Summary
Overview
In this Advice Line episode, Guy Raz teams up with Susan Griffin Black, founder of EO Products, to help three entrepreneurs tackle challenges in scaling their businesses. The callers include Dr. Ruchi Gupta navigating distribution channels for her eczema skincare line, Peter Andrews building demand for South African wines, and Dominic Giddens expanding his Caribbean coffee brand beyond Barbados. Susan shares hard-won wisdom from building EO Products over 25 years, including surviving COVID's dramatic impact on her business and maintaining a successful partnership with her ex-husband.
Susan Griffin Black's Journey and COVID Impact
Susan Griffin Black returns to share updates on EO Products since her 2019 appearance. The natural personal care brand faced unprecedented challenges during COVID, experiencing a 10x surge in hand sanitizer demand followed by a devastating 50% drop in sales. Susan navigated this crisis through relationship-based solutions, including negotiating a promissory note for $2 million in packaging debt and making the painful decision to conduct layoffs for the first time in the company's 25-year history.
- COVID forced cancellation of the annual trade show in Anaheim, with customers lining up around the block for hand sanitizer
- EO Products saw a 10x surge in hand sanitizer demand during COVID, followed by a 50% drop in sales afterward
- Negotiated a promissory note with a packaging company for $2 million debt from $30,000 prior business relationship
- Had to conduct layoffs for the first time in company's entire 25-year history
" A packaging company that we did maybe $30,000 worth of business prior to COVID. We were on the hook for $2 million. I had to link in with the CEO and just explain our story and see if he would give us a promissory note for the next two years and work our way out of that, which they did. "
Co-Founding with an Ex-Spouse
Guy highlights the remarkable story of how Susan and her ex-husband Brad continued running EO Products together after their divorce. This unconventional arrangement, where they've now been divorced longer than they were married, exemplifies mature decision-making prioritized around what was best for the business, their family, and their children. Their success in maintaining both a family relationship and business partnership offers valuable lessons for founders facing partnership challenges.
- Susan and Brad divorced while building the company but decided to continue running the business together
- They have been divorced longer than they were married and consider each other family
- The decision was made for the highest good of the business, family, and children, with no betrayal or third parties involved
" When you're a founder entrepreneur your business is kind of like another kid in some ways right so it was really the highest good in this situation. "
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