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Serena Williams had laid the foundation for her post-tennis life long before she stepped off the court for the final time. While she was still playing professionally, the athlete decided to start investing in growing businesses. Soon after, she noticed a disparity in the share of investment given to women and people of color in the entrepreneurial space.
According to legend, early in her investing career, she learned that “less than 2% of[venture capital]money goes to women.” At first, she didn’t believe this statistic. “I knew then that one day I wanted to raise a fund or raise capital and invest in women,” she said on TikTok.
At the same time, Williams also learned that an even smaller percentage of venture capital funding goes to people of color. Her early fund plans illustrate this point. She hopes to invest in women and people of color. But she doesn’t limit herself either.
“My portfolio is obviously skewed more toward women and people of color because that’s what I want to focus on, but when people talk about diversity, it really means that everyone has a seat and everyone has a chance to win. ,” she explains her investing approach. “This is what I love to do.”
Williams’ wisdom is a lesson for us all, especially today on International Women’s Day.