A financial worker is making money from a TikTok hobby after quitting his 9 to 5 job. 

Kieran Johnstone, from Coatbridge, was scrolling the app while stuck indoors during the Covid lockdown when he came across tufting, a textile technique used to make rugs.

The 28-year-old decided to give it a go by teaching himself to make various designs, many of which were inspired by tattoos. 

He began to showcase his skills on social media under his brand Inked Rugs, and after one of his first orders sold out immediately, he began creating bespoke designs for clients in the UK and in the United States.

Glasgow Times:

Now with over 40,000 social media followers, Kieran has resigned from his office job to focus on his growing business. 

He said: “I never thought that a skill I picked up by watching TikTok would become my career and, while it was scary to take the leap and quit my job, it's an opportunity that may never come up again.

"People are impressed with the quality of the rugs, but because I spent more than a year making them myself every day, I know what I want in terms of the manufacturing process and how the products look and feel.

"Now that I can focus on the business full-time, I’m intent on growing and developing it further by building relationships with artists in the tattooing community, as well as growing the US and international customer base.”

Kieran was given a helping hand for his business with a £20,000 loan from GC Business Finance and the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme.

Glasgow Times:

This has helped him to partner with an international supplier and launch a personalised service where customers can have a rug made to match their own tattoos.

Inked Rugs sold over 300 units during the first three months of 2024, with around 70% delivered to international buyers.

Kieran hopes to expand his business further in the United States and team up with popular tattoo artists to create new designs. 

Glasgow Times:

He has already worked with Glasgow-based artists Duncan Sweeney, Scott Martin and Mikkel ‘Big Mike’ Østberg for rug designs.

Kieran added: “With support from the Start Up Loans programme, I have been able to scale up and move to an e-commerce business model that allows me to increase stock levels and shorten delivery times, meaning more customers can get their hands on their products more quickly.

"All the rugs that came in as part of the first order I placed from the new supplier sold faster than I ever imagined."

Glasgow Times:

The Start Up Loans programme has supported 390 entrepreneurs and delivered more than £3 million in loans to new business owners in North Lanarkshire since it began in 2012.

Barry McCulloch, senior manager, UK Network, Scotland at the British Business Bank, said: “Supporting young business owners like Kieran is a core part of what our Start Up Loans funding was set up to do and it is great to see him take the brave but exciting step to scale up and become his own boss.

"We know UK businesses often struggle to export so it’s fantastic to see this Scottish start-up business making so many international sales and being ambitious about expanding in the United States. We wish Kieran every success with the next chapter.”