Exclusive: Serena Williams talks power of storytelling for founders
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Serena Williams at Axios House during SXSW on March 13, 2026. Photo: Rick Cortez for Axios.
Reckitt Catalyst entrepreneur-in-residence Serena Williams told founders at Axios House during SXSW on Friday that one of the toughest hurdles for early-stage entrepreneurs is learning how to sell themselves.
Why it matters: The former tennis star says underinvested entrepreneurs — who are frequently people of color and women — are passionate, problem-solvers but they need mentors to help them with storytelling.
What they're saying: "My mentor actually told me I needed to be a better storyteller," Williams told Axios' Sara Fischer, noting that advice changed her trajectory in business.
- She said she's believed and invested in founders who ultimately couldn't raise money because they were poor storytellers.
- "They had probably some of the best products I've seen, but they never were able to raise money, because they weren't able to kind of get that idea across to other people to believe in them, because they just were just dry, for lack of a better word."
- "If you can't tell a story, you can have someone else do it that's also passionate about it. Or else, it's very difficult to invest in that founder, because you still want to get your money back," she said.
Catch up quick: Reckitt largely invests in entrepreneurs working to address health and hygiene disparities in disinvested groups, while many traditional venture capitalists don't.
By the numbers: Roughly 1 in 3 Americans have "limited or no access to essential health services such as hospitals, pharmacies and primary care providers," per Ryan Dullea, chief category growth officer at Reckitt.
Zoom in: Williams also said that she always wants to make sure a founder's story is "genuine" and "authentic."
- "I want to make sure that there is some sort of connection between them and the problem that they're solving," she said, adding that founders can rely on the lived experiences of their friends and family to fuel their storytelling.
Go deeper: Study: Racism hinders minority VC and private equity fundraising
