The XO8 Story Through My Eyes: 2014 to Today

Author: Lindsey Connell, XO8 Marketing Director

In 2014, I began my journey with XO8 Cosmeceuticals. Over the past 12 years, my role has grown and transformed in ways I never could have anticipated.

Where It All Began

Like many stories in this industry, mine began in a spa. I was working as a receptionist, just starting to find my footing and putting my degree in Creative Writing and Communications to use, when I met the incredible Leslie Fasulo. To this day, Leslie is the most talented esthetician who has ever touched my face, and she just so happened to be best friends with Rose Laudisio, XO8’s CEO and Founder. At that time, Rose was launching her very first product, the Placenta Stem Cell Mask (now known as the Revitalizing Face Mask).

Rose was looking for someone to help build a presence for her new business, and social media seemed like the place to start, even though, in 2015, Facebook was barely being used as a true marketing tool. That’s where I came in. We started with simple posts, grew steadily, and pivoted as the platforms evolved. Then Instagram launched, and everything changed. Watching the evolution of social media over the past decade has been incredible, and with it, my work at XO8 has grown right alongside.

The Evolution of Social Media and My Role with XO8

When I think back to those early days, the changes in marketing feel surreal. We’ve gone from casual Facebook posts to a digital-first world where Influencer Marketing sets the tone for entire industries. Today, I’m especially excited about the possibilities of Impact.com, and how XO8 will use it to amplify our reach with professionals and consumers alike.

As someone who manages social media for a skincare brand, I rely on certain tools I simply couldn’t live without:

• Canva for design

• ChatGPT for writing and brainstorming

• CapCut for video editing

• Planoly for planning content

• Facebook Business Suite for managing it all

And here’s something I believe strongly: don’t be afraid of AI. Lean in. Use the tools, templates, and programs available to work smarter, not harder. The businesses that embrace AI will be the ones that thrive.

Rebrands, Travel, and Milestones

Over the past 12 years, XO8 has experienced multiple rebrands, each one an opportunity to refine and elevate our products and message. I’m honored to stand by Rose as these rebrands happen. 

I’ve had the chance to travel and represent XO8 at unforgettable events. In 2018, we attended Jill Zarin’s Luxury Luncheon in the Hamptons, a high-profile charity event filled with celebrities, brands, and networking opportunities that put XO8 on the map in such a glamorous way. We’ve also been to IECSC at the Javits Center in New York City, one of the biggest industry trade shows in the world. And I’ll never forget our Orlando rebrand trip, where we combined work with a visit to our XO8 Professional, Angela Baldasare of Affinity Med Spa and Wellness Center, for a product and lifestyle photoshoot.

Each event marked not just professional growth but personal memories that I’ll carry with me forever.

XO8: A Constant in My Life

When I started at XO8, I was 26 years old. Today, I’m 38. In those 12 years, XO8 has been a consistent, calming force through every season of my life: an engagement, a wedding, a global pandemic, multiple moves, including one cross-country, pregnancy, and most importantly, the birth of my son, Nolan in 2022. To have a career that grows with you, supports you, and becomes part of your life’s fabric is rare.

And that’s what XO8 is to me: not just a job, but a family. We are a women-founded and women-run business, a team of hardworking and supportive women who lift each other up both professionally and personally.

Looking Ahead

I am endlessly grateful for the opportunity to do what I love every single day, for a company I believe in with products I personally use and trust. I know in my heart that I couldn’t show up with such passion if I didn’t fully believe in XO8 and in Rose’s vision.

What we’ve built so far is just the beginning. Knowing what’s ahead for XO8, I can say with certainty: the best is yet to come.