Design: How Eric Ryan of Method, Olly, Welly, transforms boring products into billion dollar brands

In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan is joined by Eric Ryan, a transformational entrepreneur known for reimagining mundane product categories into billion-dollar brands. They dive into Eric’s playbook, exploring how he uses design to capture shifts in consumer behavior. Eric shares his journey from childhood influences to starting Method Soap, Ollie Vitamins, Welly Bandages, and Cast Jewelry, detailing his emphasis on people, culture, and differentiation through design.

Guest Bio and Links:

Eric Ryan is a serial entrepreneur, investor, advisor, and father. Eric is the driving force behind numerous successful brands, including Method Soap, Olly Vitamins, Welly Bandages, and Cast Jewelry. Known for reinvigorating overlooked product categories, Eric has built companies that focus on innovative design, consumer trends, and collaborative team culture.

Listeners can learn more about at website, on IG @ericthomasryan and X @ericthomasryan

Resources:

Method Products - Method's got your back with irresistible, mood-boosting products that make you feel good inside and out.

Welly Bandages - Bandages that seal, protect and get you back in the game with a bit of style.

Olly Vitamins - Olly, also known as Olly Nutrition and Olly Public Benefit, is an American company and brand of vitamin supplements and other products.

Cast Jewelry - Shop Cast, a place to discover wonder-filled fine jewelry. Explore our curation of unexpected collections and find your perfect piece.

Show Notes: 

• 
  (0:00) Intro
• (0:20) Leah introduces guest, Eric Ryan to Breaking Precedent
• (1:00) Meet Eric Ryan - the entrepreneurial journey
• (4:30) Eric shares childhood memories that shaped his entrepreneurial spirit
• (6:45) “I tried hard in school, but, and I was a solid, you know, C plus B minus student. But I think it was that work ethic that really taught me. And there was areas I did excel. When you get out of those stupid scantron tests.”
• (9:00) The ice rink story - a glimpse into young Eric’s creative thinking
• (13:45) “Ideas are easy, execution is the hard part.”
• (14:25) The birth of Method
• (18:15) Designing Method with 90K
• (22:30) Scaling up with Target
• (26:00) Olly Vitamins - applying lessons from Method to a new category
• (30:00) Eric’s design vision and design process 
• (35:45) The birth of Welly Bandages 
• (38:30) When to know when to walk away from a project 
• (41:40) The birth of Cast Jewlery 
• (47:00) Eric’s jewelry on HBO’s White Lotus - a TV moment for Cast
• (50:00) Launching Tandy
• (51:30) Reflections on entrepreneurship and legacy
• (54:30) Conclusion and final thoughts

--- 

Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and D