Skims Founding Partner Emma Grede Calls Work-Life Balance A Lie, Says Ambition Requires Waking Up Prepared To Give 150%

Emma Grede, the multimillionaire entrepreneur behind Good American and a founding partner of Skims, says the idea of true work-life balance is misleading for anyone chasing extraordinary success.

Work-Life Balance Is A Lie

Last year in May, speaking on The Diary of a CEO podcast, Grede said people who claim to have achieved elite success while maintaining perfect balance are not being honest.

"If you are leading an extraordinary life, to think that extraordinary effort wouldn't be coupled to that somehow is crazy," she said.

Grede dismissed the concept outright, adding that if someone says that it is possible to have true work-life balance, "tell me who she is, and I'll show you a liar."

Extraordinary Success Requires ‘150%’ Effort

While acknowledging she now enjoys time away from work, including weekends in Malibu, Grede stressed that high achievement demands sustained intensity.

"Have to have a level of honesty about what it takes to be really successful," she said, noting that ambition often requires waking up most days prepared to give "150%."

Grede, whose net worth is estimated at $300 million to $400 million, traced her work ethic to her upbringing in East London and Essex, where she was raised by a single mother and began working at age 12.

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CEOs Reject Work-Life Balance As A Myth

Last year, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan said true work-life balance did not exist, arguing that "work is life, life is work," while noting he prioritized family when conflicts arose.

He also suggested advances in artificial intelligence could eventually shorten the workweek.

Billionaire Mark Cuban echoed that view, saying work-life balance was unrealistic for those seeking exceptional success.

He argued that nonstop work was a personal choice, not a sacrifice, and pointed to his own experience of working for years without vacations while building his first business.

Former President Barack Obama also noted that high achievement requires periods of unbalanced effort, citing the 18-month intensity of his first presidential campaign.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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