messy guys make millions

...and you can, too! Here's how! No wait, this isn't that kind of post. No self help get rich tips here. If only! But what I do have for you is this nifty Reader's Digest article on those two grand co-founders of a little company we like to obsess over... and over, and over, and over, and over, and over and...!

"Messy Guys Make Millions Selling Green Cleaning Products
- By Margaret Heffernan

Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry were having dinner with their new investors. The 27-year-old entrepreneurs had finally gotten a million dollars in venture capital to kick-start their company, but it came with stiff financial targets. It turned out this was the least of their problems that night. "We were passing our credit cards under the table to each other," Ryan recalls, "but none of them worked, because we had maxed them out. Eventually, we persuaded the restaurant owner we were good for the money."

In the eight years since that embarrassing moment, Ryan and Lowry have built Method into the world's largest eco-friendly cleaning brand. Their green products use natural ingredients like corn, coconut oil, and palm oil and are packed in attractive, recyclable containers. In the process, the two changed the perception of green home-care products—and the industry too.

Ryan and Lowry had been friends since high school, but it wasn't until after college that they hit on the idea of a home-care-products company. "We were shocked to learn how toxic cleaning products were," says Ryan. Why couldn't they create green products that would be just as stylish, fragrant, and environmentally pure as Aveda's skin- and hair-care lines?

When Ryan's mom heard about the plan, she stared at him blankly: "I've never even seen you clean your room!" Undeterred, Lowry, the chemical engineer, experimented with nontoxic ways to clean, while Ryan, the ad guy, focused on marketing. In February 2001, they mixed their first four cleaning sprays and convinced the managers of 20 independent grocers to try them. Once they had their approval, they tapped friends and family and pooled their savings to come up with $90,000 in seed money.

From the start, "Go big or go home" was their mantra. Their first financing—that $1 million—was due to be signed on September 11, 2001. By the time they got it, two months later, says Ryan, "we had $16 in the bank and personally owed $300,000."

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Head on over and read the rest!

(advocacy) kit and kaboodle! + contest!

UPDATE Contest closed! Thanks to all who entered!

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method lust (and uh, that would be me, Nathan!) is so usually on the ball, it's car-azy! But boy ever have I dropped said ball on method's latest advocacy extravaganza! I bet method thinks I took all the little method bottles and used them up myself! Ha ha, no no. Life gets in the way sometimes, don't you know? (Isn't that a funny saying, life gets in the way, when you're living life, so how can it get in the way, and whoa, too deep...) personal issues, new car purchases, crazy work schedules, well, I'm telling you, it's left me being blogless for too long! So just bare with me at times, ok? Muchas gracias!

Recently (well, as long as your version of recently is a month ago!) method sent out a very cryptic email (see the last paragraph in that post), and peaked everyone's curiosity! And then, a couple weeks later I (and many other advocates) got the above box in the mail! What could it be? Well, only one way to know! Rip that sucker open! And rip it open, I did! And what to my wondering eyes did I discover inside, but four tiny boxes!

Inside each adorable tiny box was four bottles! They contained almond wood for good spray, pink grapefruit dish soap, sweet water hand wash (we'll get to this in a moment!), and french lavender all purpose cleaner! So very cool! Also in the box was a coupon for $1.00 off any method product, and a booklet giving you more information on their lines!

method's intentions for this were for advocates to give out these great goodie boxes to help spread the method word; through advocate's blogs (yeah, I failed on that one this time around!), facebook pages, parties, random method sneak attacks (those times when you think someone just snatched your purse or stole your wallet out of your pocket, and you reach over to find, instead, someone has snuck a method goodie into your purse or pocket! Ok, hmm, I might not actually recommend doing this, but wouldn't that be cool if you were the person finding the method! If you were the person giving the method, you might end up getting maced, so yeah, we'll pass on this idea. Darn!)

