In a world where virality is often engineered, one entrepreneur’s accidental fame reshaped everything she thought she knew about business growth. When Lina Cho, founder of the sustainable skincare startup Leaf & Loom, uploaded a raw, unfiltered video of her production process on TikTok in late 2023, she had no marketing plan, no script, and certainly no expectations of overnight success.
Within 48 hours, her video had amassed 12 million views, her Shopify store crashed twice, and her tiny team of three was shipping orders around the clock. “It was chaos but the best kind,” Lina recalls. What followed was a masterclass in agility, authenticity, and the unpredictable power of the internet.
When Authenticity Outshines Strategy
Unlike the glossy influencer campaigns many startups rely on, Lina’s video was a genuine behind-the-scenes clip of her mixing natural ingredients by hand. “It wasn’t meant to sell anything,” she says. “I was just showing my process.”
That unfiltered approach resonated deeply with a growing online audience fatigued by overproduced ads. According to HubSpot’s 2024 Marketing Trends Report, 82% of consumers say they trust brands more when they show behind-the-scenes content.
The lesson? Authenticity now outperforms aesthetics. In an era when AI-generated content floods feeds, the human touch imperfection and all can be the most powerful differentiator.
How Going Viral Tests Founders in Real Time
Lina’s viral moment wasn’t just about attention, it was about endurance. Orders spiked 5,000% in one week. Suppliers ran out of packaging. Customer emails poured in faster than they could be answered.
“It felt like running a marathon at sprint speed,” she says. “Suddenly we had global customers, but our systems were built for a neighborhood shop.”
Experts call this phenomenon the “viral bottleneck” when startups experience explosive visibility before they’re operationally ready. Harvard Business Review notes that nearly 60% of viral-first startups struggle with post-viral fulfillment or quality control within the first six months.
To stabilize, Lina temporarily shut down new orders, restructured her supply chain, and hired a fractional COO. It was a bold move but it saved her brand’s reputation.
The Algorithm Doesn’t Care But People Do
Many founders chase algorithms, but Lina’s story highlights something more powerful: emotional resonance.
Her viral video wasn’t optimized for hashtags or SEO, it was optimized for feeling. Viewers weren’t just watching a skincare process; they were connecting with the story of a small founder doing what she loved.
“People bought into the mission before they bought the product,” says digital strategist Maya Patel. “That’s the holy grail of organic marketing.”
Interestingly, data from Sprout Social (2025) supports this: posts that evoke emotion (joy, curiosity, or empathy) generate 3.5x higher engagement than those that simply inform.
From Chaos to Community
After the viral explosion, Lina leaned into her new audience, not with ads, but with conversation. She began weekly “ingredient Q&A” livestreams, turned customer feedback into new product lines, and featured user-generated content across her site.
This community-first strategy transformed Leaf & Loom from a viral sensation into a sustainable lifestyle brand. Within 12 months, revenue grew by 420%, and the company expanded to six countries.
Her approach mirrors a wider trend: community as currency. In 2025, startups that integrate co-creation and transparency into their brand DNA are growing 2x faster than traditional e-commerce models, according to McKinsey’s Consumer Pulse Report.
Lessons for Founders: Turning Virality into Longevity
Lina’s accidental fame offers clear takeaways for every entrepreneur:
- Be human first, strategic second. Authenticity drives connection and connection drives conversion.
- Prepare for scale before you need it. Infrastructure isn’t optional once visibility hits.
- Engage, don’t exploit. Viral attention fades fast; community sustains growth.
- Let data follow story. Analytics matter, but stories spark action.
- Stay curious. Every viral moment is a stress test for adaptability.
The Bigger Picture: The Age of Intentional Serendipity
As Lina reflects, she admits she never set out to go viral. “It just happened. But I think people can tell when something’s real. That’s why it worked.”
Her story underscores a profound truth about modern entrepreneurship: you can’t manufacture authenticity, but you can cultivate honesty. In an algorithm-driven world, founders who dare to be real often find themselves rewarded, not by luck, but by resonance.
The future of business growth may not lie in perfectly crafted campaigns, but in accidental moments of genuine connection that reveal who we really are behind the brand.
