Recent grads turned TikTok entrepreneurs
What brings people together? Alumni Connor Bussey, BS ’19 (business administration), and Adam Faris, BS ’20 (general social science), took to the popular TikTok platform for answers to that question during the pandemic.
What they found: Cars. Yachts. Mansions. Sports. No, really. Twice a month they visit major cities across the US, capturing some of the most elusive, high-end subjects in the world, and crossing off bucket list dreams while they’re at it.
The TikTok videos documenting their adventures have drawn more than 2 million followers across several accounts, and they average around 65 million views per month on TikTok alone. Since launching in January of 2021, they have worked with iconic brands such as Road & Track, Sports Illustrated, the Seattle Seahawks, and global brands like eToro, among others.
At the time of the launch, Faris was working for an energy management software company in the Bay Area and TikTok was just a side hustle.
Then, in July of 2021, Faris’ friend and long-time business partner, Connor Bussey, came to him with ideas on how to take things to the next level and expand outside of sports and cars into homes, jets, yachts, and more.
After that conversation, Faris started the MansionTok account which grew at unprecedented rates hitting 100K followers in a matter of weeks. With the rapid growth, Faris knew he needed to double-down and team up with Bussey who could rein in his “crazy ideas” and help him execute on them.
Bussey and Faris first met at the UO and a genuine passion for entrepreneurism developed between the two. They were cofounders of the student-led Oregon Blockchain, and post-college they cofounded a startup called Shred Adventures.
“The UO gave us an opportunity to start groups and network in an environment where it’s easier to connect because people want to help you on your career journey.” - Connor Bussey
“The UO gave us an opportunity to start groups and network in an environment where it’s easier to connect because people want to help you on your career journey,” Bussey says.
After college, Bussey worked for a high-end marketing agency in Portland that profiled brands like Nike and Adidas, but he also acted as a financial analyst for an investment company that vetted startups. It was through these projects that he learned all about startups—how to predict which ones will succeed or fail, and how to manage projects.
“Adam’s the creative person, and I’m the operational person,” Bussey says. “It allows us to work well together.”
Faris says that their success is about having authenticity and a systemized approach to their work. And what separates them is that they look at TikTok from a business mind-set which allows them to scale and engage brands.
“TikTok is such a complex algorithm,” Faris says. “It comes down to consistency and sticking to your niche and focusing on building series’ that create expectancy before venturing into deeper topics within those sectors.”
Bussey adds, “Lots of these influencers are great at making their content but don't have as much of a business understanding so brands don't hire them for content creation work.”
Faris and Bussey may pay attention to the algorithm, but they say that having work-life balance is equally important to their success.
“I just like to make people laugh or be entertained,” Faris says. “There are a lot of brutal comments, but a ton of nice ones too. Peak quarantine, people would tell me how my videos were helping get them through it, and that really touched me.”
Faris’ favorite projects have been his “What’s in Their Garage” series, followed by a more recent one where he and Bussey were able to tour a basketball court at the top of a skyscraper in Chicago with a view of the entire city skyline. Bussey’s favorite was being able to attend Portland Trail Blazer, Chicago Bulls, and LA Lakers games to create sports content.
They have done tours of Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, and the Peterson Museum in Los Angeles, but both Bussey and Faris agree that it has been the brand deals that have made them the most aware of their success. Now, over a year in, brands who felt entirely out of reach—like Bleacher Report or ESPN—are suddenly in their inboxes, fully aware of their catalog of work.
“The first time I realized that we really had something good going was when Sports Illustrated reached out to us,” Faris says. “More recently, though, Bud Light messaged me on Instagram; it’s been crazy.”
“If I could stress something to college students it would be to learn how to network,” Bussey adds reflecting on their success. “The biggest mistake people make is that they assume people will not respond. Adam and I always approach outreach with the mindset of ‘What is the worst that will happen?’ A few weeks ago, I was talking to the chief marketing officer of the Chicago Bulls just because of a cold email.”
Faris says that they are looking for new ways to expand the business without putting all their eggs in one basket. The world of media and technology is constantly changing—and Faris and Bussey want to be at the forefront of it.
“We're just going to keep rolling until there is a new platform we need to adapt to,” Faris says.
The team is looking to expand their business soon. They are on their way to becoming a full-fledged media company, and hint that they may be looking for more UO graduates to collaborate with in the ever-evolving space.
“We love working with people from the UO,” Bussey says.
-By Sage Kiernan-Sherrow, MA ’21 (journalism)