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Michael Bostic
Welcome to the Bostics, starring Lauren Bostic and Michael Bostic. Together they are the Bostics. Hello, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the Bostics. Today we have one of our favorite recurring guests, Emma Greed, who is the ultimate modern mogul turning big ideas into some of today's most influential consumer brands. She's the co founder and CEO of Good American, a founding partner of Skims, the co founder of Safely and Off Season, and now the voice behind the podcast Aspire with Emma Greed. She. She also has a new book called Start With Yourself, which we discuss. And in this episode, because it's our third episode with Emma, we really got personal. We dove into how she thinks about things, her childhood, how she thinks about the people she works with, what she considers career power moves. And this episode is really for anyone who wants to live an extraordinary life on their own terms. We love talking to Emma. Like I said, this is her third time on the show. We also just interviewed her at the Ink Summit during South by Southwest with that Emma Greed for the third time. Welcome back to the Bostics, Emma, you're back on the show. Third time. It's kind of like three and a half because we just did this panel which we thought was going to be
Emma Grede
an episode, but you lot said no, no, no.
Michael Bostic
Yeah, we really wanted to just see you again, so we made an excuse. Welcome back to the show.
Emma Grede
I'm so happy to be. Here we go.
Lauren Bostic
Congratulations on your book.
Emma Grede
Thank you, my darling.
Lauren Bostic
Start with yourself.
Emma Grede
Let's go.
Lauren Bostic
I'm into it. I love it. I told you off it.
Emma Grede
Very you.
Michael Bostic
I don't know what that says about it, right?
Lauren Bostic
But yeah, it is very you.
Emma Grede
It's very you.
Lauren Bostic
By the way, I was born like that.
Emma Grede
I know this about you. I wish I know this about you. She's like, here I am, I'll do it. Let's go.
Lauren Bostic
You have to start with yourself.
Emma Grede
Listen, I'm telling you, you've got to start. This is like the no bullshit guide to ambition. And it's really important for me to have written this. I can't tell you how happy I am with it.
Lauren Bostic
Well, congratulations. And what's so interesting is I feel like every man on the planet starts with themself. So now we're just. We're stepping into our own power as well.
Emma Grede
Catching up, babe. We just gotta do it.
Lauren Bostic
Yep, we're catching up.
Emma Grede
Absolutely.
Lauren Bostic
You opened up about your childhood in this book, which we haven't touched on much on the other episodes. I'm assuming you were saving it for the book?
Emma Grede
No, I just never thought that it was. I don't know, I just never felt like it was necessary. Like I'm always here to like talk about my businesses and talk about my career and what I'm doing and I never really thought that that was interesting.
Michael Bostic
You know, though, for as long as we've done this show now there's like when I try to think about what the through line is. So many high performers and achievers and people, you know, dating and whatever, like so much their childhood is like a map to later on. And I think we like you can, you know, we were talking to this guy the other day and he was even talking about dating. He's like the partners you choose, you know, you're either you're trying to map to some parental behavior or something from it's, it's deep rooted. So I think it's highly relevant to talk about you because people see all of the success you've had and it's like almost like they see, I don't say the end result because you're still going, but they don't see all the things that took place early on. So if you look back on your childhood and you were described to somebody that had no context of you, how would you describe it?
Emma Grede
I had a very loving childhood, if I'm really honest. You know, I'm the eldest of four. I was raised by a single mom, all girls. So kind of chaotic, like a, you know, a kind of like their whole household was always like buzzing with like hormones and God help us, like that time of the month, you know. But it was for the large part, like I come from a real community, like East London is a real place where, where you have a sense of being in a community that like you're looked after, that there are people around that if you need to, you can go in their house and get fed. But there also was like, you know, there was danger. There was like stuff going down around me and there was a sense of if you kind of didn't watch yourself, that, you know, there was like a lot of fear there and a lot of unknowing. But I grew up in a really amazing family that really like really looked after me.
Michael Bostic
And at what age are you aware of that fear and danger?
Emma Grede
You know, Too young, I would say, because I wasn't raised in a way where much was kept from me. Like there was no, like, oh, be careful, the kids are listening. It was just like my mum only had me and she relied on me in a big way. And so I became. We always joke in my family, the dynamic is like, my mom's the dad, I'm the mom, and we have three kids together. And so I really had no choice but to lean in to helping my mom. But it was never something that I felt, like, put upon. I just felt like, you gotta help your mom. You know, it's like, my mom's at work. I needed to make the dinner. My mom was at work. I needed to iron school shirts and make a packed lunch for free kids and get them out the door. And honestly, by the time I took everyone to school, I would turn around and come home and watch Oprah. And that wasn't like, no one was, like, checking on me to make sure I went to school. Nobody was like, have you done your homework? It was like, is the ironing done? And if the ironing was done, you could get away with anything. And so that's how I lived.
Lauren Bostic
At what point in your life did you find that that was unique or did it take you a while to step out of it?
Emma Grede
You know, I never really understood it until I was in my teens, because, again, like, where I come from, there is this great sense, like, your mom's your mom. There was never any questioning of, like, is this right? Is this okay? I was just doing what I learned to do. I was a highly capable kid. I could make dinner for five people by the time I was, like, 10 or 11. And I never really thought of that as being put upon. I was like, this is just what my life is. I was always a person that had, like, massive ambition. Like, I always imagined that there was something else on the other side, outside of where I was from, that I could literally work my way towards. I was like, that if I just work really hard, I can get out of here and there's going to be this other thing on the other side. But, you know, there was never a part of me that thought, oh, you know, like, I feel sorry for myself, or I feel like the other kids are doing something else. I was like, this is just my life.
Michael Bostic
Well, I don't wanna put words in your mouth, but it sounds like you're almost like, trying to escape.
Emma Grede
I was very much trying to escape because I knew I felt otherwise. I was like, this is not for me. I'm not gonna stay here. I'm not gonna do what these people do. Like, I really felt that it, like, deep down inside me, I was like, there has to be more out there. And, you know, for me, I. I kind of got into Fashion in the way that some people think about the movies, you know, it was my sense of escapism. It was this place that I went to in the magazines, and I looked at it as, like, what? Wow, there's this other insane world, and you could be a part of that. And I would dive into the magazines and study all the brands. And for me, that sort of appetite to learn things was about, like, this sense of escapism, like, getting out of what was my norm, which was really dark and really heavy and really intense, and doing something that felt like more. More glamorous and more like, oh, my goodness, there's something to aspire towards.
Lauren Bostic
When you start writing about both of your parents in your book, does that bring up a bunch of stuff that you were not thinking, or is it therapeutic and liber.
Emma Grede
I think both, if I'm really honest. I've done a lot of therapy. I've done a lot of work. I started when I. And I would talk about it in the book. I had a real anger management problem. And When I was 18 or 19, I went and I did like a. Almost like a community therapy course and started to understand that. No one ever said to me, you know, Emma, you can. You can breathe and get through this. You can get rid of that, like, feverishness that is, like, choking you. And you can. You can let the anger just kind of dissipate. I wasn't taught that. I had to teach myself that. And I think that I have, through my life, got better and better at managing the things that have held me back. And I knew that if I didn't get a grip on some of that stuff, that I wouldn't be able to get anywhere. So I think that I've done a lot of therapy. I did the Hoffman. I always have chosen to kind of go out and do things that, you know, are challenging for me and outside of what I was taught and what I know. And so the work has been done. But of course, as soon as you write things down, you see, like, seeing it on a page is very different, and having other people question you about it and talk about it is different.
Michael Bostic
With all the success that you've had since then and that you continue to have, do you still feel like you're trying to escape? Is that, like, what's still pushing you, or do you feel like you've kind of now got to a place where you can breathe a little more?
Emma Grede
You know, I don't feel the need to escape. What I feel is such tremendous. Like, a tremendous sense of luck. Right. Like, there is nothing in me that thinks that talent alone, that hard work alone has gotten me to where I am, you know? The other day I went back to East London, and we were doing some content for the book and for the tour, and one of my friends dmed me after I posted, and he was like, shit, you were here. And I was like, shit, you still live there. Like, do you know what I mean? Like, I hadn't even crossed my mind that someone I knew was still there in that place. And so that's never that far away from me, you know? It's like, it's always there. I talk about this, like, skit that Chris Rock did, you know, he bought this, like, his first, like, mega mansion. And he said he keeps a bag packed because he always imagines, like, someone's going to come and be like, hey, dude, like, this is not your life. And I kind of feel a little bit like that sitting, like, in my house in Bel Air. I'm like, one day this will all be over. And I kind of. It's the only place where, like, scarcity shows up in my life.
Michael Bostic
But I imagine that's also a bit of a superpower because it keeps you
Emma Grede
motivated and driven 100%. Like, I. I don't take one single day for granted. Like, even coming here today, I'm like, I get to come and speak to you, too. I get to, like, have this amazing team. I get to have my makeup done. Like, there's nothing in me that goes, this is it, and I'm resting on my laurels. I am always thinking, like, what is next? What do I have to do? How hard do I need to work? How should I behave? How should I treat people? What is happening? Like, that is just, like, how I'm wired. Like, I'm wired to be thinking about the next thing and never feel too comfortable.
Lauren Bostic
I really want to know for my own selfish self what you think about the fact that you are raising your children differently.
Emma Grede
O.
Lauren Bostic
And what the way that you were raised has obviously created this unbelievably independent, successful, sort of, like, grit in a person. I want to. Want to raise my children with those. With those.
Emma Grede
Yeah, good luck.
Lauren Bostic
I really want to.
Michael Bostic
You're growing up with more opportunity, right?
Lauren Bostic
So how do you do that as a parent?
