Emma Grede: Resilience Fuels Success for Mogul and Author

Emma Grede Shares Path to Success, Emphasizing Resilience

Emma Grede, a prominent entrepreneur known for her work with the Kardashian-Jenner family, recently shared insights into her journey and philosophy in a comprehensive interview. Grede, who holds numerous titles including CEO, co-founder, and author, highlighted ‘resilience’ as the core element driving her success. She spoke about overcoming self-doubt and societal expectations, emphasizing that true leadership begins with self-leadership.

From Humble Beginnings to Business Mogul

Grede’s path to becoming one of America’s wealthiest self-made women was far from easy. Growing up in East London with a single mother, she experienced financial struggles and was diagnosed with dyslexia in her twenties, having also dropped out of high school and not finishing college. Despite these challenges, Grede credits her upbringing with instilling a strong sense of responsibility and a belief in her ability to change her circumstances through hard work.

“My mum was amazing at stretching what we did have,” Grede recalled. “She taught me a sense of responsibility for myself in the world by exposing me to the fact that we didn’t have much, and what we did have, we would need to figure it out.” This early understanding of resourcefulness, coupled with her mother’s mantra that “you’re not better than anyone else, but nor is anyone better than you,” fueled her ambition.

Turning Challenges into Strengths

Grede views her dyslexia not as a hindrance, but as a ‘superpower’ that taught her to think differently and find alternative solutions. She also spoke about often being the only Black woman in professional settings. Instead of seeing this as a disadvantage, she chose to view it as an opportunity to be noticed and to leverage her unique perspective.

“I really have tried in so many ways in my life to take who it is that I am and what my beliefs are and what my unique gifts are and play them to my advantage,” she explained. Grede encourages others to tune out external noise and systemic barriers, focusing instead on their own strengths to create their own path.

The Power of ‘Starting With Yourself’

Her new book, “Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work and Life,” explores these themes in depth. Grede defines her vision as having a clear purpose and principles, and measuring oneself against them. She advocates for replacing ingrained, limiting beliefs—often inherited from societal conditioning—with new thoughts that propel personal and professional growth.

A key behavior she identifies as crucial for wealth and success is openly discussing money. “When you avoid the concept and the conversations around money, what happens is that money really avoids you,” Grede stated. She believes women need to prioritize financial conversations to gain more power economically, socially, and politically.

Honesty About Failure and Resilience

Grede is candid about her failures, seeing them as essential steps toward building resilience. She contrasts this with how society often views failure as a reason to stop, whereas men are often encouraged to move on to the next venture after setbacks. Her book shares her mistakes with the hope of contributing to collective learning.

“What makes you successful is resilience, and you only get that through moving through situations.”

“Resilience is something that you build over time,” Grede said. “But it doesn’t come to you through the easy things… It comes to you when you mess up, when you take those learnings.” She learned to separate external circumstances from her own worth, understanding that failures are not a reflection of personal inadequacy but often a result of timing, market conditions, or other external factors.

Partnerships and Empowering Women Through Brands

When discussing her business partnerships, including those with the Kardashian-Jenner family, Grede emphasized that they are built on mutual respect, admiration, hard work, and alignment. She described herself as an expert in bridging brands and entertainment, accelerating businesses through talent.

Grede’s brands, such as Good American and Skims, are focused on empowering women. Good American, for example, was founded to address the lack of inclusive sizing in fashion.

“We wanted to make all women feel seen, heard, and represented,” she stated. The brand’s commitment to offering a full spectrum of sizes from the outset created a significant shift in the fashion industry, making women feel valued and represented.

Navigating Motherhood and Career

Grede also spoke openly about the challenges of balancing motherhood with a demanding career. She shared her personal experiences with infertility, including miscarriages and IVF, before successfully welcoming two children via surrogacy. She highlighted the importance of reproductive agency and the need for more open conversations about fertility planning.

She also addressed the common question of whether women can have it all. “You can have it all, but not at the same time,” Grede quoted, referencing Oprah Winfrey.

She believes in making conscious choices, having a vision, managing emotions, and not letting societal expectations dictate one’s path. She also clarified her controversial “3-hour mum” comment, explaining it was a realistic take on the limited, focused time parents can often dedicate to their children after a demanding work week, rather than a reflection of her love or commitment.

Looking Ahead

Emma Grede’s journey highlights the power of resilience, self-belief, and honest self-reflection. Her insights offer a practical guide for anyone seeking to navigate their own career and life path, emphasizing that success is built through facing challenges head-on and learning from every experience.

Source: ‘Kardashian whisperer’ Emma Grede cites ‘resilience’ as the key to her success: Full interview (YouTube)