
“I’m just an Appalachian country boy who figured out how to do TikTok videos,” says Aaron Sheaves of Sheaves Flooring in Weyers Cave, Va. (found on TikTok at @grain_lyfe). Being from the mountains of Appalachia turned out to be an advantage—people comment on how they love listening to his accent in his voiceovers where he explains what he’s doing start-to-finish on his install, sand and finish jobs. “I think I sound like an idiot because I’ve got an accent, but I get a lot of comments saying ‘I could listen to you talk all day.’” What he’s saying—and showing—in his videos is resonating with people: His videos have millions of views and have led to increased demand at higher prices. Whereas previously he was booked for a couple months out, now he’s booked for three to six months, and he’s continuing to raise his prices. He says being transparent in his videos about what he’s charging for the work is a big factor. “They’re willing to pay above a premium price if they can see you can deliver quality work and demonstrate what you do,” he says. As a bonus, he gets paid by TikTok every month for his “verified views.” With an average between $1 and $1.20 per thousand views, he gets $1,000-$2,500 or more per month from TikTok, which he uses to fund vacations, including a trip to Alaska last summer. “Imagine: You post videos and you get paid to advertise your own business,” he says. “I had no idea it was going to turn into this."