Emma Grede
Well, listen, I don't think you can manufacture grittiness, right? I feel like with my first kid, I was always trying to, like, manufacture hardships. I was like, where are you going? Like, back of the plane. Like, just like, no, like, get real. Do you know what I mean? Like, they are growing up and living really different lives to how I was raised. But at the same time, like, I'm like, well, what do they see? Like, what is their lived experience? They watch their mom and their dad, by the way, leave the house every day and we go out and we go to work five days a week. They also see me making a lot of sacrifices because I speak to my kids. I. I will never, ever forget with Lola, my middle child, she's nine years old. She was like, so sad that I was going to New York. She said, mom, I'm so sorry you're going on another work trip. And I was like, do you know what, Lo? I have such a great time when I go to New York. Like, I see my friends, I go for drinks, I sleep diagonally in a beautiful hotel bed. And she was like, oh, you do? You're going to have a good time. Like, great. Have a good time. I had made her feel like that, me creeping out the door going, I'm so, so sorry. So what I try to do is actually explain to my kids, like, mummy has worked really, really hard to get to this place where what I do is so important to me and so important for me to see through that every now and again. I won't be there to satisfy one of your needs. And I think within that, I'm kind of teaching them that you have to work hard, you have to go out. Like, the point of your whole life is for you to be happy, not to satisfy me. And that's what I'm doing. And I think that is sometimes a little bit hard to swallow, like, for people. Like you're a mum of four and you're putting yourself first, and it's like, yeah, I am. And I've chosen to have these children and I love being a mom, but it isn't everything. It isn't 100% of me. It's a part of me. And I think that they're going to learn from that.
Michael Bostic
Why do you think that's a hard pill for people to swallow?
Emma Grede
Because the, I guess the, the pre required idea of a woman is that you've got to be empathetic and that you have to please other people and that you have to make sure that what you come across as first and foremost is a mother. And that just isn't the reality of my experience. You know, when I wrote this book, I was like, I'm not gonna lie. I'm not gonna lie about how I feel about my job and how much I love it. I'm not gonna lie about the things that I do for my family. I'm not gonna lie about the trade offs. I'm actually just gonna be really honest because I think what we need is more models in the culture of like, there's different ways to be a mom, there's different ways to be a businesswoman. Just so happens that I'm combining the both. But I don't really sign up for this idea that everything I do around my kids or indeed that everything they do needs to be somehow managed by me because I just don't. I just refuse to sign up for that. I don't believe that that's the type of parent I want to be. I don't want to control like every part of my kid's life. Like, I don't understand when parenting became kind of like this full time happiness project. You on behalf of your child and usually the mother doing that for the whole family. I'm like, I am not here to please everybody else. I have to please myself first and then work my way through the.
Lauren Bostic
It's interesting that you're saying this because you actually helped me on the last episode. Not with Ink, but you helped me so much. Cause I was having so much mom guilt.
Emma Grede
Yeah, you were.
Lauren Bostic
And you, you told me that story about how I need to tell my daughter, I get to work. I'm so lucky to work. And it, it changed when I leave. Now she's not, she's not freaking out. And I also think it's true. She. She's seeing me in my power being independent.
Emma Grede
And she's happy for you, by the way.
Lauren Bostic
This is what works for me.
Emma Grede
Yes.
Lauren Bostic
It doesn't have to work for everyone else. I'm just saying for me, I want my kids to see this kind of role model. And you had, you had that when you were young, which is.
Michael Bostic
Well, my mom worked always and still does. It's only my example. I actually think as I've gotten older and I've like analyzed certain women I'm attracted to in intimate and in friendships. It's like always that it's like women
Emma Grede
like yourself, it's like you had the archetype.
Michael Bostic
Yeah. Because my mom was always off doing and. Yeah, of course you miss your mom and you want to see her, but like, as I've gotten older, I respect what she was doing. She was trying to work for the family.
Lauren Bostic
It also makes a pretty independent kid.
Michael Bostic
Yeah. And you know what, here's the thing. And I'll just take a shot at some of my friends that I think were babied a little too much. My guy friends. It's like the umbilical cord. Mommy issues are a real thing.
Lauren Bostic
Right. One of my friends is still breastfeeding. He's 41.
Michael Bostic
Yeah, it's a little.
Lauren Bostic
The umbilical cord just got cut three years ago.
Michael Bostic
Taylor, what are you doing back there? Taylor? No, but I do think that later in life, if you've had this, like, okay, I'm gonna get in trouble. If you've had this, like, overly doting mother that's helicoptering over all the time, and then you date women later, especially really strong, independent women, and you're looking for them to map to your mother who was maybe, like, doing a little too much. It's hard then later, because you have this. You have this dynamic with where you're like, expecting that. Cause you, you know, you map to what the example is.
Emma Grede
Yeah, well. And I feel like women do that in so many ways to, you know, it. It's coming from a place of like, I want to help my kids. I want to do everything that I can for them. But in actual fact, you take away the ability for them to have their own choice. Like, I want my kids to have the dignity of their own process. Like, I want them to go through things and figure out what is right for them. I don't want to sweep all the obstacles out of the way, and neither do I want them to feel like they can't do something for themselves. And so I think sometimes just leaving a little bit, like, something out there, like, you guys have to figure it out. Like, you. It's not my job to, like, do, you know, figure out every play date and, like, go through every single thing that you're going to eat and, like, map out every outfit. There's shit that you need to do by yourself, and that's going to be really, really good for you. And hopefully you find something that you love. Like, that's all I ask for my kids. I just want them to have one thing that they care the most about and be amazing at that.
Lauren Bostic
I tell my kids when they ask me to do something, I go, I made you two hands and two feet to walk to go get it and pick it up in my stomach.
Emma Grede
There they are. I did that for you. I did that.
Lauren Bostic
Get up.
Emma Grede
Use it.
Lauren Bostic
Go get your scissors to open the bag of chips.
Emma Grede
Yes.
Lauren Bostic
I don't care if you're three, get those scissors that are the toddler.
Emma Grede
You got to figure it out.
Lauren Bostic
You got to figure it out.
Emma Grede
But you know, you know that and you see it now, right? I can see so clearly when people in their early twenties come to work for me. I'm like, whose mom opened the chips for them? Right? It's clear as day. And I don't think that that is a good way to live. And I don't think it's healthy for the parents. And because it usually falls on the mum, what it does is takes away from so much of your energy and you get resentful. And I promised myself when I had my first kid that I would never project resentment on him. And what that meant is I'm gonna have to do all of this stuff I was gonna do anyway and he's gonna have to figure it out. And those two things, like we meet in the middle, right? It's actually I'm a very good, very hands on mum. I just have chosen what's important to me.
Michael Bostic
I even think about it from the lens, like if you're at a certain level of success as a parent, like if you had it easier than your parents and now you're that your kid's probably going to have it easier than you. So you almost have to like double on the capability. Yeah, right. Because like, I think about it for our kids, like we had to figure some things out. You had to figure some things out. A lot's figured out for them. And I'm like, well now I need to like, you guys need to like almost double figure out shit. Because if not, you're going to, you're going to get into the real world and you're going to realize it's not a soft place and you're gonna be set up for a miserable time.
Emma Grede
You're gonna be set up for a miserable time. And that's when I like, I love this idea of thinking about vision. It's not just something that you bring to business, but you bring into your life and for your family. Because I think that when you have a strong idea of like what type of woman you wanna be, what type of mum you wanna be, what type of father you wanna be, like, you reduce the kind of like ability to feel guilty about anything. Cause you're like, these are the things that matter to our family. This is the stuff that's important to me. For me, I have to be there for bedtime, to do bedtimes. I like that moment of having dinner together and doing stories and then putting the kids to bed. But it does mean that there are other things that I'm not there for and I have to Explain that to my kids. But in my vision of what type of mom I want to be, I'm very clear about that. So I'm not trying to measure myself against, like, some woman that I saw on Instagram, because that's not what is important to me. That's not the vision I have for myself as a mother. So I try to get, like, really clear on, like, what is the stuff that matters the most to me.
Lauren Bostic
You know what? I have a tip. Sometimes I see a lot of people, like, filming, like, these amazing, like. Like they're, like, waking up and making breakfast with the kids and milking the cow outside, and the goat gives the baby a lick.
Emma Grede
What do you mean?
Lauren Bostic
And then I. I think to myself, wait, but there's a camera in the kid's face. And my vision. And this is not a judge. Go ahead and put a camera in your kid's face. But my vision for my kids is I want my kids off screens for
Michael Bostic
kind of a judge. It was kind of a slight judge.
Lauren Bostic
Is it a judge? I'm being honest. I'm not. I'm not saying a judge. I'm just saying there's sacrifice with everything, and the sacrifice with that is there's a camera in the kid's face. So I just think my point of it is saying if you're just scrolling and you're looking at other people's lives and how it looks, the sacrifice is there's a camera in the kid's face.
Emma Grede
So you need to know that.
Michael Bostic
What I'll also say is similar to your husband and you. We work together. I don't think I can recall one time having a guy reach out to me and give me shit about time with kids or a nanny or if I go to work, Etha. And, you know, I met your head. I know you guys, like, you both are working equal hours and doing and leaving.
Emma Grede
Oh, you're working a lot.
Michael Bostic
Yeah, like, we're here together. And so there is, I do think, an unfair pressure put on women when they acknowledge that they are getting help or that they are working on their business or they are taking time away from the kids. And I, as a man, have never once experienced any of that ever, ever, ever.
Emma Grede
The first piece of press that has come out about my book remarks.
Michael Bostic
I saw it.
