In the five years since I played my last professional tennis match, women’s sports have enjoyed an unprecedented increase in recognition and mainstream investment. Today, female athletes are demanding the same level of attention and respect as their male counterparts. And most importantly, the money is starting to come.
As the dynamics within the sports world change, so does the surrounding business ecosystem. Female athletes are creating more brand relationships and new companies are investing in the women’s sports landscape. This is, without a doubt, a positive development for female athletes, brands and consumers.
I am a walking testimony to the impact such collaborations can have on an individual athlete. The brand partnerships I cultivated over the years were among the most transformative aspects of my journey as a professional athlete, not only because they helped me feel whole as a person during my playing days, but also because they set the stage for my business career. and the business that followed.
I was still a teenager when I gained wider public attention after winning my first Grand Slam in 2004. When endorsement deals started popping up, my first instinct was to collect the biggest pay check available; I came from humble beginnings and my family had invested heavily in my tennis career, so I felt compelled to take advantage of the moment.
But I quickly learned that the right deal isn’t always the biggest deal. Shortly after I won Wimbledon, Motorola approached my team with an opportunity to become the face of the brand. Although the company offered less money than other brands, my team realized the value of a campaign that authentically showcased my character through the now-famous story of when I tried “unsuccessfully” to call my mother from court after that. first Grand Slam win.
At the time, I didn’t fully understand how pivotal that deal would be, but in hindsight, it was a defining moment of my business career. The partnership provided me with great visibility from both Motorola’s marketing power and the organic alignment between their product launch and my rise to the public eye.
From that point on, my team and I focused on which deals would deliver the most long-term value. Assessing where the real growth potential was – “a brand with momentum, strong marketing support or opportunities in different markets” proved essential to building the best possible partnerships.
It also fueled my desire to develop that business acumen for myself. My manager, Max, started including me more in brand meetings and, before long, I found myself sitting alongside executives in boardrooms as they exchanged numbers, strategies, and jargon that no doubt flew over my head. However, over time, I became more comfortable asking questions and contributing to these conversations. As I absorbed more information, I slowly began to step away from the complexities of the business world and discover a passion for entrepreneurship.
Throughout, sustained success in tennis remained my number one priority. I was very aware that becoming a champion was the reason I had any business interest in the first place, and I knew that maintaining my winning mentality on the field enabled my continued growth in business. I often found myself reminding my brand partners of this principle; only once my tennis obligations were attended to every day did I dive into business.
Even with limited time, I gained so much from exploring my entrepreneurial ambitions. Not only did this exercise help me feel complete as a person, but it also allowed me to discover new creative ways and explore other areas of passion beyond tennis. I’ve also been able to build a network across a range of business sectors and form relationships with the people behind my brand partnerships, many of whom I’m still in touch with today.
By the time I was ready to close my rocket, I had built a solid foundation from which to launch my career as an investor and entrepreneur. Retiring from professional sports is extremely difficult, and while nothing can truly replace or replicate the experience of being an elite athlete, having a business background to lean on certainly helped ease my transition from tennis.
It doesn’t hurt that many of the attributes essential to success in the boardroom are central to the anatomy of any accomplished athlete. As in sports, business requires persistence, patience and consistency. Both successful athletes and strong business minds regularly navigate obstacles, offer and receive constructive criticism, lead with objectivity in making difficult decisions, and celebrate small victories on the way to greater achievements.
All these traits guided my growth as a businesswoman. Before I knew it, I was investing in and advising several well-known companies, including Supergoop, Bala, Tonal, Therabody, Public.com, and Cofertility. I also joined the board of Moncler and recently became the wellness ambassador for Aman Hotels.
My transition from the court to the boardroom felt natural, which made it especially confusing to me that more companies weren’t actively empowering female athletes to enter the business world. While the athlete-to-entrepreneur connection is well established, women have historically had limited access to business opportunities compared to their male counterparts.
Only in recent years, as women’s sports have gained momentum, have female athletes begun to receive the kind of branding and investment opportunities that have long been afforded male stars. Basketball star Candace Parker named president of Adidas’ women’s basketball division; Olympic runner Allyson Felix founded her own sneaker brand and women’s sports management firm; Simone Biles launched her athleisure line through Athleta and Serena Williams launched her venture capital fund.
Even the young stars are starting to reap the benefits. Naomi Osaka has founded her own production company and sports agency. Caitlin Clark became the first player to launch a Wilson signature basketball since Michael Jordan. And Coco Gauff has contributed creatively to its groundbreaking partnership with New Balance, even helping to design its signature shoes.
These changing dynamics are encouraging, but there is still much work to be done. More companies need to recognize the tremendous potential of women’s sports and offer female athletes the same opportunities traditionally offered to their male counterparts. By engaging female athletes in decision-making, leadership meetings and development workshops, brands do more than amplify women’s voices in sport – they create a direct pipeline for them to ascend to leadership roles across the industry.
The inclusion of women in positions of power is not simply a social imperative; it is a smart and competitive business strategy. As women continue to rewrite the playbook in sports and business, I believe that companies that actively invest in the next generation of female leaders are better positioned to achieve long-term success.
Maria Sharapova is a former world number one, five-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic medalist.
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