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Jay Shetty PodcastJay Shetty Podcast

#1 Business Expert: Here’s how I went from $0 to 7 BILLION EMPIRE … (and how you can too)

What’s one habit that’s helped you succeed lately? What made you decide to stick with that habit? In this special live conversation, at The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, Jay sits down with entrepreneur and industry leader Emma Grede for a conversation every builder, creator, and business-minded thinker needs to hear. Together, Jay and Emma unpack a challenge that holds so many talented people back, caring too much about what others think. Emma shares the early moments in her career when she stayed quiet in rooms where she deserved to speak, the times she underestimated her own value, and the double standards she had to navigate as a woman in business. This episode is a powerful reminder that confidence isn’t something you wait to feel, it’s something you build through action, decision-making, and showing up for the opportunities in front of you. As the conversation deepens, Emma shares the mindsets that shaped her path, from a kid obsessed with fashion magazines to a visionary leader with a global reach. She breaks down why excellence starts with showing up fully in whatever role you’re in, how competence is the foundation of real confidence, and why chasing “passion” isn’t always the most strategic move. Jay adds powerful reflections on focus, leaning into your strengths, and accepting that you don’t need to be great at everything to succeed. This is an honest and refreshing look at what it really takes to trust yourself, take bigger swings, and grow into the person you’re meant to be. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Stop Caring What Others Think How to Build Confidence Through Competence How to Use Fear as Fuel, Not a Setback How to Become Excellent at What You’re Doing Now How to Set Your Own Standards, Not Society’s How to Start Before You Have It All Figured Out You don’t have to wait until you feel fully ready, fully confident, or fully “enough.” Start where you are, use what you have, and trust that focus, effort, and self-belief will do more for your future than fear ever will. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 00:44 Why Do We Worry About Others’ Opinions? 02:12 Opportunities Lost to Comparison 04:09 The Double Standards for Women in Business 07:19 Why You Must Start With Yourself 09:57 The Three-Word Mantra for Career Growth 11:58 Visualize the Life You Want 14:27 Follow What Gives You Energy 16:47 How Competence Builds Real Confidence 18:23 What’s Actually Distracting Us From True Focus? 20:52 Build a Circle That Complements Your Strengths 24:46 Teaching Kids to Chase Their Own Dreams 28:38 Defining Your Life’s Non-Negotiables 32:25 How to Choose What Truly Matters 37:46 Owning Your Truth Creates New Opportunities 40:59 Start Small: Scale Down and Test Your Idea Episode Resources: https://www.emmagrede.me/ https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrede https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmagrede/ https://www.instagram.com/emmagrede/ https://www.tiktok.com/@emmagrede https://www.facebook.com/emmagrede/ https://www.goodamerican.com/en-ph/ https://www.instagram.com/jayshetty https://www.facebook.com/jayshetty/ https://x.com/jayshetty https://www.linkedin.com/in/shettyjay/ https://www.youtube.com/@JayShettyPodcast http://jayshetty.me

Jay ShettyhostEmma Gredeguest
Nov 18, 202548mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Emma Grede’s blueprint: self-belief, focus, and starting before ready

  1. Grede explains that worrying about others’ opinions blocks people from speaking up, taking risks, and putting themselves forward, and that progress comes from meeting your own standards instead.
  2. She highlights real gender barriers and double standards in business, arguing that women must name them, stop playing by “likable/demure” rules, and lead openly to avoid holding other women back.
  3. Her career approach emphasizes starting with yourself: be excellent at what you do today, volunteer with “I’ll do that,” and let competence (not vibes) build durable confidence.
  4. Rather than “finding your passion,” Grede recommends following what you’re good at and what gives you energy, then using deep focus as a force multiplier to create outsized results.
  5. In life and parenting, she rejects the myth of balance, advocating honest trade-offs, asking for help, and choosing personal non-negotiables instead of living by external standards.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Stop auditioning for others; build to your own expectations.

Grede’s turning point is shifting from proving yourself to others to meeting your own standards—what lets you sleep well at night becomes the benchmark, not outside approval.

Name real barriers, then refuse the “likable” trap.

She acknowledges structural obstacles and harsher backlash for women, but argues the response is to lean into truth and visibility so you don’t reinforce restrictive norms for those who follow.

Career momentum often comes from volunteering before you feel ready.

Her three-word mantra—“I’ll do that”—captures how taking on opportunities creates the pressure and reps that build capability, credibility, and access.

Excellence is portable—mastery in small roles signals bigger potential.

From “amazing sandwich maker” to “amazing jeans,” she stresses that doing today’s job exceptionally well is how people notice transferable skill and offer larger chances.

Don’t chase passion; track energy and aptitude, then deepen your focus.

She argues passion can be misleading, while strengths and energizing work are more reliable; going deep in one area unlocks compounding learning and standout performance.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

I honestly got to a certain point in my life where I thought, "Well, if not you, then who?"

— Emma Grede

The older you get, the more you realize no one knows anything.

— Emma Grede

So I've just decided, like, I'm not playing that game anymore. I'm gonna do me, be me, and everyone else-... is gonna have to like it.

— Emma Grede

I think that the three most important words for career acceleration is, "I'll do that."

— Emma Grede

You've got, like, one big relationship, one big love in your life, and that's you.

— Emma Grede

Fear of judgment and missed opportunitiesComparison and self-censorshipGender barriers and double standards at workStarting with self: excellence in the current role“I’ll do that” as a career acceleratorVisualization, self-talk, and narrative controlPurpose vs passion; energy-based career choicesCompetence → confidenceFocus as a force multiplier; depth over breadthStrengths/weaknesses awareness and complementary teamsTrade-offs, help, and non-negotiables in parentingStart small: test-and-learn for new ideas

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