SKIMS Co-Founder: They're Lying About Work-Life Balance! I Built The Kardashian's Business Empire!

The Diary Of A CEO • May 05, 2025

TLDR

In this episode of The Diary of a CEO, Emma Grede shares her journey from East London to co-founding billion-dollar brands like SKIMS, emphasizing self-responsibility, hard work, and authentic leadership. She values focus, continuous improvement, and honest relationships, encouraging listeners to overcome limitations and pursue their ambitions with grit. Grede also discusses balancing empathy with tough business decisions and the importance of diverse perspectives, while stressing the need for open conversations about fertility and planning for the future.

Timeline

The impact of Emma Grede's East London upbringing on her character and ambition

Emma Grede's upbringing in East London, raised by a single mother, instilled in her the values of reliability, honesty, and hard work, shaping her character and driving her ambition to escape her circumstances and achieve success.

The influence of Emma Grede's role as a big sister on her responsibility and future aspirations

Emma Grede's experience as the oldest of four sisters, taking on significant responsibilities in raising her siblings and managing household duties, fostered her sense of responsibility, maternal instincts, and determination to avoid financial anxiety in her future.

Emma Grede's journey with anger management and self-responsibility

Emma Grede's anger management therapy helped her recognize and address her tendency to lash out, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and understand how her behavior impacted her relationships, leading to personal growth and improved interactions.

Emma Grede's early aspirations in fashion and the fantasy of escaping circumstances

Emma Grede's childhood dream of becoming a fashion designer, fueled by the fantasy and escapism it offered, led her to pursue a career in the fashion industry despite lacking formal qualifications, ultimately shaping her path to entrepreneurial success.

Emma Grede's relationship with money and visualization of success

Emma Grede's early understanding of money as a means of escaping poverty and achieving a better life drove her to seek financial success and create a comfortable future for herself and her family, visualizing and manifesting her dreams through hard work and determination.

Emma Grede's core components for turning dreams into reality

Emma Grede emphasizes the importance of hard work, focus, and disregarding external noise in achieving success, advocating for action, planning, and continuous self-improvement over solely relying on dreams and visualization.

Balancing focus with feedback and trusting gut instincts in business

Emma Grede emphasizes the importance of focus, continuous improvement, and disregarding external noise for success, while also balancing this with customer feedback and trusting her gut when making business decisions.

The importance of reliable decision partners and mentors in Emma Grede's career

Emma Grede values reliable decision partners who provide honest feedback and challenge her perspectives, citing her husband as a key figure in her career unlocks and shifts in mentality.

The importance of grit and determination in Emma Grede's success

Emma Grede emphasizes the importance of grit, determination, and a willingness to take on challenges, highlighting her ability to make things happen despite lacking specific qualifications or skills.

The importance of in-person collaboration and dynamic work environments

Emma Grede discusses the importance of in-person collaboration and dynamic environments for fostering growth and learning, expressing concern over the aversion to office work and the potential loss of valuable exchanges and mentorship opportunities.

Key factors for employee success and advancement

Emma Grede emphasizes the importance of excellence, attitude, and a broad understanding of the business for employees to advance, prioritizing these qualities over experience and highlighting the need for flexibility in a rapidly changing environment.

Emma Grede's perspective on work-life balance and employee responsibility

Emma Grede believes that work-life balance is an individual's responsibility, not the employer's, and prioritizes ambitious individuals who are dedicated to their work, while also providing a supportive and enriching work environment.

Honesty about the effort required for significant success

Emma Grede acknowledges the potential for increased work hours and effort for those seeking significant career growth, emphasizing the need for honesty about what it takes to be truly successful and achieve extraordinary results.

Prioritizing the business and leadership in decision-making

Emma Grede emphasizes the importance of putting the business first, making tough decisions, and not trying to please everyone, while also being mindful of leadership style and its impact on the business.

The importance of authenticity, self-awareness, and risk-taking in business

Emma Grede emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself, knowing one's strengths and weaknesses, hiring talented individuals, and taking calculated risks in order to achieve success in business.

The importance of communication and shared problem-solving in business

Emma Grede emphasizes the importance of open communication, shared decision-making, and collective problem-solving within a company to foster accountability and ensure everyone is invested in the business's success.

Emma Grede's approach to prejudice and the power of self-belief

Emma Grede views prejudice as someone else's problem, not hers, and focuses on internal strength and self-belief, while also acknowledging that racism is very different in America and much more prolific.

Emma Grede's advice for maintaining a successful and spicy relationship.

Emma Grede emphasizes the importance of being interested in the person your partner was and the person they are becoming and continuing to nurture a partnership.

Emma Grede shares her emotional fertility journey.

Emma Grede shared that after easily conceiving her first two children, she had a difficult IVF journey which resulted in several pregnancy losses, before ultimately deciding to use a surrogate to carry her twins.

Emma Grede's encouragement for women to be more planful with their decisions around fertility.

Emma Grede encourages women to openly discuss fertility struggles and be planful with their decisions around their fertility because biology is limiting and the window is narrow.

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Detailed Summary

In this episode of The Diary of a CEO, Steven Bartlett interviews Emma Grede, the co-founder of successful brands like SKIMS and Good American, to discuss the secrets behind her unstoppable success. Emma shares insights into her upbringing in East London, which instilled in her the values of hard work, honesty, and determination. She emphasizes the importance of self-responsibility, focus, and continuous self-improvement in achieving goals. Emma talks about the importance of grit, authenticity, and the ability to make tough decisions. She also emphasizes the value of collaboration, mentorship, and surrounding oneself with talented individuals. The discussion covers topics such as managing work-life balance, hiring exceptional people, dealing with prejudice, and building a strong company culture. Additionally, Emma shares her personal journey with fertility and surrogacy, encouraging women to be more planful and open about their reproductive choices. Throughout the conversation, Emma highlights the significance of self-belief, resilience, and a clear vision in navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship and leadership.