The Trendsetter - TikTok Shop & Creator Marketing
The Trendsetter is the go-to show for marketers, founders, and creators shaping the future of commerce through content.
Hosted by the Jake Bjorseth and the team behind Return On Creators, we dive deep into the stories, strategies, and insights of those building the social commerce economy... one video, one product, and one partnership at a time.
From viral TikTok creators to brand builders innovating on new platforms, each episode brings you candid conversations, actionable lessons, and a front-row seat to the shift from traditional retail to community-driven commerce.
Whether you're scaling a brand, creating content, or launching a new product, this is your place to get inspired, stay sharp, and plug into the next wave of commerce.
Episodes
27 episodes
$1M on TikTok Shop ≠ $1M on Shopify | TikTok Operator Pod | Jake Bjorseth & Amy Leffingwell
Part two of Jake's series with Amy Leffingwell (Upmarket Digital) picks up where the Closed P&L Problem left off and gets into the mechanics of what TikTok Shop is actually for. Amy walks through cash multiplier as the working substitute fo...
The Closed P&L Problem | TikTok Operator Pod | Special Guest: Amy Leffingwell, Founder @ UpMkt Digital
Most brands are measuring TikTok Shop, Meta, and Shopify like three separate businesses. Then they wonder why the math never works.That's the closed P&L problem: channels measured as monoliths in an era where the consumer is anything...
Your Guide to a Winning Q4 | TikTok Operator's Pod
Think you're ready for TikTok Shop's Q4? Think again.As Kevin & Jake enter their fourth Q4 in the TikTok Shop ecosystem this duo has been there and done that. But in a platform evolving new rules and optimizations every 90 days... it...
Priced to Lose the Sale: How the Best Brands Actually Win TikTok Shop | TikTok Operator Pod
This one runs deep on merchandising and product innovation built specifically for the channel: why the best operators price higher on TikTok Shop than on their own site, why you don’t actually own the customer you just sold to, and why the halo...
The Shelf Follows The Feed | TikTok Operator's Pod
For weeks I've been harassing Matt Goldbloom to join me on the pod. Selfishly, I've been captivated by his LinkedIn content and needed to learn wtf 'Off Price Retail' is. Matt is the founder of Common Shelf, helping modern CPG brand...
How Top Brands Are Deploying AI Today | TikTok Operator's Pod
On today's pod I'm joined by a long-time TikTok Shop operator, Sohun Sanka.Sohun has been a day one player in TikTok Shop on the brand side, software side, and now with this own venture: Clankers
How Chocbox Became the #1 Food Brand on TikTok Shop | TikTok Operator's Pod
ChocBox climbed to #1 in the food category on TikTok Shop. Then it used that traction to walk onto retail shelves.Episode 1 of TikTok Operators. Jake Bjorseth sits down with Kevin Nemandoust, Co-Founder of ChocBox LA, one of the original...
The AI Stack Our Team Uses to Manage the Top Brands on TikTok Shop
You're (probably) using AI wrong.If you're using AI to write content scripts, to reach out to creators, or to design serious marketing strategies... you're using AI to replace the one thing it should be optimizing for:Human Thin...
Athletes > Specialists | The New Creator Strategy
Today, Jake breaks down the new creator marketing strategy that we are seeing continue to outperform others across our brand portfolio in TikTok Shop.Athletes > SpecialistsWant more insight? Email jake@thesugaragency.com for an...
TikTok Shop Merchandising Strategy | 1:1 w Jake Bjorseth
Today's episode is a solo breakdown from Jake Bjorseth on the exact TikTok Shop Merchandising Strategy we are rolling out for two key accounts at the moment.Why does SKU consolidation matter?How does the integration and listing op...
Agency Insider: TikTok Shop CRM Unlocks, Paid Creator Feature, GMV Pay/Credit Line
On today's episode Jake is joined by James Bennett and Adeen Khan. The managing director and head of shop ops for our agency, respectively.Together, the trio pull the curtain back on the real candid conversations we're having internally ...
Teen Mom Turned Full-Time TikTok Creator | Creator Life with Kylah Williams
On today's episode we welcome Kylah Williams! A notable content creator and TikTok affiliate navigating her creator career as a young mother.Kylah's story is one that every creator needs to hear. From the journey of finding your voice an...
