# method: Adam Lowry & Eric Ryan

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2018-10-08
- Length: 55m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-08-method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan

## Summary

Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, co-founders of Method, explain how they disrupted the toxic cleaning product industry by combining chemical engineering with sleek industrial design to create non-toxic, aesthetically pleasing cleaners. They detail their early struggles, including funding the startup with $90,000 of personal savings, hand-mixing products in their apartment, and cold-calling grocery stores to secure their first retail placement. The founders describe the pivotal gamble of pitching a redesigned, inverted dish soap to Target, which led to a national rollout and eventual sale of the company to Ecover.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-08-method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan#t=0) Introduction: Adam Lowry & Eric Ryan
- [2:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-08-method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan#t=176) The Origin Story and Chemical Formulation
- [16:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-08-method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan#t=1000) Designing the Bottle and Brand Identity
- [19:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-08-method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan#t=1181) Cold-Calling Retailers and Early Sales
- [27:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-08-method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan#t=1637) Securing Funding and the Target Pitch
- [34:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-08-method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan#t=2055) The Target Test and Scaling Production
- [43:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-08-method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan#t=2595) Product Failures and Leadership Dynamics
- [48:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-08-method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan#t=2887) Selling Method and Future Ventures

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Method (company)
- Target (company)
- Ecover (company)
- Colgate (company)
- Clorox (company)
- Procter & Gamble (company)
- Unilever (company)
- Molly Stone's (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Ripple Foods (company)
- Ollie (company)
- Stemple Creek Ranch (company)
- IKEA (company)
- Home Depot (company)
- Karen Rashid (other)
- Philippe Starck (other)
- Josh Handy (other)

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## Citing this page

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