Emma Grede: From College Dropout To One Of America's Most Successful Self-Made Women | Forbes

Emma Grede spent her childhood saving spare change to buy fashion magazines. Now she’s making millions helping one of America’s most famous families start and run their businesses.

With many of these businesses taking off, Grede has earned herself a spot alongside Kim and Kris on Forbes’ 2022 list of the richest self-made women in the U.S. Forbes estimates Grede to be worth $360 million due in large part to her nearly 8% stake in Skims, which was valued at $3.2 billion in January. The rest of her fortune comes from owning about 23% of Good American, 22% of Safely and less valuable stakes in Frame and Brady, companies cofounded by her husband; the latter is a collaboration with NFL legend Tom Brady.

Grede may best be known to people outside the fashion industry as a guest judge on Shark Tank. She says she took the role to help bring attention to underfunded Black-owned businesses. She is also chairwoman of the 15 Percent Pledge, a campaign started after George Floyd’s murder in May 2020 that asks retailers to commit 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands (pledge signees include Nordstrom, Sephora and Macy’s).

In this video, Grede sits with Forbes' Maneet Ahuja to discuss her ever-growing empire, what dropping out of college afforded her, and the power of small, black-owned businesses within the retail industry.

Subscribe to FORBES

Stay Connected

Forbes newsletters

Forbes on Facebook

Forbes Video on Twitter

Forbes Video on Instagram

More From Forbes

Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.