Adudehits Becomes First Woman-Owned Business to Hit $1M in Weekly Sales on Whatnot
Dakota, owner of adudehits, just made history. At 25 years old, she’s not only the first woman-owned business to surpass $1 million in weekly sales on Whatnot—she’s also the first female-led breaking company ever to reach that milestone. What started as a small sneaker-selling operation in Boca Raton, Florida, has scaled into a full-blown enterprise: a team of over 40 people, multiple live-selling channels, and millions in GMV across categories like sports cards, collectibles, and clothing.
Mastering the Art of Live Selling
Dakota’s rocketship journey began in 2021 when a friend introduced her to Whatnot. She quickly recognized its potential and set out to master both the entertainment and operations of live selling. Hosting live auctions meant more than just showcasing products—it required engaging with customers, managing expectations, and running a smooth operation. Dakota learned how to create the ideal experience for her viewers, handling both the ups and the downs while managing a backend team responsible for customer service, social media, and logistics. This balanced workflow allowed her to scale the business and build a loyal following.
Leveling Up and Building a Team
Once Dakota figured out how to run one account efficiently, she expanded, building a team to help manage multiple accounts and niches. She credits much of her success to learning how to create a seamless experience for customers, from the live auction process to packaging and shipping. The team’s ability to handle day-to-day operations efficiently, while ensuring no mistakes are made, is a big part of why Dakota’s business is so successful, and she’s able to focus on the bigger picture for her business. It’s not just about breaking sports cards anymore, it’s about building a reliable and scalable system that people enjoy and trust. The other channels in her brand are: adudehoops, aduderips, adudebats, achickrips, and thriftdepot.
Advice for Aspiring Sellers
Dakota’s advice to those wanting to sell on Whatnot is straightforward: confidence and experience are key. She encourages new sellers to embrace mistakes as part of the learning process and to focus on growth rather than fear of failure. For Dakota, it’s all about taking the time to build experience and understand the unique and helpful features of the platform.
“Be confident in what you’re offering, and don’t be afraid to try new things,” she says. “Mistakes might be costly at times, but they will help you grow in the long run.”
Dakota is optimistic about the future of the collectibles space as the industry has seen massive growth in the past few years, especially among younger generations. Dakota believes that as more people discover the world of live shopping, the space will continue to thrive and eventually become mainstream. She envisions a future where live streamers can host advertisements and the media takes a closer look at what it takes to succeed in this growing field of live shopping. With her team’s success and the continuous growth of Whatnot and live shopping, Dakota’s journey is just getting started.
