How to Negotiate a Raise: Emma Grede's Billion-Dollar Playbook for Getting Paid What You Deserve

Knowing how to negotiate a raise is one of the most valuable financial skills you can develop — and one of the least taught. According to Payscale's 2026 Gender Pay Gap Report, women still earn just 82 cents for every dollar men make, a gap that costs women an estimated $1 million over a 40-year career. Emma Grede, the entrepreneur behind $5 billion brand SKIMS and CEO of Good American, has spent her career closing that gap — first for herself, then for others.

In a recent episode of Money Rehab, I sat down with Emma to unpack the exact strategies she used to go from paying herself £45,000 a year while her employee earned £150,000 — to building a portfolio of billion-dollar companies. Her advice isn't theoretical. It's battle-tested.

Why Most People Fail at Salary Negotiation

Here's the uncomfortable truth Emma shared: most people — especially women — undervalue their own contributions. Emma admitted that early in her career, she hired a managing director and paid him three times her own salary because she assumed a "35-year-old man would do it better."

He lasted nine months. She was still the one delivering the business, connecting with clients, and driving revenue. The lesson? "What he was missing was entrepreneurial grit, which I have in spades."

This pattern plays out in corporate America every day. Research from Harvard's Program on Negotiation shows that assertive negotiation strategies (competing and collaborating) yield an average $5,000 higher salary compared to compromising or accommodating approaches. Yet women are statistically less likely to negotiate at all.

Emma Grede's Script for Asking for a Raise

One of the most actionable moments in our conversation was when Emma laid out her framework for salary negotiation. Here's the approach, distilled into steps you can use at your next review:

Step 1: Know Your Numbers Before the Conversation

Before you walk into any negotiation, you need data. Use platforms like Glassdoor, Payscale, and LinkedIn Salary to benchmark your role, industry, and location. According to Robert Half's 2026 Salary Guide, professionals who negotiate with market data are significantly more likely to receive increases above the standard 3-4% annual adjustment.

Emma's version of this? She learned every metric in her business — LTV, AOV, UPT — not because it was her job to crunch numbers, but because "when you don't center money in what you're doing, money starts to avoid you."

Step 2: Frame Your Value in Business Terms

Don't talk about what you need. Talk about what you've delivered. Emma was direct: "The point of being in business is to make a profit." When you're negotiating, connect your contributions to the company's bottom line.

Instead of "I'd like a raise because I've been here two years," try: "In the past year, I've increased revenue in my territory by 18% and reduced client churn by 12%. Based on market data for this role, I'd like to discuss adjusting my compensation to reflect that impact."

Step 3: Stop Apologizing for Wanting Money

"If you want money, you have to have some audacity," Emma told me. "And what I mean by that is that you have to ask for what you need."

She's right. The data backs her up: according to Payscale, the uncontrolled gender pay gap widens dramatically with seniority — from 14 cents in early career to 20 cents at mid-career to 31 cents at the executive level. Women who don't negotiate early create a compounding deficit that follows them for decades. It's the compound interest of lost wages, working against you instead of for you.

Step 4: Negotiate the Full Package

If your employer can't move on base salary, pivot. Ask about signing bonuses, equity, additional PTO, professional development budgets, flexible work arrangements, or accelerated review timelines. The total compensation package often has more flexibility than the base number.

This is particularly relevant in 2026, where many companies have implemented pay bands but still have discretion over variable compensation.

The Money Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

Beyond tactical negotiation, Emma shared a philosophy that stuck with me: "When you don't elegantly address the idea of I'm here to make money, then the money will avoid you."

This isn't woo-woo manifesting. It's a behavioral finance principle. When you avoid talking about money — whether in business proposals, salary conversations, or investment decisions — you systematically leave value on the table. Emma described reviewing investment proposals that were five or six pages deep with no mention of profit. "You've told me how you're going to fund a program in your community, how you're going to give away one for one of whatever products you're selling — but nobody's told me where the profit's coming from."

The same applies to your career. If you can't articulate your financial value, nobody else will do it for you.

What the Wealthy Know About Building Real Wealth

Emma offered a refreshing take on what separates the wealthy from everyone else. It's not some secret investment strategy gatekept by the rich. It's discipline around basic principles.

"I understood coming from the streets that what you get should be invested somewhere else to create more," she said. "Spend less than you make. Invest in what you know."

