Emma Grede

I've made so many mistakes. I moved... a whole bunch of people here to L.A. and shut the office down 18 months later because I thought I had something that I just didn't have. I thought that the reputation I'd built in London would translate to L.A. What I didn't understand is L.A. is a community and I wasn't part of it. It was like a closed door. I got here and I was like, what?

I've made so many mistakes. I moved... a whole bunch of people here to L.A. and shut the office down 18 months later because I thought I had something that I just didn't have. I thought that the reputation I'd built in London would translate to L.A. What I didn't understand is L.A. is a community and I wasn't part of it. It was like a closed door. I got here and I was like, what?

Like just frozen, frozen out, completely like that.

Like just frozen, frozen out, completely like that.

They're not like us. This is it. And it really was. And so I think that, you know, learning, like not just understanding, okay, I had this thing, it went wrong, but it's like really going deep and being like where and how did I fail and how do I consistently get better at that? And staffing is one of those things that you just get better and better and better at it the more you do it.

They're not like us. This is it. And it really was. And so I think that, you know, learning, like not just understanding, okay, I had this thing, it went wrong, but it's like really going deep and being like where and how did I fail and how do I consistently get better at that? And staffing is one of those things that you just get better and better and better at it the more you do it.

Truly exceptional people?

Truly exceptional people?

Mm-hmm. You know what? At the risk of disagreeing with anybody so prolific and amazing, I think as someone who has been able to move people between organizations or between companies, sometimes it can be the company that can make people great. You can have a truly exceptional person in a kind of dysfunctional company and then they don't do as well, right?

Mm-hmm. You know what? At the risk of disagreeing with anybody so prolific and amazing, I think as someone who has been able to move people between organizations or between companies, sometimes it can be the company that can make people great. You can have a truly exceptional person in a kind of dysfunctional company and then they don't do as well, right?

Like you can bring in somebody not quite exceptional into an exceptional culture and company and the organisation makes them great.

Like you can bring in somebody not quite exceptional into an exceptional culture and company and the organisation makes them great.

No, makes them great. Because what people tend to do is level up, right, where they're, you end up the average of the people that you surround yourself most. And I have, in some cases, brought people in, you know, that I'd be like a B-, and they've turned into an A+. And the more I think about this, Stephen, the more I think that's happened on a number of occasions.

No, makes them great. Because what people tend to do is level up, right, where they're, you end up the average of the people that you surround yourself most. And I have, in some cases, brought people in, you know, that I'd be like a B-, and they've turned into an A+. And the more I think about this, Stephen, the more I think that's happened on a number of occasions.

And when the organisation is exceptional and when the people there are doing exceptional work, they can actually level up the people. Now, they have to be somebody that wants to level up, for sure, but I've definitely seen it work that way.

And when the organisation is exceptional and when the people there are doing exceptional work, they can actually level up the people. Now, they have to be somebody that wants to level up, for sure, but I've definitely seen it work that way.

I love this idea that you've hired friends. Who are these friends that you're hiring? Did you hire a bunch of friends? It's a terrible bloody idea. I was 18. So it's me who works with my husband. Yeah.

I love this idea that you've hired friends. Who are these friends that you're hiring? Did you hire a bunch of friends? It's a terrible bloody idea. I was 18. So it's me who works with my husband. Yeah.

This is great. Between Prada and the rap battle, I get it. I can see that these things weren't happening.

This is great. Between Prada and the rap battle, I get it. I can see that these things weren't happening.