Emma Grede, 42, is a founding accomplice 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 stay 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 previous to earn more money. By 16, she had left school and started working at a trend manufacturing firm. Whereas there, Grede got here up with the thought for her first enterprise, a advertising and marketing and leisure company referred to as Impartial Expertise Model (ITB) that matched trend 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 kids. 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 add podcast host to her resume. The serial entrepreneur simply launched a brand new podcast referred to as Aspire, which goals to teach and encourage enterprise leaders by in-depth conversations with main executives and celebrities.
Emma Grede. Picture 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 college once I was 16 years previous. 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 needed to provide one thing that I believed would have been helpful to me once I began my companies.
What sort of recommendation would have been helpful?
To begin, you must love what you might be doing. I say that as a result of it is powerful to start out one thing from scratch, and it will check each fiber of your being. So you must actually wish to do it. It needs to be greater than only a single purpose, like I must earn cash, or I simply wish to go away the place the place I work. It needs to be one thing that fuels you.
What sort of mindset does it take to achieve success in entrepreneurship? Is there a trait or talent that stands out?
I feel you must have unwavering self-belief. There’s part of this that’s actually a few mindset that will not take no for a solution and might see round and thru issues and adversity. That works each time.
How did you determine 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 suppose I used to be being remunerated properly sufficient for what I did. So I fell into entrepreneurship. And that is why I began my very own factor.
When you might begin a aspect hustle immediately, what would it not be?
I might wish to be a florist. That is the one factor I’ve ever needed to do this I’ve by no means touched. I might like to have a job that’s simply in regards to the magnificence, and is artistically fulfilling. That will be my little dream aspect hustle. A flower store someplace in a beautiful place.
What’s your management fashion?
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 properly is rent. I am notably good at placing groups collectively.
What do you search for in new hires?
I rent for angle over expertise typically. That is not in all positions, however I feel particularly while you’re beginning an organization, having individuals who have the vitality, who’ve the fervour, you may’t put a value on that.
What retains you motivated?
I actually really feel that I’ve created the lifetime of my goals. I am grateful every single day that I get to do what I do. I feel 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 group? 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 have been a pair. He handles the advertising and marketing and day-to-day operating of Skims whereas I deal with the product. So our roles are very outlined, and we do various things. We’ve got completely different abilities, which makes us very appropriate as enterprise companions. We even have quite a lot of separation in our precise roles. But when I am trustworthy, we love what we accomplish that a lot. So does enterprise spill into residence time, and can we discuss what we do on a regular basis? Completely. Sure. There’s part of that that is inevitable.
Do you’ve quite a lot of assist at residence?
I’ve twin three-year-olds, after which I’ve an 11-year-old and an 8-year-old. At residence, I haven’t got 4 youngsters that I get to highschool myself within the morning. I’ve quite a lot of assist round me, and I depend on all of that assist to get by the day. I feel it is crucial to be trustworthy about that as a result of I do not need anybody to have a look at me and suppose, Oh, wow. She’s some form of superwoman. It is like, No, I am not superwoman. I am only a lady. I am making decisions every single day and making a lot of sacrifices every single day.
This interview has been flippantly edited and lower for readability.
Emma Grede, 42, is a founding accomplice 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 stay 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 previous to earn more money. By 16, she had left school and started working at a trend manufacturing firm. Whereas there, Grede got here up with the thought for her first enterprise, a advertising and marketing and leisure company referred to as Impartial Expertise Model (ITB) that matched trend 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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