#266: Building an Organic Social Media Following with Lindzi Shanks, XO Marshmallow

The Startup CPG Podcast · 15 Sept 2026 · 36m · Episode 370

What this episode covers

Lindzi Shanks, founder and CEO of XO Marshmallow, explains how she built a 1.4 million follower social media presence and generated over $2 million in TikTok Shop sales by treating the marshmallow manufacturing process as inherently shareable content. She details how XO Marshmallow differentiates its strategy across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, turning negative comments into high-converting ads and leveraging ASMR-style visuals to drive impulse purchases. Shanks also discusses the operational shift required to support retail expansion, including redesigning packaging for an 18-month shelf life and using community programs like Troop XO to drive repeat purchases and retain customers acquired through social channels.

Mentioned

Companies
XO Marshmallow, Sprouts, Target, Whole Foods
Tools
Capcut, Notion
Also
TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Meta, Shopify

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