Here's how that translates to actionable wealth management strategy:

Invest in What You Understand

Emma doesn't invest blindly. She puts her money into spaces where she can add value and has domain expertise. For individual investors, this principle applies too — you don't need to chase exotic investments. A diversified portfolio of low-cost index funds, maxed-out tax-advantaged accounts (the 401(k) limit is $24,500 in 2026, with a $7,500 Roth IRA contribution limit), and disciplined rebalancing will outperform most complicated strategies.

Center Money in Your Plans

Whether you're starting a business, negotiating a salary, or building a financial plan, put the profit — or the financial goal — front and center. Not as an afterthought. Not as something crass to avoid discussing. As Emma put it: "Money and power are in direct correlation. The more money we have, the more power we have, the more decisions we can make."

Ask Questions Without Shame

One of Emma's most powerful admissions was that she learned by asking. When she didn't understand e-commerce metrics or investment reviews, she said so. "It's when I stopped faking it. It's when I actually said, I don't know what that means."

Your financial plan deserves the same honesty. If you don't understand a fee structure, an investment thesis, or a tax strategy — ask. That's exactly what a wealth coach is for.

How the Gender Pay Gap Compounds Over a Career

The numbers are stark. In 2026, the uncontrolled gender pay gap sits at 82 cents on the dollar, according to Payscale. But the real damage is in how that gap compounds:

• Ages 20-29: Women earn 86 cents per dollar
• Ages 30-44: The gap widens to 80 cents
• Ages 45+: Women earn just 71 cents per dollar
• Executive level: Women earn 69 cents per dollar

Over a 40-year career, the median pay difference adds up to approximately $1 million in lost earnings — and that's before accounting for reduced retirement savings, lower Social Security benefits, and diminished investment returns.

This is why learning how to negotiate a raise isn't just about your next paycheck. It's about your entire financial trajectory. Every dollar you leave on the table today is a dollar that won't compound in your retirement accounts for the next 20 or 30 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much of a raise should I ask for in 2026?

Market data suggests asking for 10-15% above your current salary if you have strong performance data and market benchmarks supporting the increase. The average annual raise in 2026 is 3-4%, but promotional increases and market adjustments can be significantly higher. Always back your ask with specific data from tools like Glassdoor and Payscale.

What is the best time to negotiate a salary increase?

The optimal timing is after a major win (closed deal, successful project launch, strong performance review) and during budget planning cycles, typically Q4 for the following year or during your annual review. Avoid asking during layoffs, budget freezes, or right after a company miss.

How do I negotiate a raise as a woman without being seen as aggressive?

Research shows that framing your request around team and company value — rather than personal needs — is effective regardless of gender. Use language like "Based on the results I've delivered and current market rates, I'd like to discuss..." Emma Grede's approach is even more direct: "If you want money, you have to have some audacity." The data is clear that women who negotiate assertively earn more and report higher job satisfaction.

What if my company says there's no budget for raises?

Ask about alternative compensation: bonuses, equity, additional PTO, remote work flexibility, professional development budgets, or an accelerated review timeline. You can also ask, "What would need to happen for us to revisit this in three months?" This keeps the door open and creates accountability.

How does the gender pay gap affect retirement savings?

The 82-cent pay gap compounds dramatically over time. A woman earning $50,000 (versus a man earning $60,975 for the same work) who invests 15% of salary annually at a 7% return would retire with approximately $365,000 less after 30 years. That gap grows to over $1 million when accounting for lower Social Security benefits and reduced employer 401(k) matches based on lower salaries.

What can I learn from Emma Grede's approach to money?

Emma's core philosophy is to stop avoiding the subject of money and to center it in your plans. She advocates investing in what you know, asking questions without shame, and having the "audacity" to ask for what you deserve. Her track record — co-founding SKIMS (valued at $5 billion) and Good American — proves these principles work at the highest levels.

Take Control of Your Financial Future

Emma Grede went from paying herself a fraction of what her employees earned to co-founding companies worth billions. The turning point wasn't some secret strategy — it was deciding to stop undervaluing herself and start centering money in her plans.

Whether you're negotiating your next raise, building an investment portfolio, or creating a comprehensive financial plan, the principles are the same: know your numbers, ask for what you deserve, and stop treating money as something to avoid.

Ready to put these strategies into action with a personalized financial plan? Book a free consultation with a Private Wealth Collective advisor and start building the wealth you deserve.