Emma Grede: From East London to Billion-Dollar Brands
- Podcast: The Mel Robbins Podcast
- Host: Mel Robbins
- Guest: Emma Grede — founder of SKIMS, Good American, Safely; Shark Tank investor
- Duration: ~1 hour
- Listen: Apple Podcasts | YouTube
Emma Grede grew up in East London’s Plaistow neighborhood, raised by a single Jamaican immigrant mother. She was severely dyslexic and dropped out of college. Today she is behind three billion-dollar brands — SKIMS, Good American, Safely — and is a Shark Tank investor.
How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything
Grede’s core belief: excellence in small things creates big opportunities. When she made sandwiches in a deli, she made the best sandwich. When she packed clothes in a cupboard, she did it with excellence. People notice, even when you think they are not watching.
Excellence vs. Perfectionism
She draws a clean distinction. Perfectionism is external, focused on what others will think. Excellence is internal, about whether the effort you put in is good enough for you. Perfectionism is a barrier to excellence.
The Rule of Thirds
If you are chasing a difficult goal, you will feel great about a third of the time, okay about a third of the time, and terrible about a third of the time. Accepting this prevents you from making permanent decisions based on temporary emotions.
Take Responsibility
Grede emphasizes self-responsibility over blame. The combination of taking responsibility for yourself and choosing your thoughts carefully will take you further than any amount of talent.
The White Space
When Grede identified the opportunity for Good American, she saw that most women were massively underserved by the fashion industry. She did not start with a product. She started with a problem.
Energy as a Compass
“If it gives you energy, you are good at it. If it takes your energy away, that is what you are bad at. Make it simple.”
On Getting Started
“You cannot think your way into what you want. You cannot wish it. You cannot hope for it. You got to do.”
Crepi il lupo! 🐺