Creators Rule the World | Special Guest: Bora Mutluoglu, Partner @ Reacher
In this episode of The Social Commerce Collective, Jake hosts a LinkedIn Live alongside Bora Mutluoglu, a friend, partner, and co-founder of Reacher.Reacher is the go-to affiliate automation platform for brands winning in social...
Designing Your Creator Engine | Special Guest: Sohun Sanka of Euka AI
In this episode of The Social Commerce Collective, Jake sits down with Sohun Sanka, the Director of Growth at Euka AI. Euka AI is one of the leading tools driving automation and scale for ...
Winning In Affiliate Marketing | Episode #12 | Shey Cruz & Amanda Johansen
Today we welcome Shey Cruz, our very own head of affiliate marketing, who breaks down how we've transformed our influencer marketing systems to the world of affiliate marketing.
Mapping the Full Customer Journey: TikTok Shop <> Amazon | Featuring Amazon Agency, Straight Up Growth
On today's episode of the TikTok Shop Show, we welcome the co-founders of an award-winning and long-time partner agency, Straight Up Growth.Straight Up Growth is an Amazon focused agency helpi...
Affiliate Marketing Mastery | Episode #11 | Euka AI Co-Founders Jeremy Ding & Kevin Wang
On today's episode of the TikTok Shop Show we welcome the co-founders of the largest TikTok Shop affiliate automation ai platform: Euka AI.Euka AI helps top e-commerce brands automate and scale outreach, targeting, messaging, and commun...
Building a TikTok Shop Empire | Episode #10 | MilaMiAmor Founder Wael Hilbawi
On today's episode of the TikTok Shop podcast we welcome the founder of MilaMiAmor, Wael Hilbawi. MilaMiAmor is hands down one of, if not the most, successful brands in all of TikTok Shop. With $30M+ in revenue generated in platfor...
Reaching Gen X Moms on TikTok | Episode #9 | Special Guest: Amanda's Mom
On today's episode we welcome a Musical.ly icon and TikTok Original Gangster:Amanda's MomApart of Gen X, she represents an unseen but highly active demographic on the platform: The Moms of TikTok.This dem...
TikTok Livestream Revival | Episode #8 | Raven Reed, Account Manager @ Trndsttrs
On today's episode we welcome a fellow Trndsttr in Raven Reed.Raven Reed is a rockstar account manager managing some of the best brands on TikTok Shop with a background as a full-time influencer and tiktok shop affiliate.Raven a...
Rewriting What It Means To Be An Influencer | Episode #7 | Pearl Lamborn, TikTok Influencer & Affiliate
On today's episode of the TikTok Shop Show we welcome Pearl Lamborn!Pearl is a long-time TikTok influencer and active TikTok Shop affiliate that has been at the top of the affiliate charts for months!Amanda and Pearl discuss wha...
Leveraging Social For Sales | Episode #6 | Guest: Anna Johnson, Head of Social Media @ Trndsttrs
On this week's episode we welcome Anna Johnson. The head of social media for Trndsttrs, overseeing the TikTok accounts of more than 50+ brands. We dig into exactly how organic content and social media efforts can translate to not o...
Building Community on TikTok Shop | Episode #5 | Special Guest: Natalie Jurado, Founder @ Rooted In
On today's episode we welcome Natalie Jurado, the long-time content creator and founder of Rooted In!Rooted In is an innovative wellness brand forging the future of daily moisturizers; and making plenty of waves all over TikTok Shop!
TikTok Shipping & 3PL | Episode #4 | Guest: Margaret Glavey, Senior Partnerships Manager @ ShipBob
On today's episode we welcome a partner and ally in the trenches with Trndsttrs shaping the TikTok Shop ecosystem. It's none other than TikTok Shop's go to shipping partner: ShipBob.We welcome ShipBob's Senior Partnerships Manager, Marg...
TIKTOK SHOP'S FIRST BRAND | Episode #3 | Special Guest: Emily Harpel, Art of Sucre
On today's episode we welcome Emily Harpel, the founder of one of TikTok Shop's first brands to launch in the United States: Art of Sucre.Within days of launch, Art of Sucre quickly became one of the top selling brands on the platform a...