CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – In the last seven months, 10-year-old Mary Alice McCaslin and her aunt, Leslie Segla, have picked up over 283,000 followers on TikTok, and it all started with some fun during a weekend visit.

“She happened to be over one weekend – we were going to Dollywood together – and I was like, ‘You know what, let’s make a video together,'” Leslie said.

The video was of the two of them acting out coffee skit by comedian Jeff Dunham. Almost overnight, the video had almost 1 million views on the popular app, and they gained 100,000 followers.

Content creation isn’t new for these ladies; they’ve been making home videos since Mary Alice was a baby. However, neither expected their content to blow up the way it has.

“We realized this is what people want, this is what is making them happy, this is what is bringing joy to people’s lives, and it just comes so naturally for us.”

Finding time to have fun

With any content creation, there’s a problem with finding time to do it. Mary Alice is busy life with sports and activities such as travel softball, basketball, horseback riding, art and choir. Leslie has a job and a family. To make the situation more complicated, this duo lives on opposite sides of the state.

“There are content creators out there that have millions of followers, and they are doing this all day long,” Leslie said. “The struggle is having time to actually make the content.”

Despite those struggles, they’re both passionate about spreading positivity and making people smile.

“I always want to do it, I just don’t have the time a lot of the times, but when we do, I love to do it,” Mary Alice said.

Be original you

Throughout their time on TikTok, they’ve grown even more. Mary Alice told Clarksville Now she has been raised to not be afraid to be different. Her mother Natalie encourages that.

“Everybody’s a masterpiece, and is unique for a reason. And when you try to be like someone else, you’re a copy of them, you’re not an original anymore,” Natalie said, “No one can be you except you, so own it.”

“God made me silly and funny, so I want to use that talent to make people happy,” Mary Alice said.

Leslie said her time on the app has given her the opportunity to see things differently.

“Not everyone’s going to like, you and that’s just life,” Leslie said. “I’ve been able to accept me for being my silly, annoying self.”

Much of the profit they make from their account goes to Mary Alice’s future, as well as giving back to the community. “You can be a content creator, and it not just be about, ‘Oh look, I’m popular’, it can be about what you’re doing with a platform that a lot of people aren’t doing.”

You can find Leslie and Mary Alice’s video on their TikTok account.