Emma Grede emerged as arguably the most compelling woman entrepreneur of 2025.

For years, the name Emma Grede has been synonymous with powerhouse fashion brands. She’s founding partner of SKIMS and Co-Founder & CEO of Good American, amongst other successful ventures. But in 2025, one of America’s most powerful self made women stepped out from behind the deals and product launches and became a distinct voice in business and entrepreneurship.

Aspire with Emma Grede

May 2025 marked a major milestone as it was the launch of Grede’s podcast, Aspire with Emma Grede, “a masterclass in ambition, heart, and high performance.”

Hosted across major platforms like Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, the show brings deep, candid conversations with industry giants — Tracee Ellis Ross, Michelle Obama, Mark Cuban, Charlamagne Tha God, and more — unpacking the realities of building businesses and balancing life.

The podcaster even hosted an inaugural Aspire community event where she invited a selected group of founders, creators, and leaders into a room with the shared goal to “aspire higher.”

Start With Yourself

By autumn, Emma had another big reveal: her debut book, Start With Yourself, is set for release in April 2026. Promising a no BS guide for anyone seeking meaningful success on their own terms, the book lays out Emma’s personal philosophy: success begins with how you think.

Grounded in her journey building billion dollar brands while raising four children, this philosophy led her to being a culture defining global businesses woman who did it on her own terms.

“For the past two years, I’ve been working on what has honestly been the hardest, most personal, and most important project of my life. It’s called START WITH YOURSELF. A new vision for work and life,” she shared on Instagram, adding, “I wanted to talk honestly about what it really takes to build something from the ground up and share what I’ve learned about leadership, money, leveling up your career while having a family and work/life balance too obvs!!”

The New Emma: More Visible, More Vocal, & More Impactful

What makes 2025 different in Emma’s career is a new way of showing up.

Traditionally known as a strategist behind the scenes, this year Emma transformed into a public thinker and cultural force, articulating her philosophy to a massive audience. From live summit stages to weekly podcast episodes, she embraced the role of mentor and thought leader.