Skims cofounder Emma Grede says leaders can be empathetic without treating employees like family

Skims cofounder Emma Grede stated fine leaders won't let their workforce get blindsided at work.

During an appearance on the "Boardroom" podcast hosted by Rich Kleiman, the entrepreneur discussed how she approaches difficult decisions as a leader.

To Grede, productive guidance is concerning balancing empathy alongside what the endeavor needs.

"You can, at once, be an extremely empathetic chief and have the needs of your squad and your group at the complete forefront of what you're doing," Grede told Kleiman. "And yet, what you must have is an endeavor mentality to do what is correct for the business."

At the end of the day, a business additionally needs to be financially fit before it can correctly assistance its people, Grede said.

As originator and CEO, she stated her archetypal duty is to create decisions that assist the business, equal whenever that method acknowledging that several workforce may no longer be the correct fit as it grows.

"As the leader, you have to create difficult decisions," she said. "It is not my job to be your friend. It is not my job to treat everybody as although this were a family. But that doesn't average that you young female empathy or that you treat group badly."

Grede recalled a instruction from Mellody Hobson, the erstwhile place of the Starbucks board, who taught her that being honest does not necessitate being harsh or brutal.

As the cofounder of multiple person brands, including denimwear brand Good American and sports manner brand Off Season, Grede stated she plant in an surroundings anywhere "radical honesty" is required.

That method workforce are rarely caught off defender by feedback concerning their performance, Grede stated — and since those conversations happen regularly, "nobody's surprised."

"It is not the job of me or any another female in a stance of guidance to have to benevolent of cottonball everybody alongside the way," she said.

"We run a endeavor fair akin anybody else, and that is alongside an endeavor mentality to do the finest things that are correct for the company," Grede added.

Beyond her method to leadership, Grede has additionally been candid concerning the demanding activity ethic and flat of dedication she believes are necessary to build a prosperous occupation and business.

In May 2025, Grede stated she sees it as a red emblem whenever job candidates conversation concerning work-life balance. "Work-life balance is your problem. It isn't your employer's responsibility," she said.

In April, she took a resolute stance against distant work, calling it "career suicide" and saying that being about colleagues can be particularly precious first in a career.

Grede's method to activity and motherhood additionally sparked conversation before this twelvemonth whenever she described herself as a "max three-hour mum" on weekends in an April discussion alongside The Wall Street Journal.