Emma Grede on Building Billion-Dollar Brands, Unapologetic Ambition, and Entrepreneurial Grit

Founding and Scaling Brands

• 💡 Emma Grede is the CEO of Good American and Chief Product Officer of SKIMS, co-founded with Kim Kardashian and her husband.
• 🚀 She also co-founded OffSeason, a luxury sports merchandise company in partnership with the NFL, and is an investor and a 'Shark Tank' personality.
• 🎯 Grede identifies as a merchant at heart, obsessed with understanding and pleasing customers by solving problems and delivering solutions quickly.

The SKIMS Origin Story and Product Innovation

• 🔑 SKIMS originated from an idea by Kim Kardashian, focusing initially on shapewear and underwear.
• 🧩 Grede's role as Chief Product Officer involves design, planning, merchandising, and production, bringing Kardashian's clear vision to life.
• 🛠️ She highlights the complexity of creating inclusive product lines, like SKIMS' one-legged shapewear or Good American's 19-size range, requiring different patterns and meticulous planning.
• 📈 Grede acts as a gambler and trend forecaster, connecting current trends to future product needs, like predicting baby tees would complement baggier denim fits.

Entrepreneurial Mindset and Risk-Taking

• 🧠 Grede emphasizes trusting her instinct and gut feelings when making business decisions, filtering out external noise and opinions.
• ⚠️ She is comfortable with inventory risk, making large bets on products she believes will resonate, like the 'nipple bra' or 'always fits' jeans.
• 💡 Innovation often involves creating entirely new product categories where no market benchmark exists, requiring significant gut instinct.

Early Life and Foundational Values

• 🌱 Raised in East London by a single mother, Grede learned the value of hard work and self-worth.
• 🤝 Her mother instilled the belief that "you are not better than anybody else, but nor is anyone better than you," providing a foundation for ambition.
• 🎭 Despite a challenging upbringing where she acted as a young carer, Grede developed a strong sense of responsibility and control, finding it difficult to access her playful side.

Leadership and Workplace Philosophy

• 🏢 Grede advocates for in-person work, believing it fosters essential relationships, collaboration, and learning, despite its unpopularity in some regions.
• 🎯 She emphasizes clear communication of a company's mission and purpose, ensuring every employee understands their contribution to the bigger picture.
• ⚡ Grede values accountability and speed, preferring direct feedback and quick decision-making over lengthy processes.
• 🤝 She prioritizes hiring brilliant people with the right attitude and flexibility, believing their success elevates her own.

The 15% Pledge and Impact

• 🌟 As Chairwoman of the 15% Pledge, Grede works with brands and retailers to redirect 15% of their spend to Black-owned businesses.
• 💰 The initiative has created a significant pipeline for Black entrepreneurs, fostering economic justice and equitable opportunities.
• 📈 It enhances the customer journey by offering greater choice and diversity, proving to be a commercially viable business proposition.

New Podcast and Financial Openness

• 🎙️ Grede is launching a podcast, 'Aspire with Emma Grede', to scale mentorship and share learnings from successful individuals.
• 💬 She aims to discuss topics often avoided, like money and financial success, challenging toxic positivity and empowering women to seek power and wealth.
• 💰 She believes that openly discussing money is crucial for attracting it, advocating for women to be comfortable talking about financial aspirations.