← Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Moment: ‘Kardashian whisperer’ Emma Grede cites ‘resilience’ as her key to success
00:35:19
Entrepreneur Emma Grede joins Kristen Welker for a Meet the Moment conversation about her journey from a girl in East London to one of America’s richest self-made women, working alongside the Kardashian family.
Loading summary
Transcript77 lines
- [00:00]
Commercial Announcer
Refresh your next pasta night by shaking up your red sauce routine with Bertolle Alfredo, America's number one selling Alfredo sauce. Bertolli Alfredo is made with fresh cream, real butter and aged Parmesan cheese. And just like all Bertolli sauces, it's inspired by Tuscany and rooted in over 160 years of Italian tradition. Rethink pasta night. Take the Alfredo Bertolle. Buy now at a grocer near you. Source Serkana Total US Multi Outlet White Sauce Dollars Units Pound Sales Calendar Year
- [00:30]
2025 Looking for the place to shop this Mother's Day? Go with the brand that makes it easy to send something thoughtful to everyone on your list 1-800-flowers.com right now at 1-800-flowers. Order one dozen roses and get another dozen free. More flowers mean more smiles, all backed by the quality, attention to detail and trusted delivery experience that make 1-800-flowers my top choice to send something beautiful mom will love. Make mom's day at 1-800-flowers.com sxm that's 1-800-flowers. Com sxm.
- [01:02]
Meet the moment is sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance. Only pay for what you need.
- [01:08]
Interviewer
Welcome back. Emma Greed is a founder, entrepreneur, podcast host, Shark Tank judge, and CEO. Greed grew up with a single mom in a tough neighborhood in East London and became the driving force behind powerhouse brands, Skims and Good American, where she partnered with members of the Kardashian family. Now the mother of four adds another title to that long list. Author of the new book Start With A New Vision for Work and Life. I sat down with Greed for a Meet the Moment conversation about life, motherhood, and what it means to have it all. Emma Greed, welcome to Meet the Press.
- [01:50]
Emma Grede
I'm so happy to be here, I can't tell you.
- [01:53]
Interviewer
We are so happy to have you here and for this conversation. Congratulations on your new book.
- [01:59]
Emma Grede
Thank you. Thank you so much.
- [02:00]
Interviewer
We are going to delve into your book momentarily, but I want to start off with who Emma Greed is. Your professional titles include CEO, co founder, chairwoman, board member, podcast host, Shark Tank judge, and now author.
- [02:20]
Emma Grede
Wow.
- [02:21]
Interviewer
Which of those titles resonates the most for you?
- [02:25]
Emma Grede
Goodness, that's a great question. You know, I would say CEO because for the longest time I have been in that role and it's where I'm really, really comfortable. And if you'd have asked me, I don't know, let's say 10 years ago, I'd say that's the role I'm least comfortable with. So I'm happy to see that progression for myself.
- [02:45]
Interviewer
And when you took on the role of CEO, you had to deal with a lot of doubters, people who questioned whether you could do it.
- [02:52]
Emma Grede
Absolutely. And more importantly, I questioned myself. And so much of what I've written about in this book is how there is this concept of these thoughts, these old thoughts that we have in our mind, these ideas that society projects onto us and that we then project onto ourselves. And so what I wanted to do was really address those things because I think that there's so much that we can do. This book is about self leadership in as much as it is about business. And the idea, the very idea of what it means to start with yourself is something I think can really help anyone.
- [03:25]
Interviewer
Well, CEO is your favorite title. Is there another title that you aspire to as we sit here today? You've accomplished so much. Is there anything else on the horizon?
- [03:35]
Emma Grede
Maybe somebody taking a break? In a second. This has been a whirlwind of a week. I'd like to be somebody who has slept.
