Feeling stuck with your DTC growth?

In this conversation, performance marketer Nikki Lindgren breaks down a pragmatic path forward: double-down on founder-led content (or creators if you won’t get on camera), boost your strongest organic assets with paid distribution, and sequence your moves so you’re not pouring ad dollars into a site that doesn’t convert.

You’ll learn why UGC is currently outpacing branded creative, how to pick platforms based on buyer behavior (not trend-chasing), and the creative mechanics that matter—like nailing the first 3 seconds with multiple hook variations.

She provided clear and concise guidance on avoiding shiny-object distractions, building systems instead of reacting to every platform change, and testing to statistical significance before scaling.

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭

Nikki Lindgren is the founder of Pennock, a female-led performance marketing agency scaling beauty and lifestyle DTC brands with full-funnel paid media.

Pennock reports 5–6× ROAS on $7M in annual beauty ad spend and case studies including 350% online revenue growth for skincare brands.

Nikki has 15+ years across in-house and agency roles, has served 90+ clients, and hosts the Panoc Knockdown podcast.

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬

⏵ Founder-Led vs. Creator-Led: Why putting a real human out front drives connection and cuts costs—and when to recruit a long-term “army” of creators who want upside, not one-off fees.

⏵ Amplify What’s Working: Boost your best organic posts with paid (especially early stage sub-$1M ARR); use that reach to build your email list and own your data.

⏵ UGC is better than Branded (for now): At the time of recording, user-generated style assets are outperforming polished brand creatives—lean in accordingly.

⏵ Sequence Before Scale: Fix site conversion rate before expanding channels; go deep on core platforms before testing places like Reddit; avoid shiny-object syndrome.

⏵ Platform Fit by Audience & Journey: Use TikTok for younger demos, YouTube when teaching a novel product, and lean into Pinterest if retail partners (e.g., Target) show heavy usage—match content to the buyer’s path.

⏵ Creative Mechanics That Move the Needle: Win the first 3–7 seconds with multiple hooks; keep a video editor cutting alternate opens; test lengths (long form can work for expert-led niches like dermatology).

⏵ Test, Don’t Guess: Iterate until you have statistical significance, then reallocate fast; be ready to change course when the numbers call it.

⏵ Build Systems, Not Stress: Industry shifts (e.g., iOS privacy changes impacting tracking) demand processes that reduce firefighting—slow down to get faster and standardize repeatable work.

⏵ Boutique Engagement Model: Pennock intentionally takes only a few new brands per quarter to stay hands-on and outcome-focused.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 & 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

Guest: Nikki Lindgren

Agency: Pennock (lead form at pennock.co)

Podcast: Pennock Knockdown (hosted by Nikki)