Emma Grede is a British businesswoman, serial entrepreneur, and executive best known as the co-founder and CEO of Good American and a founding partner of SKIMS. Operating at the intersection of celebrity influence, product engineering, and inclusive consumer goods, she has built multiple enterprise-scale brands. Her career spans talent management, luxury event production, and venture building alongside prominent figures like Khloé and Kim Kardashian.
Understanding her trajectory requires looking beyond superficial online searches to examine how she structures her companies, manages multi-brand portfolios, and drives high-growth retail models. This breakdown covers her background, foundational business ventures, equity stakes, and operational philosophy.
Early Life and Professional Beginnings
Born in London in 1982, Grede grew up in East London and attended the London College of Fashion, though she left before completing her degree to enter the workforce directly. Her early career focused on the operational side of fashion and entertainment. She worked for the concierge firm Quintessentially and later joined Inca Productions, where she produced fashion shows and managed sponsorships.
In 2008, at age twenty-six, she co-founded ITB Worldwide, a London-based talent management and entertainment marketing agency. As CEO, she positioned the agency to broker high-value endorsements between global brands and prominent talent. Under her leadership, ITB grew into a major agency before its acquisition by Rogers & Cowan in 2018, marking her first major corporate exit.
Co-Founding Good American
Grede’s partnership with the Kardashian-Jenner family began when she met Kris Jenner during Paris Fashion Week. Pitching a denim company focused entirely on size inclusivity, Grede teamed up with Khloé Kardashian to launch Good American in 2016.
The brand challenged standard retail practices by introducing sizes 00 through 24 (including the creation of size 15) and mandating that partner retailers stock every size uniformly without segregating plus-size inventory.
- First-Day Sales: Good American generated $1 million in sales on its launch day, establishing a record for apparel market entry.
- Product Expansion: The brand evolved from denim into activewear, swimwear, footwear, and ready-to-wear lines.
- Corporate Structure: Grede serves as CEO, maintaining a significant equity stake reported at roughly 23%.
Scaling SKIMS and Safely
Following the success of Good American, Grede expanded her footprint into shapewear and household goods.
In 2019, she partnered with Kim Kardashian and her husband, Jens Grede, to launch SKIMS. While Jens Grede operates as CEO and focuses on macro-strategy, Emma serves as Chief Product Officer, overseeing garment construction, fabric innovation, and line development. SKIMS achieved a multi-billion-dollar valuation, scaling past traditional luxury shapewear competitors through continuous fabric and color expansion.
In 2021, alongside Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen, Grede co-founded Safely, a plant-based cleaning and self-care product line designed to eliminate harsh toxins from home cleaning routines.
Venture Investments and Media Work
Beyond her core operational roles, Grede maintains active involvement in media, venture capital, and institutional governance:
- Television Appearances: She made history as the first Black female shark on ABC's Shark Tank and later joined BBC's Dragons' Den as a guest investor.
- Philanthropy and Advocacy: She serves as Chairwoman of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a non-profit organization urging major retailers to dedicate 15% of shelf space to Black-owned businesses. She also sits on boards for organizations like Baby2Baby and the Obama Foundation.
- Media Production: She hosts the business podcast Aspire, interviewing founders about enterprise growth, and published her business memoir, Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life, in 2026.
You can read more about her philanthropic commitments on the Obama Foundation Leadership Page or explore structural economic initiatives via the Fifteen Percent Pledge.
Equity and Estimated Net Worth
Financial publications estimate Grede's personal net worth to be in excess of $300 million. Her wealth stems from concentrated ownership percentages across her primary ventures: an estimated 23% stake in Good American, an 8% stake in SKIMS, and a 22% stake in Safely. Unlike traditional celebrity licensing agreements where founders take flat fees or small royalties, Grede operates as an active equity partner, driving product design and supply chain execution from inception.
Frequently Asked Questions
What companies does Emma Grede own?
She is the co-founder and CEO of Good American, a founding partner and Chief Product Officer of SKIMS, and a co-founder of Safely. She has also partnered on newer ventures like the apparel brand Off Season.
How did Emma Grede get her start in business?
She began in fashion production and events before co-founding ITB Worldwide, a talent and entertainment marketing agency, which she ran as CEO for a decade prior to its acquisition.
What is Emma Grede's role at SKIMS?
She functions as a founding partner and Chief Product Officer, overseeing product engineering, materials sourcing, and design execution while her husband Jens manages the executive business operations.
What is the Fifteen Percent Pledge?
It is a non-profit initiative chaired by Grede that calls on major corporations and retail giants to allocate 15% of their purchasing power and shelf space to Black-owned businesses.
