Why Emma Grede, the first Black woman investor on ‘Shark Tank,’ believes in the power of ‘hustle’

by Brandon Gomez via https://www.cnbc.com/

For the first time in the 12-year history of “Shark Tank,” a Black woman is sitting in one of the investment chairs.

Emma Grede, the 39-year-old co-founder and CEO of denim-brand Good American and founding partner of Kim Kardashian’s shapewear-apparel line SKIMS, is set to appear as a guest Shark on Friday’s season 13 premiere of the ABC business reality show. Grede, the show’s first-ever Black woman investor, will join returning Sharks Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary and Lori Greiner.

On the show, Grede told ABC News on Thursday, she looks for two primary qualities in an entrepreneur when deciding to make an investment: passion and hustle.

“I respect hustle,” said Grede. “But hustle comes from a lot of different places.”

Grede’s own path, she said, is proof. At age 24, after working for a fashion show event production company, Grede took a leap and launched her own marketing agency, ITB Worldwide. She credited her ability to land clients like Kris Jenner and Natalie Portman to her confidence and courage — whether it was earned at the time or not.

“I think everything I didn’t know led me to a place where I had that…

Read Made: Why Emma Grede, the first Black woman investor on ‘Shark Tank,’ believes in the power of ‘hustle’