The art of the steal: Serial founder Eric Ryan on finding inspiration

Serial entrepreneur Eric Ryan, founder of Method and Olly, details his strategy for disrupting stagnant consumer categories by blending high design with sustainability. True innovation stems from "stealing" concepts from unrelated industries—such as applying houseware aesthetics to cleaning products—rather than mimicking direct competitors. By fostering a culture that balances creative "artists" with rigorous "operators," companies maintain agility even during rapid growth phases. Identifying deep cultural shifts, such as the transition toward wellness and lifestyle-oriented products, allows for the creation of entirely new market categories. Ryan’s approach involves breaking complex scaling challenges into bite-sized, actionable steps, leveraging strategic partnerships with experts like industrial designer Karim Rashid to overcome market entry barriers, and maintaining a clear vision that aligns product development with the evolving needs of the consumer.