Get inspired by Success: featuring stories about indie artists, entrepreneurs, tech and social media.
Venus Williams Born to Win in Business and Sport
Success in any arena is very similar. Sport teaches you so much about life and prepares you for business without you even knowing it. It get’s you ready for the kind of preparation and hard work ahead as you develop your business plan and strategy. The professional tennis player and fashion designer talks being prepared, staying focused, and taking time to dream.
“The first thing I do in the morning is think about my game. It’s an addiction, but I always think about how to get better. Everything is geared toward that. Growing up in my house, we weren’t allowed to waste time. We always had to be productive. We weren’t supposed to be watching anything that wasn’t educational. Even if we got to watch a cartoon, my dad would ask, “What did you learn?”
Starting tennis at 4 years old, the young athlete was taught to balance school, friends and her sport. It taught her invaluable lessons for life that she uses today.
“I feel like I’ve been in business forever. I have multiple things pulling at me, so I have to sit down and stop and not be in the crunch. There’s always a price. If you decide not to put in the work, there’s a price. You won’t succeed or get to the level you possibly could. If you do put in the work, there will be sacrifice there too—your time, or your sleep, or your peace of mind. There’s always a price and you have to pay it.”
The goals for the year…
I’m prioritizing my dreams.. I have this new goal to make 365 sketches in 365 days, whether it’s drawings for my [apparel company, EleVen] or just to think about spaces [for herinterior design company, V Starr Interiors].
Preparation…
Before I get on the court, I’m checking in on myself and how I feel. I think about the areas I’m going to focus on in this match. I want to look back and say, Hey, I didn’t win every single match, but I prepared the best I could. I tried my hardest on the court. Sometimes you make mistakes, but there are good mistakes—the ones that lead to the next championship.
Team Building…
Get involved in your team. I make it a priority to get hands on with my team to create a culture and develop a level of honesty and strength in my business. I strive to always be better every single day and that’s a concept I try to infuse into my team .
