. It’s absolutely worth seeing for its final shot alone. B
On the Count of Three is now playing at Landmark’s Ritz Five and available on digital.
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