Serena Williams may have built an empire both on and off the court, but according to her, greatness doesn’t come cheap, and she’s not talking money. During a pop-up event celebrating the one-year anniversary of her clean beauty brand, WYN Beauty, the 23-time Grand Slam champion spoke frankly about the emotional and personal costs of her decades-long career.
“It costs a lot,” Williams, 43, said to People Magazine during the WYN Beauty x Shopify activation in Los Angeles. “I’m here without my kids, and that’s a big cost for me. I love being with them, and they love being with me. But every choice comes with a trade-off.”
Being the boss means making hard choices
While fans often see the trophies and accolades, Williams reminded attendees that success has required major sacrifices, missed family time, strained friendships, and personal moments she’ll never get back.
If I want to win a championship, what’s that going to cost me?” she asked. “It might cost me time with my family. It might cost me relationships. Those are heavy decisions you have to make, and you have to decide if it’s worth it.
Despite her business success, including her venture capital firm and the booming WYN Beauty line, Williams says she’s content with where she is now. “I’m done launching anything else,” she said with a laugh. “I’m happy doing this, being a mom, and working with my venture company. That’s enough. We’re good!”
Teaching her daughters that beauty starts within
Williams, who shares two daughters with husband Alexis Ohanian, said her experience founding WYN Beauty has influenced how she talks to her girls about self-worth. “It’s super important to me that they understand beauty is on the inside,” she said. “Everything else is just an enhancement of who you are.”
At the event, attendees got hands-on with the brand’s inclusive line, including 36 shades of skin tint with SPF, lipsticks, and interactive beauty experiences like swatch stations and tennis-inspired photo ops.
From tennis legend to beauty maven
Since turning pro in 1995, Williams has redefined what’s possible for women in sports – and now she’s doing the same in business. But as she focuses on motherhood and mindfulness, she’s proving that stepping back can sometimes be the boldest move of all.
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