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

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2026-09-15
- Length: 36m
- Episode: 370
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-09-15-266-building-an-organic-social-media-following-with-lindzi-shanks-xo-marshmallow
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/9e6d9e7f

## Summary

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.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Lindzi Shanks and XO Marshmallow's Social Strategy
2. Platform-Specific Content Strategies: TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube
3. Turning Negative Comments into High-Converting Ads
4. Viral Views vs. Sales: The TikTok Shop Halo Effect
5. Retail Expansion: Packaging, Shelf Life, and Buyer Outreach
6. Content Production: Batching, Editing, and Reusing B-Roll
7. Customer Retention: Troop XO, Camp Cap, and Repeat Purchase Rates

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Packaging design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/packaging-design)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- XO Marshmallow (company)
- TikTok (other)
- Instagram (other)
- YouTube (other)
- Facebook (other)
- Sprouts (company)
- Target (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Meta (other)
- Shopify (other)
- Capcut (tool)
- Notion (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Go Where Your Audience Is (Which May Be TikTok) w/ Todd Clouser](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-01-18-go-where-your-audience-is-which-may-be-tiktok-w-todd-clouser) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 1](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-18-what-it-really-takes-to-build-a-food-business-part-1) (How I Built This)
- [107 - TikTok star Sara Laninga talks about being a social designer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-02-17-107-tiktok-star-sara-laninga-talks-about-being-a-social-designer) (People of Packaging)
- [How I Built Resilience: Pokimane](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-10-how-i-built-resilience-pokimane) (How I Built This)
- [159: Build a Community to Sell Your New Product Invention](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-01-18-159-build-a-community-to-sell-your-new-product-invention) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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