Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Tory Burch started her company in 2004 with a single store on Elizabeth Street in New York City, a friends and family round of funding, and a belief that purpose and business belong in the same sentence.
Twenty-two years later, she has 400 stores in 70 countries. 5000 staff and a two billion dollar revenue business- And she still hasn't had lunch.
In this conversation, Tory sits down with Emma to talk about what it really took to build one of the most recognizable names in American fashion, navigating criticism, surviving a lawsuit that threatened everything she'd built, and rediscovering the creative spirit that reinvigorated her brand.
Tory shares:
- Why ambition is still a complicated word for women and why she refuses to shy away from it
- How she maintained ownership and control of her company through a very public divorce and lawsuit
- How the brand maintained stability during COVID
- What she learned about scaling a brand without losing its identity
- How stepping back from the CEO role unlocked her most creative chapter yet
What would you build if you stopped letting other people define your ambition? Drop it in the comments, we're reading. And subscribe to Aspire with Emma Grede so you never miss what's next - youtube.com/@EmmaGrede?sub_confirmation=1
#ToryBurch #FashionBusiness #LuxuryBrand #FemaleFounder #Entrepreneurship #Ambition #WomenInBusiness #EmmaGrede #AspirePodcast #Leadership #StartupStory #FashionFounder #BuildingBrands #ToryBurchFoundation #businessleadership
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:14 - Meet Tory Burch
00:09:30 - Friends and family round
00:12:15 - Launch day
00:18:25 - Divorce and lawsuit
00:22:10 - Ambition as a dirty word
00:28:00 - Ad Break
00:31:50 - The Oprah moment
00:44:00 - Ad Break
00:50:52 - Private equity and control
00:57:00 - Ad Break
01:00:08 - The foundation
01:12:47 - Rapid Fire
_____
Emma's book START WITH YOURSELF is out now — grab your copy at emmagrede.com or wherever books are sold.
_____
ABOUT ASPIRE WITH EMMA GREDE
Build the life of your dreams and learn from the world's most successful people.
Emma Grede, one of America's richest self-made women, wants you to make the most of your life. On 'Aspire with Emma Grede', learn through thought-provoking conversations with some of the most successful and smartest minds on the planet, including goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow, investor, philanthropist and former chair of Starbucks, Mellody Hobson, podcast host Jay Shetty, billionaire entrepreneur and Shark Tank star Mark Cuban, rapper and cultural icon Cardi B, fashion mogul Kimora Lee Simmons, actress and entrepreneur Issa Rae, bestselling author and motivational powerhouse Mel Robbins, and public luminaries like Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Charlamagne Tha God, Jessica Alba, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos. Each episode will unpack their habits, philosophy, and strategies, covering career advice, well-being, psychology, and, of course, how to win in business. The show offers personal stories, data-driven advice, real-world strategies, and the experience you need to turn your dreams into reality.
LISTEN TO ASPIRE WITH EMMA GREDE
link.pscrb.fm/f0281/Aspire_YT
_______
ABOUT EMMA GREDE
Emma Grede is a founding partner and chief product officer of SKIMS and CEO of Good American. She also made history as the first Black woman to serve as an investor on Shark Tank. Learn more at: emmagrede.com
Tory Burch started her company in 2004 with a single store on Elizabeth Street in New York City, a friends and family round of funding, and a belief that purpose and business belong in the same sentence.
Twenty-two years later, she has 400 stores in 70 countries. 5000 staff and a two billion dollar revenue business- And she still hasn't had lunch.
In this conversation, Tory sits down with Emma to talk about what it really took to build one of the most recognizable names in American fashion, navigating criticism, surviving a lawsuit that threatened everything she'd built, and rediscovering the creative spirit that reinvigorated her brand.
Tory shares:
- Why ambition is still a complicated word for women and why she refuses to shy away from it
- How she maintained ownership and control of her company through a very public divorce and lawsuit
- How the brand maintained stability during COVID
- What she learned about scaling a brand without losing its identity
- How stepping back from the CEO role unlocked her most creative chapter yet
What would you build if you stopped letting other people define your ambition? Drop it in the comments, we're reading. And subscribe to Aspire with Emma Grede so you never miss what's next - youtube.com/@EmmaGrede?sub_confirmation=1
#ToryBurch #FashionBusiness #LuxuryBrand #FemaleFounder #Entrepreneurship #Ambition #WomenInBusiness #EmmaGrede #AspirePodcast #Leadership #StartupStory #FashionFounder #BuildingBrands #ToryBurchFoundation #businessleadership
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:14 - Meet Tory Burch
00:09:30 - Friends and family round
00:12:15 - Launch day
00:18:25 - Divorce and lawsuit
00:22:10 - Ambition as a dirty word
00:28:00 - Ad Break
00:31:50 - The Oprah moment
00:44:00 - Ad Break
00:50:52 - Private equity and control
00:57:00 - Ad Break
01:00:08 - The foundation
01:12:47 - Rapid Fire
_____
Emma's book START WITH YOURSELF is out now — grab your copy at emmagrede.com or wherever books are sold.
_____
ABOUT ASPIRE WITH EMMA GREDE
Build the life of your dreams and learn from the world's most successful people.
Emma Grede, one of America's richest self-made women, wants you to make the most of your life. On 'Aspire with Emma Grede', learn through thought-provoking conversations with some of the most successful and smartest minds on the planet, including goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow, investor, philanthropist and former chair of Starbucks, Mellody Hobson, podcast host Jay Shetty, billionaire entrepreneur and Shark Tank star Mark Cuban, rapper and cultural icon Cardi B, fashion mogul Kimora Lee Simmons, actress and entrepreneur Issa Rae, bestselling author and motivational powerhouse Mel Robbins, and public luminaries like Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Charlamagne Tha God, Jessica Alba, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos. Each episode will unpack their habits, philosophy, and strategies, covering career advice, well-being, psychology, and, of course, how to win in business. The show offers personal stories, data-driven advice, real-world strategies, and the experience you need to turn your dreams into reality.
LISTEN TO ASPIRE WITH EMMA GREDE
link.pscrb.fm/f0281/Aspire_YT
_______
ABOUT EMMA GREDE
Emma Grede is a founding partner and chief product officer of SKIMS and CEO of Good American. She also made history as the first Black woman to serve as an investor on Shark Tank. Learn more at: emmagrede.com
