TikTok has exploded this year under the leadership of interim CEO Vanessa Pappas. This week, as part of Marie Claire's Power On virtual summit, Pappas held a live video chat discussion with Marie Claire editor-in-chief Sally Holmes.

The annual conference, which went virtual this year, featured a variety of powerful women, including actresses like Taraji P. Henson (opens in new tab) and Gabrielle Union. (opens in new tab) In conversation, Pappas discussed the future of TikTok with women in technology.

"TikTok was initially seen as a platform for Generation Z, but over time, in the context of a pandemic, many smaller companies have entered the platform, looking for new ways to connect with their customers. We hear and see from every family that has jumped on TikTok and is finding new ways to connect with each other, whether it is a mother dancing with her daughter or a father dancing with his son. TikTok is giving them a new creative outlet and an opportunity to make human connections they might not otherwise have had.

"And it is certainly a platform for creative expression and social change found throughout the creative community, and sometimes on behalf of underrepresented populations. Black Lives Matter".

"These are indeed turbulent times. I think what tends to really resonate when you look at the situation we all face in these uncertain times, in the midst of a pandemic, is how to stay true to our North Star, whatever that may be for you, your business, or your company. I think anyone who has worked in a startup knows that you have to be able to operate with a certain degree of ambiguity. So for me, it's about reminding everyone that we have a path to follow, that we have a north star, and taking everyone along on that journey, and making sure that we continue to serve our 100 million users in the US and hundreds of millions more around the world every day."

"TikTok has truly become part of this everyday vocabulary. And it has become the home where culture begins on TikTok. By now most of us have seen the video of the guy skateboarding on Ocean Spray while listening to Fleetwood Mac. But we believe that TikTok will be the hub of these cultural zeitgeist moments. We are very excited to provide that platform. We are now looking ahead in terms of how we will continue to innovate our products and make sure that we continue to provide this place for creative expression and all the tools and features that make it possible."

"It really takes a village to see change. Women have great resilience. So we can continue to be beacons of change. This is certainly an opportunity, and being in a start-up environment has certainly made some of that growth possible. But (going forward), how can we make people part of that journey?