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How I Built This with Guy Raz
How I Built This with Guy Raz

Advice Line with Eric Ryan of Method returns

April 23, 2026 • 40m

Summary

⏱️ 8 min read

Overview

Guy Raz hosts an advice line with serial entrepreneur Eric Ryan, co-founder of Method and other consumer brands, now a venture capitalist with Greycroft. They advise three entrepreneurs facing challenges in scaling their businesses: Christina Pang of Haven Beauty (allergen-free fragrances), James Chambliss of Pigeon Toes (customizable kids' flip-flops), and Ben Forrest of Reserved for Humans (illuminated crystal jewelry). The episode explores brand building, customer acquisition, and fundraising strategies in competitive consumer markets.

Eric Ryan's Transition to Venture Capital and Consumer Market Outlook

Eric Ryan discusses his recent move from serial entrepreneur to venture capitalist, joining Greycroft to launch a $150 million consumer fund. He reflects on how playing 'coach' rather than 'quarterback' feels after years of building companies. Ryan addresses the current skepticism around consumer brands, arguing it's actually a great time to invest after the valuation reset of 2020-2021, when tech money flooded the space with unsustainable valuations.

  • Eric Ryan has moved into venture investing at Greycroft, launching a $150 million dedicated consumer fund
  • Ryan focuses on identifying macro trends in categories over 3-5 years, pattern matching with founders building into those trends
  • After the 2020-2021 period when tech money poured into consumer with inflated valuations, there's been a healthy reset in the market
  • It's never been easier to start a company but never been harder to scale one past $100-200 million
" I think a common theme and almost everybody we heard today is just confidence. Like all these people are clearly accomplished and have that ability. But the hardest part is the mental game and that self-confidence to keep going when things get hard. "
" So much of my job is to just almost play therapist and really help people stay confident and focused on the right things in this journey and that's the part I wish I had more help with in those early years. "

Haven Beauty: Allergen-Free Fragrance for Sensitive Skin

Christina Pang founded Haven Beauty after her son was born with severe allergies and eczema, discovering that cutting fragrance from their lives cleared his skin. She's building the first fine fragrance and skincare brand formulated without 82 known fragrance allergens, targeting 30 million Americans with eczema and 100+ million with sensitive skin. Launched in July 2023, she's reached over $100,000 in sales through DTC, luxury resorts, and recently Anthropologie nationwide.

  • Haven Beauty formulates without 82 known fragrance allergens, using specialized fragrance labs to separate allergenic compounds
  • Christina's son's severe allergies and eczema inspired the brand after discovering fragrance elimination cleared his skin
  • The business launched July 2023, reached $100K in sales, and is on track for $250-300K this year with stretch goal of $400K
  • Products are sold DTC, in luxury resorts/spas, and launched nationwide at Anthropologie last month
" At the end of the day, like you're not really building a brand, you're building a completely new category. And I would really brand that category maybe around the idea of allergen free fragrance and make that a destination inside of a retailer. "
" Most innovation comes from really serving the needs of an extreme user that then you apply that to a general population. "
" I think you have to create a brand that is appealing to everybody that just happens to be allergen free. And really kind of run two paths, which continue to bring in people who don't have sensitivities, but really love this idea of a fragrance that's just better for me in general. "

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