Fanstasia Linda McLean — a 30-year-old hairstylist, entrepreneur, and TikTok influencer — and her friends live-stream a video to TikTok after she braided her friend’s hair. “TikTok keeps me in the light,” McLean said. Three years ago, Fanstasia Linda McLean, 30, was making about $175 per client braiding hair in her public housing apartment in Brooklyn. Today, she makes $245 working from a salon space in Nashville, and people drive for three hours or more to get her famous box braids.
“I am very disappointed about it,” she said. “But I’m trying to move my fan base over to Instagram or Facebook, so I don’t lose everything if it does happen.” Her friend suggested she put her hair skills to use, too, and she transitioned to braiding hair. Meanwhile, she started streaming her styles on TikTok to fill time.in 2020 reached 27,000 people, and in less than a year her follower count grew to 20,000. At first, she used the account to show off her personality and get free products from some brands. Then she started promoting her business.
Showcasing her life online around the clock impacted her mental health, McLean admitted. Initially, she spent her free moments glued to her phone while her daughters tried to get her attention.