Click to cash: the role of TikTok Live in empowering Malaysian women entrepreneurs

This study explores the personal and entrepreneurial motivations of Malaysian women content creators and their influence on the use of TikTok Live for income generation. While live-streaming platforms are gaining popularity, their adoption and economic impact, particularly among female contentpreneurs, remain underexamined. By integrating Uses and Gratification Theory with Entrepreneurial Orientation Theory, this research investigates how these motivations drive earnings through TikTok Live. Data were gathered through an online survey of 384 women actively utilizing TikTok Live, examining their motivations, platform engagement, and revenue outcomes. The findings emphasize the mediating role of TikTok Live features in linking user motivations to income generation. This study enhances the understanding of women’s financial empowerment in the digital economy, providing both theoretical insights and practical recommendations for improving the financial sustainability of female content creators. Despite limitations such as reliance on self-reported data, this research lays the groundwork for future studies and policy initiatives aimed at fostering a more inclusive and supportive live-streaming ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in Malaysia.