'Hire the best people and then get out of their way': Good American CEO and 'Shark Tank' star Emma Grede on management, navigating outside noise and why you should always stick to your mission

Emma Grede, CEO of Good American, launched the partner and friend alongside, in October 2016. What began as the biggest denim launch in history (the brand sold $1 million worth of products in a single day), has become a full-fledged product line inclusive with hundreds of millions in sales.

ABC, Christopher Willard

Grede is also involved with several other brands, including as a founding partner of Skims, alongside , which just doubled its valuation to $3.2 billion, and Safely, an eco-friendly cleaning brand.

But when she's not starting and running businesses, she's investing in ABC's Shark Tank, now in its 14th season, and enjoying life at home in Los Angeles with her husband, Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede and their four children.

"Being on Shark Tank made me one of the favorite moms in school!" Grede says to Entrepreneur. "I didn't know how many kids were watching Shark Tank. My kid said his friends thought he was lying about me being on the show."

Here, Grede talks to Entrepreneur about his life as CEO and what we can expect on Shark Tank this season.

What made you want to bring your money to a public forum like Shark Tank?

When they first approached me, I was a bit unsure about this. But supporting founders of color is important to me, so it made sense to use the platform to shine a light on these entrepreneurs. We're seeing more of the show than ever before, and it's been very positive overall. The power of television, right? As a brand, we're so invested in digital and DTC [direct to consumer] that it's nice to see entrepreneurs shine on this medium. I really enjoyed my interactions with the entrepreneurs and my investment in the women at the start of their .

What's your favorite part of the show?

Work with contractors! It's so crazy, how you forget how hard it was in the beginning.

What can we expect from you this season?

Another fantastic look! No, seriously, I went into Shark Tank with a clear mission. I was looking to invest in women and women-centric ideas that other investors might not see as a [winner]. It's so hard to fundraise, to walk into a room with a female-centric idea, to pitch a plus-size client to a bunch of guys in suits in New York City. How am I going to convince these people who have no idea of ​​the problem to invest? I looked at my own journey and wondered how I could help these entrepreneurs.

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What do you look for when investing in entrepreneurs?

I'm very founder-focused. There are a lot of people with good ideas. Only a few can turn an idea into a $100 million business.

As CEO of Good American, how many people do you manage?

Just got out of my executive meeting! I directly manage 12 people - and some need more management than others. Kidding aside, I have an amazing management team. I am not a micro-manager. I think it's important to hire the best people and then go out of your way.

What do you focus on on a daily basis?

When I think about my role, I focus on the strategy and the product. And, of course, hiring. Hiring. Strategy. Product. Hire the right people and stay out of it. I'm not good at negotiating movie deals, but I hire the right people who can.

Although the Kardashians have hundreds of millions of subscribers and essentially invented “influence” as a modern profession, they are also tabloid fodder. How did you manage to navigate the noise outside and stay focused on the brand?

Distractions will be inevitable in any business, but I am not easily distracted. I focus on achieving our mission and purp...