Kat Stickler is not just a single mother in Tampa. She is making strides through TikTok, gaining over 8 million followers since starting in 2020.
TikTok has gained tremendous traction since the pandemic hit, providing an outlet during a time of worry and uncertainty. The 27-year-old Tampa woman used this time to build her channel, which features her daughter and comic impressions in hopes to bring happiness to others through laughter. She originally had a podcast and Youtube channel with her husband Mike Stickler, but since their divorce has been growing in her solo career.
“People just identified with what I was going through at the time, and I’ve always been a very open person,” Stickler said. “So it felt like a safe space to share certain struggles, insecurities and people identified with it.”
The channel gave women a place to discuss things such as relationships, parenting and a range of life topics.
“I just feel so good when someone laughs at a joke, or I just think laughter is such a beautiful medicine. And I think it brings people closer together,” said Stickler. “It brings people farther away from their problems and more into like a better perspective. So I think it’s very healing, and I love spreading it.”
TikTok is also attributed to transforming lives through relatability, blessing strangers and allowing people to bring awareness to charity efforts.
“Don’t be afraid to do what makes you different. I feel like that’s the only reason I was able to grow. I didn’t kind of stick with this niche that everyone had no one really had made that kind of niche. So just embrace who you are,” said Stickler. “Don’t try to piggyback off of other people, because your ideas are probably better and other people need them.
“So don’t be scared to express yourself.”
Credits
Reporter/Producer: Leali Shalabi
Web Producer: Mary McAnnally