So see, method, I am giving them away! Here's my great friend Laury, posing proudly with her box! (And get this, as an on-the-side career, she cleans people's houses! Nifty, eh? I'm working on her, I am! All method products, all the time! We shall see if I can get her to come around to the green side!) She's into design like me, so she just loved the packaging, and was checking it all out!

And now here's where YOU come in! You, yes you, can win one of these adorable boxes! Now, it might be a tad low on the sweet water hand wash; as for SOME reason (call it Nathan Luck) every box but one of mine had leaky sweet water bottles. So your sweet water bottle will be a bit half full, and I don't want you to think I went and washed my hands with it or some such! Ha ha! Apparently I was the only one that had this problem! CAN you believe that? Actually, I totally can.

So drop your name in the comments section with the following statement (in all CAPS!) "I WANT A METHOD ADVOCATE KIT PRETTY PLEASE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP!" and I'll choose a winner! Contest ends September 18th, 2009! Good luck! (And thanks, method, for giving me this advocate kit campaign opportunity! You rock, as always!)

you ask, they answer!

So hey, got a question for method? (Well, particularly, method UK! But hey, they've got the same method products, right? Maybe just no Target questions (cause uh, I don't think they have Targets) and perhaps stick a "bloody" or two in front of all questions. Ok, ok, so stereotypical of me! I should be ashamed! Do me a favor, leave the "bloody"s out, ok?)

Over on the site guardian.co.uk they've got this nifty little Q&A session going on all week long with method! You have a question? They have an answer!

"Green cleaning firm Method joins us this week to answer your questions on its eco credentials and quirky-looking products. Founded in San Francisco in 2000 by Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, it spread to the UK in 2006 and is now a serious rival for the long-standing king of "ecological cleaning", Ecover.

So how does it compare to Ecover on its environmental pedigree? Are the chemicals in everyday cleaning sprays and lotions really "poisons" to the natural world and people too, as Method claims? Want to know what the company thinks of eco labelling schemes, such as the EU Eco Label or organic certification?

Whatever questions you've got about its recycled packaging, "natural" cleaning or baking powder and vinegar, this is your chance. Method will be online from Monday to Friday – just post your questions below."

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So ask away (click on the link and post your question there, not here! Or uh, it won't get answered!) If you do ask them a question, it'd be really grand if you'd let them know "method lust sent you!" Thanks!

live "happily ever after" with method

Wow! Here's your chance to win the ENTIRE line of method products! How great is that?!

Chronicle Books has these three adorable "Little" books - "Little Oink", "Little Pea", and "Little Hoot"! I mean, who doesn't lust a little pea with a cute face! (Well, I do!) And to celebrate their release, they're having a contest! You can win lots of stuff, including:

+ $2,500 in merchandise from Pottery Barn Kids to create your dream bedroom
+ The entire line of eco-friendly Method cleaning products
+ 100 free products from Green Giant®
+ Plus, autographed copies of Little Pea, Little Hoot, and Little Oink!

Two runners-up will receive:
+ A Healthy Home Cleaning Kit from Method
+ $100 in free products from Chronicle Books
+ Autographed copies of Little Pea, Little Hoot, and Little Oink!

And while they all rock, the biggie for us is the entire line of method cleaning products! Can you imagine!? Whoa! So head on over, and sign up! Good luck!

found!

So if you remember, months and months o' go, Big Lots got in a slew of method's original wet dryer sheets! In ALL scents - sweet water, water lily + aloe, go naked, nectarine blossom, and... oh, but WAIT! No lavender + juniper. Only, people, my most favoritest scent of them ALL! What was the deal'e'oh!?

Well, the stars have finally lined up! Walking into my local Big Lots yesterday, what did I just discover, but lavender + juniper wet dryer sheets! In fact I had to do a double take? "Wha? Are those what I think those are?" Why in the world this one scent was "held" for months is beyond me, but uh, I have no clue how this secondary sales market stuff goes. And really, who cares? Cause I got me some lavender + juniper! So I snatched up five packages! I lust me some lavender + juniper!

