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Chatting with Jeremy Littel: TikTok star and Kickass Beef Jerky CEO

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Jeremy Littel

Jeremy Littel and family. Photo Credit: Charles Littel

TikTok star and Kickass Beef Jerky CEO Jeremy Littel chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papdatos about how one of his TikTok accounts has helped provide comfort, security, and laughter his community needs when struggling with mental health and PTSD.

Meet Jeremy Littel

With over 12.5 million combined followers, Winona resident Jeremy Littel has spent the last two years creating content on TikTok just to make his community smile along with his wife, Brittany, his two sons Anthony (10) and Dominic (7), and his daughter Brielle (4).

Littel, (43), is also the CEO and owner of Kickass Beef Jerky, a 20-year old family business that his father, Charlie launched out of a 24×24 garage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over the years, the company has continued to add globally respected companies such as NASCAR, partnering with NASCAR driver Spencer Boyd for the 2018 and 2019 seasons, where Spencer won Talladega in his #20 Chevy truck with Kickass Beef Jerky right there on the vehicle.

But in his spare time, Littel has made it his mission to help individuals online from across the world smile more and laugh relentlessly.

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Littel, who’s been on the platform for 2 years, used the @littel_johnny account as a backup page, officially taking it over in 2020, recalling the one reason that kept him going, carving out a pathway to create more content specifically aimed at addressing the mental health crisis.

“I remember six months into joining TikTok, I was ready to stop making videos on my personal account. It was really slowing down and just wasn’t fun for me anymore. I would frequently receive several DMs from individuals on Instagram about how they are struggling with PTSD and/or anxiety, and how my TikTok videos have helped them a lot,” he said.

He continued, “There was one message that stuck out and changed my life (and career direction) – one individual messaged me and told me that they were going to watch 5 random videos and end their life on the fifth one. It just so happened that my video was the last one they watched and that it made them laugh so hard that they quickly realized their life was not worth ending. That message stuck with me and gave me a purpose to continue creating content, eventually using my @littel_johnny account for child-friendly humor, while my personal account @jeremy_littel was for adult viewers. I now know why I was drawn to the platform…here to bring people out of their funk and help with a smile, an encouraging word, or that belly laugh. It’s all worth it to me.”

Back in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone online, it allowed Littel to give users insight and look into his and his son’s world, while simultaneously getting to know those who were willing to sit back and laugh – in this case, following the character of “Little Johnny” as he comically shares stories with his Dad on how he has made the classroom more “enjoyable” and “educational” for his classmates (and teacher).

“This is a place where I can connect with my own family and give everyone a glimpse of who we are,” he added.

He continued that “these accounts are part of who I am as a creator and TikTok has been an instrumental part of being able to help others through their own darkness, including my own.”

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If you’re new to the @littel_johnny account, you can expect an unlimited supply of cheesy, corny, and downright hilarious interactions between Littel and his younger son, where he comes into a room greeting his dad and asking him to “guess what happened at school today,” – of course, putting Littel in the uncomfortable position as a father of “oh god, what did you do now” anticipation.


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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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