What if the future of eCommerce wasn’t Facebook Ads or Amazon… but TikTok Shop?
In this episode, I sit down with Nav’i Singh, a TikTok Shop and influencer marketing expert who has helped brands like eBay, Sephora, HubSpot, and Wish scale through social commerce and affiliate campaigns. Now she’s on a mission to show founders how to take their TikTok Shop from zero to millions in GMV with proven playbooks.
We dive deep into:
- How to know if your brand is ready for TikTok Shop
- Why margins matter more than hype
- Building a winning affiliate network and product seeding strategy
- The rise of live shopping and how creators are cashing in
- Common mistakes brands make on TikTok Shop (and how to avoid them)
- What’s next for influencer marketing as TikTok Shop matures
Whether you’re an eCommerce founder, DTC marketer, or just curious about where social commerce is heading, this episode is packed with insights that can help you get ahead of the competition.
📌 Watch until the end to learn Nav’i’s roadmap for scaling profitably on TikTok Shop.
Chapter:
00:00 – Intro: The future of eCom beyond Facebook & Amazon
01:53 – Guest intro: Nav’i Singh’s background
02:04 – How did you get into influencer & affiliate marketing?
03:18 – What does creative operations actually mean?
04:39 – Early work with influencers at eBay, HubSpot & Wish
05:26 – How did you manage 1,000+ creators at Wish?
07:10 – Where does your learning mindset come from?
08:04 – Transition from traditional influencer marketing → TikTok Shop
09:36 – Why start SOA, your TikTok Shop agency?
10:45 – Moving from freelancing to agency ownership
12:12 – Was now the right time to launch?
13:16 – For brands considering TikTok Shop, where should they start?
14:30 – What margin profile works best?
15:20 – How to pick a “hero” SKU for TikTok Shop
16:26 – Should brands focus on high-ticket or low-ticket items?
17:47 – Is TikTok Shop only for $20–30 products?
19:02 – What categories or demographics don’t work on TikTok Shop?
20:23 – Sampling strategy: how many products to send out?
22:59 – How to educate & brief creators effectively
23:43 – Optimizing creator content & scaling what works
25:55 – Segmenting top creators & building relationships
27:53 – Scaling by finding the right niche & doubling down
32:07 – How many samples should new brands start with?
33:18 – What’s the timeline for results & profitability?
34:44 – How do you know if TikTok Shop isn’t working?
36:54 – What are the secondary benefits (halo effect, UGC, brand lift)?
39:06 – Should brands join TikTok Shop if competitors are/not there?
40:01 – Tips for creators: reverse-engineering virality
41:57 – Posting balance: commercial vs lifestyle content
44:12 – How should creators evaluate which brands to work with?
45:41 – Why top creators focus on 4–5 “money maker” products
46:40 – Building SOA’s creator community & support
48:15 – Beyond affiliates: ads & live shopping strategy
50:40 – TikTok Ads: how GMV Max works
53:02 – Live shopping: how it works & why it matters
55:25 – What does a successful live shopping session look like?
59:53 – What kind of results should brands expect from lives?
01:02:10 – Should TikTok Shop replace traditional influencer deals?
01:04:16 – Where is TikTok Shop headed in the next 12–24 months?
01:05:12 – What SOA does for brands end-to-end
01:06:04 – The agency’s mission: supporting both enterprises & mom-and-pop brands
01:09:03 – SOA’s team structure & scaling challenges
01:12:08 – How do you balance delivery vs growth as an agency owner?
01:13:13 – What’s working for SOA in lead generation?
01:14:01 – Do you prefer enterprise or small business clients?
01:15:43 – Will you offer training or an incubator program for small brands?
01:16:54 – Client mix & who SOA serves today
01:17:45 – What’s your vision for the agency long-term?
01:19:13 – What advice do you have for new agency owners?
01:21:01 – Where can people find you & SOA?
01:21:38 – Outro
