TikTok Growth Strategy: How I Went From 0-90K (After Losing My 200k+ Account 🥲)

My exact posting system, content pillars, and mindset shifts that helped me grow faster the second time around

Let me set the scene:

A few months ago I woke up from a glorious 10 hour sleep, still crusty-eyed and half-conscious, and started my millionaire morning routine:

I checked my phone.

(Don’t tell Mel Robbins, ok?)

But instead of my usual Revolve notifications and “new purchase!” emails, I had a flood of TikTok notifications - in Arabic.

All of them asking me to confirm a password change I absolutely did NOT request at 2am.

I had an immediate pit in my stomach, and I knew I was f*cked.

That account - the one with over 230K followers, that I had spent YEARS growing, with more unpublished drafts than a moody novelist - was gone. Just like that. Hacked, hijacked, locked out. Never recovered 🥲

RIP @Rebellenutrition

I spiraled for three days.

Went through the full five stages of grief. I texted everyone I knew who might have a connection at TikTok. I let myself cry (hard). I was incredibly pissed off. And then, like the quadruple Scorpio I am, I did what I do best: rose from the ashes and started rebuilding.

From scratch. Again.

No audience. No momentum. No backup plan. Just me and my competitive spirit, determined to turn this sh*tty experience into something I would one day look back on and thank the Universe for.

Today is that day.

Because although i’m not quite back to where I left off (my new account is at 87k followers at the time i’m writing this)…

I have learned SO MUCH about what works (+ what doesn’t) to grow on Tiktok in 2025…even if you’re starting from ZERO.

Without a single thirst trap, trending dance, or moment of begging the algorithm to notice me (don’t get me started on that ‘engage from the bottom up’ advice lol). Just clear messaging, consistent content, and a strategy I can (and will) rinse and repeat.

Most importantly? My experience is proof that it is possible to grow an audience on social media (quickly!!) AND start monetizing in a few short months.

And this isn’t just specific to one niche, either - I tested my Tiktok strategies in videos on topics like astrology, hemorrhoids (lol, tmi I know), being childfree, manifestation, money mindset, and even Kendall Jenner’s (alleged) boob job.

This video had over 6 Million (!!) views - despite the fact I recorded it in about 30 seconds, in my pajamas, without a stitch of makeup on. (Yet another reason why I love Tiktok - imperfection slays)

So no more of this…. “social media is so saturated now, it’s so hard to grow!” yada yada nonsense, ok??

In this Substack article, I’m going to break it all down for you:

• The mindset I have with tiktok vs Instagram

• My exact content strategy

• My posting frequency

• Monetization

• How I repurpose from Tiktok > Instagram (work smarter not harder bb)

• Tips + tricks I used to grow a magnetic personal brand

Basically EVERYTHING i’ve learned about how to grow fast on Tiktok.

Whether you’re starting from scratch, rebuilding after a flop era, or just want to grow in a way that feels actually fun (and profitable), you’ll leave this with a clear plan to do it.

But first, let’s talk about why TikTok matters.

TikTok is still the most underrated platform on the internet right now in terms of how easy it is to grow a following quickly. Unlike Instagram, it doesn’t care if you have a following already. One video - one hook even - can shift everything. TikTok rewards boldness, speed, and authenticity. It’s the easiest place to test content, grow fast, and build an audience that converts into real money.

Speaking of $$ - not only is Tiktok great to build an audience to sell your own products/services, it also has it’s own native ways to monetize directly on the platform: Tiktok Creator Fund and Tiktok Shop. (More on these to come later)

So if you’re tired of posting perfectly curated reels that took you 3 hours to edit and only getting 17 likes, or you’re watching other people blow up and wondering, "Could I actually do that?" — the answer is yes. And I’m going to show you how.