- [03:43]
Interviewer
That sounds like an amazing goal. Let's start with your path to becoming one of the most successful women entrepreneurs in the United States. Women, you've had a lot of jobs along the way. Sandwich maker, newspaper delivery person, apprentice. How did all of those jobs shape
- [04:03]
Emma Grede
who Emma Greed is today in such a foundational way? I have to tell you, it is the very reason that I can sit here in this chair today. It's what makes me a great leader. The fact that I have done all the jobs on the way up and I have an appreciation for what everybody brings to the organization. But also it says so much about what it actually takes because I didn't arrive in America and pop out and all of a sudden have these great companies that I've been so fortunate to be a part of. I worked my way there. And so when I'm asked, are you grateful, Emma? Are you just so grateful? I'm like, I'm really proud because I did that. I've had a huge part to play in my own success. I had a vision for myself. I've worked relentlessly hard. And I think that where I am today is in this amazing fortunate position that I'm able to share some of those learnings. And I want you do it in a way that was honest and not sugarcoating anything.
- [05:00]
Interviewer
It's incredibly honest. And we're going to talk about how honest you get in this book. Forbes has named you one of America's richest self made women. It was a long path to get there though. You grew up in East London, the daughter of a single mother who you talk about how hard she worked. You were dyslexic, a diagnosis you didn't get until you were in your 20s.
- [05:27]
Emma Grede
That's true, yes.
- [05:29]
Interviewer
And you also dropped out of high school. You didn't finish college. Emma, how did you push past all of those challenges to be the powerhouse that you are today?
- [05:40]
Emma Grede
I know when you stack it up like that, it's like a nightmare of a resume, isn't it? You know, I really had an incredible upbringing because while I didn't have a lot, my mum was amazing at stretching what we did have. And she taught me a sense of responsibility for myself in the world by exposing me to the fact that we didn't have much. And what we did have, we would need to figure it out. I really understood money at a very young age. I took a lot of responsibility for both myself and also for my three younger sisters. But it never occurred to me for a second that I was disadvantaged in any way. My mom told me, you know, Emma, you're not better than anyone else, but nor is anyone better than you. And so long as I would work hard, I could do anything. And I really believed that. I thought that if I worked, I could change my circumstances, I could take myself from where I was born into whatever it was that I might want. And so for me, it's just been the story of my life, that I would do everything, take every opportunity, but also not struggle with this idea of not having the right education or having dyslexia. And, in fact, you're right, I didn't find out until I was in my early 20s. And in fact, I think about it as a superpower, because for me, it taught me to see around corners, it taught me to take a different path. And so I've just leaned in. Every time I felt fearful, every time I saw something that perhaps on paper wasn't for me, I took it as a signal. I really decided that those were things that actually if I would put myself in line and give myself the opportunity, they were mine for the taking.
- [07:19]
Interviewer
A lot of people become overwhelmed by fear, but you used it as a strength. How did you accomplish that? I assume there's still moments when you might feel a little nervous.
- [07:30]
Emma Grede
No doubt, no doubt. But, you know, when you come from a place like I did in East London, you grow up a little bit scared, and you learn to sit with that feeling. You learn that you can exist anyway. And what I understood was that everybody around me that was doing really interesting things was doing Something that couldn't be prescribed, that couldn't be anticipated, and there is some fear within that. And I talk about it in the book. You know, I often think, specifically for women that we struggle with this idea of perfectionism, and we want everything to be perfect before we go. And what my career has taught me is that nothing is ever perfect. And if you're not scared, you're probably not doing enough. So now I think about it as a good feeling, like something I'm almost looking for.
- [08:14]
Interviewer
In a way, you reflect on what it has been like to you to often be the only black woman in a professional setting. How did you turn what was a difference for you into a strength in the professional world?
- [08:31]
Emma Grede
Well, in a way, I took it as something that would be to my advantage. You know, I was like, well, at least they'll see me. At least they'll notice me. You know, I come from England. And so for me growing up, it was a very, very different environment to the one that I find myself now in this country. But again, I have taken every disadvantage and looked at it in a way to say, okay, well, what can I leverage from this? What else can I do with what it is that I've uniquely been given? And so I really have tried in so many ways in my life to take who it is that I am and what my beliefs are and what my unique gifts are and play them to my advantage. I think we all. The systemic barriers that are there, we all know the systems that are in place that keep us small, that keep us out of conversations, that limit us. And you can make a choice to actually tune that out and do things differently, to lean into what your strengths are. And that's what I've done. I've really tuned out the noise, and I've created a lane for myself.