I also noticed the original method baby laundry detergent sitting on the shelves. So it looks like they've recently received a new small shipment of method laundry products (other users have noticed more water lily + aloe laundry detergent as well.) So head on out and stock on up!

so much ebay, so little time

Remember those great hand wash/candle combo packs, and the amazing "where the crap did this come from years later!?" mistletoe and snowy days hand wash I recently posted about being sold over on ebay?

Well, they have more! Like, tons and tons more! I just lust my mistletoe hand wash, and want to buy everything else up! But then I realize I sorta need money for groceries, and have to step back and take a deep breath. Darn, being an adult sucks! But hey, my greedy loss is your gain!

Looking for (see above pic) these great (and so old school! Like 2005!) holiday three packs of snowy days/hollyberry/mistletoe hand wash? What about some lavender + juniper dryer sheets? Or fig plug-in refills (Karin! Calling Karin!) Well, snatch some up! Cause they have them! (and some are at "or best offer" prices! I'm really curious how this works? So if anyone does this, let us know how it works out!)

Head on over now and you'll see the full method offerings from this particular seller! I'm not sure how she's managed to stock pile all this stuff, but I'm jealous! Enjoy! (And most are "Buy It Now" prices, meaning no auction waiting! Yay!) You think I could get a free snowy days hand wash out of this ebay seller promotion? Ha ha! Eh, I didn't think so. Double darn!

u review! + contest!

method lust wants YOU! - To review, that is! Well, and to bring me chocolate chip cookies and a large glass of milk, too! MMM, cookies. I think I might need to go to the grocery store here in a bit, now. No no, don't you realize you already can't fit into half the pants you own? But we're talking about chocolate chip cookies here! Oh yes we are. Pants come in bigger sizes, you know. Bring on the cookies...

So while I'm getting the cookies (see how you got out of that one? Sneaky, sneaky you!) you can write a review! I want you great method lusters to write a review on the new sea minerals spray cleaner! Have you given it a try, what do you think? Let everyone know!

All you have to do is post your review in the comments section of this post, quick and easy! How did you use your sea minerals all-surface spray cleaner? And did it work (as in clean!), how'd you like the smell, etc.? And how many stars do you give it (out of five?) In true one man review style, you can be a guest reviewer here on method lust!

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AND just by submitting your review, I'll select one person to win a snazzy little method advocacy kit (see post below for details on what's inside!) So get reviewing, ok? Great! I can't wait to see what everyone thinks of the new sea minerals spray cleaner!(Haven't purchased your very own sea minerals spray cleaner yet, to review? Never fear, check the next post to see how you can win a method advocacy kit another way!)

sunshine + cleaning = method!

Oh what a really great deal! method's just let the cat out of the bag on their people against dirty blog that if you purchase the Sunshine Cleaning DVD at Target starting Tuesday, August 25th, you can find a nifty booklet inside with $10 in method coupons! (PS - Don't put cats in bags! It's cruel and mean! Hmm, I wonder how that phrase ever got started? I probably don't want to know...)

"we’ve teamed up again with our friends behind the adorably dark movie sunshine cleaning, starring amy adams, emily blunt and the uber-talented alan arkin. if you missed it in theaters, hightail it over to target starting tuesday, august 25, where you can purchase the movie on dvd or blu-ray.

the film is great, and the best part, in my humble opinion, is what’s inside the box: a method coupon booklet with $10 in discounts on Method products from target. don’t you love target? it’s my happy place. grab sunshine cleaning for movie night, crack that dvd box open to get the coupon book, stock up on your favorite method goodies, then swing by the snack aisle for popcorn. mmm, popcorn."

Make sure to head on over to their blog, and read not only what the movie is about, but view some cool shots of the red carpet premiere, complete with method goodie bags! (Ooh!)

I'm curious if these coupons are product specific, or just generic "save this much off a method product" type discounts. If anyone picks this up, let method lust know! Thanks!