👉 Background: We all know Naomi Osaka as a major tennis superstar. She's also has ventures outside tennis, like her NFT collection with Tom Brady's platform Autograph and her Kinlo skincare brand that's stocked in 3,000 stores across the US.

👉 What happened: Now, Osaka is entering the media space. She's partnering with NBA star LeBron James to start a media production company called Hana Kuma, which translates to 'Flower Bear'.

👉 What else: Osaka wants to shine a light on different cultures, and there are already some impressive names lined up. This is really the first time a female athlete has branched out like this in the middle of her career.

What's the key learning?

💡Often, athletes will embark on other business ventures towards the end of their careers. Think: Serena Williams with Serena Ventures and Greg Norman with Shark. Focus on the game during your career - and the business post-career.

💡Rarely do we see athletes stop mid-way in their career to build a business portfolio, because being an athlete has a pretty demanding schedule... And it can be tricky to balance corporate tie-ups with sponsors and broadcasters.

💡But with two businesses under her belt, all while still playing tennis professionally, Osaka has become a pioneer in her field.

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