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 reside 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 extra cash. By 16, she had left school and started working at a trend manufacturing firm. Whereas there, Grede got here up with the concept for her first enterprise, a advertising and marketing and leisure company known as Unbiased 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 together 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 be able to add podcast host to her resume. The serial entrepreneur simply launched a brand new podcast known as Aspire, which goals to teach and encourage enterprise leaders by way 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 totally different from different enterprise podcasts?
I left college once I was 16 years previous. So, I haven’t got a standard trajectory. I am making an attempt to unpack as a lot because the success that I’ve had, the errors that I’ve had. I needed to offer 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 start out, you need to love what you might be doing. I say that as a result of it is powerful to begin one thing from scratch, and it will check each fiber of your being. So you need to actually need to do it. It must be greater than only a single purpose, like I must earn money, or I simply need to go away 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 talent that stands out?
I believe you need to 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 nicely sufficient for what I did. So I fell into entrepreneurship. And that is why I began my very own factor.
For those who may begin a facet hustle immediately, what wouldn’t it be?
I’d need to be a florist. That is the one factor I’ve ever needed to try 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 stunning place.
What’s your management model?
At [Good American], there are over 150 folks. I am the chief product officer in one other firm [Skims] the place there are most likely 400 folks. So, it is lots of people, however I have a tendency to rent the perfect folks and get out of their means. One of many issues that I do nicely is rent. I am notably good at placing groups collectively.
What do you search for in new hires?
I rent for perspective over expertise typically. That is not in all positions, however I believe particularly whenever you’re beginning an organization, having individuals who have the power, 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 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 together 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 stable skilled relationship earlier than we had been a pair. He handles the advertising and marketing and day-to-day operating of Skims whereas I concentrate on the product. So our roles are very outlined, and we do various things. Now we have totally different abilities, which makes us very appropriate as enterprise companions. We even have numerous 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 speak about what we do on a regular basis? Completely. Sure. There’s part of that that is inevitable.
Do you will have numerous 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 numerous assist round me, and I depend on all of that assist to get by way of the day. I believe it is crucial to be sincere about that as a result of I do not need anybody to take 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 day by day and making plenty of sacrifices day by day.
This interview has been flippantly edited and minimize 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 reside 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 extra cash. By 16, she had left school and started working at a trend manufacturing firm. Whereas there, Grede got here up with the concept for her first enterprise, a advertising and marketing and leisure company known as Unbiased 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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