From Pandemic Side Hustle to Fortune: How One Woman Turned TikTok Success into a Full-Time Business

From Pandemic Side Hustle to Full-Time Business: How Corporate Natalie Conquered TikTok and Built Her Empire In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Natalie Marshall, a cybersecurity professional at Palo Alto Networks, found herself confined to her San Francisco apartment. Seeking a creative outlet, she started baking sourdough bread and sharing her experiences on TikTok. What began as a passion project soon gained traction, evolving into a thriving online brand known as "Corporate Natalie." "Before corporate Natalie, I was working at Deloitte," Marshall shared in a recent Fortune interview. "Covid hit, I was traveling across the country, so excited just living this consulting life, and then Covid happened and I'm trapped in my tiny San Francisco apartment with nothing to do but turn to TikTok." Her TikTok videos resonated with viewers, and her following steadily grew. Eventually, the success of her online brand allowed her to transition from her full-time job to focus solely on her entrepreneurial venture. Marshall's story is a testament to the power of leveraging social media to build a successful business. She emphasizes the importance of planning, stating, "I made sure all of my ducks were in a row. I had a six-month runway." Marshall's journey is an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere, demonstrating that with creativity, determination, and a strategic approach, even a pandemic side hustle can transform into a full-time, successful business.