The Breakfast Club: Interview with Emma Grede
Episode Title: INTERVIEW: Emma Grede On Building Her Empire, Uplifting Female Entrepreneurs, New Podcast + More
Release Date: May 9, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Guest: Emma Grede, CEO and Co-Founder of Good American, Founding Partner of Skims, Co-Founder of Safely, and Host of Aspire Podcast
1. Introduction and Emma Grede's Entrepreneurial Journey
Duration: [02:13] – [06:52]
The episode kicks off with DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God warmly welcoming Emma Grede to The Breakfast Club. Emma shares her excitement about her new venture, the Aspire Podcast, aimed at scaling mentorship for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Emma Grede elaborates on her motivation:
“The idea around the podcast was really me thinking about how I can scale mentorship... I want you to have something that's actionable when you leave this podcast”
[03:30]
Emma traces her entrepreneurial roots back to East London, drawing parallels to Brooklyn. Growing up in one of London's most impoverished areas, she emphasizes the grit and hustle that shaped her:
“I come from East London in England, which is a bit like... similar to Brooklyn or something like that.”
[04:07]
Discussing her self-made success, Emma highlights the importance of hard work and education. Starting with odd jobs at age 12, she delved into the fashion industry without prior knowledge of entrepreneurship:
“I didn’t know the term entrepreneur... it wasn’t really an idea that I had growing up.”
[04:45]
2. Building Successful Companies: Good American, Skims, and Safely
Duration: [06:21] – [12:19]
Emma provides an overview of her ventures. Initially, she founded ITB, an entertainment marketing agency that facilitated brand partnerships for fashion shows, ultimately selling the company by age 32 to gain financial security.
Good American, co-founded with Khloé Kardashian, stands out as a testament to genuine inclusivity in fashion. Emma stresses the company's commitment to diversity beyond mere marketing:
“The office and the people that run the business... are actually a reflection of the customer base.”
[11:12]
When discussing Skims, Emma attributes its success to strategic celebrity partnerships and timing. Partnering with the Kardashian family allowed Skims to resonate culturally:
“It was the right thing at the right time... it hit the kind of zeitgeist.”
[07:57]
Emma also clarifies the separation between Good American and Skims:
“They're totally, totally separate companies... separate shareholdings.”
[07:02]
3. Mentorship and Aspire Podcast
Duration: [02:46] – [07:02]
Emma introduces her Aspire Podcast, designed to democratize mentorship for entrepreneurs. She aims to provide actionable insights that listeners can implement in their businesses:
“I want to bring something to people that is tangible and that they can essentially take out.”
[03:30]
The podcast features influential guests like Gwyneth Paltrow and Melody Hobson, aiming to inspire and educate through diverse perspectives:
“We've got so many amazing guests... people that I know I respect and those that I aspire to love.”
[31:22]
4. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Business
Duration: [11:12] – [38:48]
Emma passionately discusses the role of DEI in her businesses. She criticizes performative actions in fashion and emphasizes genuine inclusivity:
“Good American... was about walking the walk and not just talking the talk.”
[11:12]
As chairwoman of the 15% Pledge, Emma highlights the financial benefits of diversity:
“It's about having more relevance with your customer base... if you walk into Sephora now versus five years ago, it's better for everyone.”
[37:22]
She firmly opposes the rollback of DEI initiatives, viewing diversity as a business imperative rather than a mere marketing tactic:
“Diversity in my business is a superpower. It's been a superpower for me.”
[37:22]
Emma also addresses skepticism around inclusivity, asserting that it enhances customer choice and business performance:
“If I make 19 sizes, I'm going to do better the business than if I sold six.”
[28:00]
5. Lessons Learned: Failure and Resilience
Duration: [32:28] – [35:15]
Emma recounts her experience expanding ITB into Los Angeles, which initially failed due to her lack of understanding of the local culture:
“I shut down the office less than a year later because I had an ignorance for the localization of anything.”
[33:53]
This setback humbled her and reinforced the importance of localization and adapting to different markets. She emphasizes resilience and the willingness to learn from failures:
“I'm not too proud to say I failed... I have to scale it back and start again.”
