Reshma Saujani a leading advocate for women’s economic power, the founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First, and the force behind the new documentary No Country for Mothers. After helping change the culture around girls in technology, she has turned her attention to the policies and assumptions that continue to push women—especially mothers—out of the workforce.

In this conversation, she joins Emma to talk about the cultural and structural forces shaping women’s ambition, motherhood, money, and power. They get into the real cost of childcare, paid leave, and workplace inflexibility; why mothers are still penalized for showing up as their full selves at work; and how the internet has turned “trad wife vs. girl boss” into a culture war that keeps women fighting each other instead of fighting for meaningful change.

In this episode, Reshma and Emma discuss:

• Who benefits from pitting women against each other
• The motherhood penalty and why it differs from the gender pay gap
• What real workplace support for women and mothers should actually look like
• Why fighting for a better system and taking responsibility for your life can both be true at once
• What it takes to create more choice, freedom, and economic power for women
• How to build a world women don’t have to shrink their lives to fit the systems around them

Kristin Cavallari became a household name before she'd even graduated high school, and spent the next two decades building a life, a business, and a family under constant public scrutiny.

But this conversation isn't just about the version of her life you've seen on screen.

In this episode, Kristin sits down with Emma for a candid conversation about money, financial independence, and what it actually took to leave her marriage on her own terms. Together, they unpack the financial planning most people never talk about, the power of building something that's truly yours, and why Kristin believes money isn't about lifestyle—it's about freedom.

Kristin shares:

• Why knowing her "number" changed the way she thinks about money and success

• How the success of Uncommon James gave her the confidence to leave her marriage

• Why she walked away from her divorce giving up money instead of taking it—and why she'd do it again

• Why she recently replaced her entire C-suite—and the leadership lesson every founder eventually faces

• How she's building Uncommon James on her own terms while raising three kids

• How twenty years in the public eye taught her to stop living for other people's approval

How much freedom does financial independence really give you? And what would change if you knew you could always choose yourself?

Drop your thoughts in the comments. And subscribe to Aspire with Emma Grede so you don't miss what's next.

In today’s solo episode, Emma dives into real listener questions: the actual mechanics of building from nothing, starting a business with no capital, why having no money can be an advantage, plus more nuanced questions about navigating your career, handling tricky mentors, and knowing when to quit.

She also gets into more personal reflections about her marriage, what her life looked like in her twenties, and what she does to look after herself. There’s a quick round at the end too, on everything from her favorite crisps to plastic surgery.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The type of business Emma would build if she were starting today

• How to think about fear when you’re making a decision

• What it takes to start again in your 40s

• The marketing rule that built Good American

• How to find your first customers before anyone knows you

• Her one rule for spending in year one

• The one thing she thinks every woman needs to stop doing

If your question didn’t make it this time, hold onto it, because she’ll be doing this again. Follow Aspire so you don’t miss the next one, and sign up for the weekly newsletter at emmagrede.com.