Emma Grede
What I'm not. What time I'm not spending with my kids. I was like, what are you unfair headline talking about? I mean, listen, the headline's the headline. The headline will make you click on it. Job done. Well done, guys. But the point is that they would never have written that article about you ever in a million years. That's fucked. And so it is fucked. That's fucked. It is fucked. But it also is why I wrote the book. Because unless we're honest about that, right? What I said is that I'm a three hour mum, meaning that it's like, I really enjoy being with my kids for about three hours. And then I'm like, I'm done.
Lauren Bostic
I like the amazing.
Emma Grede
And I stand by it because it's like, that's the truth. And a lot of moms who work full time feel like that Saturday at lunchtime, you're like, really? Like, really? We're gonna do this, like whole day now.
Michael Bostic
We're working, we have the kids with us in a hotel. I looked at Lauren, I almost threw myself out the window. I was like, jesus.
Emma Grede
But it's the truth. And that doesn't mean I don't love my kids. I'm not an attentive mom.
Michael Bostic
To your point on that headline, what, what I would also say is it's a commentary that, like, you're right, a man would have never gotten that headline. And the second thing is people wouldn't have clicked it if it was a man in the headline. So they know what they're doing. And I. And it. But it's a commentary on, like, I don't see. I think it's unfair that women get put on that pressure when they're expected to build a business like a man, run a company like, you know, yeah.
Emma Grede
Have the same results as a man,
Michael Bostic
and then say, and by the way, you're not being as good of a mother as you can, because again, men, we just don't have that kind of. We don't get that kind of feedback.
Emma Grede
True. And I think that that is, again, one of the main reasons for writing this book was really about dismantling some of these deeply held beliefs that exist in the culture that actually hold women back and keep women really small. And when you can untrain. Now, I read that article and got the headline and my friends were enraged about it. I was like, no, that's the journalist doing their job and creating clickbait. And yeah, is it unfair? Would it have been done? But I don't have time to spend on it. Right. People were enraged in the comments on my behalf. The point is, what we need to do is not. Not say those things. I will say it again to you and again wherever else I go, because that's my truth. And I think that is so long as we keep shying away from that stuff. What we do is continue to perpetuate the myth that it's not okay to actually have those thoughts and feelings when I know the reality is loads of mums feel like that and that's okay. That doesn't mean you're a bad mom. That doesn't mean you shouldn't say it. It just means that most people are not being honest and truthful about how they feel and what it really takes.
Lauren Bostic
I for what I do in my line of work, I don't know if I'm unique. To me, it's a breath of fresh. It makes me feel comfortable as opposed to feeling. Not the article, just oh, that you're
Michael Bostic
so honest about it.
Lauren Bostic
To start with myself so I can put on my own oxygen mask to support my children. Everyone knows I'm a huge fan of self care. I always have been, and I don't apologize for that. And I think it gives women that are building a business. It's liberating. I feel liberated when I read your content. When I see your content, I think it's all in the way you look at it. Right? Are you looking scarcity, abundance? I think it's opening doors for women. And I also think you're evolving an old narrative that needs to be evolved.
Emma Grede
It needs to be evolved? Yeah, it needs to be evolved. We're desperate because at the end of the day, what we want is more women in positions of power. In fact, we desperately need more women in positions of power. But we can't do that unless we have the conversations about money, about leadership, about power. And when we set ourselves up in these, like weird social media narratives that aren't true and aren't honest, we're actually just like doing ourselves a disservice. And that's. I'm totally uninterested in doing that.
Lauren Bostic
Well, think about it. If no women spoke up, we would still be like churning butter in the fucking kitchen. We need people to speak up about how that headline would never be written about a man.
Emma Grede
You need a level of honesty about what it takes. And I think that that was the very reason for me that I decided to actually become more public in the first place, because people thought that I was like a social media person. It's like, guys, I'm in the office five days a week. When you see me at my desk with my legs up, like, I have actually just been on a phone call, they're coming in and taking a picture of me. And so this idea about, like being a female boss I really wanted to say no, no, no, no. It's like there is at work, there is failure, there is misery, there is hardship, there are trade offs, there's all of this stuff that you don't get to see. And I wanted honest about what it actually takes.
Michael Bostic
I wanted to talk to you about that because similar to you, I was always like, I've always been an operator, been behind the scenes. Obviously I do this now with her for a long time, but I've always been more comfortable like running a company, being quiet and like not having. Now I've gotten obviously comfortable being. But when you first started putting yourself out there more as front facing, what surprised you the most? Did you naturally take to it? Did you feel like you still had to kind of like be in the background? Cause now you're very. You have your own show book, everything.
Emma Grede
No, I always felt like it was a choice and it was a purposeful choice. I don't do anything by accident. I'm a very intentional person. And I felt like a narrative was being written on my behalf, which wasn't the truth. It was like that I'd kind of like come into this country and stumbled upon something incredible and like, da, da, there she is, like billionaire. And I was like, hang about like, I've had a job since I was 12 and I want to be really honest about that because I did a lot of things that were like, really unenjoyable work. Right? Most people work a job that they don't really like to get somewhere that they like a little bit more before they get to do the thing that really is like joyous and pays them a lot of money. That was my journey. And so I thought if I could just be honest about that part of it, if I could show you my journey and all the things that didn't work out for me, that that would be the better way for people to understand, like, here is what it takes. And so when I talk about my experience, that's like, actually that's my experience. That's what I've been doing for the last 25 years. And that was important to me because I think that social media has set people up to somehow imagine that you can like consume your way to success, that if you listen to enough podcasts that you can be brilliant. And I'm like, no, no, no, no. Ambition has to find you working. Like, there are no shortcuts. There is nothing that I've done that I can magically give to you and suddenly be like, here you are, like, here's A success. So I just wanted to be like real about it. I just wanted to like, be honest.
Michael Bostic
No. And I think it being delivered from you, who's actually done all of the things and built your way up and built real companies. Atlanta, again, love social media. No shade on these people. But if you're a 27 year old life coach that went viral one day and now has a platform, I'm less inclined to take you seriously.
Emma Grede
Why stop it? Yeah.
Michael Bostic
And I think like, it's. I think people are looking for real examples of people who've come up the hard way and have done the things. I think what I appreciate about how you've done it is you haven't sugarcoat it. We talked about it on stage at Ink. You're not sitting there saying like, oh, it's just, you know, it happened and I manifested and I thought about it. It's like, no, it was getting in the gutter and getting in the weeds and doing the hard shit day after day.
Emma Grede
Totally. And what I really loathe for women is that there's so much of that rhetoric about, there's so much there for women that tells them that you can manifest and vision board your way to success. And that's just never been my experience. Right. I love manifestation and I am a manifesto as much as the next girl. But it's not without the other piece of it. And I think what happened specifically around like female entrepreneurship is that it became all about being the face of the brand. It became all about, you know, this idea of like, who's at the launch party and what is the influencer strategy and what does the marketing look like. I'm like, guys, that's the last, last thing. That's literally the last thing. It almost like doesn't matter. For years we had brands where they were faceless, nameless. We didn't know the founder. We just got up every morning and brushed our teeth with Colgate and was like, that works. And bought it for the next 125 years. So what I wanted to explain to people is like, that is not important. Talk to me about logistics, Talk to me about distribution. Talk to me about understanding your finances. Don't tell me that you don't understand numbers. Don't think that that is an excuse that you're not good at math. These are the things that we have to teach each other and be honest about and learn. And so I was really like, had a point of view to say. The stuff that we are concerning ourselves with right now is not going to make women Rich, the things that we are concerned with right now is not going to create more powerful women in business. But there is a bunch of other stuff that does. So let's just like talk about that. Let's orientate our stuff selves around the things that will really matter and move the needles forward.
Lauren Bostic
If you could wave a wand and have women just do all like the list, the Emma list. What is that list?
Emma Grede
The list is in the book. Start with yourself.
Lauren Bostic
Do you know what it is? You gotta get the book. It's beautiful.
Emma Grede
The list is about the stuff that you think. I have this amazing friend, Diane von Furstenberg. I'm not name dropping, but I am.
Michael Bostic
But that's a name drop.
Emma Grede
You know, it's a name drop. But Diane always says, you know, the most important relationship you'll ever have is the relationship you have with yourself. What I don't want is for women to talk themselves out of being incredible businesswomen before they've even got out of the gate and before they've even got started. And sometimes the reason that I wrote this book in the way that I did was that managing your emotions is a huge part of decision making as it pertains to business. Because if you are managing from a place of guilt or from a place of fear, you will stop yourself before you've even got started. So my book is really structured in this way to say, do you know what? Like, let's make sure that your big biggest enemy isn't living in your own head. Because you'll never get out the gates if you're too scared to fail, if you're too scared to lose, if you really believe that, you know you're. You never need to be uncomfortable. Like you won't go anywhere because ambition requires discomfort. If you're going to make a load of money, it requires like this level of audacity. And so you've got to get comfortable with those things and you can't be a people pleaser. So the book was really structured in a ways to say, like, have a vision for yourself and the type of life that you want to lead. Figure out how to manage your emotions and then be aware of all of these rules and these old thoughts that exist for women specifically and replace them with a new thought. And if you can't do those things, you won't get out of the gate.
