We all know Venus Williams
Who is Venus Williams is a redundant question. In an article in NY Times we read, ” what sets Venus Williams apart from Serena (and from other entrepreneurial, heavily branded athletes) is her persistent advocacy for women — specifically, on the issue of equal prize money for equal merit, a still-contentious topic in many sports… Indeed, Venus Williams has fought and helped win a prolonged battle for women athletes”.
I prefer to think of Venus as the eldest of two Williams sisters who started the onslaught on women’s tennis world wide. It is Venus who was the star before her sister. It is Venus who has, since 1998, consistently stirred the argument and led the way in the fight for equal pay and equal working conditions for women in the game of tennis.
Today, 2017, as she concludes her win over Konta at Wimbledon, in an article in Los Angeles Times , the writer reports:
“In a blink it was over Tuesday, with Venus Williams making short work of Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in a Wimbledon women’s quarterfinal, 6-3, 7-5. “Been working on that serve,” said Williams, 37, who has won Wimbledon five times and made her debut in the storied tournament the same month 20-year-old Ostapenko was born”.
In this one excerpt we see Venus the determined woman, the athlete and the entrepreneur. Yes, the entrepreneur with a $75 million net worth from endorsement deals, the interior design business V Starr Interiors, a partial owner of the Miami Dolphins, a franchise owner of Jamba Juice and managing an athletic clothing line called EleVen.
And there are others like Venus
Pushing the envelop nowadays we see brands like KLM, Delta flights, Best Western, Virgin hotels, Iberia airlines, Expedia, all reacting to the fact that being feminine is a plus. They now treat clients and guests as persons, individuals . There is also the Black CEO Women’s Council proving to be a meeting ground for female entrepreneurs.
In the world of sport though, it would be remiss to not mention Maria Sharapova who although presently struggling to return to her former place in women’s tennis, has been outstanding in combining sports with her femininity. In that way she is carving a $125 million net worth with her endorsements and Sugarpova business.
The other woman I would highlight is Melinda F. Emerson, known as SmallBizLady. She is America’s #1 Small Business expert on what it takes to start a successful small business, marketing pitfalls to avoid, and how to become a brand in demand using social media. Presently she is reaching 1.5 million small business owners weekly on the internet.
As she puts it “90 percent of small business success is confidence. You should never hesitate to be who you are”.
The Three Outstanding characteristics
What are the central characteristics in these women who succeed at being successful women, athletes/and entrepreneurs? Immediately we see determination, confidence and stick-to-it ness.
There is no doubt that were they timid or hesitant, the wealth that they had earned from their individual professions/careers would not have been well spent if they had not remained determined and confident against all odds.
As a beginner in this world of business, I want to say Thanks for the example and May God guide you.
From: Dr. Eleanor Wint, author of Rockstar Mom: 7 Ways To Be the Greatest Mom Ever”.
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