- [09:38]
Interviewer
What would you say to other women, other people in the workplace, who might feel overwhelmed or held back by their differences or unseen because of their differences?
- [09:51]
Emma Grede
Well, what I would say is that you really need to think about how you think and feel and how you come into a room versus what you think everybody else might be thinking about. The very idea of what it means to start with yourself isn't to worry about what everybody else sees, what everybody else is going through, what, you know, what you picked up as a child. It actually really is to think about what is it that you uniquely want, what is it that you uniquely care about. And I think that it's really interesting because the way that we come into situations, into workplaces, we come with so Much baggage. And one of the things I talk about constantly in this book is our emotional baggage, right? What it means to manage your emotions and what it means to make decisions from In a place of your emotions. Fear and anger and guilt. And none of that serves us. And so, so much of what I write about is getting a hold of those things. So I try to focus my energy on what's inside me, what do I uniquely want? And anything on the outside, I just decide it's not for me to think about.
- [11:01]
Interviewer
Well, managing your emotions is one of the big themes in this book. I'm gonna hold it up so that we can see it. So start with yourself a new vision for work and life. In it, you reflect on all of the experiences that made you Emma Greed. And you give advice about a new vision for work and life. How would you define this new vision that you have, Emma?
- [11:26]
Emma Grede
Well, the most important thing is to have a vision. And I don't mean vision boarding. I don't mean manifestation, so much of that that is so prevalent in our culture right now, specifically for women, specifically in social land. What I mean is to hold a clear vision for your work and your career. For you as a person, who do you want to be? How do you want to show up? What's your purpose? What is your. What are your principles? And then to measure yourself by that. Because when you hold a vision for yourself, it's really clear, you know, what decisions you should make. It's really clear how you should spend your energy. It's really clear what you should do. And so many of us forget that. You know, I didn't. I'm not the person to say it, but there's this quote that I love. You know, we. We kind of overestimate what we can do in a year and underestimate what we can do in 10. And so I like to have these really big picture visions for myself. But I also think that what is a really important part about this book is this notion of what is an old thought and a new thought. Because as women, we are socially conditioned to avoid the exact behaviors that lead to wealth, that lead to opportunity, that lead to power, that are, you know, about leadership. And that behavior is something that we have to address. It's something that we can get a hold of the stories that we tell ourselves. And that's why this book is so much about a specific mindset, because I think we do and we behave in ways that are not necessarily ours. They're things that we've inherited. They're things that exist in the world, and we take them as our own, and then we tell ourselves and repeat those stories over and over again. I want us to replace that with new thoughts, replace the old thoughts with new thoughts that are going to help propel us forward.
- [13:11]
Interviewer
So what are the behaviors that lead to wealth and success and fulfillment, which is a big theme in your book as well?
- [13:19]
Emma Grede
Well, one of the big things is to make sure that we're speaking about money, because, again, I think so many of us were raised with this idea that to speak about money is a little crass. You know, you should never discuss your salary. You should never talk about things so openly, like money. And again, when I, you know, sit down and listen to my husband, he's having so many conversations about money all the time. Something as simple as how you might restructure, you know, some financial thing or what your investments might be. But I don't have those conversations with my girlfriend so much. And I think that when you avoid the concept and the conversations around money, what happens is that money really avoids you. And so we need to make sure that we put ourselves and our need for money at the center of our plans. And I'm really obsessed with this idea. Look, at the end of the day, I think we're in desperate need right now for more women in positions of power. And money and power are inextricably linked if we look at. And I don't just mean in the workplace. I mean, you know, economically, socially, politically, everywhere we look, there is a need for women to have more power. But we have to take the responsibility for the fact that perhaps sometimes we've avoided and excused ourselves from having some of those conversations. I really strongly believe that you can do deeply meaningful and impactful work and care about money, that you can care about money and you can care about a lot of other things, too. And so we ought to put money in the center of our plans. It's really important that we do that.
