Grit Daily: How Autumn Ryan Is Disrupting a Male-Dominated Cleaning Industry With Life-Saving Innovation

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In industries long dominated by men, Autumn Ryan is making her mark. Not by following the rules, but by rewriting them. As the founder of The SoRite Company, Ryan is challenging conventional cleaning and public safety practices while creating technology that protects lives.

While “cleaning” is often dismissed as a low-barrier industry, Ryan knows better. Behind every disinfectant bottle are chemical decisions that affect first responders, healthcare workers, janitorial staff, families, and the environment. For decades, many of those decisions prioritized convenience and cost over safety.

Ryan decided that was unacceptable.

From Janitorial Work to Industry Disruption

Ryan’s journey did not begin in a lab or corporate boardroom. It began in the challenging environments of janitorial and commercial cleaning work, where she observed workers being expected to inhale fumes, endure chemical burns, and rely on formulas that hadn’t meaningfully changed in decades.

As a cleaning company owner, seeing the lack of training and protection was a major wake-up call. The damage wasn’t theoretical—it was visible,” says Ryan. “Those experiences made safety personal to me and reshaped my responsibility as a leader, driving my commitment to non-toxic innovation, education, and ending an industry culture that has normalized harm for far too long.”

Her early exposure to these environments shaped her conviction that cleaning products should not endanger the people using them. Ryan saw how exposure disproportionately affected frontline workers—roles often filled by women, immigrants, and marginalized populations—making the lack of innovation not just a safety issue, but an equity issue as well.

Rather than accept industry norms, Ryan spent nearly a decade developing a new approach.

Innovation Rooted in Safety and Science

Ryan led the development of a sodium-chlorite oxidation system designed to work across high-risk environments, including hospitals, correctional facilities, first responders, and residential spaces, without producing the toxic fumes or residues common in traditional disinfectants.

In April 2024, The SoRite Company was granted a dominant U.S. patent for its primary formulation, with additional patents pending globally. For Ryan, protecting the technology was not about exclusivity, but accountability.

“It took my team over six years of relentless research and development to create SoRite. We didn’t rush—we built, tested, realized it wasn’t fast or safe enough, rebuilt, and tested again,” notes Ryan. “For us, responsibility in innovation means refusing shortcuts, letting data lead every decision, and only bringing a product to market when it performs exactly as promised in real-world conditions.”

The technology has demonstrated rapid effectiveness against bacteria and viruses, as well as the ability to oxidize fentanyl residues, a growing concern for law enforcement and emergency responders. These capabilities position SoRite not simply as a consumer product, but as a public safety tool.

Educating and Empowering

For Ryan, innovation is only part of the mission. She prioritizes education, ensuring that users—especially women—understand how and why the products work.

“Knowledge is key—because we don’t know what we don’t know. For generations, people have cleaned the same way simply by watching their mothers and grandmothers, without ever being taught what they were using or how it actually worked,” Ryan adds. “Education empowers homeowners, shop owners, and business operators to clean properly, safely, and confidently; replacing outdated habits with informed choices that truly protect health.”

Ryan frequently speaks about eliminating fear through knowledge. By breaking down complex chemistry into accessible language, she empowers users to make informed decisions rather than relying on marketing claims. This approach reflects broader public health guidance emphasizing transparency and proper training in cleaning and disinfection practices, particularly in healthcare and community settings, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Her emphasis on education also reflects a gendered reality: women are often the primary decision-makers for household and workplace safety, yet are rarely included in conversations about chemical science.

Disrupting a Male-Dominated Industry as a Woman Founder

The cleaning and chemical manufacturing industries remain heavily male-dominated, particularly at the leadership and innovation levels. Ryan has not shied away from addressing that reality.

Ryan has built her career without institutional backing or inherited access. She credits her success to persistence, transparency, and an unwillingness to soften her message to make others comfortable.

“I would describe my leadership style as fearless, hands-on, and grounded in truth,” Ryan states. She self-funded the early stages of SoRite, “to ensure the science was right before anything went to market. I stayed deeply involved in the field, listening to real people, understanding real problems, and letting those insights guide innovation. Only after building a strong, mission-driven foundation did I bring on like-minded male investors who shared the same goal—saving lives.”

Leadership and Recognition

A single mother of two and founder of three companies, Ryan embodies resilience and leadership. She has been recognized by the Nashville Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” and named a “Woman of Influence.” Her work has also been featured on Good Morning America and in Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace Makeover.

However, Ryan sees these accolades as milestones, not endpoints. Her mission is to continue disrupting the industry, raising safety standards, and ensuring that families and workers have access to safer, more effective products.

Redefining What “Clean” Means

At its core, SoRite represents more than a brand; it is a movement to redefine what clean means in modern society. The company is committed to:

• Innovation: Patented chemistry designed to replace outdated, toxic cleaners.
• Education: Clear, transparent guidance for safe and effective use.
• Truth and Trust: Scientific validation paired with consistent, honest communication.
• Safety: Protecting people and the planet from harmful chemicals.

This reflects the increasing demand for safer alternatives, especially in schools, healthcare facilities, and public spaces. As awareness grows around chemical exposure and environmental impact, companies like SoRite are helping lead a transition from legacy products to modern solutions grounded in science.

A Founder Still Just Getting Started

For Ryan, disruption is not a moment; it is a process. With decades of industry experience and patented technology now in place, she sees the current phase as only the beginning.

“This mission is personal—my oldest daughter, who started cleaning houses with me at five years old, represents the next generation who will continue this legacy,” Ryan emphasizes. “Our work goes beyond products: we combine innovation, education, and hands-on training to empower people, families, and communities to act confidently in the face of real-world risks.”

In a male-driven industry slow to change, Autumn Ryan’s leadership offers a case study in how women founders can drive meaningful innovation, not by fitting into existing systems, but by rebuilding them entirely.

This article first appeared on Grit Daily. Read the original article here.