
Taking Responsibility: Are We Thinking About Success and Ambition All Wrong? (Emma Grede)
From Radical with Amol Rajan by BBC Radio 4
April 23, 2026 · 53 min
About this episode
Emma Grede challenges traditional views on success and ambition, emphasizing the importance of focus and effort over comfort.
This week, the entrepreneur Emma Grede challenges ‘old thoughts’ about work-life balance, money, motherhood and success. She argues that focus, trade-offs and relentless effort matter more than comfort. From growing up in East London to building global businesses, she makes the case that opportunity still exists, if you’re willing to chase it. But are her ideas liberating - or just unforgiving? Emma Grede is the co‑founder of Skims, created with her husband Jens and Kim Kardashian, and the CEO and co‑founder of Good American, a fashion label known for its focus on inclusivity. She also serves on the board of the Obama Foundation and is an ambassador for The King’s Trust. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday. Amol Rajan presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was the BBC’s media editor and the editor of The Independent newspaper. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers, Anna Budd, Rufus Gray, and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike…
People in this episode
Host: Amol Rajan
Guest: Emma Grede
Topics covered
- work-life balance
- success
- entrepreneurship
- ambition
- trade-offs
- inclusivity
Keywords
- Emma Grede
- success
- ambition
- entrepreneurship
- work-life balance
- inclusivity
- trade-offs
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Skims, Good American, Obama Foundation, The King’s Trust
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