- [14:57]
Commercial Announcer
Refresh your next pasta night by shaking up your red sauce routine with Bertolle Alfredo. America's number one selling Alfredo. Bertolle Alfredo is made with fresh cream, real butter, and aged parmesan cheese. And just like all Bertolli sauces, it's inspired by Tuscany and rooted in over 160 years of Italian tradition. Rethink pasta night. Take the Alfredo Bertolle. Buy now at a grocer near you. Source Serkana Total US Multi Outlet White Sauce Dollars Units Pound Sales Calendar Year
- [15:27]
2025 Looking for the best place to shop this mother's day. Go with the brand. That makes it easy to send something thoughtful to everyone on your list. 1-800-flowers.com right now at 1-800-flowers. Order one dozen roses and get another dozen free. More flowers mean more smiles. All backed by the quality, attention to detail and trusted delivery experience that make 1-800-flowers my top choice to send something beautiful mom will love. Make Mom's Day at 1-800-flowers.com sxm that's 1-800-flowers. Com sxm.
- [15:58]
Emma Grede
Stay informed with the NBC News app
- [16:01]
Commercial Announcer
Breaking news just coming in moments ago.
- [16:03]
Emma Grede
Watch, read and listen throughout your day and now unlock even more with a subscription. It's the best of NBC News with fewer ad interruptions, including ad free articles, podcasts and full NBC News shows. Plus deeper access and exclusive content.
- [16:19]
Interviewer
Let's just take a step back.
- [16:20]
Emma Grede
It's more context and clarity from the reporters you trust. Download the NBC News app now and subscribe for more.
- [16:28]
Interviewer
Now you are talking about the importance of women taking control of understanding money finance. And it has been written that your book is lean in for the post Girl Boss era. Is that how you see it?
- [16:44]
Emma Grede
Wow. I mean, those are two. Those are two goodies. I'll take it. You know, I think that what was important for me to do with this book is to have a level of honesty that I think is really missing at the moment. Everything's so glossy. It's served up to us in such a beautiful way. And what really concerned me with my own career and how I'm portrayed is that people almost, you know, envisage that when I'm sitting at my desk and you see one of those pictures of me that that's a posed for picture and I'm like, guys, you do know I'm on the phone and on that screen in front of me, there is something there. I'm in the office five days a week and I'm 43 now. And it's taken all of those jobs and all of those things I did and all of the heartbreak and heartache and the rejection and so many failures and things that just really didn't work out in my fav to get to the point where I can experience this kind of success. And I think that more often than not, we look at failure as a signal to stop. When so many men I know raise money, create businesses, have huge failures and they dust themselves off and they go onto the next one, I want to make sure that we understand you don't get one big opportunity. It isn't, you know, either or it's Both. And. And that is a really important thing for us to see and to understand. And so my book is full of all the mistakes that I've made in the hope that we could add that to the collective learning that's out there. Because, again, there's just so much masquerading, and that isn't helpful to anyone.
- [18:12]
Interviewer
Well, you take me to my next question, which is that you are so deeply honest about your failures and about the way that you stood up, dusted yourself off, and moved forward. Why was it important for your failures to be as much a part of this book is your success?
- [18:29]
Emma Grede
Because what makes you successful is resilience. And you only get that through moving through situations. I'm always asked, how did you get so confident? Well, I wasn't so confident. I know by doing I've been through so many things that worked out better or worse, and it's like a muscle. Resilience is something that you build over time, but it doesn't come to you through the easy things. So the things that works out, it comes to you when you mess up, when you take those learnings. I think what I've learned to do is understand that those failures aren't me. They can be timing, they can be the market that we're in. They can be the climate, like whatever it might be. But I've learned to separate what's happening and not make it all about myself, not say that I am a failure. And that's not to say that I don't take the learnings. I take those very seriously. But I'm not constantly projecting this idea on me that everything that I do comes down to one or two decisions I make, because I know that that's not true. So it was really, really important for me to just have a level of honesty about what has worked for me and what hasn't. And none of those things broke me. None of those things meant that that was the end and that I wasn't going to get another chance. And in fact, I think I'm just getting started.
