Why Authentic Storytelling Matters in Retail | Shruti Khatod (Nutrafol, ThredUp, Macy’s)

"Authenticity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s what makes customers believe in your brand."

In this episode of Growth Talks by Right Side Up, Shruti Khatod, VP of Growth Marketing at Nutrafol, joins host Krystina Rubino to discuss the power of authentic storytelling in brand growth. Shruti shares how leveraging real customer stories and choosing the right influencer partnerships have helped Nutrafol build a brand that customers trust and love.

She breaks down how to align brand KPIs with performance marketing, measure the true impact of retail strategies, and drive long-term revenue success.

🗝️ Key Takeaways:

• Brand fuels growth. Every channel—TV, social, influencers should reinforce your brand story, not just drive conversions.
• TV ads take time, but they work. Nutrafol refined their TV strategy over multiple iterations—test, tweak, and secure leadership buy-in for long-term impact.
• Authenticity isn’t a trend—it’s a trust builder. Real customers, not actors, make the difference. Genuine voices create loyal brand advocates.
• Diversify your marketing mix. Winning brands blend TV, digital, influencers, and organic marketing to stay agile, scale faster, and meet customers where they are.
• Go beyond last-click attribution. Successful brands take a full-funnel approach, blending brand KPIs, search trends, and retargeting to track real growth drivers.

⏰ Timestamps

00:10 - Intro to Shruti Khatod

03:26 - How brand and growth work together

07:21 - Connecting brand KPIs to growth marketing 

14:34 - Lessons from growing Nutrafol’s TV presence

18:38 - How Meta and TikTok are reshaping performance marketing

23:37 - Why problem-solution messaging resonates

30:55 - Overcoming the limitations of last-click attribution

35:24 - Consumer behavior & growth strategy adjustments 

45:27 - Leveraging influencers for long-term brand impact

50:46 - How Nutrafol navigated the TikTok ban scare

 

🔗 Mentioned in this episode:

• Nutrafol: https://nutrafol.com/
• ThredUp: https://www.thredup.com/
• Macy’s: https://www.macys.com/

 

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