Michael Bostic
Let's talk about one of my favorite supplements that we recently discovered in the last two years and that is fatty 15. I love this product so much. It has quickly become something that I take every single day and here's why. We've had the founder of Fatty 15, Dr. Stephanie Van Watson, on this podcast multiple times and as soon as I heard her story and her mission behind fatty 15, I was if any of you have concerns like me about aging, making sure that you're in pain, making sure that you're getting better sleep, really all the things that we think about when it comes to healthy aging, fatty 15 can really be a great resource for you. And that's because fatty 15 is derived from C15, which is one of the first emerging essential fatty acids to be discovered in more than 90 years. It's an incredible scientific breakthrough to support our long term health and wellness. And you guessed it, healthy aging. Based on over 100 studies, we know that C15 strengthens our cells and is a foundational healthy aging nutrient which helps to slow aging at the cellular level. In fact, when our cells don't have enough C15, they can become fragile and age faster. And when our cells age, our bodies age too. What fatty 15 does is it repairs age related damage to cells, protects them from breakdown and activates pathways in the body that help regulate our sleep, cognitive health and metabolism. This functionality leads to so many exciting benefits including deeper sleep, healthier hair, skin and nails. So check them out. We take it every single day. Fatty15 is on a mission to optimize your your C15 levels to help support your long term health and wellness, especially as you age. You can get an additional 15% off their 90 day subscription starter kit by going to fatty15.com skinny and using code skinny at checkout. AI has such potential to increase output productivity. And for all the people that are scared about AI replacing their jobs, I am taking a more optimistic view and saying if you use AI correctly, you can actually scale your output, secure replace in any entity and actually get more done. Which is why I love talking about Granola. Granola is an AI powered notepad built for the way real people actually meet. Here's how it works. You take rough notes like you normally would and in the background, Granola securely transcribes the meeting. Then it turns everything into clean, structured, actually useful notes when the meeting ends. And the best part, Granola works through your device's audio, which means it integrates seamlessly into the video conferencing tools you already use. No setup, no awkward bots. It's just your normal meeting with superpowers. This is so important for people that are in back to back meetings trying to stay on top of their work, making sure that they have resources to go back and remember what was said, what was done, what things need to be followed. And like I said earlier, if you're not thinking about using AI as a tool to increase your productivity, your output, to change the way you do things so that you can operate more efficiently, you're really missing the boat. And what I also love about Granola AI is listen. Some of these meetings can be endless and sometimes you're trying to keep track of everything that's being said. With granola, you get to actually listen instead of frantically typing every word and still walk away knowing exactly what was decided, who's doing what, and what comes next. So this is an incredible tool for anyone working in any organization. If you're a student, if you're running a team, if you're part of a team, this is a great platform that you can utilize to get even more done and to stay on top of even more. We've talked about on this show about our most important asset, which is time. You don't have to try to piece together items or rewrite things. It's all organized, it's all done. And it saves you a ton of time when you go back to review what actually transpired. So check them out. If meetings are eating up your day, granola is a no brainer. You can try it totally free for three months. Just head to granola AI/skinny. That's granola AI/skinny. To get your time back, get three months free. At granola AI skinny, there is a ton of focus on our food and our supplies and what we're eating, what we're consuming. But did you know that what you may be cleaning your household with could also be causing you harm? So many toxic chemical cleaning supplies are wreaking havoc on our bodies, on our systems. We think we're doing something good for ourselves, we think we're cleaning our space, but really we could be causing a tremendous amount of harm to ourselves and our loved ones. Lauren and I learned this when we interviewed the founder of Branch Basics on this very podcast, Allison, and she talked to us all about the different vulnerabilities that exist in the home with our cleaning supplies. This is why ever since then we switched to Branch Basics and we have not looked back. Made from plant and mineral based ingredients, Branch Basics is human, safe and fragrance free, making it perfect for families, especially those with babies, kids or pets. And what I love about Branch Basics is their refill model makes it even easier to keep your home clean year round. Once you run out, all you need to do is restock the concentrate available at Target, Amazon and BranchBasics.com making it more convenient than ever to have human safe cleaning products. If there's one thing I've learned doing this show for all the years that we've done, it is that there's so many healthier alternatives out there that end up getting the same result, but without all of the harm. Branch Basics is one of those examples. You can clean your house just as effectively, but without having to worry about hormone disruptors, artificial fragrances, and things that we know cause harm at this point. And here's the good news. Branch Basics is now available everywhere you shop@target, target.com, amazon, and of course branchbasics.com tossing the toxins has never been more convenient. And for anyone grabbing the Premium Starter kit, you can still get 15% off@branchbasics.com with our code Skinny15. Just use code Skinny15 for 15% off the premium starter kit@branchbasics.com after you purchase. When they ask where you heard about them, please make sure you mention our show again. That's branchbasics.com promo code skinny15 this episode
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Michael Bostic
I know it's geared towards primarily women, but like this is applicable and great advice for men as well. Oh I There's some men on this team that are, like, some of your biggest fans. And again, like, I think the things you are saying, yes, it can help a ton of women. I know that's who you're primarily speaking to, but it's just great advice in general.
Emma Grede
I think so, because I started the book by writing what was easy to me, right? Like building a brand, leadership, career, money, like that. The staff was like. Like, I know this. That's what I've done for years and years, and I've been really successful at it, and I intrinsically understand that. So that was, like, the starting point for me. I added those other parts of the book on because I was like, this is actually the stuff that's stopping people in their tracks. And we all know that feeling of fear. It's not that I don't get it anymore. It's just that I've learned to manage it and I've learned to use it almost as, like, a signal. I'm like, when I'm scared, I know this. Like, I am 100% sure that all the things that I do that are, like, a little bit troubling to me are the things that I need to do to move myself forward. And I think that that's applicable to anyone I've found.
Lauren Bostic
And Michael and I were talking about this this morning. Very successful people are really intentional. What are things to you that are a distraction and get brutal?
Emma Grede
Oh, things are a distraction. You know, I love alcohol and a good drink, so I think as a kid, I really had to, like, stem my enthusiasm for, like, partying for sure. And I'm lucky that I live, you know, in la, where there's, like, not that much of a party happening. Guys, let's be fair.
Michael Bostic
What happened to the party? Listen, if you. When did you come here?
Emma Grede
I came here eight, nine years ago now. Eight.
Michael Bostic
Okay, well, that's. So nine years ago. There's still a kind of a party going then.
Emma Grede
I wasn't invited. The party's a little like, not like a Europe, not like, like a Pizza Lando level. Like, we don't have things like that.
Michael Bostic
But there was a period of time, I would say between 2010 and 15 were, like, maybe the golden year. The party has kind of gotten quiet here.
Emma Grede
It got quiet. I mean, you had. They had the day here. But, you know, I feel like that, if you ask me, like, what gets in my way, like, I love to have a good time. Like, I think I'm really lucky that all my best friends are in England and I'm not distracted constantly by like going out or like being a thing. Like, that's help. That's really helpful.
Michael Bostic
Yeah.
Lauren Bostic
What about micro distractions? Meaning, like, I'm just gonna make this up.
Emma Grede
Like psy social.
Lauren Bostic
Sure. It could be like, it could, like, it could be like a gossiping mom at school. Like, what are your micro distractions? No, I don't think that you don't. That you. I'm saying that you avoid.
Emma Grede
That I avoid. I'm not saying that you are taking. I avoid social. I avoid all mum groups. Like literally.
Lauren Bostic
That's what I mean.
Emma Grede
No, I've got the nannies on the mum group and they text in my place. Like, I can't. Okay. I can't.
Michael Bostic
Well, the mom groups out here in LA are wild. I was looking at some of the.
Lauren Bostic
Speaking of articles, I had to move to Austin because I couldn't do it.
Emma Grede
Really couldn't do it. They are so listen, God bless those mums groups and the class moms and the whole thing. I'm like, God love them. I just can't.
Lauren Bostic
Okay, so those are things that you don't partake in that you think are a distraction for you?
Emma Grede
For me, absolutely. They're a big distraction.
Lauren Bostic
And social media, you said.
Emma Grede
Yeah, because social's a tough one, right? Like, I actually. I'm such a people person. Like, I love people, I love the chat, I love the gossip. I like to know what's going on. I like the news. But to me it's like if it becomes like overly. It's not even about negativity. It's like I don't like anything that consumes me.
Lauren Bostic
I agree.
Emma Grede
Like, I like to be in control. And so, you know, it's like I never got into TikTok. Like, I've tried, I think. I don't know if I've just aged out or whatever it was or it's like I just never got the enjoyment. I love a little Instagram skull, but that just never happened to me. And I really think it's just a bad use of time. You know, I have this trick, I turn my phone black and white. So, like, it's not just the social, it's the camera, it's the all the AI apps that are on there now. There's like this never ending playground on my phone. I'm like, I do that one.
Lauren Bostic
Your phone with your ex on it. That's your dog. You are on X. Like ax the Twitter, whatever.
Emma Grede
Wow. You were having a whole different podcast. I'm like, let me be the therapist Bostic.
Michael Bostic
No, no, no, no, no, no. But I, you know, we go and speak at school sometime. Cause you know now, and I'm sure you do as well, like this is a new way of doing business. A lot of these platforms that people. And my main thing to the people we speak to, which by the way, half these schools wouldn't even looked at my application. They're just throwing it right in the trash.
Emma Grede
Damn right.
Michael Bostic
But I say like, you gotta decide if this is a tool or if you're being a consumer. And if you're just a mindless consumer, then you're using social the wrong way.
Emma Grede
Tarsing, silly.
Michael Bostic
Because you're just being sucked into the endless scrolling of, you know, nothingness.
Emma Grede
Yeah. And listen, I like the news, but I don't think that social is where you get your news from. You know, it's again, I'm very purposeful. I wake up in the morning, I read the same publications every day.
Lauren Bostic
What do you read in the morning? You got to tell us what you read.
Emma Grede
Oh, all the boring stuff.
Michael Bostic
Not the Wall Street Journal.
Emma Grede
I do actually read the Wall Street Journal and I will continue to read the Wall Street Journal even if I don't love all their headlines. But you know, each to their own. They're very good. But I do, I read the ft. I read the Wall Street Journal. I like the Economist because I like to have like an outside of America viewpoint on things. I am a consumer of the news. I listen to the daily, like the New York Times. I love that podcast. While I'm getting ready, it kind of brings you up to speed on what's happening.
