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Just over a decade ago, I had dreamed of pulling a 24-hour shift with Calfire, leading the Beat Up Corolla to work, and making something bigger than me. Today I lead a group of American investors who have submitted an offer to buy Tiktok's US business. Life comes to you quickly, right?
But here it is – this is more than just business. This is to protect what ordinary Americans have built in Tiktok, while ensuring that it is true to American values. And as someone who has built his own business besides sweat fairness and determination, I know one or two things about building something worth protecting.
When I started a company that became Employer.com, it was me, my laptop and an endless cup of coffee on a temple coffee roaster in downtown Sacramento. No flashy VC backing, no trust funds, no safety net. Just a firefighter who believed he could help connect good people with good work. Does it sound familiar? It tells the story of countless Tiktok creators and small business owners for now.
The $300 billion bid for Tiktok Investor Group includes the creator MR of Top Tiktok. beast
Incidentally, I'm still driving that Corolla. Even after I made Employer.com the one I've made today. Because success isn't about flashy cars or corner offices. It's about staying true to your values and remembering where you came from. And now we need to remember what Tiktok really is at its heart. It is a platform built by ordinary people sharing their lives, their dreams, and their ideas with the world.
The fight to save Tiktok continues in the United States. Users don't want to lose all the effort they put into the platform. (istock)
See, I have concerns about Chinese ownership. As someone who helps thousands of small businesses manage their employees' information, I take data privacy and security seriously. But would you ban Tiktok entirely? It's like using a fire hose to put out birthday candles. It may solve the immediate problem, but it will cause a lot of unnecessary damage in the process.
When I was fighting a fire, we quickly learned that the best way to save something can be to not only shut everything down, but also to control the situation. That's exactly what you need here – American ownership of Tiktok. So we can protect both the national interest and the platform on which millions of entrepreneurs and creators rely on.
That's why a group of fellow business leaders and investors joined me. We are not a Silicon Valley giant with billions of people in the bank. We are entrepreneurs who build companies from scratch and understand the value of hard work and opportunity. Now we want to protect the platform where so many Americans make a living, connect with new communities and express themselves.
I have seen firsthand that Tiktok has become a lifeline for small and medium-sized businesses. Oak Park restaurant owners have doubled their business through Tiktok videos. The Roseville man pursued his passion for woodworking and built his entire customer base into the platform. These are real people, have real dreams and build real business.
When I was starting, I knew what it was like to stack up odds against you. To tell people that you're not big enough, not connected enough, not flashy enough to succeed. But here's what I learned: With enough determination, enough grit and the right opportunity, everyone can make something amazing.
That's what's at risk here. Tiktok is not just an app, it's an opportunity platform for millions of Americans. Yes, it must be separated from China's ownership. Yes, we need to protect American data. But we need to do that in a way that holds the platform that so many hardworking Americans have come to resort to.
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I still work in Sacramento and drink coffee at the Temple. Because at the end of the day it's not about being the biggest or the flashiest, but about doing the right thing and creating opportunities for others. So we're stepping up to the plate. Because sometimes the best person to protect something of value is someone who remembers what it's like to build something from nothing.
Yes, save Tiktok. Not for algorithms, data or technology, but for the millions of ordinary Americans who have built their dreams on this platform. Because if Sacramento firefighters can build a company that supports over 10,000 small businesses today, imagine what the next generation of dreamers and builders can do with the right opportunities and platforms.
When I was fighting a fire, we quickly learned that the best way to save something can be to not only shut everything down, but also to control the situation.
Remember: it's not about where you start – it's about where you've decided to go. And now, we're determined to keep this platform alive for all Americans who use it to pursue their dreams, like I've followed.
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We are grateful to President Donald Trump for giving him the time and opportunity to save Tiktok for American creators. We believe we have submitted the best proposals to achieve the President's goal of protecting the national interests of the United States, securing user data and securing Tiktok.
Let's make that happen. Not Wall Street, not Silicon Valley, but for Main Street in the US. Because that's us, where we came from, and that's who we are fighting for.
