(Update: Adding video, comments from business owner Denise English)
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ)– Denise English owns the Sacred Lotus Apothecary, a small business in Redmond that has gained popularity on TikTok. Selling body butter and crystals and holding live reiki healing sessions, English has amassed nearly a million likes and a hundred thousand followers on TikTok.
“I started putting my stuff on TikTok shop and my whole entire life changed – everything changed,” English said Friday.
But the uncertainty of her small business looms, and with Friday’s Supreme Court rulingupholding the national TikTok ban, English says she’s scared.
“It’s a whole community that I’m losing access to. The other platforms don’t operate the same, and you’re just not going to have the same experience. And so I was very sad,” She said.
But TikTok wasn’t what started English’s business. She started on Etsy but says she didn’t see the impacts of her products until she joined the new platform.
“More so than the financial gain, it was the messages people writing to me and saying like, “Oh my gosh, I haven’t slept through the night in so long. And I used your magnesium spray and I am sleeping through the night.’ And people sharing my product on their pages,” she said.
The federal law that would ban the app this Sunday requires Chinese company ByteDance to divest from TikTok, meaning if the company cannot sell the app to an American company by the deadline, the app will be banned for Americans.
It’s unclear what the ban could exactly look like come Sunday, depending on late developments. Still, President-elect Donald Trump has voiced support for the app, saying on Truth Social Friday, “The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it. My decision on TikTok will be made in the not-too-distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!”
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden joined other colleagues earlier this week in supporting the “Extend the TikTok Deadline Act,”which would extend the ban deadline for 270 days.
English says despite the grim reality, she is staying hopeful and remains confident her platform will follow her.
“I’m resilient and, I’ve always been a resilient person. So I’m going to live by my own knowledge that I try to share on my platform.”
Jump to comments ↓
Isabella Warren is a multimedia journalist for NewsChannel 21. Learn more about Isabellahere.
KTVZ NewsChannel 21 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.
Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here
If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.
Community Guidelines
Contact Us
EEO Public File
FCC Applications
FCC Public File
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Breaking News
Contests & Promotions
Local News Updates
Local Alert Forecast
Local Alert Severe Weather Alerts
Accessibility Tools
