The character arc of Emma Grede
Born 4 April 1982 in Plaistow, one of the working-class quarters of East London. Between then and now sit a childhood of odd jobs and a newspaper round, a place at the London College of Fashion left before the degree was finished, a talent agency built from nothing, the size-inclusive denim brand Good American, a founding stake in Skims, the chair of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, and a seat as the first Black woman guest investor on Shark Tank. The line below draws the story so far, in order.
Tap the line to pluck it. Hover or tap any mark for its card. Drawn from the public record of her life; the sources are at the foot of the page.
Who is Emma Grede?
The Plaistow girl who built billion-dollar brands.
She grew up in Plaistow in East London, the eldest of four sisters raised by a working mother, in a family that had little to spare. As a teenager she took whatever work she could find, including a newspaper round she has said taught her perseverance and discipline. At sixteen she won a place at the London College of Fashion and interned at Gucci, then left before finishing the degree because she was in a hurry to build something of her own.
She started in the industry running talent, co-founding the agency ITB Worldwide, and learned how brands and famous names could be put together. In 2016 she turned that into a company of her own: Good American, a denim brand co-founded with Khloe Kardashian that launched in a full range of sizes on day one, when the industry did not, and reportedly sold a million dollars of denim before the first day was out. In 2019 she became a founding partner of Skims, the shapewear label that grew into a business valued in the billions.
What she built she also tried to open to others. She chairs the Fifteen Percent Pledge, which asks retailers to give Black-owned businesses a fair share of their shelves, and in 2021 she became the first Black woman to sit as a guest investor on Shark Tank. In April 2026 she set her thinking down in a book, Start With Yourself. Her line is worth reading because it begins on a newspaper round and reaches brands that carry her name, and she has spent the climb widening the door behind her.
The moments
Emma Grede's timeline.
The 1980s
Born in East London
Milestone, and it changed her direction. Born in Plaistow, one of the working-class quarters of East London, the eldest of four sisters.
The 1990s
Odd jobs as a teenager
Everyday, and it changed her direction. She took whatever work she could find as a teenager, a newspaper round among them, which she credits for her perseverance and discipline.
Into London College of Fashion
Milestone. At sixteen she won a place at the London College of Fashion and interned at Gucci, before leaving to build a career of her own.
The 2000s
Co-founded a talent agency
Milestone. She co-founded the talent agency ITB Worldwide, learning how brands and famous names are put together.
The 2010s
Married Jens Grede
Everyday. She married the Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede, a partner in the ventures that followed, and they went on to raise four children.
Build denim for every size
Crossroads, decided.
The paths laid out: launch every size at once, taken, or start narrow, widen later. Good American launched in a full range and reportedly sold a million dollars of denim on its opening day, with the range itself the point of the brand.
Co-founded Good American
Milestone, and it changed everything. She co-founded the denim brand Good American with Khloe Kardashian, launched in a full range of sizes, and it reportedly sold a million dollars of denim on its opening day.
Founding partner of Skims
Milestone, and it changed everything. She became a founding partner and chief product officer of Skims, the shapewear label that grew into a business valued in the billions.
The 2020s
Chairs the Fifteen Percent Pledge
Milestone, and it changed her direction. She became chair of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, which asks retailers to give Black-owned businesses a fair share of their shelves.
Guest investor on Shark Tank
Milestone. She became the first Black woman to sit as a guest investor on Shark Tank, hearing pitches and backing founders on air.
Launched Off Season
Milestone. She launched the apparel brand Off Season with the designer Kristin Juszczyk, a fashion take on sports merchandise.
Published Start with Yourself
Milestone. She published her business memoir, Start With Yourself, setting down what she had learned about work, opportunity and building a life.
The line reaches today still building, which is why it is drawn now rather than at the end. What it has set moving is already out there: the brands that carry her mark, and every young woman who read that nobody is coming to hand you power, so you take it.
In her words
Quotes by Emma Grede
Nobody's coming to hand you power. You have to take it.
I'm a CEO who's done so well you know my name.
Your turn
Every story draws a unique line.
Hers is four decades in and still being drawn. Yours is already further along than you think, and drawing it takes about three minutes.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Emma Grede, verified 16 September 2026.
- Fortune, Emma Grede on power, ambition and her book Start With Yourself, 21 and 29 April 2026.
- CNBC, Emma Grede profile and Changemakers podcast, 14 April 2026.
- Bloomberg, Good American co-founder Emma Grede on advice for entrepreneurs, 27 April 2026.
- The Fifteen Percent Pledge, founded 2020, on its chair and mission.
- ABC, Shark Tank season 13, guest investor Emma Grede, October 2021.
- Emma Grede, Fortune, 21 April 2026, on her book Start With Yourself.
- Emma Grede, Fortune, 29 April 2026.