Tennis Champion Venus Williams On Pivoting During The Pandemic and Her Dreams For the Future

Yitzi Weiner @ Authority Magazine

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Authority Magazine
…You keep that fire in you by always having a goal to work towards and always knowing you have something to give. I think when you don’t have something to give, you need to transition, focus, set new goals — those sorts of things. You do have to be passionate to achieve something great. To do something you love is so beautiful. It’s so wonderful.

I had the distinct pleasure to interview tennis champion, and Happy Viking Co-founder, Venus Williams. With seven Grand Slam titles, five Wimbledon titles and four Olympic gold medals, tennis champion Venus Williams is one of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports. At the age of 14, Williams quickly took the world of tennis by storm, rising to the top-ranked position, breaking countless records, and winning numerous championships. In addition to her athletic success, Williams parlayed her fine-tuned business acumen with her healthy competitive spirit into three successful business ventures: lifestyle and fashion-forward activewear brand EleVen by Venus Williams, a full-service commercial and residential interior design firm V Starr and plant-based protein company Happy Viking. Williams holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University East and an Associate of Science in Fashion Design from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.

Thank you so much for joining us in this series, Venus. What is the mission of Happy Viking? How does that fit into your own life?

The mission of Happy Viking is about fueling your body better. When you fuel better, you feel better. That’s exactly how I felt about my journey and my life. Starting out, even before I was plant-based, I was doing my best to fuel my body better. Then I realized I could do it in a different way where I feel better. That was extremely important to me, and I’m excited to share that with everyone.

Tennis teaches the value of pivoting. How have you handled your experience on the court with the pandemic?

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Authority Magazine

My experience on the court with the pandemic… I think everyone is just taking it day-by-day. It’s great to have crowds back. It’s great to not be restricted in the bubble. That was a lot. But, everybody’s going through it. Hopefully, step-by-step, it’s behind us.

How have you developed and maintained your competitive spirit? How do you still keep that fire in you?

You keep that fire in you by always having a goal to work towards and always knowing you have something to give. I think when you don’t have something to give, you need to transition, focus, set new goals — those sorts of things. You do have to be passionate to achieve something great. To do something you love is so beautiful. It’s so wonderful.

What are your hopes and dreams for the future?

My hopes and dreams are that everyone is able to be healthy and well. I’ve had the experience of not being healthy and well, and it’s not a great place to be. Giving other people that opportunity to be healthy, to feel good, to be able to live out their dreams. When you’re well, you love it, and when you’re not, you can’t get what you want. All of those things are a big goal for me.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

More information can be found at www.venuswilliams.com

Thank you Venus.

Thank you!

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Yitzi Weiner is a journalist, author, and the founder Authority Magazine. He is also the CEO of Authority Magazine's Thought Leader Incubator, which guides leaders to become prolific content creators. Yitzi is also the author of five books. In 2017, he created the popular, “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me” series that highlights the empowering lessons learned from the experiences of high-profile entrepreneurs and public figures. This series has inspired a mini-movement among writers, with scores of writers worldwide profiling inspiring people to share their positive, empowering, and actionable stories. A trained Rabbi, Yitzi is also a dynamic educator, teacher and orator. He currently lives in Maryland with his wife and children.

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