A 17-year-old has ditched plans to go to university to study psychology after finding she could make up to £10,000 a day lip-syncing to Katy Perry songs on TikTok.
Alicia Breuer, 17, has seen her TikTok following grow from 30,000 to 740,000 and has been signed up by a digital talent manager.
Alicia, who also has 200,000 followers on Instagram, now earns more than her parents, Frank and Tammy – who run an independent financial advisors business.
Alicia, from Milton Keynes, only joined TikTok at the start of the pandemic after an earlier account was hacked.
She said: “I re-joined last June, to give me something to do during the pandemic, as I wasn’t going to school or going out and there was nothing to do when I wasn’t studying for my A-levels.
“One or two of my videos went viral, so I thought, ‘I’ll carry on making them,’ and the views turned into followers, after which brands started calling me.”
Alicia was spotted by Jessica Henig, founder of digital talent manager unlocked branding, and has been working with big brands, including Lancome, Urban Outfitters. Boohoo, Benefit, Fenty Beauty and Bershka.
Alicia said: “If I’m now able to make £10,000 some days I’m going to focus on my videos more heavily when my last school year ends very soon – as there’s no point in me going to university.
“But I don’t think I would have even started again on TikTok if the pandemic hadn’t come along and I’d have been going to school full-time.”
Alicia says she is as surprised as anyone by her success.
She said: “The majority of my videos are lip-syncing to music. But one of my first viral ones was a transition video of myself in the mirror, where I wiped across the screen with a cloth and edited videos together, so there were suddenly changes in what I was wearing.
“I also now put my own twist on things that are trending.”
Alicia said: “None of them take too long – even a transition video only takes an hour to make. My success has taken me a bit by surprise, but it has led to me replanning my future.
“I was going to study psychology at uni, but after this all took off I didn’t apply in the end.”
Alicia added: “Mum is always supportive – as long as I’m happy – so she is backing what I’m doing.
“I wouldn’t say she’s hopeless on social media – she has downloaded TikTok and gives my videos a look – so with her and dad I always get at least two likes.”
Alicia continued: “But she was still always on my back during the coronavirus home-learning to do my school work. I have still been putting my school work before everything else as it’s been my final year.
“There’s always time for other things, though. I also go to the gym.
“My form tutor and psychology tutor also know all about what I’m doing, and they have been really supportive, too.”
Alicia says there has been no jealousy from her friends, she said: “My two really close friends have been really supportive, whereas I would probably be jealous if the roles were reversed and they were earning this much.
“I get a lot of free stuff sent to me. I give them some of my free Lancome make-up when it doesn’t look great on me.”
Alicia added: “As for others like me on TikTok, I don’t feel in competition with them as everyone has their own style.”
Alicia avoids videos that could be dangerous to herself or others - such as never promoting diet pills.
One of her videos was removed for breaking TikTok guidelines when she lay in the plank position on top of a car.
Alicia now hopes to launch a modelling career on the back of her newfound fame.
She said: “There is some talk that I’m going to be signed to a model agency soon.”
She added: “Right now, I’m just saving. I have already passed my driving test and I have got a car, so I don’t need that.
“I suppose if I won the lottery though I would buy a house – in a hot country! But there are no plans for me to do that yet.”
Alicia added: “I’ve always wanted to own my own business. My dad has got his own business. And I’ve always wanted to travel, so this looks like the perfect opportunity to fulfil my dreams.”
Manager Jessica has explained how Alicia makes her money - with companies paying her a retainer for posting.
Jessica said: “Some of our earlier clients doing the same thing as Alicia now make £100,000 in one day, but that could be a deal for six months of content that is paid on one day.”
Alicia could also make money by building up her own company and having her own ranges or investing in firms she promotes.
Jessica said: “We have signed about 25 girls as we knew TikTok would become big. When we approached them they only had about 20,000 followers, some even less, but they’re now earning high wages and making real careers and a lot are not going to university.
“We also help them build their own businesses, like a fashion or skincare brand.”
She added: “They build out of TikTok and Instagram and YouTube, but they can end up investing in a brand as businesswomen.
“It can become a growing circle of success, where someone like Alicia posts about brands, and the big brands may then, in turn, post about her on their digital sites.
“Alicia also wants her own clothing range, so we will help her create her own website and, as she’s in demand, she could get paid for personal appearances at events.”
Alicia said: “This whole whirlwind has been a bit of an eye-opener. But I’ve always wanted to own my business and now we’re in an era where you can be smart and become a successful company boss. while bypassing the traditional route of going to university.
“By using skills in the digital world and creating content that gets out to millions of people on platforms you can realise your dreams and ambitions much quicker – and with thousands of followers you can become well-known, like many past big name businesswoman and TV stars.”
