Health
Emma Grede Turns Dyslexia Into Her Strength
Health Points
- Emma Grede credits her dyslexia diagnosis as a turning point in embracing her strengths.
- She advocates self-compassion and resilience in overcoming learning differences.
- Grede emphasizes the value of diverse thinkers in the workplace and at home.
Emma Grede, known for her business savvy and “Shark Tank” appearances, remembers her dyslexia diagnosis in her late twenties as life-changing. For years, school was a struggle, and she often dismissed herself as a “lazy learner” until understanding her brain simply worked in different ways.
“Back then, I thought I was always a lazy learner,” Grede shares.
Despite challenges and fatigue, Grede’s natural resilience helped her persevere. She says leaning into her experiences with dyslexia has shaped her unique problem-solving skills, calling the learning difference her “superpower.”
“I have a very straightforward way of thinking about things and attacking problems, meaning that I take the short route, and I do that because I’m dyslexic,” she explains.
This approach not only fuels her business success but also frames how she talks about achievement on her podcast. Grede points out that kindness toward herself is crucial to coping with moments of frustration and shame linked to dyslexia.
“You have to be kind to yourself,” Grede encourages. “I talk to myself like a really good friend.”
She believes that self-compassion and honesty are essential in building resilience over time. Grede notes that real strength comes from facing and learning from setbacks rather than avoiding them.
Her own journey with dyslexia includes difficulty sounding out words, letter and word switches, and numeric challenges, but she says these shaped her strengths in storytelling, idea-sharing, and creative pitching as a marketing professional.
“The first thing that you learn is real storytelling, an ability to convey your ideas outside of having to write them down,” Grede notes.
She describes a wide range of positive traits common among people with dyslexia, including curiosity, empathy, and imaginative thinking. Grede values assembling teams that reflect many learning styles and backgrounds, believing this diversity is crucial for business success.
As a mother to a child with dyslexia, Grede is determined her son receives the support and resources she lacked. She offers him encouragement, ensuring he knows that dyslexia can be a source of strength and possibility.
Embrace your unique abilities and approach every challenge with self-kindness—your greatest strengths may come from what sets you apart.