What entrepreneurial experiences did Serena Williams learn from raising her father?

Text:Olivia Perez

Image source: Visual China

Some may wonder why the long-awaited legendary biopic about the Williams sisters is told through the lens of their father, Richard Williams. But for Serena Williams, it's the only way to tell the story of how their sisters rose to the top tennis players. In King Richard, viewers can experience first-hand how two of the greatest athletes of our time grew up and how their father wrote them down in history with a 78-page proposal that laid the foundation for what they are today.

The father himself is played by Will Smith, "David" Venus Williams is played by star Saniyya Sidney, and "Serena" is played by Demi Singleton. The film re-portrays Richard, a controversial figure in the history of sport, while unveiling one of the most successful families in the history of sport. Despite not having professional tennis training, Richard Williams personally mentored his two daughters and was known for his imperious approach and protecting her nature. Richard is a heroic figure in King Richard, a man who broke down barriers and started to change the face of the tennis industry, and he always puts his daughter first. "People misunderstood the story, or the media misrepresented my father's image. We want to make this story clear," Serena said.

Both Venus and Serena are listed as executive producers of the film, though they agreed to accept the title after seeing the film for the first time. For the tennis champion, the film was exactly what she wanted to see and the tribute the world wanted to see to her father. "I think it's a great opportunity for people to see how amazing African-American fathers are." A lot of black people don't see it that way. A lot of people think my dad is a different story. He wants us to have fun [of tennis] more than anything else. That's what I love most about him. ”

One scene in the film that resonated deeply with Serena was when her sister Venus was interviewed by then-ABC News correspondent John Mackenzie before the first match. In 1991, the family moved from Compton, California, to Florida because Venus was given the opportunity to train at the Rick Macci Tennis Academy. Asked if he could beat his opponent, Venus smiled and said, "I know I can beat her," without flinching. However, MacKenzie immediately pressed and questioned her confidence, saying, "You know you can beat her?" It was then that her father stepped in, asking the interviewer to interrupt the interview and saying he didn't like it when anyone questioned the confidence of a 14-year-old girl. "When she answered, we've already told you what happened. You're dealing with a black kid, let her be a kid. She answered the question confidently, not to break her self-confidence," Richard in the film says while protecting his daughter. When asked about her cherished father's advice, Serena remembered his father's power. "I love the sense of power in him. I love him for teaching us to be strong and not to accept anything less than we deserve. ”

Richard's teachings laid the foundation for what Serena is today – from family traditions to brand trading to how she became an entrepreneur and businesswoman. "Remember who you are. Remember where you came from. Hold your head high and be proud of yourself," Richard tells his two daughters in the film, constantly reminding them to be down-to-earth. Whether it's the great times spent at Disneyland with her family or Richard teaching her to drive, for Serena, it's her enduring, authentic relationships that fuel her career. The car Richard taught her to drive was a Lincoln, which she liked to call "Ginger," a car that stayed in their home for years to come, a car that carried rich family memories. Fast forward to today, Serena has become an ambassador for the car company and uses the car as a safe haven for her to decompress from the world around her. Serena joined the Lincoln family in 2018, a moment she's proud of. "I have a true story behind every brand I work with. Whether it's something I loved when I was younger, or something I longed for in my life. In addition, she started her own business, encouraging her fans to share their stories and embrace their personalities. In 2014, she founded Serena Ventures, a company that supports their company by investing in diverse, creative founders and strong ideas. Since her inception, she has invested in more than 50 companies, including Every Mother, Honeylove and Daily Harvest. Then in 2018, she launched her namesake clothing and jewelry brands, S by Serena and Serena Williams Jewelry, designed to make her fans feel their most confident side and reflect their true selves. As a designer, she also designed many collections for Nike as one of Nike's sponsored athletes.

But she's also working on her biggest project. Now that Williams is a mother, her concern for family has never been stronger. As the mother of Olympia Ohanian, a four-year-old daughter of reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, Serena said she "hopes to be half as good a mother as her own parents." Speaking about what she wants audiences to learn from her life course, she said: "Sometimes a person's success cannot be separated from the support of the family. When you don't have a family, you can also replace it with friends and people who trust you. It is important to have such a support system. We wouldn't have been able to do this without our family."

The author of this article is a Forbes contributor, and the content of the article only represents the author's own views.

Translated by Vivian School Li Yongqiang