Forbes - How Jordan Chiles Is Building A Business Empire Like Serena Williams
Jordan Charles, a Team USA gymnast and Olympic gold medalist, shares insights into her life and career. She emphasizes the influence of her mother and Serena Williams on her business mindset. At 23, she identifies authenticity as her superpower and discusses her memoir, which reveals personal struggles and triumphs, including mental health challenges and overcoming adversity. Charles is also a college student at UCLA, exploring various majors before settling on African-American studies. She aims to inspire others through her nonprofit, Shiro, which mentors athletes to see themselves beyond their sports. Charles is also involved in business ventures like Jordan Charles Inc. and is a Nike athlete. She values authenticity in brand partnerships and is exploring financial literacy, including stocks and investments. Despite challenges, she remains focused on her goals and future aspirations, including potentially competing in the 2028 LA Olympics.
Key Points:
- Jordan Charles values authenticity and aims to inspire others through her memoir and nonprofit work.
- Her memoir reveals personal struggles, including mental health challenges and overcoming adversity.
- She is a college student at UCLA, focusing on African-American studies, and is involved in business ventures.
- Charles is a Nike athlete and values authenticity in brand partnerships.
- She is exploring financial literacy, including stocks and investments, and aims to compete in the 2028 LA Olympics.
Details:
1. 🏅 Meet Jordan Charles: Athlete Extraordinaire
1.1. Personal Interests and Lifestyle
1.2. Professional Achievements and Background
2. 👩🎓 Celebrating Influential Women and Personal Growth
- The speaker expresses immense gratitude and excitement for participating in a Forbes event, highlighting the significant personal value and honor attached to such an association.
- The speaker identifies their mother as a major influence in their life, particularly in terms of encouragement and support within their career.
- The importance of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of women, especially during Women's History Month, is emphasized through personal anecdotes.
- Additional influential figures mentioned include the speaker's sisters, other artists, celebrities, athletes, and a personal best friend, Simone, who has achieved notable success in her career and life.
- The narrative underscores a commitment to personal growth and success, inspired by the accomplishments of other women.
- Emphasis is placed on the need to celebrate both personal influences and the broader achievements of women globally, highlighting the speaker's commitment to recognizing diverse female role models.
3. 🎾 Inspirations from Serena Williams and Future Goals
3.1. Serena Williams' Business Acumen
3.2. Personal Aspirations Inspired by Serena Williams
4. 📚 Unveiling Her Memoir and Personal Insights
- Jordan Charles identifies her superpower at age 23 as being authentic to herself, maintaining the same personality regardless of the situation, which she believes helps people understand her better.
- Despite achieving significant milestones by age 23, including being an Olympic medalist, Jordan feels she still has much to accomplish in various areas, including business, sports, and personal life.
- Jordan emphasizes the value of education, stating that obtaining a degree enhances knowledge without altering one's core identity, whether one is an athlete, rapper, or doctor.
- She highlights her multifaceted identity as both an athlete and a college student, underscoring the importance of continuous learning and personal development.
5. 💪 Overcoming Personal and Professional Challenges
- The memoir, 'I'm That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams,' reveals personal struggles including mental health issues, suicidal thoughts, and verbal and emotional abuse from a coach, highlighting significant personal challenges.
- The intention of the memoir is to provide an authentic narrative of the author's life, directly contrasting public perceptions with her personal experiences.
- By sharing her story, the memoir aims to inspire readers, demonstrating how resilience can lead to overcoming significant obstacles despite facing adversity.
- Releasing the book at 23 signifies the author's readiness to reflect on her life's first quarter, with intentions to publish more narratives in the future, indicating a long-term commitment to sharing her journey.
6. 🎓 Juggling College Life and Athletic Ambitions
- Jordan's career in gymnastics started at age 7, leading to accomplishments such as becoming a two-time Olympian, a medalist, and a two-time NCAA Champion.
- Despite experiencing setbacks, including having an Olympic medal stripped, Jordan focuses on mental resilience and positive progress.
- UCLA played a significant role in helping Jordan rediscover a love for competing, contributing to mental recovery.
- Jordan emphasizes the importance of continuing to move forward, enjoying college life, and not dwelling on past hardships.
- The support from the community and institutions like UCLA has been a positive surprise, aiding in personal and professional development.
7. 🏅 Balancing Sports, Personal Life, and Mental Health
7.1. Support and Recognition
7.2. Negative Reactions and Overcoming Challenges
7.3. Family Influence and Personal Motivation
8. 📈 Business Ventures and Major Life Decisions
- College life, especially for student-athletes, presents a dual challenge of managing sports and academics, yet offers rewarding experiences, as highlighted by UCLA's environment.
- A shift from a business major to African-American studies was driven by disinterest in economics and a preference for more personally and culturally relevant studies.
- The conceptual idea of opening an interactive zoo illustrates a unique blend of passion for animals and business, though it remains in the idea phase.
- The choice of UCLA was influenced by a preference for city life and the university's strengths in business and zoology.
- Despite multiple major changes, commitment to African-American studies is rooted in cultural importance and a strong family background in business.
- Practical business skills, like tax knowledge, were acquired through family, lessening the need for formal business education.