Aspire with Emma Grede

Interviewing isn’t a personality test. It’s a skill, and it’s one you can learn.

In this Career Girl’s Guide episode, Emma breaks down what actually makes someone stand out in the room. Drawing from years of interviewing — on both sides of the table — she shares the mindset shifts and practical tools that separate average candidates from unforgettable ones.

In this episode, you’ll learn:


 How to research like a strategist 


How to uncover a role’s hidden pain


The three-part storytelling formula that works


• How to speak about failure with authority


• Salary rules that change your earning trajectory


• The questions that signal leadership


This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being understood — and positioned.

Career girlies don’t audition. We position.

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Today on Aspire, Emma sits down with Jessie Inchauspé, known to millions as The Glucose Goddess.

What started as a personal health experiment turned into three bestselling books, a global community, and an eight-figure business — built from the ground up, without outside investors.

But this conversation isn’t about going viral. It’s about control.

Emma and Jessie talk about the very intentional decision to bootstrap, what it actually takes to protect your freedom as a founder, and why Jessie would rather move slower than compromise on quality. They get into building around real intellectual property instead of trends — and why trusting your own proof can be more powerful than chasing scale.

In this episode, Jessie shares:


Why she chose not to raise capital


How staying independent shaped every major decision


The trade-offs that come with slower, intentional growth


Why she refuses to sacrifice quality for margin


How motherhood made her more focused, not softer


How a simple personal breakthrough can evolve into a global platform

Yes, they talk about her famous glucose hacks.

But more importantly, they talk about conviction and what happens when you decide something that worked for you might actually help millions of others.

This episode is for founders who care about freedom, longevity, and building on their own terms.

If it resonates, like, comment, and subscribe for more honest conversations with leaders shaping the future of business.


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Today on Aspire, Emma sits down with Laney Crowell, founder and CEO of Saie – a brand that consistently has seven products ranked in the top ten at Sephora. 

Emma and Laney talk about what it really took to build Saie from scratch: the mindset shifts, the operational discipline, the hiring decisions, and the resilience required to scale without a traditional founder background.

In this episode, Laney shares:


Why rejection isn’t personal and how to use it as fuel


What raising capital as a woman actually requires


The importance of reference checks and hiring intentionally


Why refining consistently beats rushing growth


The importance of building a community alongside the brand 


The rewards and challenges of building a business as a new mother

This episode is for anyone who feels “not qualified enough” or “not ready yet” and is building anyway.

If this conversation resonated, leave a comment and subscribe for more honest conversations with founders, leaders, and builders on Aspire.

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Issa Rae is entering a new chapter — not from the bottom, but from experience.

After disrupting modern television with shows like HBO’s Insecure, building business across multiple industries, and creating some of the most culturally resonant work of the last decade, Issa sits down with Emma for a reflective conversation about power, execution, and what it really means to build something that lasts.

Issa isn’t into chasing momentum. She’s moving discernment— navigating the industry on her own terms and only committing to work she genuinely believes in. 

In this episode, Issa opens up about:


Why ideas are meaningless without execution


The difference between visibility and real power


What it means to “prove yourself again” — even at the top


How she decides what not to do in this phase of her career


Why money equals creative freedom, not validation


The discipline of saying no, protecting her voice, and building on her own terms


Her desire to continue to make people’s favorite content. 

Issa also reflects on leadership, ownership, and the responsibility that comes with influence — especially in an industry that feels like it’s regressing. 

This conversation is for anyone navigating a new chapter, resisting comfort, or learning that longevity requires a different kind of courage.

What resonated most with you from Issa’s journey — her discipline, her clarity, or her refusal to rush? 

Share your thoughts in the comments and subscribe for more honest conversations on Aspire.

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Angelica Nwandu shouldn’t be here...not according to the statistics. After surviving the unimaginable loss of her mother at age six and growing up in foster care, she rebuilt her world from scratch. Today, she stands as the powerhouse founder behind The Shade Room, one of the most influential media platforms in culture.

In this rare intimate conversation, Angelica opens up to Emma about:



-Surviving childhood trauma and how adaptability became her superpower

-Growing up across wildly different homes—from Inglewood to Bel Air—and how that shaped her ambition

-The accidental birth of The Shade Room—and how she built a media empire out of nothing

-What it really takes to scale, evolve, and lead a company with cultural influence

-Why ownership matters, and the crucial shift she’s making from frugality to growth

-The emotional toll of running a platform at the center of culture—and why she’s ready for her next chapter

Angelica also addresses the controversy and scrutiny The Shade Room has faced over the years — including critics who say the platform can sometimes tear down the same community it seeks to uplift. She speaks candidly about how she balances impact, responsibility, and evolution as the brand grows. Angelica’s story is proof that you can start over, build again, and create something bigger than yourself—even when no one sees your potential yet.

If you’re a woman navigating career pivots, big dreams, second chances, or the pressure to “figure it out,” this conversation will stay with you. What part of Angelica’s journey inspired you the most — her resilience, her reinvention, or her vision for the future of media? Drop a comment below.

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