Lauren Bostic
You run your household like a military operation.
Emma Grede
Like a military operation.
Lauren Bostic
Let's hear it. I want to know all the things.
Emma Grede
Well, I'm just very scheduled because when you have four kids, if you are going to have like 45 minutes in the morning together as a family, which is what I aim for every day, which is usually 30, but the aim is 45. You have to be scheduled. So my thing is that everyone needs to be at the breakfast table at 7:30. It doesn't matter in what state. So you might have a kid half dressed. Nobody has their hair done, one shoe on, one shoe off. But it's like, let's get there because then we all basically leave by about 8:15 and you can have this like nutty breakfast moment. But it's good because you're together, you're chitting and chatting. I'm checking in, I'm understanding what's happening. But I am up early I wake up naturally at like 4:45. I work out. Wow. But I'm an early bird. I'm just wired that way. I think it was the paper route as a kid. Like I just, it must have been the people. I'm just like, I'm an early bird. So it's like I get up early, I work out with a trainer, I get ready really, really quickly. I have like a uniform. So it's like I'm not putting outfits together. It's like the outfits are down on a Sunday.
Lauren Bostic
What's the uniform?
Emma Grede
Well, it's like usually like a jeans and a nice top, A black pant and a nice top. You see me coming out of the elevator. I re, wear the same thing all the time.
Lauren Bostic
Okay.
Emma Grede
So it's like I have my uniform, I go downstairs, I have that moment getting ready. I'm out the door at 8:15, I get to the office between kind of like 8:30, 8:45, depending on the day. And then I'm just in meetings back to back to back all day. But I leave every day at 5. And what that allows and what it creates are the conditions for everybody else to leave at 5. Because for me that like I said that bedtime, that nighttime routine that's important to me, I want to bookend the day and make sure the kids see me and I have a check in with them and I have that like lovely little moment where they're a bit sleepy and nice and I put them down Sometimes like all the time I go back to work, you know, I'll be back on email or going out for a dinner. But I am really, really militant about leaving that office at 5. If somebody wants to talk to me, they need to be like coming in the elevator with me. It's like there is no like 10 past 5, 5 past 5. When I need something done, it has to be done.
Lauren Bostic
And what about when? How do you run your team of employees when it comes to your day to day? Your assistant know certain things. What I want to know more about
Emma Grede
the infrastructure of that assistant knows everything.
Lauren Bostic
I need some tips, everything.
Emma Grede
Okay. So the, the point is I have like a little, a lovely army around me. So I, I mean it's really interesting. So I have an assistant who is like right by my side. So wherever I am, she is. And then I have somebody who's kind of, you know, I have like a chief of staff who is around everything. Like I don't manage nannies or anybody in my house. I have somebody who kind of looks after that and Then I have very, very good people in all of the companies and managing every division of every company. And so I am in constant contact with each of those people. I don't run, like, I don't have like one company one day. I do everything all the time. That's just like how my life and
Lauren Bostic
what I think when I hear that, I think that is so strategic because it gives you even time with your children. That's purposeful. So you're not managing all this stuff to perform at the level that you want to perform at. And you, you tell me you have someone who manages the nannies that takes that off your plate so you can be more present. Yeah, I'm always trying to figure out ways that I can be more present with my kids instead of me trying to do everything myself.
Emma Grede
Well, I talk about this so much in the book. It's like you have to accept help. And I think what happens often is people. And I mean, like, help from everywhere. I am not like, I expect my husband to help, but it also means that I don't. You know, it's like I have to check my masculine energy at the door. My job all day.
Lauren Bostic
Yeah. I have to do that.
Emma Grede
Is telling people what to do. I'm sure you do it very well. I try judging. Yeah. So it's like. But it's important, right? It's like, I'm not going to micromanage my husband if he is getting a kid dressed. I'm not like, put the thing on, turn the thing around. I'm like, just like, deal with the bad out outfit. Deal with the child. Like slightly, you know, more disheveled than if I'd done it myself. So it's like I'm also not trying to manage people to do the stuff that I've outsourced them to do. Do you know what I mean? Like, that's important. You gotta give the task away and you gotta let it go. And you've got to accept like 85% sometimes.
Michael Bostic
Oh, but it sounds like, I mean, like, I imagine, similar to our relationship. Your husband knows exactly who he signed up for and what he's like.
Emma Grede
Oh, I think so. I mean, he would have got rid of me by now, but I mean, like one hope. Either that or he's like a tortured individual.
Michael Bostic
Because I could see sometimes the comments come in or like, we're joking or you're not cooking. Like, I don't expect her to like what she's building and what she's trying to do. I know the sacrifice and the time that it takes. So I'm not sitting there being like, where's dinner on the table? Like, why aren't you here? I get like what it requires, right? So yeah, we need help. And similar to what you're doing, like to build extraordinary things, it requires a tremendous amount of energy in sacrifice.
Lauren Bostic
My favorite thing is to Postmates McDonald's french fries and put them in a gorgeous silver Kristoff vase. That is beautiful.
Emma Grede
So nice. That is like. She's like, look at this little organic. I did that.
Lauren Bostic
That's what you.
Michael Bostic
Because, you know, like, I would never want her to not build the things she's excited to build out. To like put. You know, I can listen, I can, I can postmates or go to dinner. I can hire, you know, I mean,
Emma Grede
it's about choosing the right.
Lauren Bostic
How is your husband synergistic to you? What is his. What are his traits that you feel you're not as strong at and what are your traits that he's not so many?
Emma Grede
We are very, very, very different. Like, Jens is not like an operator. He is a big picture strategy guy. Jens is like vision. He's like overarching, like, you know, genius. Like guy like this, I'm like in the weeds. I'm in the stuff. I'm like, like looking at the componentry of the bra. Like I am choosing the zip. Like, do you know what I mean? It's like I am extremely operational and like in it every day. That is just not what he does. And so we are very, very, very different in that way. I speak to everyone and I'm friends with everybody and I know the names of everybody and yeah, and is like, who's that? I'm like, oh dear. Well, she's been here for, you know, five years. Do you know what I mean? That's just not what he concerns himself with. You know, he's like, wow, you have a lot of fun with your teen. I'm like, yes. Isn't that the whole point of life? He's like, not my life. You know, so it's just, we're just very, very different how we come into the workplace.
Lauren Bostic
How do you guys. This is another selfish question. Sorry. But I feel like everyone will like this. How do you guys manage travel with four children?
Emma Grede
Oh, that's an interesting one. So we're very rarely away at the same time. It does happen. I only have one family member here in la, my amazing sister Katie Beth. And when those times happen, like she will come and be with our kids. So I need to give her like no notice. I'm like, Kate, we fucked up the schedule. Me and Yen's like, we're crossing over in New York for two nights and I need. And she's like, I'm there. Like, I'm gonna be with your kids. I never ever leave them with just our nannies.
Lauren Bostic
I mean, what do you do when you travel with them? Oh, horrible.
Emma Grede
With the children.
Lauren Bostic
Ye.
Emma Grede
Oh, it's like, you know, it's like the Obamas are coming or something. It's like three SUVs. Because we've, you know, there's. Yeah, but I always travel. And again, I don't like to not tell the truth about this. Like, even when I travel, I travel with my help. I travel with nannies that are going to make that easy for us because I am always working when I get on a flight, like, that's my work time. I'm not like chowing down on a Disney movie with like, that's even on a, even on a family trip. We just came back from Hawaii. I worked the entire five hour flight.
Lauren Bostic
I find this so refreshing.
Emma Grede
Oh, you do?
Lauren Bostic
I don't know if I've. It's, it's.
Michael Bostic
Well, I think because a lot of people lie about it, right.
Lauren Bostic
For me, it's. It's like, you're right, A lot of people lie about it and they're not honest.
Emma Grede
Yeah, we can't do that to each other.
Lauren Bostic
No, we can't.
Emma Grede
It's not. You're not encouraging women to accept help if you're not honest about how much help. Help you have. And, and, and, and listen, I know that I have extraordinary means, right? It's like I have a lot of privilege. But it's like when we talk about taking help, that can be anything. That can be having other mums at the school help with you.
Lauren Bostic
Right?
Emma Grede
That can be like, you know, getting a meal service in. It can indeed be, you know, ordering fries from McDonald's. Maybe they're not going in a Silver Kristoff thing, but, you know, you're still ordering the fries. Do whatever it is for you to get through the day, don't apologize for it. Because that's the worst part.
Michael Bostic
Even the fact that like, people have to apologize for having means after working hard. Like, I think, like I, I always take issue with that because I'm. Because I feel if you've made sacrifices that most people won't make and you work in a way that a lot of people don't want to and you are the beneficiary of financial success because of that, like, you shouldn't, you shouldn't be, you shouldn't have to say sorry for that.
Emma Grede
I, well, that's why I live here in America, darling. In Europe, it's a lot of, it's a lot different. And listen, I, I. People talk about this all the time, right? It's like I often get calls from my family in Europe, and they'll be like, goodness, what is happening in America? Come home, darling. I don't know that I buy that, right? It's like, we all know the issues with America. We all understand the political climate in which we find ourselves, but there is not a country in the world that I could have had this type of success in, in, in this timescale. Not in Russia, not in China, not anywhere, not even in my home country in England or any other European place. The beauty of this country is the way that it is set up and has traditionally been set up to embrace people, to let you feel like you can come to America and if you work hard enough and you do a good job, that you can make it like, I am the living, breathing American dream. And I thank you, thank, like, God, the country, the people here for that every single day. So what we've got to make sure is that we don't take the very thing away that makes this country, which I think is, like, the best branded product on earth, America. The idea of America, we gotta make sure that we don't take away from this country, like, what is really, really good about it. And when I think about my journey, I'm like, how does it get better? Like, how does it get better than someone who comes here and can do that and can have that journey? I just, like, I thank God every day that I came here.