[34:06]
6. Financial Literacy and Business Management
Duration: [25:22] – [27:05]
Emma discusses her early exposure to money management, instilled by her single mother. Despite being dyslexic, she overcame challenges in understanding financial metrics by being naturally curious and proactive:
“I just ask a lot of questions. I'm never scared to be the dumbest person in the room.”
[25:22]
Her frugal approach to finances ensures prudent management of investments and company funds:
“I'm very aware of everything... I spend investors' money like it was my own.”
[26:30]
7. Balancing Personal Life and Business
Duration: [15:17] – [24:22]
Emma shares insights into maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Despite her demanding career, she values her family deeply. She humorously notes the challenges of working with family members:
“No, I don't want to work with them... I already work with my husband. That's enough.”
[15:17]
Discussing her multicultural marriage, Emma highlights the supportive dynamics that allow her to thrive both personally and professionally:
“My husband's Swedish... he respects my ambition and our roles are balanced.”
[24:04]
8. Shark Tank Investments
Duration: [12:29] – [13:42]
On her experience with Shark Tank, Emma emphasizes the importance of the founder's passion and knowledge over mere business plans:
“It's always about the founder... attitude over experience.”
[12:35]
Her most successful investment was in Cake's Body, a silicone nipple cover company. This investment soared from under a million dollars to $120 million within a year:
“When I saw them, I was like, I know that business... and a year later, $120 million.”
[13:06]
9. Legacy and Impact
Duration: [36:16] – [37:22]
Emma articulates her vision for her legacy, focusing on empowering millions of women to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams:
“I'd love my legacy to be like helping 10 million women get to where they could be.”
[36:17]
She views her success as a platform to create opportunities for others, emphasizing the ripple effect of her actions:
“I want to enable a million other girls that left school... to become super successful.”
[37:15]
10. Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Duration: [39:14] – [40:42]
As the interview wraps up, Emma reflects on the enduring spirit of the American Dream, attributing her success to the opportunities available in the United States:
“There is nowhere on earth that I could have done the journey that I've done now.”
[39:14]
She reiterates the importance of leveraging one's strengths and staying grounded:
“Figure out where you are, what you have, and how to leverage that.”
[23:51]
The hosts express their admiration and gratitude for Emma's insights, concluding the episode on an inspirational note.
Key Takeaways
-
Authentic Inclusivity Drives Success: Emma emphasizes that genuine diversity within a company is not just morally right but also enhances business performance by broadening the customer base.
-
Resilience in Entrepreneurship: Emma's experience in LA underscores the importance of adaptability and learning from failures to achieve long-term success.
-
Mentorship and Accessibility: Through her Aspire Podcast, Emma aims to democratize mentorship, providing actionable advice to aspiring entrepreneurs regardless of their background.
-
Financial Prudence: Emma's frugal approach to business finances, coupled with her natural curiosity, has been pivotal in her successful ventures and wise investments.
-
Legacy Beyond Wealth: Emma aspires to empower millions of women, leveraging her success to create opportunities and inspire future generations of entrepreneurs.
-
Balancing Personal and Professional Life: Emma highlights the significance of supportive relationships and maintaining boundaries to sustain both personal happiness and professional success.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
-
On the Purpose of Aspire Podcast:
“I want you to have something that's actionable when you leave this podcast”
[03:30] -
On Genuine Inclusivity:
“Good American... was about walking the walk and not just talking the talk.”
[11:12] -
On Overcoming Failure:
“I'm not too proud to say I failed... I have to scale it back and start again.”
[34:06] -
On Financial Management:
“I'm never scared to be the dumbest person in the room.”
[25:22] -
On Legacy:
“I'd love my legacy to be like helping 10 million women get to where they could be.”
[36:17] -
On the American Dream:
“There is nowhere on earth that I could have done the journey that I've done now.”
[39:14]
Conclusion
Emma Grede's interview on The Breakfast Club offers a deep dive into her multifaceted career as an entrepreneur, investor, and mentor. Her authentic approach to business, commitment to diversity, and dedication to empowering others stand as exemplary traits in the modern entrepreneurial landscape. Listeners are left inspired by her resilience, strategic mindset, and unwavering passion to make a positive impact.