Women need a seat at the table, they need an invitation to be seated there and in some cases, where this isn’t available, well then you know what, then they need to create their own table.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex when she was Meghan Markle

Serena Williams is known as the Greatest tennis player of all time with record breaking 29 Grand Slam titles and several Olympic gold medals to her legacy. She is a barrier breaker who dared to believe that a young girl from Compton could be the GOAT in a sport of middle- and upper-class echelons of society. Her success fueled by the dream and commitment of her parents to see their daughters rise to the top and dominate the world of tennis. Serena is an outlier and the most impressive part of her story is winning not just on the tennis court but winning in the boardroom as well.

Winning her first grand slam at age 17 Serena learned the importance of taking risks, being different and standing out. This strategy has served her well and echoes the philosophy of her best friend the former Meghan Markle. Meghan and Serena are both California girls with a drive to succeed and successful businesswomen in their own right. It is this passion and drive to excellence that cemented their friendship.

Meghan Duchess of Sussex the most influential royal of our day. The mother of Prince Archie and wife to Prince Harry. The former Meghan Markle an entrepreneur and former UN advocate for women’s political participation has had a life on the global stage both as an entrepreneur and activist. In her royal role Duchess Meghan continues to champion entrepreneurship.

Meghan and Serena shared business interests in fashion lines, jewelry and beauty products. This was the subject of their TIG talk.

We hit it off immediately, taking pictures, laughing through the flag football game we were both playing in, and chatting not about tennis or acting, but about all the good old-fashioned girly stuff. So began our friendship. She quickly became a confidante I would text when I was traveling, the friend I would rally around for her tennis matches, and the down to earth chick I was able to grab lunch with just a couple weeks ago in Toronto. We are both the same age, have a penchant for hot sauces and adore fashion, but what connects us more than those things is perhaps our belief in exceeding expectations – our endless ambition. Serena is undoubtedly one of the best tennis players the world has ever seen.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speaking of Serena Williams

Serena William #GirlBoss:

• Conquering the world of tennis with 29 Grand Slam titles in Tennis world.
• First athlete ever on Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Richest Self-Made Women
• Forbes estimated fortune of $225 million
• Fortune amassed through intellectual property and branding vs tennis
• Endorsements from Nike and JPMorgan Chase
• Serena ventures has invested in businesses and startups

Women helping other women:

• Serena Ventures centers on companies founded by women and minorities.
• Focus on purpose and profit
• 2.3% of the total venture capital invested last year in the U.S. went to women-led startups
• 60% of Williams’ investments so far have gone to companies led by women or people of color.
• Serena Williams’ venture investments are focused on e-commerce, food, fashion and health

Serena William is part of the #Forcesforchange. She is changing the world of venture capital by funding women led or minority led companies in their early stages. Serena Ventures is backing inspirational entrepreneurs with funding and helping them to win both in the boardroom and in life. Economic equality is the only way that true equality will exist among the classes and genders.

I want to be a part of it, I want to be in the infrastructure. I want to be the brand, instead of just being the face. In 2014, (yes I know I can keep a secret) I launched Serena Ventures with the mission of giving opportunities to founders across an array of industries. Serena Ventures invests in companies that embrace diverse leadership, individual empowerment, creativity and opportunity.

Serena Williams Instagram