Emma Grede, 42, is a founding companion and chief product officer at Skims, a shapewear model price $4 billion. She additionally serves because the co-founder and CEO of attire model Good American, which recorded $200 million in sales in 2022 (and $1 million on its first day dwell on October 18, 2016, marking the biggest denim launch in historical past). She’s price a reported $390 million.
She’s additionally a highschool dropout raised by a single mom in East London who started working a paper route at 12 years outdated to earn extra cash. By 16, she had left school and started working at a vogue manufacturing firm. Whereas there, Grede got here up with the thought for her first enterprise, a advertising and marketing and leisure company known as Unbiased Expertise Model (ITB) that matched vogue designers with funding. She based the corporate in 2008 at age 25 and grew the company earlier than selling it 10 years later to advertising and marketing agency Rogers & Cowen for an undisclosed sum.
Now, Grede relies in Los Angeles along with her husband, Skims CEO Jens Grede, and their 4 youngsters. She additionally co-founded the sports activities attire model Off Season and the chemical-free cleansing firm, Safely. She appeared as a visitor investor on Shark Tank in seasons 13 and 14.
And now she will be able to add podcast host to her resume. The serial entrepreneur simply launched a brand new podcast known as Aspire, which goals to coach and encourage enterprise leaders by means of in-depth conversations with main executives and celebrities.
Emma Grede. Photograph Credit score: Jamie Girdler
Grede sat down with Entrepreneur to speak about her new podcast, how she manages a number of companies, and what it takes to be a profitable entrepreneur.
Why did you begin your podcast, and the way is it completely different from different enterprise podcasts?
I left faculty after I was 16 years outdated. So, I haven’t got a conventional trajectory. I am attempting to unpack as a lot because the success that I’ve had, the errors that I’ve had. I wished to present one thing that I believed would have been helpful to me after I began my companies.
What sort of recommendation would have been helpful?
To begin, it’s important to love what you’re doing. I say that as a result of it is robust to begin one thing from scratch, and it will check each fiber of your being. So it’s important to actually wish to do it. It must be greater than only a single objective, like I must become profitable, or I simply wish to depart the place the place I work. It must be one thing that fuels you.
What sort of mindset does it take to achieve success in entrepreneurship? Is there a trait or ability that stands out?
I believe it’s important to have unwavering self-belief. There’s part of this that’s actually a couple of mindset that will not take no for a solution and may see round and thru issues and adversity. That works each time.
How did you resolve on entrepreneurship?
It is one thing I fell into. Like so many people, I labored a company job for a few years. I left that job as a result of I did not assume I used to be being remunerated nicely sufficient for what I did. So I fell into entrepreneurship. And that is why I began my very own factor.
If you happen to might begin a facet hustle at the moment, what would it not be?
I’d wish to be a florist. That is the one factor I’ve ever wished to do this I’ve by no means touched. I’d like to have a job that’s simply in regards to the magnificence, and is artistically fulfilling. That might be my little dream facet hustle. A flower store someplace in a beautiful place.
What’s your management model?
At [Good American], there are over 150 individuals. I am the chief product officer in one other firm [Skims] the place there are in all probability 400 individuals. So, it is lots of people, however I have a tendency to rent one of the best individuals and get out of their manner. One of many issues that I do nicely is rent. I am significantly good at placing groups collectively.
What do you search for in new hires?
I rent for angle over expertise usually. That is not in all positions, however I believe particularly once you’re beginning an organization, having individuals who have the power, who’ve the eagerness, you’ll be able to’t put a value on that.
What retains you motivated?
I truthfully really feel that I’ve created the lifetime of my goals. I am grateful day by day that I get to do what I do. I believe that retains me motivated, that I’ve made this life for myself, and it is of my selecting.
What’s it like working along with your husband on the identical C-suite management workforce? Do you retain a separation between the household and work dynamics?
I’ve labored with Jens for a really very long time, and we had a strong skilled relationship earlier than we had been a pair. He handles the advertising and marketing and day-to-day working of Skims whereas I concentrate on the product. So our roles are very outlined, and we do various things. Now we have completely different expertise, which makes us very appropriate as enterprise companions. We even have plenty of separation in our precise roles. But when I am sincere, we love what we accomplish that a lot. So does enterprise spill into house time, and can we discuss what we do on a regular basis? Completely. Sure. There’s part of that that is inevitable.
Do you might have plenty of assist at house?
I’ve twin three-year-olds, after which I’ve an 11-year-old and an 8-year-old. At house, I haven’t got 4 youngsters that I get to highschool myself within the morning. I’ve plenty of assist round me, and I depend on all of that assist to get by means of the day. I believe it is essential to be sincere about that as a result of I do not need anybody to take a look at me and assume, Oh, wow. She’s some sort of superwoman. It is like, No, I am not superwoman. I am only a lady. I am making decisions day by day and making a lot of sacrifices day by day.
This interview has been frivolously edited and minimize for readability.
Emma Grede, 42, is a founding companion and chief product officer at Skims, a shapewear model price $4 billion. She additionally serves because the co-founder and CEO of attire model Good American, which recorded $200 million in sales in 2022 (and $1 million on its first day dwell on October 18, 2016, marking the biggest denim launch in historical past). She’s price a reported $390 million.
She’s additionally a highschool dropout raised by a single mom in East London who started working a paper route at 12 years outdated to earn extra cash. By 16, she had left school and started working at a vogue manufacturing firm. Whereas there, Grede got here up with the thought for her first enterprise, a advertising and marketing and leisure company known as Unbiased Expertise Model (ITB) that matched vogue designers with funding. She based the corporate in 2008 at age 25 and grew the company earlier than selling it 10 years later to advertising and marketing agency Rogers & Cowen for an undisclosed sum.
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