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Ryan Metzger
CEO, co-founder at Ridwell
Ryan Metzger is the CEO and co-founder of Ridwell, a company that focuses on recycling and reusing hard-to-recycle household items.12 He started the company in 2018 after a project with his son Owen sparked the idea.13
Background and Education
Ryan Metzger earned his B.A. and M.B.A. from Northwestern University.1 Before founding Ridwell, he held marketing roles at notable companies such as:
- Madrona Venture Group
- Zulily
- Microsoft
Ridwell's Origin
The concept for Ridwell began as a father-son project in 2018. Ryan and his then 6-year-old son Owen started collecting hard-to-recycle items from their home and neighbors in Seattle.23 This initiative, initially called "Owen's List," quickly grew to 4,500 members.2
Company Growth and Impact
Under Metzger's leadership, Ridwell has experienced significant growth:
- Expanded to multiple markets including Portland, Denver, Austin, Minneapolis, and the San Francisco Bay Area23
- Grown to over 200 employees3
- Acquired nearly 100,000 members2
- Saved more than 21 million pounds of materials from landfills3
Business Model
Ridwell operates on a subscription model, charging members $12-$18 per month for biweekly pickup of hard-to-recycle items such as batteries, plastic bags, electronics, and clothing.2 The company partners with over 200 local and national businesses and nonprofits to responsibly recycle or reuse these materials.3
Ryan Metzger's vision for Ridwell is to dramatically reduce household waste for millions of people, focusing on items that are typically not accepted in traditional curbside recycling programs.12
