From firefighter to TikTok bidder: my $30 billion mission
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A former firefighter sees his part in a more than $30 billion bid to buy TikTok as a way of preserving the work of small businesses.

By  

Published March 10, 2025 7:00am EDT

Just over a decade ago, I was pulling 24-hour shifts with CalFire, driving my beat-up Corolla to work, and dreaming about building something bigger than myself. Today, I am leading a group of American investors who have submitted an offer to purchase TikTok's U.S. operations. Life comes at you fast, doesn't it?

But here's the thing – this isn't just about business. This is about protecting what regular Americans have built on TikTok while making sure it stays true to American values. And as someone who built their own business from nothing but sweat equity and determination, I know a thing or two about building something worth protecting.

When I started the company that would become employer.com, it was just me, my laptop and endless cups of coffee at Temple Coffee Roasters in downtown Sacramento. No fancy VC backing, no trust fund, no safety net. Just a firefighter who believed he could help connect good people with good jobs. Sound familiar? That's the story of countless creators and small business owners on TikTok right now.

**TIKTOK INVESTOR GROUP’S $30B BID INCLUDES TOP TIKTOK CREATOR MR. BEAST**

I still drive that Corolla, by the way.  into what it is today. Because success isn't about fancy cars or corner offices – it's about staying true to your values and remembering where you came from. And right now, we need to remember what TikTok really is at its core: a platform built by regular people sharing their lives, their dreams, and their ideas with the world.



The battle to save TikTok in the US continues. Users don't want to lose all of the effort they put into the platform. (iStock)

Look, I get  As someone whose company helps thousands of small businesses manage their employees' information, I take data privacy and security seriously. But banning TikTok outright? That's like using a fire hose to put out a birthday candle. You might solve the immediate problem, but you're going to cause a lot of unnecessary damage in the process.

When I was fighting fires, we learned quickly that sometimes the best way to save something is to take control of the situation, not just shut everything down. That's exactly what we need here – American ownership of TikTok, so we can protect both our national interests as well as the platform that so many hardworking Americans have come to rely on.

That's why a group of fellow business leaders and investors is joining me in stepping up. We're not some Silicon Valley giant with billions in the bank. We're entrepreneurs who have built companies from the ground up and understand the value of hard work and opportunity. Now, we want to help protect the platform where so many Americans are building their livelihoods, connecting with new communities and expressing themselves.

I've seen firsthand how TikTok has become a lifeline for small businesses. The restaurant owner in Oak Park who doubled her business through TikTok videos. The guy in Roseville who quit his corporate job to pursue his passion for woodworking, building his entire customer base on the platform. These are real people, with real dreams, building real businesses.

When I was starting out, I knew what it was like to have the odds stacked against you. To have people tell you that you're not big enough, not connected enough, not fancy enough to succeed. But here's what I learned: with enough determination, with enough grit and with the right opportunity, anyone can build something amazing.

That's what's at stake here. TikTok isn't just an app – it's an opportunity platform for millions of Americans. Yes, it needs to be separated from Chinese ownership. Yes, we need to protect Americans’ data. But we need to do it in a way that preserves the platform that so many hardworking Americans have come to rely on.



I still work out of Sacramento and still grab coffee at Temple. Because, at the end of the day, it's not about being the biggest or the flashiest – it's about doing what's right and creating opportunities for others. That's why we're stepping up to the plate. Because sometimes, the best person to protect something valuable is someone who remembers what it's like to build something from nothing.

So yeah, let's save TikTok. Not for the algorithms or the data or the technology – but for the millions of regular Americans who've built their dreams on this platform. Because, if a firefighter from Sacramento can build a company that today supports over 10,000 small businesses, imagine what the next generation of dreamers and builders could do with the right opportunity and platform.

> When I was fighting fires, we learned quickly that sometimes the best way to save something is to take control of the situation, not just shut everything down.

Remember: it's not about where you start – it's about where you're determined to go. And right now, we're determined to keep this platform alive for every American who's using it to chase their dreams, just like I chased mine.



We’re grateful to President Donald Trump for providing the time and opportunity to save TikTok for American creators. We believe we have put forward the best proposal to meet the president’s goals of protecting America’s national interests, securing user data, and ensuring TikTok remains a safe space where freedom of speech thrives.

Let's make it happen. Not for Wall Street, not for Silicon Valley, but for Main Street, USA. Because that's who we are, that's where we came from, and that's who we're fighting for.

Jesse Tinsley is CEO and founder of  and leader of an investor group that has submitted a $30-billion bid for TikTok.
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