Emma Grede makes history this week by becoming the first Black women guest host on ABC’s “Shark Tank.”
British-born Grede is the woman Co-Founder of Khloe Kardashian’s inclusive denim brand Good American as well as the Founding Partner of Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand, SKIMS.
Good American is currently valued at $12.7 million, while Kim’s SKIMS is valued at more than $1.5 billion.
Grede is unsurprised by the success of her brands.
“I was very, very early in the idea of celebrity alignment with brands. And I realized very, very quickly how working with talent can really accelerate a business,” she told E! back in July. “I started an agency when I was 24 years old and I had clients all over the world and that was my job. My job was really to partner them with talent, and so, I really saw firsthand the power of celebrity influence.”
The episode will air on Friday. The episode synopsis reads:
“First into the tank is an entrepreneur from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who presents her functional apparel and accessories line with an emphasis in hair care and protection. A husband and wife from Cincinnati, Ohio, think they have the next heavenly combination of taste and health transformation when they pitch their healthy superfood-packed indulgence. A high school art teacher from Burnet, Texas, introduces the Sharks to her convenient and safe way to store jewelry when on the go, while a passionate and renowned fashion designer from New York City wants to transform the way clothes are manufactured in America.”
Grede says that despite her success, being a principled person with a conscience is important.
“My view is that I’m a very principled person and I have to be able to go to sleep at night and be like, ‘Am I happy with myself?’ I really don’t concern myself with everybody else. You’re going to make good decisions and bad decisions, but you’ve got to roll on,” she told Glamour.
