Celebrity Co-Owner Brands

Emma Grede and her husband have built a multi-billion dollar business by creating and co-founding brands with celebrities, particularly the Kardashians, where celebrities are true equity partners rather than just endorsers.

Key Points:

• Core Strategy:

  • Partner with A+ celebrities as co-founders rather than one-off endorsements
  • Build authentic story and celebrity involvement from beginning of brand
  • Focus on categories where celebrity has natural fit/authenticity

• Major Brand Partnerships:

  • Skims with Kim Kardashian (shapewear) - Now valued at $3B+
  • Good American with Khloe Kardashian (denim) - $300M+ revenue
  • Safely with Kris Jenner (cleaning products)
  • Brady with Tom Brady (clothing)

• Business Structure:

  • Operate through holding company (Popular Culture)
  • Take significant equity stakes (e.g. 8% of Skims)
  • Handle operations while celebrity handles promotion/brand
  • Focus on fashion and consumer product brands

• Success Factors:

  • Deep fashion industry experience and connections
  • Strong operational capabilities to execute
  • Ability to identify authentic celebrity-product fit
  • Focus on building long-term brands vs quick endorsements

• Results:

  • Built multiple $100M+ revenue brands
  • Created $450-500M personal net worth
  • Established repeatable model for celebrity-driven brands
  • Maintained control through private ownership structure