Within a few months, the impossible happened – we hit 10K followers and went viral with our best-selling table. Since then, I left my corporate job and expanded our business into a commercial space.
In 2024, 85 percent of our business came from TikTok. Beyond the financial aspect of it, I’m grateful for the happiness it brought back into my life and the time it has given me to spend with my family. Being self-employed allowed me to take six months maternity leave after the birth of our child. Now, I’m able to split my time between going into the wood shop and staying at home with my baby.
For small business owners like me, TikTok isn’t just an app - it’s been a lifeline. Back in April, I had the opportunity to meet with then-Senator Vance to discuss the impact of TikTok on my business. Now, as Vice President, he is responsible for advancing a resolution. I remain hopeful that he, and Senators Husted, Moreno, and Rep. Turner will stand with Ohioans like me — and the millions of businesses nationwide that rely on this platform to grow and thrive.
- Kristina Molinaro, owner of Twenty Five and Pine
I am a 13-year-old middle schooler writing to you to discuss why vaping and smoking for youth is harmful to youth my age.
In Springfield, in my neighborhood alone, there are a lot of things to be concerned about. Used tobacco and smoking is a big issue, especially around my school a lot of kids my age have access to so much so fast and the vapes are shared a lot around my community. A lot of adults and teenagers vape. Also, while it looks cool, I started to read up on the long-term effects and I’m choosing to delay and not smoke at all right now. I’ve had lots of family members and mentors that were smokers, and they ran into some health issues as they’ve got a little bit older. I
One of my ideas is that there could be multiple days in a year with a vape bin take-back days. This would help keep waste down around the parks and inspire others to care more about their health too. I’ve lost too many loved ones to smoking in general and that’s why I’m choosing to delay and defer.
Being a youth is filled with its own pressures in our community. I chose not to vape or smoke because I want to take better care of my body and help our community stay clean!
- Xhadrien Nemec, Promise King/8th grader at Hayward middle school
I just want to give a heartfelt shoutout to the four men that saved my bacon on Saturday, May 31. It didn’t take long for three of them, all strangers and nameless to me, to stop and push me out of the way when my 50 yr.-old sports car died at the intersection of Mauds Hughes Rd. and Hamilton-Mason Rd. in West Chester. They didn’t even hang around so that I could thank them properly. After I coasted to a stop in a safe place, the fourth, Mr. Mason Eads, in business as a mobile mechanic, saw my flashers and stopped to offer assistance. Their quick action and concern were greatly appreciated.
- Lansing Ellis, West Chester
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
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