#1: Eric Ryan - Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal
Jun 26, 2024
auto_awesome
Eric Ryan, founder of Method Soap and OLLY Vitamins, shares insights on creativity, sustainable branding, and forming successful partnerships. He discusses building company culture, embracing social responsibility with B Corp, and the impact of social media. Exploring legacy and inspiration, he aims to leave a positive influence on society.
Culture is crucial in building successful brands by focusing on internal culture reflecting in products.
Shift towards self-expression in brand interactions over aspiration due to social media influence.
Implementing strategies like post-interview homework to ensure cultural fit and align with company values.
Deep dives
Building Brands from the Inside Out
Building a brand from a cultural perspective is emphasized, considering culture as the foundation of success in startups. By focusing on getting the right people and creating the right culture, companies like Apple and Nike have excelled. The belief is to prioritize people and products, treating the products as a reflection of the company's culture, aiming to create offerings that resonate with the team, their families, and friends.
Self-Expression Over Aspiration
The shift towards self-expression over aspiration in brand interactions, highlighted by the founder Cammie Tellez from Parade, reflects a growing trend among younger generations. With social media providing platforms for personal expression and identity creation, consumers seek products that act as tools for self-expression rather than aspirational symbols. This trend showcases a shift towards individuality and personal identity assertion in consumer product interactions.
Cultural Foundation in Brand Building
Culture is identified as the cornerstone for building successful brands, with a focus on creating a strong internal culture that reflects in the products offered. The approach involves designing a company rhythm that reinforces the culture, ensuring that hiring practices and daily routines align with the desired cultural values and norms to maintain a cohesive and empowering work environment. This deliberate cultivation of culture not only influences the team dynamics but also shapes the brand's trajectory in the market.
Implementing Homework Assignments in Hiring Process
To slow down the hiring process and ensure cultural fit, a company introduced a post-interview homework assignment for candidates, emphasizing a culture question and involving multiple team members in the assessment. This strategy has been successfully implemented for the past 20 years to assess candidate values, chemistry, and commitment, aligning with Jim Collins' idea of getting the right people on board.
Fostering Transparency and Rhythm in Business Culture
Creating a culture of transparency and shared values within a company is vital for success. By reinforcing organizational values through practices like culture questions during interviews, awards ceremonies, and regular communication about goals and expectations, leaders can empower their teams, strengthen teamwork, and provide a sense of security and alignment towards common objectives.
Today we sit down with Eric Ryan, founder of Method Soap, OLLY Vitamins, and a growing collection of new brands. We discuss Eric’s creative practices when originating companies and the leadership lessons he’s learned over 25 years as a serial entrepreneur and marketing strategist.
📸 @swhnorton
🐦 @swhnorton
🖥️ www.atlargeshow.com
…….
This podcast is made available solely for entertainment and educational purposes. The information presented here does not constitute investment, legal, or other professional advice, and should not be construed as an offering of advisory services, or as a solicitation to buy, an offer to sell, or a recommendation of any securities or other financial instruments. The thoughts and opinions expressed by or through this podcast are those of the individual guests and speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of any investment advisor. The discussion on this podcast of any entity, product or service does not imply an endorsement thereof, and the guests may have a financial interest, whether through investment or otherwise, in one or more of any such entities, products or services.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
