At 41, a CEO Worth $320 Million Credits Childhood Advice for Career Ascension.
Emma Grede’s upbringing was far from the Silicon Valley tech founders or Manhattan financiers’ environments. Growing up in East London with a single mother, she didn’t have any connections to entrepreneurs. However, today, she serves as the CEO and co-founder of Good American and holds the role of founding member and chief product officer at SKIMS, two successful apparel brands. Notably, her business partners in these ventures are Khloé Kardashian and Kim Kardashian.
A significant portion of her success, she attributes to the advice her mother imparted to her during her childhood. “I highly value my self-worth and my aspirations, and I don’t find success to be much more complex than that,” mentioned Grede, who reportedly holds a net worth of $320 million, during her podcast conversation. She emphasized the wisdom her mother shared with her, highlighting the importance of self-respect without considering oneself superior or inferior to others. This lesson instilled in her the belief that she could continually learn and grow in any job, eventually leveraging that knowledge for greater opportunities.
According to experts, confidence and humility are essential qualities for leaders.
Unbeknownst to her, Grede’s mother was imparting a crucial leadership lesson to her daughter, as noted by Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist from Wharton. Grant’s research for one of his books led him to conclude that “Confidence without humility can lead to unchecked arrogance, while humility without confidence can result in paralyzing self-doubt.” He emphasized the concept of “confident humility,” which involves being self-assured in one’s expertise and strengths while also acknowledging and addressing one’s areas of ignorance and weaknesses.
Grede began cultivating this balance at the age of 12 when she secured her first job as a paper route carrier. She subsequently took on various other roles, including working at a sandwich deli and a restaurant, with the intention of acquiring skills and knowledge from each position, as she explained to Shetty. She shared, “During my time at the deli, I was dedicated to crafting the most exceptional turkey sandwich you’ve ever tasted. I can find pride in any task, and I consistently extract valuable lessons from each experience.”
In 2008, Grede launched ITB Worldwide, an entertainment marketing agency based in London. The agency attracted notable clients such as Natalie Portman and Kris Jenner, and these associations paved the way for additional partnerships, as Grede disclosed to CNBC Make It in 2021.
In 2016, Grede became a co-founder of Good American. Just two years after that, she played a pivotal role in the launch of SKIMS, a brand that was reported to be valued at $4 billion as of July 2023. In 2018, Grede sold her company ITB Worldwide to PR agency Rogers & Cowan for an undisclosed sum. She shared on the podcast, “I always believed that with hard work and unwavering dedication, I could achieve my goals. That conviction remains with me today. I don’t anticipate an easy path, but I’ve never doubted my ability to overcome challenges.”