- [19:42]
Interviewer
Let's talk about your business partners, the Kardashians. A lot of people know who they are. What is it like to work with, to go into business with the Kardashians, this storied family that has a lot of wealth and each of them have their own business?
- [20:03]
Emma Grede
Well, you know, I spent 10, 15 years almost building a business at the intersection of brands and entertainment. And so I understood intrinsically well what it means to work with talent, to see how talent can accelerate a business. And an opportunity. And so I think of myself as somewhat of an expert in that space. But when it comes down to partnership, whether you work with, you know, the most famous people on the planet or not, partnerships are partnerships, and they take the same thing. Everybody has to understand what they bring uniquely to an opportunity. And when you have a partnership that's built on mutual respect, on admiration for one another, you can do great things. I know that everybody wants to think that there's something different to these partnerships, but the fact is, they're like anything else. They take a lot of work, they take dedication, and they take everybody coming together to create something that is as amazing as these companies have been.
- [21:00]
Interviewer
So your partnerships with the Kardashians are built on mutual respect, hard work, a sense of purpose.
- [21:07]
Emma Grede
Absolutely, absolutely. And alignment.
- [21:11]
Interviewer
How have the Kardashians changed you? And how have you changed the Kardashians and their professional trajectory?
- [21:18]
Emma Grede
I think that I can't and won't answer on their behalf, but for me, I would say a really great English saying is not a sausage and it means nothing. Nothing has changed. I'm still the same old Emma. I'm still Emma from East London. I work as hard as I ever have. And you know what's so wonderful? Because I always think about this. Coming to this country has given me such unbelievable opportunities, but nothing's really changed. I still am me. And honestly, I think if I had to start all over again, I would do exactly the same thing, and I would be as successful in a different time. I feel really lucky to say that. But not much has changed. I still take the same mentality to every single thing that I do.
- [22:02]
Interviewer
Your businesses are very focused on empowering women in different ways, whether it is Skims, whether it is your Jean brand that you have.
- [22:14]
Emma Grede
Good old, good American.
- [22:15]
Interviewer
Yes, yes. And part of what it seems like the goal of your brands is to help women to feel empowered. Empowered in their confidence, in their bodies. Talk about that part of your vision and why it was so important for you to make that a part of what you produce.
- [22:35]
Emma Grede
Well, you know, that was really a learning that I got from my early days in agency and consultancy land that there were so many brands paying lip service, almost masquerading their. That they served a much broader customer. And the reality is they weren't making the clothes and they weren't actually serving that customer in a way that was fair. And what I really understood is that there was a huge opportunity. You know, I think the stat is that 68% of women in this country are above a size 16, maybe in GLP one time, and land, that could have changed a little bit. But if you go back 10 years ago to when we actually started Good American, there were no brands looking at the full spectrum of women and women's sizes. And, you know, you would essentially have a huge group of women that were relegated to shopping, fragrance, beauty and shoes in a department store. The plus size section was up on level five. And I really saw that as a massive opportunity to say, you know, I don't think women make decisions about what they want to wear based on their size. They absolutely don't. And it really speaks to who's in charge. It speaks to who makes the decisions. And so I thought putting a female point of view into a company where we could actually say, you know what, we're just going to make all the sizes all the time, and you can make the decision if that style is right for you, if you think that this is something, a trend that you want to jump onto. And it turns out that I was absolutely right. And women came in their droves. And actually what we're seeing now, even as the kind of trend line changes in terms of people's sizes, if you have served a custom, when she is at the larger end of the size spectrum, she is going to be loyal to you and still shop your brand if she changes sizes. So we've definitely seen this brand continue to thrive and grow. And to me, it's one of the proudest points in my career that we really started a movement in fashion. You take it for granted now that you see clothes on plus size mannequins or even, you know, when you can go on to E Comm and change the sizes. But it was Good American that started that.
