EXCLUSIVE: Serena Williams Unmasks the High Price of Power and Leadership

  • Serena Williams told PEOPLE at the WYN Beauty x Shopify pop-up event on April 11 why success is “very expensive”

  • The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion shared the sacrifices she’s made such as spending time away from her family

  • “You have to decide if it’s worth it for you,” says the tennis legend

If you want to be the boss, you have to pay the cost.

Serena Williams, 43, revealed in exclusive chat with PEOPLE why success is “very expensive” during a special appearance at the WYN Beauty x Shopify pop-up event in Los Angeles on Friday, April 11.

“Yeah, it definitely costs a lot,” explains the tennis legend and WYN Beauty creator. “I’m here [in California] without my kids, and that’s a big cost for me because I spend a lot of time with my children, and they’re very attached to me, which a part of me loves. So, it’s always some cost.”

Williams added that the greatest costs of her athletic career and overarching success weren’t even financial. “My whole life I’ve had to kind of weigh, like, ‘If I wanna win a championship, well what is that going to cost me?’ ” Williams says. “It’s going to cost me time with my family, it’s going to cost me friends, it’s going to cost me relationships. And they’re very expensive. You have to decide if it’s worth it for you.”

Williams shares two daughters, Alexis Olympia, 7, and Adira River, 1, with her husband Alexis Ohanian, whom she married in November 2017.

Related: Serena Williams Reveals Why Inner Beauty Is ‘Super Important’ While Celebrating Wyn Beauty Milestone (Exclusive)

The Compton-raised multi-hyphenate, who lives in Florida with her family, was at the event to celebrate the one-year anniversary of WYN Beauty, which she founded and launched in April 2024.

While Williams has excelled in nearly every arena she’s entered — both on and off the court — she reveals that she has no plans to take on another large business venture.

“I’m done!” Williams says with a chuckle. “I’m not launching anything else like this. I just am happy doing WYN Beauty. And I’m happy being a mom and I’m happy with my venture company, and that’s a lot. We’re good!”

Serena Williams/Instagram Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian with their kids in 2024
Serena Williams/InstagramSerena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian with their kids in 2024

When asked how founding WYN Beauty has influenced the way she talks to her daughters about beauty, Williams emphasized inner beauty.

“It’s super important for me to share that beauty is definitely on the inside,” Williams tells PEOPLE. “And then anything externally is just an enhancement of who you are. So our beauty and what we do at WYN Beauty enhances your inside beauty.”

Stefanie Keenan/Getty  Serena Williams on April 11, 2025
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Serena Williams on April 11, 2025

Her clean beauty brand features an array of products such as lipsticks and 36 shades of skin tint with SPF, which were on full display at the L.A. event.

The activation also featured interactive moments for fans and influencers including games, swatching stations and a tennis-themed photo booth.

As for Williams’ athletic success, she turned pro in 1995 and spent the next 27 years dominating the tennis world before retiring in 2022.

Williams earned 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most for any woman in the Open Era of the sport. She also clinched 14 Grand slam doubles titles alongside her pioneering sister Venus Williams, and notched 327 Grand Slam match wins, another Open Era record.

Read the original article on People

Related Posts

‘She Just Texted Me’—Patrick Mouratoglou Drops a Bombshell About Serena Williams’ Comeback!

Fans became quite disappointed after Serena Williams withdrew from the US Open 2021. She injured herself at the Wimbledon Championships 2021 and has not played a single professional match ever…

Read more

Millions Applaud Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian After Seeing How They’re Raising Their 8-Year-Old

Alexis Ohanian shared the sweet way he and Serena Williams are teaching their 8-year-old daughter, Olympia, about responsibilities and money management. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images On Thursday, the Reddit co-founder and tech investor posted a clip …

Read more

Serena Williams Shows Up in a Gown Full of Cutouts—And the Internet Goes Wild

Serena Williams—one of TIME’s 100 most influential people this year—attended the TIME100 Gala in New York City last night in a look worthy of conversation. Williams’s black Stella McCartney dress…

Read more

Not Just a Champion – Nadal’s Powerful Act of Kindness Leaves the World in Tears

Rafael Nadal, the legendary Spanish tennis player, has once again demonstrated why he is considered one of the most beloved and admired athletes in the world. In an act of empathy and generosity, Nadal made a gesture that touched millions of people. Last …

Read more

Red Carpet Showdown! Serena Williams and A-List Stars Own TIME100 Gala 2025

The “time” has come for these superstars to dance the night away. On Thursday, April 24, honorees from TIME100’s Most Influential People of 2025 arrived at the N.Y.C. concert hall Jazz at Lincoln Center for the annual gala. The event is the second part …

Read more

Tennis World SHAKEN: Djokovic Donates It All – And What Follows Is Beyond Words

Novak Djokovic, one of the biggest names in world tennis, has once again proven that his generosity extends beyond the tennis court. The former world number one recently made a gesture that captivated the world, donating his entire $5.4 million in prize …

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *