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Eric Sedeño didnt get famous from dancing or cooking or any of the other popular TikTok content genres. As far as the 26-year-old can tell, his videos perform well because hes nice.
They do so well, in fact, that he was able to leave his full-time job as an art director at an advertising agency last year. Since then, hes relied on TikTok brand deals as his primary source of income.
Watching Sedeños videos, posted under @ricotaquito, is a bit like FaceTiming with your really funny, really caring friend; Vogue called him TikToks favorite bestie. Hes usually talking straight to the camera, otherwise goofing around with his friends or tie-dying clothing. Rarely is a video posted in which he isnt flashing an enormous smile.
@ricotaquito GO RIHANNA @nfl @tiktok #tiktoktailgate #superbowl original sound ThickyRicky
That authenticityhighly coveted on TikTokhas been key to his success on the app.
Its so strange. Never in my life did I think Id be doing this, Sedeño, who has over 840,000 followers and more than 84 million video likes on TikTok, tells Fortune. Before, I was putting art out, I was really trying to be an art director on Instagram, but I couldnt get anyone to care about the thing I care about. Now its crazy theres so much value placed on what I have to say about something.
Switching careers
Not that theres anything wrong with, ahem, working in business or finance, but Sedeño knew he had to leave his advertising job when he was tasked with coming up with campaigns for a bank. It just wasnt the right fit for him.
He left the ad agency in February 2022. Until then, he had been on a fairly traditional career path. He studied graphic design and advertising in college, and got a job at an ad firm in New York after graduating. He moved from intern to junior art director to art director.
I saw my path upward, but then in 2020 I got broken up with and I cut my hair into a mullet and grew a mustache and started making TikToks, he says. At first, TikTok was just for fun. But then came the banking campaigns. A call with his management team gave him the push he needed to strike out on his own.
Though he declined to share exact numbers, he says he makes more money than he made at the ad firm. He also gets more freedom to pursue other interestshe and his brother launched a line of candles that donates meals to a food pantry with every purchaseand work on his own art.
While Sedeño says he would never call his job hard, its much more mentally taxing than he anticipated. If a video doesnt get enough views, it feels like a personal failingsomething hes had to learn to deal with.
@ricotaquito To be fair i dont think she wants a boyfriend right now
original sound ThickyRicky
In advertising, I saw my trajectory as, oh if I hit A, B, and C, Ill get a promotion, Ill get a raise, I knew exactly where I was heading, he says. Online, the only thing that propels you forward is how people are receiving it. Are you growing, are you doing wellTheres no validation outside of numbers.
Sedeño loves his audience. Hes met followers who have become friends IRL, and hes always amazed when someone can recall something about him he posted in a video months or years earlier.
But when your self is your businessyour personality, your sense of humor, and in Sedeños case, his queernessconstant feedback takes a toll.
I have a really positive comment section, but I was only seeing the negative, he says. It switched my mentality about the internet in a way I should have been prepared for.
Knowing your worth
So thats the bad. The good is Sedeños newfound freedom, financiallyand creativelyspeaking.
The former has taken time. When youre first approached by companies to make content, its difficult to know how to price yourself: How much are you worth? Are you sure?
Were all part of a new creator marketplace economy and the numbers are so hard to pin down, he says. He learned after starting to work with his management company that he was undercharging, given his audience size. I worked in advertising, I thought I had a handle on my numbers. [But] I dont know how to tell anyone what Im worth.
@ricotaquito I DID A PHOTOSHOOT @calvinklein and @hypebeast featured me in their CK96 campaign #partner original sound ThickyRicky
Now that his management team has taken over most of the communication and negotiations with brands, Sedeño only has to sign off on projects he wants to work on. They take a cut, but its well worth it to him.
Looking to the future
Sedeño doesnt plan for TikTok to be his full-time work forever; his goal this year is to be more than an internet personality. In the future, he hopes to incorporate more of his art direction skills into what hes doing. Hed also like to start a podcast.
For those interested in a similar career, Sedeño advises shopping around for a management team if you decide working with one makes sense. You want to find someone who believes in the content youre producing and has ideas for what you can do in the future. If there are certain creators you admire, find out who manages them and reach out to see if they can take you on.
@ricotaquito I think we tore
muerto gang qubelly
He also says its okay to say no to brand deals you dont believe in and to quite literally value yourself more than other people do. Once, a company offered him $500 to make three videos; while he was excited about the opportunity to work with that specific company, he ultimately decided it wasnt worth his time and effort.
At that point, Sedeño still had a full-time job outside content creation, so the $500 wasnt do or die. Slowly building up your brand deals while you have other work is probably a good strategy for most people who dont have a huge financial cushion to fall back on.
Thats a privileged thing to say, because a lot of people dont have a ton of opportunities, he says. But say yes to things that excite you.
And dont get pigoen-holed. If you usually post about one topic but want to make a video about something else, go for it.
Theres no reason to limit yourself; think of diversifying your content like diversifying your income streams or investments. It will help in the long run.
It doesnt have to be so much of a strategy, he says. Its okay to just be your authentic self.