- [24:40]
Interviewer
It's really transformational because it used to be that plus size women shopped at plus size stores.
- [24:46]
Emma Grede
Absolutely.
- [24:47]
Interviewer
And couldn't go into a mall and the typical women's section, find something for them. Talk about the impact that that has had on the way women see themselves, that they can go in and buy good American clothing and find their size and feel good about it.
- [25:06]
Emma Grede
And the fact that then the entire industry changed. And it is a huge impact because again, if you go back 10 years ago, the landscape was entirely and more than just they can go and buy their clothes. They can see themselves represented. You know, when we started that company, we said we wanted to make all women feel seen, heard, and represented. I had no idea that we were gonna change the way the industry would depict women like I had. I really didn't think about it in that way. When you think about beauty ideals and when you think about what that means when you are a kid and you can see yourself in the pages of a magazine, when you come can see yourself in social media, that has an enormous impact on how you feel about yourself, how you come into a room. And so it is a particular point of pride for me because we were the first. We have stuck to our principles. We haven't changed. It was definitely complex to figure out how you're going to make that company work and how we're going to make that company profitable. But I'm really proud to say that we did it. And it is still one of the single things that I'm the most proud of.
- [26:16]
Interviewer
I want to talk about another aspect of your life that I know you're incredibly proud of, which is motherhood. And on that point, we do have something in common. You have four kids, which I am in awe of, two of them with the help of a surrogate. And I also welcomed my two children with the help of a surrogate. And you, we talk about honesty, or incredibly honest. In this book, you talk about that you experienced miscarriages, many rounds of IVF treatments, heartache, before you did have a successful surrogacy. And this quote from your book stood out to me. You say it is devastating not to feel like you have reproductive agency. Tell me about why you wanted to talk about the very painful experience of infertility and then the joy of welcoming two children via surrogate.
- [27:09]
Emma Grede
So to me, it was really important because it's the reality of most of our lives if we choose to have children, and I completely respect that. That's not every woman's choice. But for so many of us, there's this conversation of when to have children, what is the right time, how do we prioritize our careers and what we want for ourselves and balance that with having a family? And it's my opinion that they're just is no right time. I am certainly not going to sit here and advocate for teenage pregnancy. But also, waiting until you're 38, 39 probably isn't a good choice either, because there is a reality around fertility and a window for that for women. And so if we continually put that off, we do ourselves a disservice. And so the reason I decided to write about it in the book is because for me, that was an enormous privilege that I could, you know, go through ivf. It's incredibly expensive and unobtainable for so many. But then when you talk about surrogacy even more so. And so it's a privilege of the few. And I think that what I've seen, certainly you have to imagine I have hundreds and hundreds of women that work in these companies, and I see heartbreak over and over and over again because either they've waited too long, much like myself, and it's not their choice, or that we've fed them. You know, this idea that you can freeze your eggs and everything will be fine, and then by the time you're thinking about it, it's so. To me, it's a part of the work conversation and one that we need to have more freely. Again, it's just about knowing that you have to think about it before it's too late and that it's your choice. But to wait is not necessarily. And I should say this again, but to wait until it's too late is so heartbreaking that I want to make sure that we are bubbling that conversation up consistently and doing it in a way that. With honesty and a lot of authenticity, because it's such a difficult subject for people to talk about.
- [29:04]
Interviewer
How do you, as a CEO, see your role in terms of supporting, encouraging your employees who may want to start families?
- [29:12]
Emma Grede
Well, you know, one of the things that I'm so proud about is that I have women that have left the company, had a baby, come back, left again, come back left again, and still gone like this. Right. Still had this, like, incredible career trajectory. And so much of that is about the culture of a place. I leave the office every day at 5pm Because I like to go home and do bed and story and, you know, that whole thing. But what it does is creates the conditions for other parents to be able to do the same in those places too. I think that that is really, really important. But I also don't sell everybody a lie that it's really easy because I have a lot of help. And again, that's a huge privilege. But we as women need to make sure that we're taking help wherever we can get it. But we definitely shouldn't pretend that we're not taking the help, that we don't have any help. And I do think that, again, there is this kind of idea of what it means to be a female entrepreneur, that you're up and you're working out and you're killing it at work. You have this great relationship, you're looking after the kids, and everything's great at work. That isn't the reality of my life. It's a serious of trade offs. For every single thing that I am excelling at, there's a place in my life where something has to give. And so I wanted to make sure that I was honest and that I'm not kind of sitting here pretending that something else in my life hasn't had to change because I have this incredible role. But I also have four children.