Lauren Bostic
That's well said.
Emma Grede
It's the truth.
Michael Bostic
And I, and no. Very well said. And, you know, we have a lot of European friends and a lot of the sentiment from many of them now, if they don't come from generational wealth or big families, is that it's just so hard to stand. And one thing that a friend of ours said, he's a French guy, and he said, in America, everybody believes that you can make a bigger pie. Like, we could all figure something out and you make something bigger. In Europe, everyone's very, like, on your own, don't want to. Partner, don't want to. They just, It's a different mentality.
Emma Grede
People are open for business here. Yeah, that's the big difference. I came here, and people are willing to listen to your idea. They're willing to take a chance on you. None of that, like, you know, stuff that sometimes stays with you is, is, is as much as a problem here. Now listen, we all know this country is full of systemic issues like it's undeniable. But what I'm saying is for, for the most part, there is a lot of opportunity here. And if you put yourself in the right position, then there is a lot of advantage to actually being here that actually we have to stop complaining about, because it's not like that in the rest of the world.
Lauren Bostic
How do you stay humble with how much success you've had?
Emma Grede
I don't. No, I'm joking.
Lauren Bostic
I'm all. What I think.
Emma Grede
So. I was joking. I was joking.
Lauren Bostic
I feel like the you I've met today and the you I met, I don't know if it was four or five years ago.
Michael Bostic
Same, same.
Lauren Bostic
It's, it's. That's refreshing too. How do you stay humble?
Emma Grede
Because I always believe that, you know, it's not mine. You know, it's like I, you, everything can go away tomorrow and you always have to stay one step ahead and you always have to remember where you came from and you have to work really hard. But I'm not so arrogant to think that this doesn't all go away and that something better doesn't come and take my place. So I don't know. I'm, you know, I am a really simple, straightforward person. Like, I'm me in every room I walk into. And, And I think that actually that's really a huge benefit to me. You know, it's like I don't shape shift because I don't have to. I'm just me and I'm pretty consistent. And I am always, I'm always working, like, wherever I am. It's like I'm always going to try that hardest. I'm always going to be the nicest. I'm always going to work the most. I'm always going to try to be excellent because that is what's worked for me so far. So I don't see any reason to change that. You know what's so crazy to me on this book tour, I have met three journalists that used to work for me. Three. Three people that in some way, shape or form have crossed my paths and worked in my companies before. And it's so cool because to me, it's like, oh, they remember me. And as, yes, somebody who had, like, you know, insane and sometimes impossible standards, but they learned a lot from me and they liked me and I treated them well. And that says a lot. Like, one of the things, like when you don't have much, you have to understand what you have is your reputation. Like, that shit means something. So how you treat people, how you leave people feeling like that stuff really matters. So when you don't have a lot, which is like where I started, it's like you can take that, you can take your reputation and build on it, and build on it and build on it and. And that you'll never lose, rightly or wrongly, right? And hopefully it serves you. But I think the way that I have come up actually has really served me well because people know I have really good intentions and they know I'm a good girl.
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Lauren Bostic
So even when I wear it or
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Emma Grede
Okay?
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Lauren Bostic
So if you want to be efficient
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Lauren Bostic
Introducing the Skinny Confidential ice roller. Reimagined. Think sleeker lines, a softer pink, a custom buttery dust bag and a silver roller. Not pink anymore that is ice cold. I wanted to do a zhuzh on the iconic ice roller. I wanted wanted to update it. This ice roller for me has always been more than just a tool. It's about helping us de puff and sculpt and calm the skin in a way that feels intentional. And I wanted the ice roller to feel evolved. It's changed. You've changed. So yes, the new gorgeous, stunning, beautiful ice roller is still going to do the same things. It reduces puffiness and redness in your face. I used it this morning before I put on my makeup. It definitely helps with the under eye bags. Of course it helps boost circulation and radiance. I just feel like it really helps stimulate blood flow and gives me that tighter, more radiant skin. And then it also is known to give you a smoother, tighter looking skin. So what I like to do is I like to combine facial massage with cold therapy. And this really helps give you a really nice foundation before you even apply your skin care. This ice roller for me is a full circle moment. I think that a lot of you bought the ice roller, you know, five, six years ago when we launched it, and now I am launching something that feels more in alignment with where you're at. It's so beautiful, you guys. Like, it's just softer and more effortless in every way. And I really put my own touches on every single little step, from the packaging to the colors, to how it feels to even the roller. It's all been elevated just from. For you. So the ritual, the Lauren ritual, is you do cold therapy to help fight inflammation. You roll it, you glide it across your face. I put it on my jawline, my neck, I roll it down. Your skin is just going to appear smoother and tighter before you go in for the kill with the skin care and the makeup, don't skip the cold therapy. The new ice roller is an upgrade designed to meet the standards of today. And I hope you guys love it as much as I do. This is the beauty tool that started it all. All redesigned to evolve with you. I'm showing it on YouTube too. If you're on YouTube, if you're seeing me visually get it, why it's hot@shopskinnyconfidential.com that's shopskinnyconfidential.com I remember years ago, Jillian
Michael Bostic
Michaels came on the show. It's a strange example. What?
Emma Grede
She's a strange example, but she, she
Michael Bostic
basically was like, listen, like, not everyone's gonna like me. Not everyone's gonna agree with me. I'm gonna rub a lot of people the wrong way. But I'm gonna be ex. I'm gonna be exactly who she is so that nobody's questioning where I stand and who I am.
Emma Grede
Fair. Fair.
Michael Bostic
And I think, like, I think what's a struggle for a lot of people, especially if they're front facing, is there's like a facade and they try to keep it up for a really long time. Maybe they're not treating people well, they're not treating their team well. They're doing things behind. And then that shit comes out. And it's like the whole.
Emma Grede
It's exhausting.
Michael Bostic
It's a disaster.
Emma Grede
By the way, it always comes out. Who does it not come out for? It always comes out, Always comes out.
Michael Bostic
But when she told us that, I was like, okay, well then like, the blueprint is like, you just gotta be who you are, say what you think, and be honest about that. And you're not gonna win everybody, but at least you don't have to fake it and try to keep it up totally. It's not sustainable.
Lauren Bostic
Through writing this book, you must have gotten a lot of DMs and women coming up to you. What are some old thoughts that you call them that people have come up
Emma Grede
to you with all the time? This happens. Like, people imagine that you can kind of network your way into some possibility.
Lauren Bostic
You hear?
Emma Grede
You cannot. Like, literally, you cannot. And this idea of, like, not being invited, not getting, you know, into the right conferences, not sitting on the right panels, not being at the right table. Like, it's just, and it is rife in, like, the world of female entrepreneurship. And so you have to understand, like, that is not a thing. Like, it is just not a thing. I also really get frustrated when I think about, about women and money and our inability to put money in the center of our plans. We spoke about this when we last met, but that, like, women that are giving their services away for free. I had this lady like, DM me and say every Sunday she does a Pilates. She's a Pilates instructor, and she does, like, a Pilates instruction class, and she does them for free. Because it's about the good vibes and the energy. And I'm like, what the are the vibes and the energy? Like, girl, that is your turn. That is your skill. You have earned the right to be here, and you need to charge people for it. There's nothing wrong with that. There really is nothing wrong with it. But somehow we get trapped in these ideas that to be good, to be a good woman, we have to, like, you know, be, I don't know, like, think about things in a way that is just like, you know, not about charging and, you know, it's all about the energy and it's all about what you put out. It's like, no one is coming to pick you out of obscurity and stuff.
Lauren Bostic
I actually have, have a hot take. I actually find, and this is my own life, so take it or leave it.
Emma Grede
Yeah.
Lauren Bostic
That networking is a waste of time for me. I, I, what if I have time to put towards my business? Networking's not on the list.
Emma Grede
Well, this is. So here's the thing, right? Yes, I agree with you. I think what people have mixed up is networking and building a network to get done.
Lauren Bostic
You totally different.
Emma Grede
You need a network, right? You need the manager, the agent, the publicity, this, the lawyer. The manager, the thing. The thing. The thing that is your network. The bank manager, the vendor, the factory. That, like, that is the network. Not like networking. Not some other bitch that's doing what you're doing.
Lauren Bostic
She's not helpful.
Emma Grede
No, the badge. Get the badge. If it's got a badge, don't like. That's not the thing. I can guarantee you if it comes with a badge, it's not worth your time. Let's just say that, right? If you have to have a badge, you have to sit on the panel. If you have to put makeup on to do it, forget about it. Like, that's not the thing, but your relationships, your credibility, your reputation, like that network that you're building, that's worth something. Because when shit hits the fan in my business, I can call people up and go, hey, I need the following thing that's useful, that's my network at work. And that you do need to be effective in business.
Lauren Bostic
This is why I think it's a good idea for young entrepreneurs to start a podcast. Because if you're networking on a podcast, at least you're also giving someone, someone the gift of a platform. And you're also yourself on your own platform making content. So if you want to, I feel like there's strategic ways to network without putting the badge on.
