How did it all begin?

Everyone always asks Lori, “How did you get to where you are today?”
Well that was quite a journey!

Lori’s background includes a degree in Communications: Journalism, Television and Film. In college, Lori worked in the Chicago Tribune newsroom, and once she graduated, as an associate producer for video, TV and film. She sold jewelry on the side and wrote plays as her passion.

How did she go from that to inventor / entrepreneur? She was always thinking of ideas for products and never did them. She would then see something very similar on the best sellers list or in a store and said “why didn’t I do it”?

Well, when she came up with her idea for an earring organizer in 1996, she got her husband on board with the idea and said”this time let’s do it!” And she did. This first product was an injection molded piece made out of clear plastic and so Lori had a lot to learn and do, to bring this product to life.

They took out an enormous loan and off she went - from finding a patent attorney, to market research across Chicago neighborhoods (even camping out on Michigan Avenue with her organizer, stopping ladies that walked down the street to see if they liked it), to finding a tool maker, injection molder, packaging supplier, graphic designer and more, Lori just had to figure it out.

She spent hundreds of hours in the factory side by side with the women that packaged her products to make sure everything was right and went smoothly. Being very hands on, she had to take care of every aspect of the product being made, packaged and sold to retailers.

Next came the hardest part – getting into retailers. She spent countless hours trying to get her earring organizer into any retailer that would listen.

Lori does not accept the words “no, we can’t” in her vocabulary.  But rather, “how can we?” And, it’s that “can do” attitude and creativity that helped lead Lori to success

With the success of the first product, Lori was able to put money back into creating her second product and she kept doing this up until today.

It has been 14 years since that day in 1996 and Lori has been inventing products that help make people’s lives easier, more organized, and fun! Currently Lori holds over 99 U.S and International Patents and has conceptualized and brought to life over 250 clever and unique products. Lori is President of the company and is hands on in all aspects of the business. She feels very blessed to work every day side by side with her husband, Dan, who oversees several areas of the business.

Always a strong philanthropist, Lori believed that if she was lucky enough to do well, that she should give back to the community. She has continued with this philosophy ever since the beginning and contributes product and funding each year to several charities she feels strongly about. Most recently, Lori made the holiday season a little brighter for many by donating tens of thousands of home organization products to charities, such as Habitat for Humanity, and revenue generating products to The Howard Brown Health Center and Salvation Army (a charity she holds close to her heart, after spending a week at a Salvation Army church in Newfoundland, due to the September 11 terrorist attack).

In the past 14 years she has met people all over the world – and through these experiences she is always so pleased by the universality of us all. One world, all the same common problems and needs.  Lori’s all-American success story is a refreshing scenario in today’s challenging economy. Her inventions respond to the everyday needs of a wide range of people. Affordable prices make her products accessible to everyone, and allow Lori to spread her enthusiasm for problem-solving with millions of consumers. Lori truly represents the American Dream.

In addition to being the creative force behind her company, For Your Ease Only, Inc., Lori has also accumulated quite the following as a QVC TV personality. Lori has her very own show, Clever & Unique Creations by Lori Greiner appearing live each month on QVC TV. Lori’s products can also be found in several retail stores and catalogues.

Lori and several of her products have been featured in magazines such as, O Magazine,  InStyle, Family Circle, Woman’s Day, Redbook,  People, Self,  Success, The Financial Times as well as having the honor of being amongst Oprah Winfrey’s top gift picks in the 2009 Holiday Issue of O Magazine.