- [30:40]
Interviewer
And it speaks to this fundamental question,
- [30:44]
Emma Grede
this age old question, the age old
- [30:46]
Interviewer
question, can women have it all?
- [30:48]
Emma Grede
I feel like, I feel like Oprah had it right, you know, when she said you can have it all, but not at the same time. You know, I love an Oprah quote. Everybody knows that. Who doesn't? Who doesn't? She said a lot of good things. You know, what I really, really believe is that we have to make sure we're making the choices on our own behalf, that we have a thought and a vision for the things that we want, that we're managing our emotions and that we're not letting the things that we've been told get in our way. That's what my entire book is about. And if it's really, really important to you to have children, then you need to make that a priority. It doesn't mean that you're not going to lean into your career the right way or in a big way. It just means that you're going to have to really plan that and think about it and decide what type of parent you want to be important. Because to me, I don't think parenting has got so much harder. I think the expectations around parenting have gone a little bit crazy.
- [31:49]
Commercial Announcer
Get the best of NBC News with a subscription, fewer ads, deeper access and exclusive content. And now, during the Xfinity Member celebration, members can get an exclusive 50% off an annual subscription. Head to xfinity.com membership to learn more. Xfinity. Imagine that subscription automatically renews each year at $65.99 plus taxes and fees until canceled. Auburn ends May 20, 2026. Prices subject to change. Visit nbcnews.comxfinity for full offer terms and details.
- [32:19]
Hey, guys, Willie Geist here reminding you to check out the Sunday Sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I sit down with one of the biggest bands in the world, Mumford and Sons, as we get the boys together to talk about their new number one album, Prize Fighter, and the evolution of that irresistible foot stomping sound. You can get our conversation for free wherever you download your podcasts.
- [32:45]
Interviewer
Well, and you're very honest about how you view parenting. I have to ask you about this you did an interview with the Wall Street Journal and the headline was the Kardashian Whisperer who says three hours with her kids is enough. That's based on what you say in your book. You call yourself a three hour max mum. That raised a lot of eyebrows, as you know. What did you mean by that, a three hour maximum?
- [33:10]
Emma Grede
Well, what I meant by it was exactly what I said. And I really don't want to backpedal. You know, the first thing that I thought when I saw that headline was like, wow, that would never have been written about a man. Nobody would ever have written that about my husband. The important thing is that I bring a, a level of honesty to everything I say. Because when you work Monday through Friday, the idea that you've got this entirely free weekend to just be with your kids and orientate your whole world around your children, it's just not a reality. I have errands to run, I have things to do. And because we're in a social media culture that says, you know, you have to arrange every pay day and count every macro and decide what your kids can and can't eat and make sure that they're constantly entertaining, it's impossible. We're setting women up for a failure and we're holding women to impossible standards. So what I meant when I said I was a three hour mum is that I probably spend like three hours with my kids doing the things that they want to do, entertaining them, being down on the floor and playing with them. Then I have other things to do. And that's just the truth, it's just a reality. And I think a lot of parents feel exactly the same, that you're depleted after a week at work and actually you only have a couple of hours, but isn't that good enough? I think it is.
- [34:28]
Interviewer
What do you say to the moms, to the parents who hear that and say, wait a minute, I'm with my kids all day long or I spend hours with them on the weekend. Any regrets about making that comment?
