Empowering Entrepreneurs: The Story Behind Tilt and Abhi Thanendran’s Vision
Abhi Thanendran, cofounder and CEO of Tilt, is revolutionizing live commerce by creating a platform that puts the power of selling into the hands of everyday people rather than influencers. Unlike many marketplaces where success hinges on massive followings, Tilt enables sellers to start from scratch, build their brand, and grow their business by engaging directly with buyers through live auctions and flash sales.
Thanendran emphasizes that the 13 individuals who surpassed $1 million in sales on Tilt last year were not influencers but determined entrepreneurs. This distinction is crucial because it underscores Tilt’s mission: to empower those willing to learn, hustle, and convert their homes or small shops into thriving sales channels. As Thanendran explains, “The common factor isn’t audience size but attitude — these sellers are extremely hard workers.”
From Refugee to Tech Leader: Thanendran’s Journey
Thanendran’s ambition is deeply rooted in his personal history. Born a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee, his family relocated to Canada when he was eight years old, settling in a low-income neighborhood in Toronto. Despite facing economic hardships, his parents, both trained teachers, prioritized education, laying the groundwork for Thanendran’s future success. He went on to study mathematics at the University of Waterloo, which led him initially into actuarial science.
Though his first job involved modeling life expectancy and sickness rates—a morbid but mathematically engaging task—Thanendran soon shifted to finance, working on Wall Street and Bay Street in hedge funds, where he applied mathematical models to predict market movements. His career then transitioned into technology at the fintech startup Revolut in London, where he helped build the data and machine learning team from the ground up.
It was at Revolut that Thanendran met his future Tilt cofounder, Neil Shah. Their shared belief that “anybody can almost do anything” became a guiding principle, one they carried into their new venture. This ethos shaped Tilt’s design, focusing on accessibility and support for sellers regardless of their background.
Building Tilt: Human Connection Over Mass Audiences
At its core, Tilt was created to restore the human element in commerce, connecting sellers and buyers through live, interactive streams. Launched in 2023 and available in markets including the U.S., UK, Italy, and Spain, the platform initially targeted independent brands conducting live drops of new collections. However, this approach did not yield the expected results.
The breakthrough came with a pivot to live auctions and resale fashion, including sneakers, watches, and collectibles. Thanendran highlights that the conversion rates during live auctions of secondhand items dramatically outperformed those of new brand flash drops. This shift not only unlocked a more engaged user base but also showcased Tilt’s unique ability to support diverse sellers. Today, between 1,500 and 2,000 sellers make at least one sale on Tilt each month.
The Hard Work Behind Seven-Figure Sales
The sellers who have reached the coveted $1 million sales milestone on Tilt share characteristics beyond financial success: they are young, ambitious, and previously unknown. For example, a 20-year-old seller operating as Yorkshire Trainers achieves approximately $260,000 in monthly sales. Another seller, Maddie, who is deaf and manages fibromyalgia, works from her room and generates around $70,000 per month.
Thanendran stresses that their success comes from relentless dedication rather than large audiences. These individuals work daily, managing live streams that combine product commentary, inventory management, and customer engagement. The business demands endurance, requiring sellers to not only host vibrant sales but also handle packaging, shipping, and customer service after streaming ends.
“Live selling is not a passive business,” Thanendran explains. “You need to source products, master live selling, and maintain logistics to build consistent customer trust. Sellers must also cultivate their personal brand and keep audiences engaged for hours.” This blend of skills and stamina underpins the platform’s growing community of entrepreneurs.
Leveraging AI to Simplify the Live Commerce Experience
Understanding the challenges sellers face, Tilt has integrated AI to ease the operational burden. Its flagship tool, Snap, automates complex tasks involved in live selling. Sellers can simply hold up a product during a live stream, and Snap identifies key details such as brand, size, and condition, instantly creating a listing and running auctions in real time.
Though initial versions of Snap struggled with user experience, after a year of refinement, it has become the most widely adopted AI product on the platform. Thanendran reflects on this iterative process as emblematic of a founder’s journey: “Every single problem has a solution, and your job as a founder is to find what that solution is.” This mindset has been pivotal in Tilt’s evolution and its commitment to supporting sellers effectively.
Competing with Giants: Focus on Users and Persistence
In an era where giants like TikTok are also exploring live commerce, Thanendran remains steadfastly focused on Tilt’s users rather than competitors. “We don’t really think about competition like that,” he says. “To build one of the world’s leading consumer businesses, you need to focus on what your customer needs.”
Tilt differentiates itself by offering sellers near-zero fees and tools that reduce administrative tasks, enabling them to spend more time selling. For buyers, the platform avoids the typical marketplace imbalance where a few sellers dominate. Instead, it fosters a diverse seller base, giving buyers opportunities to discover unique personalities and products, enhancing trust and enjoyment.
Persistence is the cornerstone of Thanendran’s advice for entrepreneurs. “The absolute most important thing is to never give up,” he asserts. “Most businesses fail because founders let their minds wander. If you have conviction, there’s never a reason to give up.” This resilient spirit not only defines Thanendran’s journey but also underpins the ethos of Tilt and its community of sellers.
