Naomi Osaka Reveals How ‘Cupcakes’ Inspired Her to Become an Entrepreneur

Published 09/30/2021, 8:00 AM EDT

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka became the highest-paid women’s athlete in the world in 2021. However, tennis was not the only reason spurring on this accomplishment. Besides the prize money earned from the sport, top-notch endorsement deals, and collaborations, the 23-year-old also launched her skincare brand, Kinlo.

But what inspired her to go down the entrepreneurship path was still a mystery. Well, not anymore.

During the GoDaddy Open 2021 show, Osaka revealed a “Cupcake Day” story about her school days encouraged her entrepreneurial side. Although it was an inspiring tale, the tennis star also added that experience in the field matters the most.

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Naomi Osaka on inspiration to become an entrepreneur

Notably, the GoDaddy Open 2021 aimed to promote an actionable approach in businesspeople around the world. And so, as a young and successful entrepreneur, Naomi Osaka checked all the boxes for the show.

During the show, the interviewer asked Osaka if she knew when she would become an entrepreneur. In response, the 23-year-old started with, “Actually, there’s a funny story.”

“In my school, there used to be a Cupcake Day, so we used to bake our own cupcakes and sell them. It was really competitive, so I’d want to sell more cupcakes than all the other kids.”

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Furthermore, Osaka explained how she got excited to excel more than others. She also added the actual requirement to take up entrepreneurship.

“I’d run around the whole gym because they had a setup in our gym with our own little, like posters, advertising our cupcakes. So I think, in that moment, I sort got a taste of what it might be like to be an entrepreneur,” Osaka explained. “But I don’t think you really know you want to be something until you’re, sort of, a little bit down that path.”

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Osaka follows Serena Williams’s footsteps

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Similar to Osaka, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has found enormous success as a businesswoman. Serena has her capital venture, jewelry line, fashion brand, and many more businesses so far.

For now, the Japanese star has started with Kinlo, skincare that has an option for people with melanin skin. Let’s see how she extends her business career with time.

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Do you think Osaka will exceed Serena in terms of tennis and business success?

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Written by:

Purav Joshi is a Tennis author at EssentiallySports. Having a degree in Films, Television and Media Production, he guided his passion for writing and journalism into the sport of aces and rallies. With over 2 years of experience as a copywriter, Purav has authored over 500 tennis articles.

Naomi Osaka Reveals How ‘Cupcakes’ Inspired Her to Become an Entrepreneur

Naomi Osaka on inspiration to become an entrepreneur

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Osaka follows Serena Williams’s footsteps