- [34:39]
Emma Grede
No, no regrets. I'm like, have Adam. The important thing is that you live up to your standard, to your vision, but there's a lot of good ways to. Or there's a lot of ways to be a good parent. And again, I think if we all say that, that we do things, I think if we all say that we do things in the same way, that there's only one way to do it. We're actually holding ourselves back. What women always are concerned about is, how can I be a good mom and Be great at work. Well, once you decide what type of parent you want to be and what's important to you. And like I said, I'm not missing a bedtime when I'm at home. I'm not missing reading stories and putting my kids to bed. But do I miss a few school drops? Absolutely, yes, I do. Am I the one making lunches for my kids every day? No, I'm not. Because something has to give. And the reality is that everybody knows that nobody wants to say it. And the virtue, by virtue of us not saying it, we are keeping women small. We are saying that it's okay for all the dads to go out and do whatever they're doing on the weekend and spend a little bit of time with their kids. And yet for the moms, it's completely a no go. I just say, and I just reject that. I reject the idea that we should be held to totally different standards.
- [35:52]
Interviewer
Let's talk about what is ahead for you. You have shared that each year on your birthday. I think this is fantastic. You set a goal, then you work backward basically to break into it. Monthly, weekly. What does that breakdown look like this week when you're in the midst of a book tour?
- [36:10]
Emma Grede
You know, I had so many goals around the book and I feel like I'm like ticking them off as we go. I actually had Meet the Press on my. So I'm like, I can't wait to take that off. You know, I think the goal orientation for me was really important. I started doing this when I was in my late 20s. I had a 30 plan that is so famous amongst my friends because they were like, what is that plan of yours? And it was just a way to make sure that the way I spend my time is congruent with the things that I want to achieve. And I am, you know, it's just the way I'm like hardwired to make sure that what I'm doing and where I'm spending my time is in the direction of the things that I want the most. And there are so many distractions and so many things that I have to get to that I just like to make sure that what I'm doing are the most important things to me. And the plan is just one other way to do that. It also really helps you with what you should say no to, because it's my belief that you can't be, you know, a people pleaser and a leader. And so when I have a plan, I say no to everything that isn't getting me closer to one of my goals.
- [37:16]
Interviewer
So we're almost, we're getting close to your next birthday in September. Do you know what your next big goal is for your next birthday in September?
- [37:25]
Emma Grede
100%. Yes, of course I do. And it really is to get this book into the hands of as many women as I possibly can, to the point where, you know, we were on the subway yesterday and I was giving out the books. I'm like, you're on your way to work. Like, here's one for you on the subway. Literally, we were on the subway, we went three stops, turned around, came back and given out the books. It was actually so fun. And I will do that in almost every city that I go to. Because what is important to me is to start a conversation. You may agree with me, you may not agree with me, but once you consciously understand what are old thoughts, what are things that I've been telling myself, what is the prevailing wisdom that's out there? When you get that, you can start to push against it. And that's what I care about. That we're making our own choices, that we're deciding how we come into the process workplace, that we're deciding who we want to be, what type of parent we want to be. And so it's not about doing as I do. I'm sharing my experience, but it is about what it means to truly start with yourself, to prioritize yourself, to put your hopes and your dreams and your ambition at the very top of your list. We only have one life and I think it's really important that we are clear and honest about how we want to spend it. And that's what I'm doing with my life.
- [38:39]
Interviewer
Emma Greed. Thank you so very much for this conversation.
- [38:43]
Emma Grede
Thank you so much. It's a pleasure. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. I loved it.
- [38:48]
Pharmaceutical Advertiser
Snoring, gasping during sleep, feeling fatigued. Ask your doctor about Zepbound Tirzepatide, the first and only FDA approved prescription medicine for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea OSA in adults with obesity. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a rejection, reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea and obesity to improve their OSA. Zepbound is approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15mg injection. Zepbound contains Tirzepatide and should not be used with other tirzepatide containing products or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zeppelin Bound is safe and effective for use in children. Don't share needles or pins or reuse needles. Don't take if allergic to it or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer or if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia Syndrome Type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures will with anesthesia. If you're nursing, pregnant, plan to be or taking birth control pills. Taking Zepbound with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-5979 or visit zepbound.lilly.com.