
Why WFH can be a hurdle for a successful career? Kim Kardashian's brand co-founder shares her growth mantra
A No-Excuses Culture for the Hungry
Remote vs. Reality: The Hybrid Work Dilemma
"If you're not in the room, you're not able to do that at an excellent level." That's how Emma Grede , the powerhouse entrepreneur behind Kim Kardashian's billion-dollar brand Skims , defines ambition in today's workplace.In a candid interview on The Skinny Confidential Him and Her podcast, Grede shared her unwavering belief in the power of proximity, stating that deeply ambitious professionals should steer clear of remote work if they want to truly excel. With a personal net worth of $405 million (as per Forbes), the CEO of Good American and founding partner of Skims has built her success by being relentlessly present.Recalling her early days in the office, Grede described how sitting next to her boss helped shape her business acumen. 'I learned from proximity,' she said. 'I'd write down every phrase that came out of her mouth.' For her, the cadence, word choice, and real-time feedback created a boot camp for excellence—one she now replicates for her own teams.At Good American, the message is clear: five days in the office, or you're not the right fit. Grede admitted she makes exceptions when needed—like supporting new mothers or employees with special circumstances—but made it clear that, for most roles, in-person presence is non-negotiable.'I think I make it quite clear that if you're a three-day-a-week person, that's totally fine—it just doesn't work here. It doesn't work for me,' she added.Apart from her leadership in Skims and Good American, Grede also co-founded the eco-conscious cleaning brand Safely and appears as a guest investor on Shark Tank.Grede's views come amid an ongoing debate over hybrid work. According to 2023 Gallup data, 76% of employees reported improved work-life balance with hybrid setups. But nearly a quarter also said they felt less connected to their teams.Lucid Software CEO Dave Grow echoed this complexity in a CNBC Make It interview, highlighting that executive dissatisfaction with remote productivity suggests we haven't yet perfected hybrid models.Yet Grede remains firm. 'We want to create conditions for ambitious people to succeed,' she said. 'But for those starting out, for most people in the company, we have to be [in person] five days a week.'Emma Grede's stance might spark debate in today's flexibility-loving workforce—but it undeniably reflects the intense drive behind her success. In an era dominated by Zoom calls and Slack channels, her message cuts through the noise: 'Show up, be seen, and learn by doing.'
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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Shop or drop: What is India Inc.'s take on AI agents?
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It's designed as an autonomous knowledge assistant that continuously searches, validates, and synthesises information from the web to generate insights or reports—with citation and traceability baked in. Enterprise pilots begin, but trust lags behind. According to a new PwC survey, 79% of global executives are already piloting AI agents, and two-thirds report measurable gains in efficiency. Yet only 36% say they're confident in managing the risks. In India, early adopters like ABB Energy Industries and Raychem RPG are already experimenting—but with guardrails. 'Absolutely, my team and I have actively explored ChatGPT's AI agents and similar autonomous AI solutions across pilot projects and internal innovation sandboxes. My first impression centred on both their versatility and the speed at which they could deliver actionable results from complex datasets. The agentic model, especially when layered atop a robust, single-source-of-truth data platform, revealed remarkable potential to automate routine decisions and even initiate complex analytic tasks end-to-end with minimal human input,' said Chandan Vijay, Chief Data Officer at ABB Energy Industries. 'While the technology is powerful, its real impact emerges only when it has access to well-governed, high-quality data—underscoring the immense value of our investment in foundational data architecture,' adds Vijay. At Raychem RPG, Chief Digital & Information Officer, Mehjabeen Taj Aalam struck a similar chord: 'Yes, we've started experimenting with agentic AI tools, including those from OpenAI and other platforms. Our first impression? Equal parts fascination and caution. The ability of these agents to not just respond but initiate actions across systems is a game-changer. But it also forces you to rethink control, context, and trust in a very fundamental way.' CIOs prioritise internal ops amid regulatory fog Most Indian enterprises are deploying agents in internal operations and analytics—report automation, anomaly detection, and consent workflows—where regulatory and reputational risks are lower. 'While the technology is powerful, its real impact emerges only when it has access to well-governed, high-quality data—underscoring the immense value of our investment in foundational data architecture,' said Vijay. The caution comes as regulatory frameworks like India's DPDP Act and the EU AI Act push CIOs to reevaluate AI risk, explainability, and accountability. 'Enterprises are navigating an evolving regulatory landscape (e.g., EU AI Act, India DPDP act, sectoral guidelines). Policy readiness is improving, with new corporate governance playbooks focused on responsible AI, but gaps remain—especially around explainability and real-time monitoring,' added Vijay. 'The tools are evolving rapidly. Culture and policy? That's where the gap lies. Many enterprises still have a command-and-control mindset, and introducing autonomous agents into that can be uncomfortable. There's a need to build digital trust, redesign workflows, and establish clear guardrails for autonomy to work responsibly,' Mehjabeen noted. 'For us, the most immediate opportunity is in internal operations and analytics. Think automated generation of daily reports, intelligent monitoring of IT infrastructure, or bots that can track anomalies and initiate alerts without human nudges. Over time, I see it expanding into customer-facing areas, but with tighter governance around decision-making boundaries', she added. Analysts say stakes are high—and so are the rewards According to McKinsey, Agentic AI could unlock $4.4 trillion in annual value globally, especially in industries like manufacturing and logistics. CIOs like Mehjabeen believe those gains are within reach. 'Absolutely. In fact, that's where I believe agentic AI could shine the brightest in industrial environments like ours. Imagine an agent monitoring sensor data in real-time, predicting a component failure, raising a purchase requisition, and even following up for approvals—all autonomously. That's not far-fetched anymore—it's where we're headed,' said Mehjabeen. Agentic AI is here—and it's powerful. But for Indian enterprises, the real challenge lies not in what the tech can do, but in what the organisation is ready to let it do.


Time of India
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- Time of India
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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
He built three companies, became a CEO twice, and credits it all to his 6th grade teacher
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