Emma Grede
Yeah, listen, there's, there's so many ways to do it. You know, I came up working for free back in the days when you were able to hire people and they would come and do work experiences for you. That was so valuable for me because I went around finding all of the jobs that I didn't want to do, but I also made a bunch of, a bunch of contacts. And every now and again, you know, I will meet someone and they're like, oh, like I met you when you were at that PR company In the Cupboard. And I'm like, yeah, so you did. And you were an. And by the way, I'm not going to do business with you. Or you were really wonderful. And now like, thank you and I'd love to do something together. So it's like there, there's so many different ways. But let me tell you what you can't get around. You can't get around the work, right? You cannot get around the work. That is just a prerequisite for success. And there is times in your life when you are going to go like 150%. And there's times in your life, like you're just nine months away from having a baby where you might have to Take your foot off the pedal for a few months and be like, I have different priorities now. Your life happens in seasons, your work life and your career happens in seasons. And that's okay. But this idea that somehow you're going to circumvent the work and somehow I found an extra hour in the day and there is some un or some secret like, that is not going to happen ever.
Lauren Bostic
I know you said like, you do like manifesting, but you don't spend a ton of time on it. What is your actual manifestation? Practice and vision board.
Emma Grede
Practice as Emma okay, so I'm gonna really beat this one to death.
Lauren Bostic
Beat it.
Emma Grede
Beat it to death. So I think that having a vision for yourself is different from vision boarding and manifestation. Got it. So when I talk about this idea of having a vision for the type of life you want, for the type of person you want to be, for the type of mom, the boss, the thing that is about thinking about what do I want my life to be,
Lauren Bostic
how do I want to lay down
Emma Grede
the vision everywhere I am planning and writing it and all of the things. And so the reason I'm saying yes to manifestation, absolutely, like, imagine it, but be concrete, don't write. I want to have, you know, a million dollar house, like figure out how to make a million dollars. You want the systems, you've got to have the systems. You've got to have the steps and you've got to understand what it actually takes. And so thinking about it, listening to all the podcasts, like going and watching the experts, like, that's not going to work. You have to put yourself in motion. You have to do the action. You've got to be that person who's going to take a little bit of risk and meet your fear and actually do the thing. That's what I mean. It's like, so it's like you have to. Once you've got a vision for yourself, you then got to break that down and say, well, how? What next? How do I. You can't like sit there and be like, I'm waiting because no one's coming to save you. Like, literally no one is coming. Do you know what I mean? Like, no one's coming.
Lauren Bostic
Oh, I know what you mean.
Emma Grede
You've got to get up. That's the, the very idea of starting with yourself. It's like, how do I activate the muscle for self leadership? How do I become the type of person that I would admire? Like, that is all within your control. That isn't about systems, that's not about the outside that's about, like, what type of woman am I?
Michael Bostic
No, but I mean, like, even, like, running a company. I'm sure you've seen this. Somebody will come and be like, I am ready to be on the executive team, but I would like a hybrid work environment with these hours.
Lauren Bostic
Don't even get her started on this. You're not a hybrid person.
Michael Bostic
But I want to look at these people and listen. Everyone should be able to do and work how they want to work. But if you're saying that you want this outcome and you're doing this behavior that doesn't map to that outcome that other people in that role do, you can't. You're not going to manifest your way to it.
Emma Grede
No.
Michael Bostic
And it's not realistic.
Emma Grede
But can we talk about it, like, because again, listen, we all know the comment that I said, and we all know, apparently it was like this terrible thing, but I. I want to kind of try something.
Lauren Bostic
Which one?
Emma Grede
I.
Michael Bostic
Which.
Lauren Bostic
You don't know where you.
Emma Grede
Oh, you don't know. When I spoke about work life balance. Right. It's like work life balance is your problem. That. That's what I said and that's.
Lauren Bostic
Why is that controversial?
Emma Grede
I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. But it is. And it was. But let's just talk about it outside of the context of just purely work. Right? Because if you want to be successful, proximity and visibility is a must. Trust. Right. To the decision makers, to what's happening, to the pace of, like, the business. You got to be there. Like, if you're not within my vicinity, you're going to see how I move.
Michael Bostic
I can't recognize. I can't recognize. I can't distinguish their face. If I just meet them on a computer, I can't do.
Emma Grede
Are you giving them a pay rise if you can't distinguish them?
Michael Bostic
No, but I can't exactly. I come in and they're like, it's me. And I'm like, I can't tell. I have to see you and feel you and your energy. I'm not touching people.
Emma Grede
I know.
Michael Bostic
Yeah, but you know what I mean. I have to be able see to see facts. Right? I can't.
Emma Grede
Put your hands down.
Michael Bostic
Stop doing that.
Emma Grede
Stop doing that. I have to see you and feel you.
Michael Bostic
Put your hands through hr.
Lauren Bostic
HR can't say anything nowadays.
Michael Bostic
No, but I mean, it's like screen blindness. When I see a million little things on a screen, I can't. And then someone comes in, it's like, it's me. I'm like, I'm so, like, it's hard, you know, but if I met you in person and spent time, it's a totally different thing.
Emma Grede
It's a totally different thing. But I want to take it away from the context of just work, because I think that what's happened in this search for balance, which, by the way, I talk about so much in the, in the book, it's the wrong goal. You're not actually looking for balance. And when we talk about this idea of what it means to have flexibility and work from home, of course I understand that people need that. But if you remove yourself from, like, in person life, if you're, like, working from your living room and you're getting all your food delivered and you're living in social media land, you take out about all of the amazingness of life. Like, I met my husband at work, I met some of my best friends at work. And so forget this part of, like, getting ahead and getting, you know, pay increase and, like, you know, having this kind of rat race of a career. It's like, what about your life? What about the guy that you might meet in the coffee shop that you're gonna dress extra cute for tomorrow because, like, you're like, oh, my God, maybe you'll be there. What about the little interaction that you have with the lady in the street? Like, forget about that piece. Like, we are in a moment right now. Birth rates are down, marriage rates are down. There's a loneliness epidemic.
Michael Bostic
Remember, I said this to that woman and she almost walked off the show.
Emma Grede
Oh, well, we're not going to walk off. But, you know, it's like, when you think about what work and proximity gives you, it gives you a life. It gives you connection. And by the way, every single study that's out there about longevity will tell you the number one thing that we need in life as humans for longevity is connection. So even if you don't want to go to work and be in the office, leave the house, because you need people, and you need people to, like, live, and you need people to thrive and you need people to fall in love with, and you can't get any of that on a zoom, you know?
Lauren Bostic
Agree.
Michael Bostic
I don't know.
Lauren Bostic
I won't even go on screen on a zoom. I'd rather meet in person. It's so much more effective if you follow. So much more effective.
Emma Grede
Yeah.
Michael Bostic
Scott Galloway at all.
Emma Grede
I love Scott Galloway.
Michael Bostic
You love him, too. He's been on this show and one of, you know, we were talking about alcohol earlier, and How a lot of young people, Young people are just not drinking as much.
Emma Grede
I know, I know.
Michael Bostic
And he was saying, like, yeah, we know it's bad for us, but he was saying that the doing it and the social interactions you have and the inability that comes being a young person going out is actually maybe better for you than just abdicating from alcohol in general and not having those interactions.
Emma Grede
Totally. Like, what are we living for at the end of the day? Like, what you want to be like 85, alive and miserable? It's. I'd rather have a couple of drinks, have a great time and die at 77.
Michael Bostic
That's a very specific number.
Emma Grede
77.
Michael Bostic
Yeah.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
You got before that, let's say 97,
Emma Grede
whatever the number is. But it's like you don't. What, what.
Lauren Bostic
How many years is that going to be buried due if I'm 97? That's a long years.
Emma Grede
That's a lot of years. That's a lot of years.
Michael Bostic
That's like 50 more to go. No longer.
Lauren Bostic
Out of all the amazing, amazing experts and celebrities and famous people that you know because you know a lot of different people I've been around, what is the most sound, amazing advice that one of them has given you that's really resonated.
Emma Grede
Oh, there have been so many good bits. You know, first of all, like, I'm obsessed with Mark Cuban. I feel like the recent I did. I love him.
Lauren Bostic
Okay, so he's like, he's the, he's
Emma Grede
the vibes because he's the real deal. Like, he's another person who, like, wherever you see Mark, if you're filming Shark Tank or I, you know, like bump into him at south by Southwest or, you know, like whatever it is, a basketball game is where I usually see him, you know, where he literally is interacting with the players and the referee in real time. I'm like, oh my God, did he just speak to the player like mid game? But Mark is someone who I find like he doesn't change. He's such an authentic person. And when he talks about raising money and he calls it an obligation, there's no truer things said. We've really romanticized what it means to go out and raise capital. And what Mark says is like, it's an obligation. Suddenly you are obligated to somebody else and your company and the decisions are no longer your own. And I wish more people heard that because again, this idea that to be a successful business that everything has to be a billion dollar unicorn, like, that's not so. I have friends that have, like, a lovely business that employ five people. People, they pay themselves a good wage and, like, that's an amazing company, if you ask me. Like, we've got to get out of this idea that everything needs to be, like, so big and so crazy. So I love Mark for that. I love Melody Hobson, who is, like, my girl crush. Amazingness. Melody's incredible. She was the first ever episode of my podcast, and she is this incredible. She actually runs a big private equity fund, and he does a lot of big investments, like billions and billions of billions of dollars under management. And she spoke about when, like, coming into a situation with honesty, and she said, but it never needs to be brutal honesty. I can give you honesty without being brutal. And I think that's really important because when you're building a company, like, everything feels so personal. But if you're not honest with yourself, you're not honest with the people around you, like you actually want, it won't go very far. But there is never a reason to be nasty. And I think that when you. When you think about, like, what it takes and how much you're going to need people, like, being a good, a decent person, like, having a high moral baseline is actually one of the most important things that you can do in business. And it really serves you because it comes back to you, like, over and over. Yeah.
