# EO Products: Susan Griffin-Black & Brad Black

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-07-15
- Length: 59m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black

## Summary

Susan Griffin-Black and Brad Black, founders of EO Products, explain how a chance encounter with essential oils in London inspired them to build a $50 million natural body care company without venture capital. They detail their scrappy early years, including manufacturing bath salts in a garage and securing a pivotal order from Bloomingdale's that led to the brand name 'EO'. The episode covers their strategic decision to avoid VC funding to protect product integrity, their divorce in 2007, and their unique decision to remain business partners. They also discuss launching the 'everyone' brand to enter mass retail channels like Walgreens and Walmart.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black#t=0) Introduction: EO Products and the Myth of Scale
- [4:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black#t=278) Brad Black's Early Apparel Venture: Maniac
- [7:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black#t=469) Susan Griffin-Black's Divorce and Career Shift
- [13:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black#t=791) The London Inspiration: Neil's Yard Remedies
- [18:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black#t=1108) Garage Manufacturing and the Bloomingdale's Order
- [33:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black#t=1996) Financial Struggles and the Whole Foods Breakthrough
- [45:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black#t=2755) Divorce and Maintaining the Partnership
- [50:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black#t=3006) Launching 'everyone' and Entering Mass Retail

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- EO Products (company)
- Neil's Yard Remedies (company)
- Bloomingdale's (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Mervyn's (company)
- TJ Maxx (company)
- everyone (product)
- Barnacle Foods (company)
- Esprit (company)
- Maniac (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [019: Organic haircare products with Susana Stewart & Caroline Maina of Fro Butter](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-09-20-019-organic-haircare-products-with-susana-stewart-caroline-maina-of-fro-butter) (Product Startup)
- [Founder + Funder: Fundraising, Founder-Investor Fit, and Building the Next Big Breakfast Brand with Emily Groden of Evergreen and Brian Bernstein of Rich Products Ventures](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-06-20-founder-funder-fundraising-founder-investor-fit-and-building-the-next-big-breakf) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [170 - Wipes and Weenus Wednesday w/Sean Riley and AJ Peek](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-11-30-170-wipes-and-weenus-wednesday-w-sean-riley-and-aj-peek) (People of Packaging)
- [Founder Feature: Zoe Levin of Bim Bam Boo](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-03-21-founder-feature-zoe-levin-of-bim-bam-boo) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Suzannah Raff of Cleo+Coco](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-10-31-founder-feature-suzannah-raff-of-cleo-coco) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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