Michael Bostic
And you learned that the older you get, because you realize that if you burn your reputation down quickly, you're not going to have much longevity. You see people come and go all the time, especially. Especially in this, like, media space. Right.
Lauren Bostic
Start with yourself. A new vision for work and life. Who needs this book?
Emma Grede
You know, I think that so many people need it. I wrote the book that I needed at 18, at 25, even in my early 30s. There's a lot of business books out there. There's a lot of business books that are written by men. Not nearly enough by women, but certainly not by why High school dropouts who are mums of four. And so I've wanted to kind of add my collective perspective to, like, the wisdom that's out there. And I really think that there's, you know, you don't have to be a woman. I think that there is a lot to gain from this book and there's a lot of understanding to be had. But I wanted to write something that people can use, not that they will just read. It was supposed to be something that you read a chapter and you go out and do something with it. And that's what I care about the most. I'm like. Like a results orientated person. I want women specifically to take this and to use it to get somewhere.
Lauren Bostic
So much of our audience are people who are looking to be the best version of themselves. I would recommend this book, you guys. I know I highlighted a lot. I was bookmarking it, marking pages in my. In my edition. What's the edition called? The before the book.
Emma Grede
The galley.
Lauren Bostic
The galley.
Emma Grede
The papery edition of the paper.
Lauren Bostic
And then I accosted your team to get me a new one.
Emma Grede
Well, you got. You gotta have the nice special.
Lauren Bostic
Also. I know this is, like, random, but it really, like, looks pretty too. It's something that you want out, like, on your desk.
Emma Grede
That's typical. That's typical for me. I went with the publisher. Who wouldn't. Who would allow me not to have my face on it.
Lauren Bostic
I think that's very smart. I don't want to be. Not that we don't love your face.
Emma Grede
I mean, you don't want my face on the book?
Lauren Bostic
No, I like that.
Emma Grede
I wanted it to be like, you know, you could put it on your coffee table, on your desk. It's like a she. You know, it's a sheep thing.
Michael Bostic
Nothing is done without real reason.
Emma Grede
Always.
Lauren Bostic
No. It's intention, baby.
Emma Grede
Emma.
Lauren Bostic
Three and a half times on the show. Everyone go, follow. Go get your book. Where can they get it? Amazon, I'm assuming. Whatever.
Emma Grede
They can get it on Amazon, they can get it on emma greed.com, all the places. And of course, I did the audiobook, which was.
Michael Bostic
See, that's the move when people pitch their audiobook and they haven't done it. And that's that robot voice line.
Emma Grede
Oh, no. Like that. I mean, seriously, you need my voice. You need my voice. Who also? So who could do this in this voice?
Lauren Bostic
Do your kids have the accent?
Emma Grede
No, they're Americans now. They say like, wait, what? And I'm like, oh, my God, they look like they're Californians, you know?
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Oh, my gosh.
Lauren Bostic
I thought you were gonna say there's a little accent.
Emma Grede
No, they're not a sausage. It's all gone. I'm the only one. I'm just holding the accent up for the whole family.
Lauren Bostic
And your podcast, where can everyone find you?
Emma Grede
Aspire with Emma Greed. I have to tell you guys, I love doing the podcast. It's one of my favorite. It's so much fun. And it's also like, you know, I get to ask. Ask the best questions. It's like, I just want to understand how everybody makes money. I'm like, Tell me everything.
Lauren Bostic
I'm glad you launched one, because I could have used your podcast. I feel like I wish you launched the podcast 10 years ago.
Emma Grede
Right? I know.
Lauren Bostic
It's okay, though.
Emma Grede
I know it's okay. It's all meant to be happening now. I'm like, it's so funny that you say that. Like, I love it so much.
Lauren Bostic
Not everyone.
Emma Grede
Almost like the.
Michael Bostic
It's like marriage therapy for us, I swear. Because sometimes we have people on that we don't like. Maybe we're not talking about our specific issue, but they're saying something that we're both.
Emma Grede
Yes, and you'll learn. And you. And you're like, fire it.
Michael Bostic
And that's what happens.
Emma Grede
But I am really trying to be, again, very purposeful, because I want a podcast that people can come and learn from. And that, again, it's like, you. You. You don't get to come and promote your thing there. It's like, you got to come to play. Like, I need to know how you did the thing, how much you spent on it, how much did you pay the lawyer? Like, how much did you. No, no, it's like the opposite. And it's like, if you're not ready to come and do that, then. Then, like, don't come. But I have the best guests, and I have the most fun doing it.
Lauren Bostic
I told you. I liked the one with Kelly.
Emma Grede
Oh, with Kelly Werstner. She's amazing.
Lauren Bostic
She's a cool lover.
Emma Grede
I mean, again, like, what a woman. She has a giant, giant business, and she's beautiful, and she's so talented, and she's creative. Full package woman.
Lauren Bostic
Congratulations. Thank you for coming on the show.
Michael Bostic
Thank you, Elle, for doing it again.
Lauren Bostic
That was great.
Michael Bostic
Fourth, third, third and a half.
Lauren Bostic
I have to do. And we can keep this in the recording that I love. I love them all. This one was my favorite.
Emma Grede
It was. I'm happy not to. I mean, listen, we're deep in it now. I don't know what I'm gonna have to do to get back on one day. It's gonna have to be, like, a fifth baby or, like, something. Let's go. Guess what? It will be chic, as I'm sure
Lauren Bostic
it would be upsetting.
Michael Bostic
Thank you, Emma.
Emma Grede
Thank you, darling.
The Bossticks — Episode Summary
Episode: Emma Grede Gets Personal On The Cost of Ambition, Self Mastery, & The Truth About Success
Date: April 13, 2026
Guests: Lauryn Bosstick, Michael Bosstick, Emma Grede
Episode Overview
In this rich, candid conversation, Lauryn and Michael Bosstick welcome entrepreneur and executive Emma Grede for her third (and a half!) appearance. The episode dives deep into the mindset, personal history, and practical philosophies that underlie Emma’s monumental career, including founding Good American and Skims, and her new book, Start With Yourself. Topics span the emotional realities behind ambition, the unvarnished tradeoffs women (especially mothers) face in leadership, the myth of “having it all,” and actionable advice for carving a successful, authentic path in both life and business.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Childhood Shaped by Responsibility, Community, and Grit
"I became... the mom, and we have three kids together. Honestly, by the time I took everyone to school, I would come home and watch Oprah." (04:33)
Ambition Fueled by Escapism and Vision
"For me, that sort of appetite to learn things was about... escapism, like, getting out of what was my norm, which was really dark and really heavy and really intense..." (05:48)
Emotional Work and Self-Development
"No one ever said to me... you can breathe and get through this. You can get rid of that... feverishness..." (06:54)
Luck, Scarcity, and Staying Grounded
"I keep a bag packed because I always imagine... someone’s going to come and be like, 'Hey, dude, like, this is not your life.'”(08:26)
Raising Children with Independence
Pushing Back Against Cultural Expectations
"The first piece of press that has come out about my book remarks what time I'm not spending with my kids. ...They would never have written that article about you [Michael], ever in a million years. That's fucked." (20:05)
Authenticity as Liberation
“To start with myself so I can put on my own oxygen mask to support my children...I think it's all in the way you look at it. Right? Are you looking scarcity, abundance?” (22:43–23:16)
No Shortcuts: Real Ambition Means Real Work
“Ambition has to find you working. There are no shortcuts.” (25:06) "What I really loathe for women is... you can manifest and vision board your way to success. And that's just never been my experience." (27:20)
Building the Right Networks
"If it comes with a badge, it's not worth your time." (66:32)
Ownership of Money and Skills
"[Women giving their services for free]...that is your skill. You have earned the right to be here, and you need to charge people for it." (64:29)
Intentional Focus and Minimizing Distractions
"I have the nannies on the mum group and they text in my place. Like, I can't."
Ultra-Structured Routines & Delegation
"I have an assistant who is like right by my side... someone who manages nannies... good people in all the companies..." (44:13)
Work-Life Balance as a Misnomer
"If you remove yourself from in-person life... you take out about all of the amazingness of life. Like, I met my husband at work...You need people to live, to thrive..." (72:22–73:29)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Timestamp | Segment/Quote/Topic | |----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:30 | The no bullshit guide to ambition; the genesis of Emma’s book | | 04:33–05:45 | Emma’s upbringing and early responsibility | | 06:38–07:57 | Emotional work, therapy, and writing as self-confrontation | | 09:11–09:46 | Scarcity mindset as “superpower” | | 10:17–11:59 | Approaching motherhood, modeling ambition, teaching independence | | 20:05–21:32 | Societal double standards for mothers, media headlines, and why “it is fucked” | | 25:06–27:20 | Social media vs. reality, no shortcuts in business; toxic entrepreneur advice | | 29:00 | The enemy in your head, how emotion stifles female ambition | | 44:13–46:04 | Home and work operations, team infrastructure, and the art of delegating without micromanaging | | 50:42–53:15 | The American dream, opportunity, and why Emma feels gratitude for being in the U.S. | | 54:08–55:26 | Reputation is everything: treating people well, mentorship through example | | 64:29–66:32 | Old thoughts: The myth of “networking,” women’s relationship with money | | 67:24 | “You can't get around the work.” | | 71:21–73:29 | Proximity, the fallacy of balance, and why in-person matters | | 74:45–76:55 | Best advice from mentors: Mark Cuban on obligation, Melody Hobson on honesty without brutality |
Practical Takeaways
Where to Find More
Closing Vibe
This conversation is packed with honesty, hard-won lessons, and generous, actionable advice. It’s a must-listen or -read for anyone wanting to chart a purpose-driven, ambitious path without apology or burnout—especially mothers, founders, and anyone ready to swap “balance” for authenticity and impact.